Bugs, Babies & Life Stories: 2007

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See what happens when Daddy is looking after the Baby!!!

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Not so happy days

These were taken when the girls were sick.

This one is at the Mothers group Christmas Party when Pip was kept away from everyone else, had not really eaten much in days and all she wanted was a chocolate biscuit. So she got one and enjoyed it so much. But it still didn't put the sparkle back in her swollen eyes.

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Christmas 2007

Well December has been a rather long, stressful and tiring month. Not only did we have all the usual busyness of the different things finishing and catch up with everyone before Christmas but both the girls got tonsillitis and Andrew was really unwell again. So by the end of the 2nd week of playing Dr to my darlings I was over them all and if I could have, I would have disappeared however this was not possible and so we did get through it all and are much better now. However Caitie has started complaining of a sore ear again tonight and went to bed at 4:30pm so that is not a good sign!!!!

Anyway Christmas.

We had our traditional Christmas eve of clean up and get ready for the following day (set the table and get food ready etc), put the kids to bed and eat finger food, while sipping Champagne. Very nice tradition that we started when we first got married.

Christmas morning I was up at 5:15am (not quite sure why as had to wake the rest of the house at 6:30am), breakfast is 7am you see. Anyway up we got and started cooking Grandma Verlie arrived and a little late Dad & Barb arrived but we still enjoyed a yummy breakfast of bacon, sausages, eggs, croissants, toast and juice. Then it was time for presents.

Next year remind me that wrapping is a waste of time as i unwrap every present that I had wrapped for Pip and then some. The girls were very spoilt as we both Andrew and I. Caitie got her first Big Girl Bike, Pip got her first dolly and a pram, Andrew got a Summer Bike Jacket and a really great Ducati jacket and I got an ipod.

It was then time for Andrew to head over to the church and for us to all get dressed properly, hair done, face on and out the door in time for Church. It was a great service, the church was packed and a nice chance to catch up with so many friends and old faces.

Then home for lunch with Jo & Steve, a family from the church and then an afternoon of bike riding and relaxing.

At 4:30pm we headed down to BJ & Kerryns for the 'Camp family' dinner, actually it isn't really the 'Camp' family as this is when we catch up with The Alexanders, The Robsons and The Bevans (mum's side of the family). Anyway we had a really lovely evening catching up with everyone as it was last Christmas that we saw Greg & Lorraine. Dad & Barb were not there this year as they had left for their holidays up north after the mornings service. The girls played on the bikes and enjoyed their time with their cousins and at 9pm when we started the present giving nightmare, all the girls had hit the fan and there were cries and sobs coming from all directions. We headed home not to much after that and the girls were both asleep by the time we hit Windsor Road.

On Boxing day we had the 'Parkinson' family Christmas as with Dad being away and having had his birthday on the 23rd we were free to catch up with Glen & Michelle and Verlie for lunch. After that we headed over to the church to Skype Dave & Dee and had a chat with them while Teghan threw up on camera.

It was really and nice couple of days and we loved visiting with family and watching the faces on our fast growing up girls as they enjoyed their days and all the presents and chocolate.....

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Merry Merry Christmas

We wish you all a Blessed and Joyful Christmas.

Love Andrew, Jo, Caitlyn & Philippa

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1st of December, 2007

I was very excited when it turned out that the 1st of December was a Saturday this year and that we had nothing on so we could put up the Christmas Tree and decorate the house. It is actually amazing that when you start at 6:30am as you have been up since 5:45am that you can be finished by lunch time.

We had a nice time decorating the tree with all our special ornaments. Andrew & I have a ball with our name on it and then both girls have a special 'Baby's 1st Christmas' and the a ball for every year since they were born. I have also bought a special ornament each year since mum died in memory of her, so we have a candy cane, Venetian blow glass angel from Venice, Christmas tree and a wreath candle. There are also some special little ones that we have picked up over the years. As Miss Philippa is at that age we are back to caging the tree in...

Then we attacked the walls and door frames with tinsel, balls and the staple gun!!! (best thing every invented for putting up decorations)

And of course the lights, however due to the constant rain we have not done outside this year but the front window looks very pretty.

Even though we are tired and how totally unmovitavted I am, I still love this time of year and now understand why mum loved it so much too.

Christmas through kids eyes is just precious.....

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Time Time Time

This monthly blogs is ridiculous, and as is obvious from the lack of blogs we have been very busy of late. And with the silly season on us in full force it is not going to get any better.

(He wishes!!!! at the Sydney Bike Show)

Andrew is very tired, as we don't seem to get much sleep these days. He is really happy with the changes we made to the youth group as we are still averaging 35 - 40 kids a week and the drop in nights are working well. Noel & Anne have headed back to South Africa again this Christmas as Anne's Dad is not well and so for the second year running Andrew is on deck for December. He was very excited on Monday as he had finished Sunday's sermon by 12:30pm, this is a first ever achievement. He had also taken on a Kids Christmas Show with a good friend Merrillie who felt God was leading her to put on a very cute Sheep costume named 'Fleecy' and go around to schools telling kids about Jesus. They have been very busy with practices and are doing 3 different schools and our Christmas Carols.

Caitlyn is still loving preschool and is growing into a gorgeous little big girl. We had Annika's 3rd Birthday in the begining on Nov and she had a great time playing with her cousin.

With Andrew and Merrillie having Fleecy practices I have been looking after Tahlia and Kalista and the girls have had great times dressing up and pretending to get married.

This week we invited Lizzie to come shopping wit us and she brought Caitlyn a new dress that has not been off her since Tuesday and she loves to parade around in it. She is almost 4 years old and you really wonder were that time has gone.

