We had a visit from cousin William last night. These two are so cute together, interacting with one another. Linc cuddled into William and unforcefully put his arm around William. It's amazing how they are little buddies already.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Buddies Forever
We had a visit from cousin William last night. These two are so cute together, interacting with one another. Linc cuddled into William and unforcefully put his arm around William. It's amazing how they are little buddies already.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Beautiful Cradle Mountain
On Thursday night we had a visit from Perry and Loretta. They came from Melbourne for a weeks holiday. Maddi and Little Alex hadn't seen Perry since he came for Little Alex's blessing two and a half years ago. The kids instantly hit it off wth Perry and Loretta and we reminded Maddi of when we went to a restrant with Perry( when Maddi was a toddler) and her nappy leaked all over Perry's knee. Maddi was pretty amused by hearing this little story.
Alex took the day off work and we headed to Cradle Mountain on Friday. We were told earlier in the week that there was lots of snow at Cradle Mountain, so we all rugged up expecting temperatures of 4 degrees. Only there was no snow, and the day was just beautiful. Even more beautiful than the last time we went. There were no clouds in the sky, so the sun shone brightly all day.
We decided that we were going to all go right around Dove Lake this time, and that's what we did. We took the back pack for tired little legs, only Little Alex was saying "up" for the first 5 minutes into the walk. So he rode on Perry back in the backpack for most of the journey. We went anticlockwise around the walk and thought it would be a good idea to get the hard bits out of the way first.
Maddi was a tropper and walked the whole 2 and a half hours around the lake. It wasn't easy either as there was ice which made it slippery and steep inclines. A few times she said she was a bit puffed but she kept on going. We stopped a few times for snacks to get our energy levels up. We worked up a sweat and even had to take our jumpers off.
There's so many beautiful spots on the walk, that we realised we had barely discovered from the last trip.
It took us a little longer to get around than the estimated time, but we took at a good pace, as we were lugging a lot of weight. We stopped by on the way back at this pebbly beach where we stopped last time.
When we got back to the car, we enjoyed all the yummy cheeses and food that Perry and Loretta had given us. We ate on a picnic table near a creek. Maddi slipped in some mud and got quite wet, and as we didn't have a change of clothes for her we had to rug her up in a blanket from the car. We made a good day of it and headed home around 4pm. We had such a great time catching up with Perry and Loretta. Time flew by too quickly while they visited us.
Alex took the day off work and we headed to Cradle Mountain on Friday. We were told earlier in the week that there was lots of snow at Cradle Mountain, so we all rugged up expecting temperatures of 4 degrees. Only there was no snow, and the day was just beautiful. Even more beautiful than the last time we went. There were no clouds in the sky, so the sun shone brightly all day.
We decided that we were going to all go right around Dove Lake this time, and that's what we did. We took the back pack for tired little legs, only Little Alex was saying "up" for the first 5 minutes into the walk. So he rode on Perry back in the backpack for most of the journey. We went anticlockwise around the walk and thought it would be a good idea to get the hard bits out of the way first.
Maddi was a tropper and walked the whole 2 and a half hours around the lake. It wasn't easy either as there was ice which made it slippery and steep inclines. A few times she said she was a bit puffed but she kept on going. We stopped a few times for snacks to get our energy levels up. We worked up a sweat and even had to take our jumpers off.
There's so many beautiful spots on the walk, that we realised we had barely discovered from the last trip.
It took us a little longer to get around than the estimated time, but we took at a good pace, as we were lugging a lot of weight. We stopped by on the way back at this pebbly beach where we stopped last time.
When we got back to the car, we enjoyed all the yummy cheeses and food that Perry and Loretta had given us. We ate on a picnic table near a creek. Maddi slipped in some mud and got quite wet, and as we didn't have a change of clothes for her we had to rug her up in a blanket from the car. We made a good day of it and headed home around 4pm. We had such a great time catching up with Perry and Loretta. Time flew by too quickly while they visited us.
Saturday Football
A couple of weeks ago we headed to the Hawks versus Brisbane game at Aurora. Abby came to look after the kids for the day. The youth in our ward are heading to the temple soon and have been raising money by donating some of their services. We bought Abby's service for 10 hours of babysitting. The kids had a great day with Abby while we were at the football. Abby was very brave to take two kids for the day and even took them down to the park and took them into some shops. Abby said that Maddi tried to con her into making a dessert after tea as she told Abby that I always give her big desserts after tea!
It wasn't really that much of an edge of your seat kind of game, but was enjoyable still as we could relax a little more. Linc had a good time at the game once again, and all the people that sit next to us commented how much he had grown since the last game a little over a month before.
