Bugs, Babies & Life Stories

My Daddy has big feet but I think I fill them pretty well.

Caitlyn

Caitlyn

Weight:- 12.2 kg
Height:- 90 cm

Talking not stop and mimics EVERYTHING we do and say, so we have to be SOOO careful. Is now putting herself to bed for her afternoon nap, all you need to say is that it is time for a sleep and she is off down the hall way into her room, closes her door and hops into bed. If you dare gone it to check on her you are greeted with "I'm sleeping, go away!"

Philippa

Weight :- 5.2 kg
Height :- 58 cm
Head:- 38 cm

She is feeding pretty much 4 hourly now rather than 3 hourly. She is going to bed at 6:30-7pm at night and is waking at 1 - 2am and then 5 - 6am, which is lovely. She still does have those nights when she is hungry and feeds every 2 hours but that is about 1 in 7, so that's bearable. She is making eye contact, smiling, laughing and talking which is just lovely as she is interacting with Andrew and Caitie too. I am also taking her tonight for her 1st lot of injections......, where has that time gone????

On Saturday the 11th November, we put on our Hawaiian skirts and headed to Oasis Kaden, where lots of lollies, games and water fun awaited us.

It was SO hot that even Pip got her swimmers on and after a refreshing dip of the legs, she was out for the count. It was a nice afternoon and Caitie is still eating the lollies, however I think with a limit of 2 a day she will still be eating lollies at Christmas........

Mummy & Her Big Girl

Daddy & His Pip Squeak

Mummy & Her Baby Girl

We had a nice day on Saturday 4th November at Annika's 2nd Birthday morning tea, it was a pity that the rain stopped the girls playing in the new back yard, but they had plenty of toys to play with in side and lots of yummy party food.

We had a nice morning of catching up with Graham, Paula and the boys on the monday after the ordination service and then we headed over to Alan and Vicky's for lunch and a relaxing afternoon.

I do think my girls were slightly overwhelmed and over tired by the end of the weekend as Caitie went to sleep in the car on the way home at 3:30pm, Andrew put her to bed and she slept through the afternoon, through dinner and disturbed at 10:30pm to have her Pj's put on and then I climbed into bed with her till Pip at called and then I headed back to my bed and she got up at 6:30am the next morning. The first thing she said to me was "Mummy, I want some thing to eat!"

Pip did pretty much the same, I feed her in her sleep at 7pm and 10pm and then at 1am, 4am and 8am.

This is Andrews thank you letter that was put in the Bulliten :-

I want to express my thanks to the many people who have helped me in my journey to this point. From the moment I became a Christian at age 13 God has placed mentors in my life, usually men, who modelled faith, encouraged and taught me. Among those were Pete Davies, Mark Davies, Colin Phillips, Sid Grindley and Noel Edwardes. I would also like to thank two of my closest friends and prayer partners of many years, Graham and Alan whose prayers, advice and chocolate got me through many a trial. The people of this Church have been a constant source of support and encouragement and people like Lionel Walters and Morris Bell have been an invaluable source of affirmation. To the parents who entrusted me with the care of their kids, thank you for your trust and I just want to say that it is not hard to love your kids when they are so fantastic. To the young people themselves, you are awesome and It has been a privilege to be a part of your spiritual journey and I thank God that I know you will be in heaven with me and our Lord. To my greatest supporter, my wife Jo, who believed in me even when I doubted myself, who sacrificed so much for me and continues to compliment my ministry in many and varied practical ways, THANK YOU. You make my ministry possible and you make my life complete. You are the greatest wife and mother I know and I know, without a shadow of a doubt that your mother would have been proud of both of us.

Rev. Parko

"The Brotherhood of the Golden Brick"

"Aunty Paula & Her God Daughter Caitlyn"

Windsor District Baptist Church, thank you so much for loving us through all of this and allowing us to be part of your lives and minister to you all. You are all very special and Andrew thanks God daily for the opportunity to be your Pastor and love your kids.

Thank you to the Catering Ladies for a yummy lunch and your hearts of servanthood. You truly have the gift of hospitality and you will slave in that kitchen when ever it is asked. Thank you for loving us all through your food.

Thanks to Rev. Alan "Hoody" Hood for a great sermon that was so inspiring and so appropriate for our church at this time. You are truly awesome .
Thanks to Rev. Noel Edwardes for all your love and support of us through out this journey and for being the one to ordain Andrew. You were the most appropriate person to do this as you have had so much influence on Andrew and he thinks very highly of you. He values your thoughts and opinions and feels very lucky to be in the position of work with you as a team.
Thanks to Rev. Pete Davies for being our Union repesentive. It was God's doing that you were the person to give Andrew his certificate, as you have been there from the beginning of his journey and are such a great mentor and confidant still today.

