Hi all! I've done a skim to catch up and I think I'm up with the game now!
Simone - I'll be in touch when I get back, to see how you're travelling...I've got a novel NY resolution for you...I think you know what it is, though!
Mel - good luck with the TT!
Nickel - SOOOO good to see you in here! Just keep remembering that there's no point comparing yourself to other mummies cos they are not your daughters' mummies - you are your kids' best mummy!
Dee - I agree with your summation of neighbourly relations. My neighbour sometimes gets to me cos he might pack his trailer in the morning instead of when he gets home from work (he's a landscaper) and his shed is right near our bedroom (driveway got built well after our house was built...). However, for the most part it doesn't bother me cos he doesn't do it very often and it has never woken Oscar. Our neighbours don't throw parties and if someone in the area does and we can hear it, we just figure it's only an occasional occurrence. We suck it up.
Nic - new pic of Nixon is very cute!
I don't have time for a lot of personals so I'll leave it there.
We have had a great time here. We caught up with friends from Melb (husband from here originally) for NY, with his family (my sister and BIL stayed for a while but piked before midnight), DP went for a nudie run with the other boys into the beach...very cold! We went on an overnight trip up north to the Kauri Forest, we've been to the Waiwera Thermal Resort for a couple of swims (Oscar loves that!), and just today I've left DP at my sister's IL's farm, as he loves to put in some work there and they love him up there. Myself and Oscar helped with some lamb mustering and got a ride on the back of a quad bike - he loved it! I know this makes me a 'bad mummy', however, he was on my back in the Ergo carrier and there were three adults on the bike...making it very slow going, indeed...and towing a small stock crate with one lamb in it...we weren't going to come a cropper any time soon! I'll go there tomorrow to collect DP, watch some shearing (and I'm loving their newest working dog, he's so lovely that I want to take him home...but apparently he costs a fortune to feed...), then head down to their local cricket club for dinner and a yarn and a beer. Oscar will like it. Whether he likes it or not...hee hee!
BTW - Oscar has had carrot cake, kumara, cucumber, avocado and banana in the last week. Not much, but he sometimes gets keen and opens his mouth like a little birdie. I know this is a bit much for most people, but I have really taken to the mouth to mouth feeding - cuts down on a lot of mess associated with spoon feeding (which is real handy for all those tribal people who feed that way who don't have cutlery and wouldn't use it if they did...)! Plus, it's not a lot of food he's been having and not worth mashing up any quantities larger than a tablespoon cos he loses interest after that. Unless he's asleep he's with me in the Ergo, so feeding him MTM style is very discreet and it just looks like I'm planting a kiss on him And then he gives me a huge closed smile when he has it in his mouth, it melts my heart. Yep. I can be such a raging Earth Mama sometimes, but that's ok, cos it doesn't affect anyone elses's quality of life and enhances mine and Oscar's!
Ok, gonna get ready to go down to the beach and maybe swim - nice evening for it.
We head home very early Sat morning, but I won't be home till about 5 after taking DP to Fiskville (CFA training college) straight after the airport.
I might not get a chance to post before I get home, so take care all and enjoy the first week of the year!