After the game Alex and Linc ran down to the sidelines. Linc got a high five from one of the players.
Our plan was to go out for tea to the Prickly Cactus straight after the game, but our car had other plans. The battery of the car had run flat and because the car was locked and without any battery power we couldn't even get inside the car. Because the car was deadlocked it was impossible to even unlock the car. With help from RACT, the mechanic managed to wedge a long piece of wire to the bonnet latch and got the bonnet to pop up and got the car charged. What a relief it was to get back into the car as it was starting to get dark and cold.
It was great that the Hawks had such a great game and it was an enjoyable day for all.
It wasn't really that much of an edge of your seat kind of game, but was enjoyable still as we could relax a little more. Linc had a good time at the game once again, and all the people that sit next to us commented how much he had grown since the last game a little over a month before.
After the game Alex and Linc ran down to the sidelines. Linc got a high five from one of the players.
Our plan was to go out for tea to the Prickly Cactus straight after the game, but our car had other plans. The battery of the car had run flat and because the car was locked and without any battery power we couldn't even get inside the car. Because the car was deadlocked it was impossible to even unlock the car. With help from RACT, the mechanic managed to wedge a long piece of wire to the bonnet latch and got the bonnet to pop up and got the car charged. What a relief it was to get back into the car as it was starting to get dark and cold.
It was great that the Hawks had such a great game and it was an enjoyable day for all.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Visitors and Kitchens
Over the past couple of weekends we have had some family visitors. Ness has been on uni holidays and came up and stayed with us two weekends in a row. She gave us a great offer to go on a date while she was with us, so we took her up on that and went to Anvers for breakfast. Linc tagged along too. We still haven't left him before. We were hoping he would just have a morning nap while Ness took the kids, but he woke up just before we left and wouldn't settle again. So it was much easier to take him with us.
Olan came and visited one weekend also, before she moved back to Melbourne. Olan has been living with Moppy and Poppy for the last couple of years. The kids often refer to her as one of the family, so she will be greatly missed.
The old kitchen below was very small, not practical and quite dangerous for the kids. The benches were very low, and not very wide, so there was barely any workspace. The kids could easily take the saucepans off the hotplates if they wanted to, and the hotpate dials were flimsy and could easily be turned on, as we found out from a bad experience which involved Maddi's birthday cake. The fridge space only fit a small fridge, so our fridge has been living in the laundry. There was this archway in between which took up a lot of workspace, and if I were cooking the kids would pull their chairs up right beside me to watch and get in the way of the very limited workspace. Little Alex loves to watch me cook and get involved with the process including chopping things, which I refuse to let him do. At times I would sneak away to the kitchen and start cooking without him as he was such a hazard in this kitchen. He could grab anything that he wanted off the benches. Often we would get a good indication that he was trying to get to something, with the noise of the chair being dragged across the floor.
The archway was the first to go. It was amazing how much bigger the kitchen was with this gone.
Poppy stayed to help with the kitchen renovations. This is the fourth kitchen renovation that he has been involved in. We have had tradies in and out the past couple of months. Little Alex has loved having them visit. He would stare and watch what they were up to and would follow them around like a shadow. I will be really surprised if he doesn't end up being a tradie himself. He is such a good little worker though, and will imitate everything. He was always at Poppy's side and was so proud of himself for working with Poppy, and would raid Poppy's tools. One day he picked up Poppy's saw and started sawing an onion! He loves to help me with the housework. He loves to sweep and put things in the rubbish bin and clean windows Sometimes he gets a bit carried away with cleaning things and usually there is soap smears all over the shower door as he has tried cleaning the door with a bar of soap.
He loved loading the trailer up with plaster pieces and would get so excited when it would make a loud bang. If you keep this boy busy, you keep him happy. Otherwise he gets up to mischief.
By the end of last Saturday the benches were gone and the lino was ripped up. It was very satisfying to pull all the lino up. There were 3 layers of lino, starting back with the original lino from the 60's. We found a coin from 1968 under there.
We were left with just the the sink area on Saturday night. Ness was very ambitious and made lolly style Rocky Road with the kids, which we all loved.
The kitchen was without a sink and ripped out, like this for three nights and we survived on freezer meals that were heated up in the microwave. It sort of felt like we were camping, so it was a bit of a novelty. It also reminded me of when we lived in the shed for 8 months as kids, while our house in Dunorlan was being built.
All ready for the new kitchen.
We spent the whole day out of the house visiting Mum and Dad while the kitchen was being put it, so it was exciting to come back to see it. The plumbing was complete, and the next day the elerctrical work was complete and we had a fully functioning kitchen.
