its jolly

 

riverdance

We reckon anahera could be the next star of riverdance.

wee fit

Turns out jolly jumpers are great for the whole families fitness!

laff laff laff

From the mouth of babes

I thought it was about time I wrote you a letter to let you know what I’ve been up to down here in Wellington. I’ve been so busy growing and learning new things that I don’t quite know where to start!

Right now I’m having my morning nap (my mum’s typing this up for me). Today I might have a long 2 hour sleep and wake up happy and refreshed. This is my favourite kind of nap. However, sometimes I wake up after 45 minutes and am a bit grizzly and just can’t get back to sleep again...yip…here I go…”Muuuuum. Muuuum. Muuuuuuuuuum”….unless mum gives me a warm, milky drink...”oh, so sleepy…can’t…keep…my…eyes…open…any…longer”.

Right, where were we. My brain is growing so fast my mum can hardly keep up! I find it pretty boring just hanging out at home – unless someone is playing ‘peek-a-boo’ or horsey rides, or some other interactive game with me. I also like watching mum and dad when they’re doing stuff like cooking or making me a mobile or dancing. Watching mum when she’s typing on the computer is bor-ring! Luckily, we go out for lots of walks so I can see all kinds of new things – if I don’t fall asleep that is!

Mum and Dad keep telling me there’s no rush to get moving but I can’t wait. I’m trying my hardest to sit up and think I should have mastered this in the next month or so. I can already roll from from belly to my back, though I’m not quite sure how I do this – it just kind of happens sometimes when I’m trying to do something else like reach for my toy or look over my shoulder. Apparently I have something called a ‘jolly jumper’ arriving this weekend. Not quite sure what this is but mum and dad say I’m going to have lots of fun playing on it – sounds good to me

Oh yeah, the best news – on the first day of spring I learnt how to laugh! I was happily playing ‘kick-and-splash’ in the bath when my Mum let out an enormous sneeze. Boy did I get a fright! But then I felt a funny feeling in my tummy and out came a gurgling, rolling laugh. It felt so good! My mum sneezed again setting us both off in fits of laughter. Then dad arrived home from work and he sneezed too and it was general hilarity all round. Like rolling over, I’m not quite sure how laughter happens – it just pops out sometimes. So, I can’t do command performances yet but I am working on it!

At the moment I’m pretty fixated with putting anything and everything I can lay my hands on into my mouth (just like mum and dad are always doing). I can’t wait till I’m allowed to try some real food, but mum and dad say I have to wait till I’m a bit older. Oooooha.

baby in red

8 weeks on...

...beautiful Anahera is just delightful. She is totally fascinated by the world around her and is staying awake for longer periods everyday. It is just the most lovely thing to have her smile beam up at you and to hear her coo and gurgle. She still loves sleeping in the wrap and we're becoming pretty pro at doing just about anything with baby-on-board. Am trying to convince her that having a morning nap in her bed is a good idea. She's open to the idea, but would way rather fall asleep in mum or dad's arms - and there's not really anything in the world as wonderful as holding a sleeping Anahera.

Practising making snow angels

rock-a-baby

How many nappies does one baby girl need???

Looking lots like dad

naming rights

babymonster gonna getcha

how it all started...

just in case you are wondering how it all started...
3d conception
go on. make it rotate.

and a few more for the pool room...
there is a baby in there somewhere...(look for the orange hoodie thanks auntie marian)
this is the grassy knoll a few mins walk our house.


bogan baby in waiting
ask gilly about the door... thanks for all the photos sister

the day after

labour day

so monday night (actually tue morning) turned out to be a little different than most.


after spending most of monday feeling very pregnant, keeping herself busy (going for walks, baking bread, helping jon put the clothes dryer on the wall), alana realised she had probably been in early stages of labour for most of the day.
super support sister gill arrived (after been told that she didn't really need to come over just yet...), and a visit from our incredible (yes, she is) midwife Kass @ 8PM indicated that a long night of 'being in early labour' was ahead.
around 1030 PM, after a 'relaxing' bath, early labour quickly moved into transition (the bit before the end bit) with everything being a whole lot more intense and jon's hand in danger of being bitten off during the very strong contractions...
arriving soon after the words 'GET KASS' (1130 PMish), Kass quickly assessed that we were soon going to be a family.
103 minutes later we were holding the newest (and most beautiful) creature in the world.

we are happy to announce that our baby girl, of exceptional health and vigor, (yes, she really was 4.78kgs / 10 pounds 9 ounces) was born @ 0113 AM on Tuesday 13th May 2008.


alana is doing incredibly well. she is enjoying being at home (we haven't left the house!) and getting know our wee baby (name to follow in due course...). jon is loving being @ home too and really appreciating the incredible support of those all around.
all the family enjoyed having a bath in the birth pool set up in the spare room (there wasn't time to get it heated on the night!).

thanks to all for messages and thoughts and love and good things. we look forward to having visitors maybe after the weekend.

we know that we are the luckiest humans alive.

in_the_beginning

some where in the southern regions...



it all began...