Philippa is off and running now and there is no stopping her. She is such and happy and funny kid, so different from Caitlyn, (Caitie was always serious).

I enrolled her in preschool this week so we got her uniform and she paraded around to show everyone her new shirt, hat and bag.

She is still refusing to eat anything but weetbix, bananas, pasta in sauce, jam sandwiches and of course Chips!!!! but we are slowly getting there. She is a lot more demanding that I remember Caitie being as when Pip is hungry and feels that it is time you feed her she goes up to her high chair and hits it, points to the kitchen and grunts. She told the microwave off the other day as I put her bowl in there and she wanted it out!!!!

I am just as tired as Andrew and really not organised out Christmas at all. My garage is FULL of presents to wrap that I have to do once the girls are in bed but I just can't be bothered. But at least my attempts to clean my house every Monday morning before mothers group, make the beds each morning and vacuum once a day so it stays tidy is working. Well I better get dressed as it is swimming day and Grandma Werlie will be here any minute and I am sitting on the ground in the middle of what was my tidy lounge room before the girls got up in my PJ's.

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Life always get in the way

I can not believe it has been over month since I blogged.... (Not as bad as Mrs Fabelhaft, but getting there).

You always have the best intentions of making this a weekly thing and then life gets in the way and its all out the window.

To bring you up to date

Church exchanged contracts
We launched a new look youth group and are averaging 40 kids a week
Andrew went on a 4 day Retreat and while he was away both the girls got the throwing up high temps bug
Went to the bike show
We have booked our Speaker for the Ladies retreat and i have 5 registrations already
Our fridge broke (and still is broke)
Have got hooked on Facebook
Alissa & Dave got married
Pip is walking
Pip is currently cutting all top teeth including molars (all in the last week)

Well that is pretty much up to now. We are all well and truly on the end of year countdown now, no free time till 2008.

However I am very excited and so is Andrew as we booked our wedding anniversary yesterday. We are going to see James Morrison playing at Taronga Zoo and spending the night at Rydges North Shore. WITH OUT THE GIRLS for the first time since Caitlyn was born.... Now we only have to wait till the 29th March, 2008!!!!!!!

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Our Important News

On Wednesday 3rd October Caitlyn started Pre School (yes again).

Praise God, she loves it, today is her 3rd week of going and she is enrolled for 2 days next year. We realised that she is 6 months older now than she was and we have taken her to Pitt town where her bestest friend Tahlia goes. So she is not alone.

The teachers are fantastic, the centre has been there since the 80's but is just exciting every time we go and when we get there at 8:45am- 9am there are kids everywhere playing and she just joins in. We have had no bedtime issues, she talks about going all the time and just loves it. Which is SO great for us, as I was worried that after last time she might not cope but I need to have more faith in my big girl. Miss Nicola was trying to explain that this is her preschool now not just Tahlia's as I think she still thinks of Clarendon as her preschool and this one Tahlia's.

So each Wednesday we drive to Kadens, throw Pip and Kalista in the pram and walk Caitie and Tahlia down to preschool as it is 2 houses down from their place. And now Caitie doesn't want me picking her up at 3pm, she want us to pick her up when Merra picks up Tahlia at 4:30pm and we have to walk back to Tahlia's house. Don't you just love her.

She gets a t'shirt, hat and bag and just looks adorable. The first day I forgot my camera but it was so cute here is both Caitie and Tahlia in their Pink shirts, Pink Hats, Jeans and Sneakers walking hand in hand carrying their dolls. Just a priceless moment.

I am so impressed with this preschool that the plan is to enrol Pip in for 1 day next year and Andrew swap his day off so we can have a day off without the girls and try and do some more Motorbike riding. I was a little hesitant to put Pip in as it is just a babysitting service for her age but then I realised that I need a break and for Andrew and I to have a whole day that is just us I think can only be beneficial to us and our marriage!!!! No housework that day..... And tell me where you can get a Babysitter that also feeds your child for $15.25 a day!!!!!

I should have gone with my gut instinct, 8:45am to 4:30pm is too long. When we got there Miss Nicola told us that she had started to cry at 4pm as she wanted to go home. So i will be picking her up at 4pm next week.

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Australia Zoo

WOW WOW WOW within 10 minutes of walking in the gate the $165 for us to get in was worth it (That was for Us, Caitie and Verlie). This is such a fantastic park, there are handlers everywhere with animals that you can touch, or hold and have photos with. The Crocoseum Show was great really informative and well down (the only pity was Bindi was coming next week she was filming in the US the day we were there.

Caitlyn patted a Wombat, Kangaroo, Koala, Baby Croc, Lizard and a SNAKE!!!!!! She loved it. Andrew got to feed and Elephant and we all got to see the new Baby tiger cubs.

It was hard not to be choked up when you saw photos of Steve Erwin and he is everywhere. There is a number of memorials and it was just so sad. Amazing guy!!!!

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Dreamworld

Well this ended up being pretty much a waste of a day and $150. This is not really the best theme park for little ones. We thought the fact they had Tiger Island, Nickelodeon Land and Wiggles World that it would be good. WRONG!!!!!

Tiger Island, really interesting for us but after 5 minutes for Caitie not so, as for Wiggles World they have 2 rides 1 of which was not working and Nic Land well they had 3 rides she could go on but other than that... not much else. We did find the Vintage Cars way down the back and this was a good one. Caitie even drove, well she thought she did while Daddy pushed the peddle and the car traveled around the track that is.