Sunday, July 23, 2006


"IT'S A BOOK ABOUT RABBITS"
Sometimes as parents you have moments when you realise how your children have suddenly grown up when you haven't noticed and this week on our way to creche we had one of those moments. The boys were reading books in the backseat and I asked "what are you reading Jack" and he looked up and said "it's a book about rabbits" it sounded so grown up and unbabyish that both Adrian and I had a realisation that they really are big boys now.
The boys have had a great week this week with all the new toys they got for their birthday keeping them busy while the rain, hail and storms continued until the weekend. Saturday arrived with the most amazing sunshine and we managed to get some time together out and about on Saturday. Adrian took the boys for their "coffee" at Fidels and I had a walk around and before we called into one of his shows so he could do a quick check, the boys loved watching Daddy going up the ladder and "fixing stuff". Unfortunately Adrian had to work all day Sunday but I took the boys to our neighbours bunch party in the morning which was good as their friend Ben was there. They were really funny when everyone was being introduced and politely saying hello they stood behind me and Tom turned to Jack and said "Heeelloooo Jack" and Jack replied "Heeeellooo Thomas" copying the adults politely which was hysterical! It was still warm and sunny in the afternoon so we headed to the park for a good run around.
Another monumental event happened in our household this week and it has changed our lives forever.......I finally relented.....and got a cleaner......!!!!!! We never wanted to be those people who had a cleaner but after several friends recommended someone to us I thought I'd give it a try, she came for an hour on Tuesday and again on Friday for less cost than what Adrian spends on coffee....and she can NEVER leave us, what did we ever do without her and what was I thinking not having someone before!

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Well this weekend was dominated by the boy’s birthday party on Sunday so here's how it went ....

After a mad morning of cleaning, cooking and trying to keep the boys from eating all the party food (I let them help me make pizzas in the end - they tasted good but they did look kinda funny!). The party started and it was a mad-house, Adrian had set up the front room as a mini toddler disco with lights, mirror ball, ball pit and projected the Wiggles on the wall, the floor was covered in balloons and smoke so once all the children arrived we sent them in and they went nuts dancing and bouncing off the walls (some like Tom, just stood transfixed by the huge TV on the wall). Once they'd gone crazy for a while we sat down to birthday tea and my piece de resistance a huge train cake that took up the whole table and I had been up to midnight making (I didn't want them to eat it but it had to be done). We sang happy birthday and blew out candles before they demolished the cake and then pressies (once again very spoilt!).

Thank goodness it was a brilliantly sunny day and they all piled outside to play in the garden and run around like nutters and rode their bikes and generally toddler merriment. Adrian had set up a bubble machine which was brilliant and so we all soaked up the sun and let them go for it.

Once everyone left we finally got the boys to have a nap (not easy after all that excitement and more sugar than they've had in their lives)and Adrian and I were sitting peacefully after an hour of the boys nap and we heard a noise in the kitchen which we ignored at first, then decided to investigate and found Jack happily sitting on the kitchen floor tucking onto the leftover cake that he'd somehow managed to get off the bench by himself without tipping it over.....it was so funny we just couldn't tell him off.

We had a few more visitors in the afternoon then it was an early night for the whole family, brilliant day but thank god we only do that once a year......!

Sunday, July 09, 2006


HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR LITTLE DARLINGS
We can't believe that two years has passed and our little babies are suddenly two. We've had a wonderful sunny weekend with the boys and today has disappeared in a sea of presents, cake and excitement.

After an early start and breakfast, the boys got to open their presents which we had set up in the front room, and once Tom worked out that there were presents as well as balloons (he's so easy to please!) they got right into it. They were really spoilt and got so many lovely things from all of you it was hard to get them out of the house that morning. We headed off to crèche with the boys carrying their new "school bags" and Tom doing his Father Jack impersonation saying "Cake" loudly while Jack keep singing "happy birthday to Jack 'n Tom". Adrian and I came back to crèche at morning tea time for their party and the boys were happily sitting at the head of the table with their birthday crowns on and beaming from ear to ear. They loved all the attention, the singing just for them and getting to blow out the candles on the cake (the eating it went down pretty well too!) I collected the boys after lunch and eventually managed to get them to have a little nap.

We had an afternoon of playing with all the new toys and then Uncle Chris and Aunty Sue arrived for a birthday tea bringing more gifts, the fish and chips and daddy with them. The boys tucked into their tea and then we had more birthday cake, singing and blowing out of candles which they loved and cheered loudly, it was a late night to bed tonight but a magic and exhausting day!

A couple of cute stories - I often tell Tom he is my little angel and when I was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of an angel on this week he said "what's that", I told him it was "an angel", he smiled and said "it's a little Tom" ...ahhhh. Jack has been really getting into singing this week and does a great job of "happy birthday" but he has also been teaching Tom to sing "Mary had a little man" (well she probably did!).

Thanks for all your generous gifts and kind wishes this week - now we just have the official party this weekend..... house full of two year olds....aaaahhhhhh

Monday, July 03, 2006



It's been a mad week for Adrian this week work-wise so we haven't seen much of him. He was working some of the week on some corporate events and Saturday night working all night on "Matariki" (maori New Year celebrations). The job involved putting up his company's new 15 x 12 metre stage, rigging both the stage and lighting so it was hugely exhausting for him especially being outside in the temperamental weather. He had to work straight through Saturday night and finished at 4:30am in time to watch a football game that I won't mention..... (pics above)

It was pretty busy for me being a solo mum this week while he was working and the weather being a bit better meant we got out and about thank goodness. I also took the boys to their creche's "Whanau Dinner and Art Aution" on Friday night (Whanau means family in Maori). This involved a pot luck dinner with all the families then an auction of the childrens art work including special ones on canvas, our boys did more than any others so cost me a fortune but we got some real gems (see pics below). The massive amounts of Jelly and Icecream they had before we left meant it was tricky to get them to settle down to bed that night though!

Saturday Adrian gave me a nice break and got to spend the morning with the boys in town and that afternoon we took the boys shopping. As Adrian spent Sunday sleeping after working through the night, I took the boys to the supermarket and once all the boys woke up in the afternoon Adrian took them all for a run around to the park and they all came back red nosed and hungry for dinner.



Pic Top Left - This is Thomas' and he tells us it's "Tom in his big bed (that's the top triangle with a green stick in it that's him, I think the other triangle is Jack)) the cloth triangles are his blankets and the round ones are his birthday cake and the sticks above his candles.

Pic Bottom Right - This is Jack's and he tells us it's "Tom", I asked what he is doing and he says "Tom is sunshine" - I loved that!


Pic below is one of their joint efforts, I'm not sure if they actually worked together or one of them wouldn't leave the other alone when they were painting!