Long Weekend

We spent the long weekend in a holiday house at Waimauku (north of Auckland) with the Glover family and the Moore's. It was fairly chaotic with 2 x 2 year olds, 2 x 6/7 month olds and one very pregnant lady. Luckily there was plenty to keep them busy - goats, sheep, chickens, cows and horses not to mention a new house to explore with door handles within reach. Alexa spent most of her time opening and closing all the doors and playing her own game. Some of this included Pooh Bear who was told (by Alexa) to stay in his room as he wasn't listening to her (hmmm sound familiar??). She has also come up with a new saying - asking a question then completing the sentence with "or not?". Example - Gran do you want toast or not? It is scary when your turn of phrase is used back and you and suddenly you realise how silly it sounds! Well at least it is better than the oft repeated "what is that noise" that was used for some time at unknown and known sounds!!!

The nights weren't quite as restful as a holiday ought to be due to the disturbance of kids - Alexa continually tried to sleep across her bed and ended up falling out a couple of times, Isobel was a little unsettled in the travel cot and as she was in our room this kept us from slumber. However it was a great weekend with trips to Muriwai, into Kumeu and also a quick drive around the area to look for our next home! The first two shots are of our walk from Muriwai to Maori Bay and the gannet colony.

It was a fabulous holiday and a great chance to catch up with friends that we don't see as often as we'd like.

Gran and Grandad arrived Monday as we were in clean up mode and took Alexa for a walk, then on down to the Muriwai playground. We then went to Carriages in Kumeu for lunch. Isobel demonstrated her love of solid food by downing a large bowl (1/4 cup) of mashed Avocado and Banana, she then was quite happy to be getting close to that man with the beard! I love this shot of her with Grandad.

Isobel is growing so quickly. She can sit up unaided now and spends a lot of time sitting up on her sheepy playing with various toys. She looks fairly similar to Alexa and like her she is very contemplative with a serious gaze of consideration. However, she is far calmer and easier to get off to sleep. She also seems more relaxed with others and more ready to smile than Alexa at the same age. She loves being talked to by strangers and beams at them when they give her some attention. It was quite fun seeing Zoe Glover this weekend and comparing her development - she is far far more active than Bell, in fact for a tiny mite she radiates energy and is a live wire. Isobel in comparison to Zoe is much more sedate (cool, calm and collected) - as depicted by this chilled out photo with crossed monster feet.