Sunday 5th November, will be a day to remember. We had the BEST day! The service was FANTASTIC filled with great music, kind words from so many special friends and a great lunch to follow.

Thanks to :-

Steve Gray for leading and playing Guitar
Phil Jones and Nathan Walters for playing Guitar
Dave Pathuis for playing the Base
Daniel Cook for playing the Drums
Kaylene deRooy for playing the Piano, Singing and Praying
Lauren Azzopardi and Rachel Pathuis for Singing

The Worship was so great, the songs were perfect and you guys ROCKED!!! and looked sexy in your good clothes too!!!

The blessing was that Pip went down at 6pm and didn't wake till 10pm, 1am, 3am and 6am.

And Caitie went down at 7pm, did not get up till 6:30pm and most of all did not fall out.

We have had the BEST weekend, with Scott & Tamara, it was just what Andrew & I needed and our girls were just so good!!!! Caitie slept in a 'Big Girl' bed and did not get out or fall out and Pip settled right down. We saw the sights all 3 of them,

The Golden Guitar

Feeding the Ducks in Bicentennial Park

and the lookout after we had a nice Schnitzel/Steak Dinner.

We also visited Scott's work and climbed over the planes, which was fun.

On Sunday morning we went to Church at Tamworth Baptist and even though it was a step back in time it was so nice to just sit and be ministered to and Tamara lead really well for her first time.

We were so impressed with our girls on the way home as Pip feed at Tamworth and at Windsor and she slept the rest of the way and Caitie talked till just out side of Muswellbrook and woke up at the Colo river bridge.

And the big bonus was that it only cost us $60 to drive there and back as it was only a tank of gas each way.... BIG WIN!!!!

Thank you again so much to Scott and Tamara and thank you to Noel for sharing his 5th Sundays with us as it was the best.

Both Pip and I had our 6 week check ups and are both doing well.

Ginsberg said, that Pip was great and got top marks in all areas, however he was taking 10 marks of her as she Wee'd, Poo'd and Spew'd all over his bed.

Other than a slight infection in my wound and the fact that my bleeding is back with vengeance Kumara said all is good and hopes to see me again...... Ginsberg said the same and I said well if you can guarantee a Boy!!!!!

We are all really tired and grumpy at the moment as Caitie is not well, so when Pip is asleep Caitie is awake and when Caitie is asleep, Pip is awake....... Sleep Deprivation IS a form a torture.....

We are off to the country this weekend to see Mr & Mrs van"pimple" so that should be nice to get away, I just pray that the girls are ok. And then when we get back it is straight into a hectic week of none stop.

Monday afternoon = Get home
Tuesday morning = Kindy Gym
Tuesday night = Andrew has Watkins wedding preparations meeting
Wednesday night = Andrew has Morris wedding practice
Thursday night = Catch up with the HIBBARDS and is Annika's 2nd Birthday
Friday morning = Swimming
Friday afternoon = Morris wedding
Saturday morning = Annika's party and possible bike ride for Andrew
Saturday night = Youth concert at Riverstone
Sunday morning = Andrew's ordination and lunch
Sunday night = Sunday Night Live Youth Service
And then we are back to Monday again...................................


AHHHHHH Please pray that we get through this coming week and are able to enjoy it and that we don't kill each other in the process.

See what my mother does to me when she wants to clean!!!!!

Also today we decided to get serious about Caities toilet training and other than a accident first thing in the toy room and then in the bath we had a great day with lots of wee's in the toilet and lots of stamps. She did really well and got a gingerbread man as a incentive and treat.

Well, well, well

Pip at 6 weeks old weights 4.5kg and is 56cm long, which means she has put on 1 kilo and grown 4 cm in 6 weeks. She is defiantly a different kid from her big sister.

Pip wearing one of Keely's presents, all the way from the USA.

Caitie at 2 years and 8 months weights 12.5kg and is 87.5cm high.

Caitie at the "Bananas in PJ's" concert

Well today was a public holiday so we packed up the girls and Grandma Verlie and headed up to Mt Tomah Botanical Gardens. It turned into a lovely day, the sun was shining and we have a great family day. Caitie fed the fish, chased lizards and ran up and down hills, needless to say she slept all the way home and then for another 2 hours.