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I know I haven’t updated the blog with all the news and photos from our trip to NZ .. but I promise to do it in the next week or so. .. in the meantime..

We (Charlie, me and Jonny) all went to the dentist this morning as it was Charlies 6 month check and she was brilliant   She strolled into his room, quite happily sat up on the big green chair and even smiled when the dentist reclined the it.  She even threw in sound effects when asked to open her mouth with  a ‘ahhhhhh..’ and a kinda smile.  He pronounced her teeth to be in very good order and gave her a princess sticker for all her efforts.

She enjoyed the experience so much she went back into the waiting area, sat down and was waving me ‘goodbye’ as she was staying – cheeky little monkey

We have been back in Wellington a few days now and I think we are finally resetting our body clocks to kiwi time.  The trip over was as expected, pretty average and kind of hellish!  The kids were pretty good really, but when you think we had been travelling for 6 hours before we even boarded our plane at Heathrow and then pile on 21 hours of flying to get to Sydney not including the stop over in KL etc etc.  So some 30+ hours later we were finally in a cab to our friends Steve and Nina’s in Sydney.  It was a huge relief.

We spent two days in Sydney which was just bliss and the weather was lovely.  It had been a long time since either Ian or I had been in 3/4’s and flip flops.  Ian and Charlie even braved the Prestridges pool for a swim, although Charlie did admit it was a little ‘chilly’!

Our flight into Wellington went okay and it was all worth it when we were met by our welcoming party!  Mum, Danny, Donny, Jen, Sarah, Logies, Lukies, Marc, Vic,  Max,  Elliot, Jonny and Emms.  Wow, it was so cool to see so many people come and welcome us home.

We spent our first night at the Cramers and it was great to catch up with Ali and Clay and meet their little girl Amy.  Charlie was/is loving playing with Max and Elliot and true to form she had only been there 10 minutes and she was already bossing them around

This is our first real family holiday and its really great to spend time with the kids out and about.  Charlie loves the water, sand and all the play grounds.  We took the kids swimming at Porirua pool and they loved it.  Charlie really enjoyed the wave pool and wanted to be right in the middle of the waves and she thought the slide into the pool was very cool as well.

I spent two and halfs hours on the phone to girlfriends – something I haven’t done in years and so great to catch up on news.  Ian is off to Auckland for the weekend and Stace is flying up to spent the weekend with me and the kids.  We have a couple of birthday parties to attend so that should keep us and the kids occupied.  Next week is reserved for catching up with lots of other friends before we leave the following week

We have just had Charlies 2 1/2 year old development check up, she did very well and I was very proud of her for the way she behaved and conducted herself during the check up.  She followed all the instructions she was given and did it without argument or fuss – bless her

She is developing well and in most areas she is at the level of a 3 year old.  Her speech is not as good as it should be but we highlighted this a little while ago and we are waiting on an appointment with a speech therapist.  She talks at the level of a 2 year old rather then a 2 1/2 year old so not a huge difference but something we would like to help her along with.

She had a couple of ‘firsts’ today.  She put her own shoes on today and even on the right foot and she answered the phone and said ‘hello Daddy’ and I wasn’t even in the room when she did it.  She made her Dads heart skip a beat or two

I’ve been a bit slack or I would like to say ‘busy’ so I haven’t kept the blog as up to date as I normally would!  My bad, will try and do better in the coming weeks

Megan spent a day here recently during half term break and as the weather was rubbish (surprise surprise!) I got out the plastic sheet and the large pieces of paper and let them loose with the paints!  Not sure if I was mad or what, but they seemed to enjoy themselves    As you will see in the second photo Charlie likes to taste the paint and in the video she tries to drink the paint water .. some days I do wonder about her!

Charlie and Jonny painting or I should say, Charlie painting and then directing Jonny on how to paint!  She’s not going to bossy sister at all – Yeah Right!

Jonny is getting more confident on his feet these days and has started ’surfing’ the furniture, which is just as well because he’s getting to bloody heavy to carry around!  And just another pic of my happy smiley wee man

I think Jonny quite enjoys Dora the Explorer or at least he knows when to clap!

