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Its Charlies first morning at day care tomorrow and I’ve just packed my little girls first school bag and written her name on it .. Gulp .. quick look at the ceiling as I’m going to cry just looking at this cute little pink bag..

I so know I’m going to cry tomorrow when we drop her off, I’m bringing reinforcements in her Dad to help me through this first day.

The little one has got her 2nd cold in two weeks and up until yesterday she was coping okay with it – as was her dad and I.  However yesterday she become a very clingy (mummy child) and would just sit on my lap and whinge .. not overly loudly but just whingy and not happy.  Not interested in food and with the worse running nose and cough.  She had a temperature over 38 degrees most of the day but when it got to 38.6 Ian and I got a little more concerned as we were unsure when to really start worrying!   So after a call to NHS Direct (sort of like the child plunket line) we got some good sound advise and Ian went searching for some baby nurofen to help bring her temperature down.  She woke  a couple of times very early in the evening and so i could get some sleep Ian slept with her in his arms for a couple of hours to make sure she was okay. She then managed to sleep for 8 hours solid although her nose was very blocked and crusty this morning.

But she is now laughing and smiling and is generally feeling much better. A big sigh from her mum and dad

I must be a sucker for punishment as I have once again got out the tape measure and since the 26 November (3 weeks) I’ve grown an extra inch around my belly.  Now measuring a healthy 45 inches – yikes!

We are now in countdown minus 2 months to go ….

Well its come to the time where comfort is now far more important then looks and although I said I would NEVER NEVER wear these the time has come to swallow my words!  The first thing to go are underwire bras as they either 1. don’t fit or 2. are really uncomfortable.  Next to go is the the lovely matching underwear that goes with the underwire bras, next to follow are the ever practical (but still look good) bonds boys pants and now its come down to these …

http://www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product_id=EJ-00505&mci=&size=&colour=?=r10088-p325529-front

Ian calls them ‘apple catchers’ and NO he hasn’t seen them on me!  I do still have some pride!

Greetings from Willersey in the North Cotswolds in the UK

I’m breaking with my normal tradition of hard copy letters to everyone and giving the electronic way a go this year

Once again I sit here and ponder where has 2008 gone as I find myself with 2 weekends to Christmas and not ONE present has yet been bought!

The year started with Ian and I announcing our move to the UK to be closer to his older daughter Megan and from then the list of ‘What needs to be done/sold/got rid off/organised’ etc started!  After a few very stressful months we finally left NZ on the 11 June with Noodle and Sausage following 5 days later (yes we bought the dogs with us).  We arrived after 40 hours of flying (delay after delay after delay) to be met by Ian’s brother at Heathrow in our new/used 7 seater people mover (no more two door cars for us!). It felt so good to get off the plane and see a familiar and friendly face

We settled into our rented 4 bedroom cottage (which is about ½ the size of our house in Wellington) in Willersey which is only 1 mile from Megan’s house and started to get our heads around which country we were now in!  About 3 weeks after we arrived we discovered (to my amazement) that I was pregnant again – a wee parting present from home!  Baby #2, nicknamed Smellie is due on the 16 Feb which is just over 2 months away – yikes!  Oh and it’s a boy so there will be NO more children after this one

Ian started the job hunting process and accepted a business development role with a company called CCL (www.cclnet.co.uk) who are an IT consultant firm based in Stratford upon Avon which is approx 20 minutes from home.  Given the timing of the role and his acceptance he started in the middle of August, meaning he had the summer off   He does a lot of mile these days and its common for him to spend up to 6+hours a day driving, which is a far cry from the 15 minute commute from Churton Park to Wellington and then being able to walk everywhere.

Willersey (www.willersey.com) is a very picturesque village, the sort you would have seen on the covers of chocolate boxes once upon a time.  There are about 300 houses and we have our own duck pond, two shops, a post office and most importantly two pubs!  Ian has become very friendly with a few of the locals up at our ‘local’ and this has helped with the settling in process.  The dogs are big hits and I think more people know us as Noodle and Sausages owners rather then the other way around

Charlie (15 months old) has continued to grow into an active toddler and just an absolute delightful child.  She is full of beans, very curious and much focused on what she may or may not want – not surprising given she has Ian’s and mine genes!  I’m sure her willfulness will bring us lots of ‘challenges’ in the years to come.  She has continued to grow off the official height charts and is often mistaken for being 6 months older.  She’s currently surfing furniture and has worked out she can reach the door handle to the lounge room door so I don’t expect it will be long before she can open it.  I’m hopeful she will start walking in the coming weeks before Smellie arrives as carrying two children around is not my idea of fun

We are in the midst of our first winter in the UK and as you will know I’m not big on the cold so the central heating has become my new best friend.  We have already had our first smattering of snow and we often wake up to see Jack Frost visited during the night.  I now give myself an extra 20 minutes to de frost my car in the mornings should I need to go out and have learned that a CD cover makes a great scraper!.  Noodle and Sausage are not so sure about this frozen, crunchy grass they encounter in the mornings and often have to be forced to go outside for their morning ritual.

Megan (almost 6 years old) and Charlie get along famously well and she is a great big sister.  She was a little disappointed to learn that Smellie was a boy as she generally thinks they can be ‘quite annoying’ but has come to look forward to the idea of having a little brother.

And me, well after a few unsettled months when we first arrived, I’ve now settled into being a full time home maker and mum for the foreseeable future.  However, I’ve left the door open to maybe returning back to work later next year should I wish to.  Both Ian and I can be found on Facebook; as we have found this to be quite a good way of keeping in touch from afar and of course there is always our blog site.  We have been here 6 months now and when I look back that time has gone quickly and it has helped that we have had 3 visits from friends already    As usual I must end my letter with a selection of photos taken (hint – if you click on each photo it will enlarge) over the last few months.

We hope this letter finds you and yours all safe, happy and in good health.  We wish you all the best of Christmas cheer and will be thinking of you and will raise our glasses to you all on our Christmas day.

Arohanui

Ian, Ngahuia, Charlie, Noodle and Sausage

Still working on this .. check back in a day or two..

11 December -update on letter

For once the British mail system seems to have managed to get my post to NZ in record time .. so sorry for those who have already logged on to see my letter which is still in draft mode!  Will attempt to get it completed tomorrow so try again over the weekend

xo

Its that time of the year again and Ian and I have made our ‘world famous yummy Christmas mince pies’ and it does feel strange not to share them with a number of you   However, I will fondly remember you all as I bite into my next one .. I must say they are damn good!