Picnic at the Botanical Gardens

Although it's come to an end, this summer has been great.  Plenty of hot days and fun things to do. We took a break the other day in Big V's lunch time and all went in to the Botanical Gardens for a picnic on the grass and were joined by some lovely little feathered friends.

They were so incredibly tame and fearless, at times running right over the top of us and onto the blanket if we weren't quick enough to feed them on the grass. Little G wanted to pick them up and Little A was just enthralled, not trying to touch them but just watching, totally entranced!  

At one stage one of the interlopers in the background (seagull) tried to get in on the action but the Mother Duck flew at him in a rage and both ended up flapping around Little A's head. It shocked her a bit but she didn't fuss.  The Gardens are such a beautiful place.  We will definitely be visiting them more often in the future.

Jelly excitement

You mean we get to eat Jelly for dessert? Awesome!!!

shameless baby promotion!

Little miss A is such a different baby from Little G. It has been really wonderful getting to know her and watching her grow and discover new things. She is a happy baby and seems to always be ready with a smile, something we had to work hard for from G!

Anyway, I couldn't resist entering her in the Baby Bonds 2012 competition! Here is the link, please vote!

I love you Little A.

Best Friends

Little G has these two figurines, one is an echidna and the other is a rabbit. She tells me that they're best friends and then shows me how they kiss and hug. She often asks me to take photos of them and she'll arrange them and then stand back and say cheese waiting for me to take the photo. 

Echidna and Rabbit having a cuddle

She takes them on trips around the house, often using her shoes for their cars.  She makes little tents under chairs for them to sleep and will rush off to the washing pile bringing back some socks or face washers for them to use as sleeping bags and blankets.  She shares her food and drink with them, making little eating and drinking noises when it's their turn.  When we go to the car she'll ask where they are and then want them to sit with her in her seat.

It's the coolest.

A good day

Our weather of late has been a bit hit and miss. In true Tasmanian fashion you either get glorious sunshine or an absolute downpour sometimes within minutes of each other. This makes me very hesitant to go for bike rides in case I get caught out and have to be a poor bedraggled thing peddling madly to get home, not to mention that I'd also be toting an even more poor bedraggled thing in the seat behind me. I'm sure Little G would not appreciate a cold soaking. 

This pic is not actually from today but it is us!

Today we thought we'd chance it. We left quite early and headed off to Nutgrove park and made it there in record time. I love riding my bike but these days there doesn't seem to be as much time for stuff like that. My brakes had gotten a little squeaky, which shows it really has been a while since the last outing!

Only one mishap on the way back and luckily not a big one. Little G had been given a bikky to munch until we got back for lunch and I was peddling away when I head a little voice exclaim, "Oh no!" I stopped to see what was wrong and about five metres behind us was the bikky, I must admit I thought, "10 second rule?" and then considered how many dogs poo along this stretch of path and immediately dismissed it.  Little G was not happy with the decision of course and the rest of the way home I could hear her saying, "Bye bikky, bye bikky." in the saddest of tones.  Oh well, some dog or bird will get lucky.

Bike ride to the Park

It is such a lovely day today. The perfect day for a bike ride to the park.  Rosie, Pippy and I all donned our helmets and headed off down to Nutgrove to have some fun in the sun. 

With the clocks moving forwards for daylight savings I really thought I'd have a bit of time to get back and have lunch with Pip before nap time, which usually is around 12:30-1pm. Here I was thinking she wouldn't be ready to go to bed until 1:30-2pm and surprise,  surprise as soon as we got in the door she started fussing and grizzling for her dummy (a very sure sign of tirdeness!) so I put her to bed and within a few minutes it was lights out. Nothing like a good ol' bike ride to tucker her out! Ah, the serenity!

A Pippy Post

My little Pippy is not so little anymore. She's is now more a toddler and less a baby. It's happening so fast and of course they tell you it does but you don't see it until, well, you see it! 

She's walking, running and jumping.  Granted her jumping skills consist of her bobbing her head up and down and saying 'jump' whilst walking around but that's cool, ten points for effort I say :)

She talks to me. A lot. Her words are amazing and I'm always surprised at how much she retains. I can't wait until she strings a whole sentence together.  The other day while changing her nappy she said 'careful!' which made me laugh but then I thought maybe I am being a little auto pilot, at least she can bring me back down now.

We sing songs together, which is mainly me singing every line and her singing the last word of each line but hey, she remembers and is mostly in tune. And she loves to draw and say her colours.  I love it all.

 

I try and take her to the park as often as I can as we don't have a back yard and she absolutely loves it. Most mornings she will stand at the safety gate saying "Park! Park! Sea-saw! Seeeeea-saaaaw!" This park visit we went with Aunty Rosie and big thanks to her for bringing her camera to capture my not so little Pippy doing what she does best :)

Just for the record this coffee cup is empty, I am definitely not up for a caffeinated child!

Special Birthday

It was Mum and Dad's birthday the other day, well the other two days seeing as they are a day apart :) This one was a special one for Dad. It was his eightieth! Mum and I planned for my brother to fly down from QLD for a surprise visit which I think is the best present ever because they only get to see each other once a year if that. My brother is not the best at organising trips!

Big V and I spent the morning cooking before we had to pick John up at the airport. It was pretty much the perfect day. We had great weather, crayfish and turkey for lunch and a yummo cheesecake for dessert. Passion fruit flavour; Dad's favourite. Dad was thrilled to see John as were we all. This is the first time John has met little G too so it really was an extra special visit. 

After lunch we all had a go on the Wiifit for a bit of fun. The wiiboard told Dad his wiifit age was fifty eight and that he was in great condition.  Dad took that as meaning he could have another piece of cheesecake.  Ah, he cracks me up! But if the secret to long happy life is an extra piece of cheesecake every so often then dish me up, I'm all for it :)

Pippy Cuddles

 

Little G is starting to take an interest in her cuddly toys and it's the cutest thing. I have come upon her feeding them with her spoon, plying them with cups of tea and even reading stories to them (in special gabble language of course!)  But the best thing is when she cuddles them, pats and kisses them and carries them round with her. I love that my daughter knows how to do these things for it shows that she knows how to love and care for others and that means that Big V and I are doing something right!