July - Catch up time
Well
been a long, long, long time since you heard from me. So much has happened
since my last blog in May, but no time to go in to it all. Pictures paint a thousand words so this blog is quite pictoral.
Anyway, The Letts
Study guide to the last few months would be….
Travel
to the UK (including an 18 hour flight) and visit with family there - AWESOME.
 |
| "I've got a cousin called......" |
 |
| "Lo-los!" |
 |
| Playing fetch with Cousin Alfie. |
 |
| Sharing some chips! |
 |
| Oldest and Youngest members of several generations of Cards. Great Aunty Winn, Aunty Chrsitine. |
Lost
and damaged car seat on the way to UK leading to 5 hours sourcing a replacement
one at the airport - 5 hours - not so awesome.
Jet
lag with a 20 month old - shocking! Still we got to go to the beach at 8am in
the morning on two gloriously sunny days.
 |
| Tynemouth Long Sands |
 |
| I've never seen the North Sea so calm. |
 |
| Still really cold though! |
Took ten days to get sleep pattern
back to normal!
Francis
just fitting right in with the family – it was so awesome to see and
watch.
 |
| Cutie Cousins #1. |
 |
| Cutie Cousins #2. |
|
Friends and fun on our travels
 |
| Corbridge for a much desired (i.e nagged about) English Country Pub Lunch! |
 |
| "Betty's is that way Mammy" - York |
 |
| Harrogate! |
 |
| "Where shall we three meet again...." |
 |
| Not our Family home, but Strafford Upon Avon. |
Travel
back from the UK with another mammoth flight and another damaged car seat!
Moving
house!!!! The usual stressful time, but thanks to our friends Jason, Lavinia,
Shaun, Michelle, Katie and Alice for helping sooooooo much, made it so much
easier then our last move.
Unpacking
after the move… uuuuuurggghhh
Being
in a house that feels like AND IS a proper home – priceless.
Having
my picture taken with David Gedge!!!! Swoon
Growing up!
Francis
is full on a bipedal animal now, and it’s so much fun to watch him “Go! Go!
Go!” each day. He’s learning super fast
so many things that’s it’s hard to keep track. Teaching him new words, or
hearing him trying to say them has been one of my life’s great joys, as he
reacts with such honest joy and merriment when he gets the words right.
You see
him pause, concentrate and then repeat the word you’re trying to teach him.
Most of the time it’s almost spot on, but sometimes it’s just a good solid
effort!
Surprisingly,
no “swear” words yet.
We’re
pushing him hard to be a well mannered child so “please” and thank you – “ta” -
are probably the most used words in our house, maybe next to “No, Francis
Noooooooo!”, and it’s so cute watching him say please. We’re rewarded with a
winning smile as he says it – maybe because he knows he’s going to get
something he wants. Maybe he’s already manipulating us! And it’s not turned
into a pleading “pleeeeeasse?” ….. yet.
Down the Hatch.
Like
most parents (right?) I’m kinda used to eating regurgitated food from Francis
that he’s tasted and then rejected when eating our meals together. (Really?
Only me? C’mon admit it!).
In
the safety and privacy of my own home I’m quite happy to be the human garbage
can, as it’s sometimes quicker and easier then getting up and going to get a
clean up cloth from the kitchen.
However,
last week whilst checking-out at Pak’n’Sav Francis was making a fuss about
wanting some food, so I gave him some Cheerios from a little Tupperware I had
cleverly brought with me. F-bomb normally chomps them down, but I guess compared
with the wondrous bounty of our shopping trolley - (cart for you yanks, and
trundle for you Kiwis) - they were unpalatable. So he spat the partially chewed
up cereal into my hand.
So
what would you do in my position? Shove it back in his mouth? Give it to the
check out attendant (in this case a 18 year old boy/man)? Put it in your pocket
to fester and remain there spreading onto your keys, small change, Swiss army knife? Put it in little tissue you happen to carry
around with you and then discard in the nearest bin? Right?
But
what happens if you have no such little tissue with you and are struck by
panic? Yep, that’s right. Down the hatch Daddy – with a smile on your face!
Play list.
Current
favourite songs for Francis.
1.
Nellie the Elephant – Toy Dolls – still holding
onto the number one spot.
2.
Don’t be Cruel – Elvis Presley – making a fast
leap up the charts
3.
Bear – The Wedding Present – dizzy dancing.
4.
Baggy Trousers – Madness
5.
E Rere Taku Poi – traditional Maori song
6.
Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
7.
My Moon My Man – Feist
8.
Deer Caught in the Headlights – The Wedding
Present
9.
The Muppet Show Theme – The Muppets
10. I Want
a Chocolate – Pinky Piglet
Numbers:
$293
– Original offer to us from Emirates for damaged car seat
$493
– Final offer – full replacement cost from Emirates
$10,560.46
– quote for a new roof – Looks like Daddy will have to DIH (Do It Himself)
