Mmm mmm

Stella got into the Easter spirit this year by indulging in the odd marshmallow egg, whenever one appeared she would give a naughty low laugh and say "mmm mmm". We didn't go away but managed to easily fill the days with the beach, park, friends, Nana's and a trip to the Arataki Visitor Centre in the Waitakeres. Here are some shots from our weekend...

We also finally got our wee vege/herb garden sorted last weekend with the help of Aunty Kath. Stella had been helping by carrying the individual pots of herbs and things around and was quite perturbed when she woke up to find them stuck in the ground and unable to be transported. Fortunately she is over that and is more interested in walking around the edge of the raised garden as though on a balance beam.

Stella's (constant) chatter continues to amaze us, she comes out with some lovely sayings... "Stella's having fun... having a lovely time... I love you Mummy/Daddy... lets read a book... I need a muffin banana (banana muffin)..." She's started to sing along to music and often sings herself to sleep at night, tonight we heard "Going to the zoo, zoo, zoo... Old MacDonald had a monkey, eee ah eee ah ohh." She has loved having Mark around all weekend and has been in good spirits each day, it will be hard to go back to our normal routine.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

I finally recorded Stella singing today, she was talking to Granny on the phone. Here is her rendition of Baa Baa Black Sheep. Sometimes a bag of wool is for the little boy and sometimes for a little girl - Stella is very equal opportunities!

The Bay

We had a lovely weekend at Mairangi Bay, not an overnight stay this time but two beautiful days pottering in the shallows and enjoying the fresh sea air. Mark has taught Stella to go 'rock climbing' so the first pic is of her clinging to my leg as she made her way down from a rock a bit higher up. She was quite fearless in the water compared with previous sessions, loving the 'bubbles' she could see when the (little) waves crashed ashore.

She is very interested in putting on her shoes herself, both sandals and gumboots, and usually gets it right but I had to take a pic of this contradiction... intelligently reading an Agatha Christie novel with her sandals on the wrong feet!

She still grabs the camera when she sees it hence the lack of close ups.