Charlie has found some of her good Maori genes!

We had more snow in February and as Charlie had the chicken pox she (and I) was going a little stir crazy staying at home so I let her loose in the back yard with the snow

Charlie saw Ian do a snow angle in January and she drops down to do one all on her own – bless her.

Jonny celebrated his 1st birthday on the 17 Feb in style with chocolate cake and pressies – which Charlie very kind unwrapped on his behalf   I had a little morning tea with a few friends (yes after almost two years I now know enough people to invite!) around to celebrate his day.  Unfortunately,  Charlie had the chicken pox and while i was concerned the mums and children wouldn’t come, once I called they were more then happy to ‘infect’ their own children believing that its better for their kids to get chicken pox earlier rather then later – bonus

Two and half weeks later Jonny comes down with the chicken pox and he has got them far worse then what Charlie had.  The poor wee man has got them everywhere in his ears, up his nose, all over his bits and even on the bottom of his feet!  And I think he’s also got a viral gastro bug as he has been throwing up and pooing up a storm to go with the spots.  My little boy is not well

However here are a few pics from his birthday:

Jonny and Charlie unwrapping the presents.

Jonnys birthday cake (which was the best ever flourless Chocolate cake) and thats chocolate rice crispy bits I’m picking out of his hair!

Charlie was eating a piece of cake and a large piece of icing fell off the side.  She looks at me, puts her hands on either side of her face and says ‘uh oh – sticky tape please mummy’.  Bless her little cotton socks :+)

Ian’s aim came right!

Charlie in deep snow!

Ian and Charlie in the snow.

The snow when if first arrived!

In the first week of 2010 the UK got hit with quite alot of snow, the locals tell me this is most unusual – although I remain unconvinced given we have had snow for the two years I have been here! It did however,  make for some lovely pictures.

Ian took these in the field across the road from us.

Pictures of our back yard.

The snow also caused problems for Noodle as it would stick to her hair in very large clumps and Ian would spend up to an hour getting it off her.  So to combat this problem he decided to ‘dress’ her for the occasion – there were a couple of attempts before he found the right combination.

Attempted No. 1

Attempt No.2.  More refined and red was always her colour

Noodle out having fun in the snow

She doesn’t look this shaggy anymore because we had her shaved (quite literally) as she was developing dreadlocks soon after these photos were taken.  It took her a week to forgive us for doing that to her!

Charlies cage ie her play pen was made redundant when she cleverly showed me how she could climb in and out of it a few months ago!  However, we found a new purpose for it .. and it certainly helped keep Jonny (who gets around in his walker) from ramming into the tree as he liked the sparkly decorations and Charlie from helping herself to the presents!  She wasn’t interested in the contents of the presents, she just likes unwrapping presents :+)

Charlie got a small table and chairs for Xmas and this is her eating her Xmas banana pancakes at her new present :+)

Charlie went to her first Xmas party at her nursery and won best dressed in her new Xmas dress.  She even made the tiara she is wearing

Jonny playing with Charlies new Dora doll before Charlie promptly took it back as HER toy!

Charlies fairy princess outfit which Santa gave to her.

Ian playing with Megans keyboard which she got for Christmas and Charlie  isplaying with her much smaller (though just as loud!) keyboard.

Charlie, like her mum, enjoys orange labeled bubbles!  And Ian in his new Swindon Town shirt!

This photo was taken a couple of days after Xmas – however she does look like something out of the 60’s!

Both Ian and I had a difficult time getting into Xmas with lots going on and with the loss of Sausage, it really didn’t make us feel to much in the spirit of things.  However, we mustered up enough holiday spirit to provide the kids with a lovely day with fun and of course pressies :+)  This year we even had friends come around in the morning for a glass or two of bubbles!

We took the sides off Charlies cot/bed last night and installed a stair gate on her bedroom door.  She seemed very excited about her ‘new’ bed when she saw it and only got up twice to yell for mum or dad when we put her to bed.  So all and all a successful first night.  Oh and she didn’t fall out!