A Fairy in the Garden

The weather yesterday morning was a bit grim so we ended up sorting through boxes of Stella's old clothes to see what Celeste might fit. We found a fairy dress in the wardrobe which Stella accessorised with a fleecy hat and socks - all a few sizes to small - and gumboots. She threw a few scarves around her arm as "necklaces" and we went out and wandered around the garden between showers then went up to check the mail. After that there was time for a dance before getting into more sensible clothes for an afternoon at creche.

Labour Weekend Part 2

On Monday Nana kindly looked after Celeste so Mark and I could take Stella on an adventure. We headed off to Muriwai to see the gannets. The path up from the beach was closed so we did the 10 minute bush walk around to Maori Bay which also allows access. Stella almost fell asleep in the car on the way there so had to be piggy backed (by me!) all the way up. She wasn't too interested in the birds, she was keen to get back to have a play at the park she had spotted, so back we went for a few slides and swings on the monkey bars. After that we had a rest and an icecream then a little climb up a tree before heading home.

Labour Weekend Part 1

A couple of self portraits to start with, I'm getting better with my aim when taking pics with the girls, have yet to get a good one of the three of us!

We had a lovely holiday weekend, the extra day made such a difference. Mark has been working late (like 2.30am late some nights) this past week so we were all suffering a bit from either sleep or daddy deprivation (see pic of Stella chomping on a biscuit while using Mark as a seat, her way of saying I missed you!)

On Saturday it took until 3pm to get ourselves out the door for a visit to Albany Mall to look at the toys and stretch our legs. Sunday was a little better, we made it out by midday to visit Aunty Linda and family at the Bay. The tide was out so Stella and Mark had a couple of great walks while I put my feet up and Celeste slept. Linda's friend Diane popped in with her family too so Stella had some big kids to play with which she really enjoyed. Stella is becoming more brave around Charlie the dog, we have a good book called "Can I Pat That Dog?" which is helping her understand how it all works. The swing got a good work out, she had many many many sitting, standing and tummy swings.

Random Ramblings

After a few unsettled nights since Celeste's 3 month jabs, my brain has turned to mush again so this entry will just be a bunch of things I can remember happening recently.

Stella-isms: Stella's language is great, the funniest thing at the moment is that if she can't remember a word she'll often replace it with a word she knows e.g. arts and crafts became arts and crayons, Molly Malone became Molly on my own (words to a song she sings). There are many more examples but of course I can't think of them right now! She has also taken to calling us by our first names. Today she said "bye Sarah, have a nice day today" when she left with Nana for Mainly Music. It is quite disconcerting! Stella is also very good at issuing instructions, Granny has been helping us out on Tuesday afternoons so when she visited yesterday Stella told her at one stage that it was time that she ironed Daddy's shirts! (something that Mark and I are both eternally grateful for!)

Stella is really into role play at the moment, she loves to pretend that her toys and dolls are babies, dressing them up, wiping their spills, feeding them and putting them down. I often find one of them in Celeste's bouncer or capsule after a session of play. The other thing she does at the moment is pretend to be a baby herself, she likes to do tummy time with Celeste and yesterday instructed me to sit down while she lay under the baby gym and I had to coo over her like I do Celeste.

Celeste is doing well, at her 3 month Plunket visit she weighed 6.66kg and was 61cm, she is a little heavier (75th percentile) than she is long (50th percentile) and smaller than Stella was on both counts. Her skin is perfect while Stella's wasn't at the same age so I am hoping all the things we have done/are doing will avoid the eczema nightmare. Celeste is really responding to people's voices now, turning to see who is coming into the room. She has long conversations with Mark - see last pic - and loves it when Stella sings to her even if it is a little loud and right in her face!

Big Sister, Little Sister

Here are some pics of our two special girls... Celeste is enjoying watching Stella's antics much more these days but sometimes looks a little fearful of her when she gets too close!