There's so much more space now, and lots of drawers to put things away. It has become a novelty to cook in. We cooked pizzas in the oven today, I felt like the Masterchef contestants on the episode of cooking for the CWA. I'm not really that familiar with the oven yet and one pizza didn't turn out the best, but hopefully we'll have a good relationship soon.
The glass splashback is yet to be put in, the painting is to be done and the floor coverings need to be laid. Once that's done the dishwasher will go in and fridge will come out of the laundry.
This kitchen is so essential for our kids, who are so food orientated and love to eat! Linc is starting to get into his tucker and already we are seeing results with his weight gain.
BEFORE
AFTER
Olan came and visited one weekend also, before she moved back to Melbourne. Olan has been living with Moppy and Poppy for the last couple of years. The kids often refer to her as one of the family, so she will be greatly missed.
The old kitchen below was very small, not practical and quite dangerous for the kids. The benches were very low, and not very wide, so there was barely any workspace. The kids could easily take the saucepans off the hotplates if they wanted to, and the hotpate dials were flimsy and could easily be turned on, as we found out from a bad experience which involved Maddi's birthday cake. The fridge space only fit a small fridge, so our fridge has been living in the laundry. There was this archway in between which took up a lot of workspace, and if I were cooking the kids would pull their chairs up right beside me to watch and get in the way of the very limited workspace. Little Alex loves to watch me cook and get involved with the process including chopping things, which I refuse to let him do. At times I would sneak away to the kitchen and start cooking without him as he was such a hazard in this kitchen. He could grab anything that he wanted off the benches. Often we would get a good indication that he was trying to get to something, with the noise of the chair being dragged across the floor.
The archway was the first to go. It was amazing how much bigger the kitchen was with this gone.
Poppy stayed to help with the kitchen renovations. This is the fourth kitchen renovation that he has been involved in. We have had tradies in and out the past couple of months. Little Alex has loved having them visit. He would stare and watch what they were up to and would follow them around like a shadow. I will be really surprised if he doesn't end up being a tradie himself. He is such a good little worker though, and will imitate everything. He was always at Poppy's side and was so proud of himself for working with Poppy, and would raid Poppy's tools. One day he picked up Poppy's saw and started sawing an onion! He loves to help me with the housework. He loves to sweep and put things in the rubbish bin and clean windows Sometimes he gets a bit carried away with cleaning things and usually there is soap smears all over the shower door as he has tried cleaning the door with a bar of soap.
He loved loading the trailer up with plaster pieces and would get so excited when it would make a loud bang. If you keep this boy busy, you keep him happy. Otherwise he gets up to mischief.
By the end of last Saturday the benches were gone and the lino was ripped up. It was very satisfying to pull all the lino up. There were 3 layers of lino, starting back with the original lino from the 60's. We found a coin from 1968 under there.
We were left with just the the sink area on Saturday night. Ness was very ambitious and made lolly style Rocky Road with the kids, which we all loved.
The kitchen was without a sink and ripped out, like this for three nights and we survived on freezer meals that were heated up in the microwave. It sort of felt like we were camping, so it was a bit of a novelty. It also reminded me of when we lived in the shed for 8 months as kids, while our house in Dunorlan was being built.
All ready for the new kitchen.
We spent the whole day out of the house visiting Mum and Dad while the kitchen was being put it, so it was exciting to come back to see it. The plumbing was complete, and the next day the elerctrical work was complete and we had a fully functioning kitchen.
There's so much more space now, and lots of drawers to put things away. It has become a novelty to cook in. We cooked pizzas in the oven today, I felt like the Masterchef contestants on the episode of cooking for the CWA. I'm not really that familiar with the oven yet and one pizza didn't turn out the best, but hopefully we'll have a good relationship soon.
The glass splashback is yet to be put in, the painting is to be done and the floor coverings need to be laid. Once that's done the dishwasher will go in and fridge will come out of the laundry.
This kitchen is so essential for our kids, who are so food orientated and love to eat! Linc is starting to get into his tucker and already we are seeing results with his weight gain.BEFORE
AFTER
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Little Linc
Last week we took Lincoln to the Paediatrician. Since that visit we have been seeing more of this......
and less of this..........
One Losec tablet a day for reflux has made Linc a much more settled baby. The evening WITCHING HOURS is no longer hours on end and is more like it should be for a baby. The first night we saw a huge improvement. Linc was playing happily while we were eating our tea, squealing with delight. Usually he would be on our laps at the dinner table and would be fussying around, until 9-10pm. Sometimes the crying would end with one big regurgitation.
The other good thing is we no longer have to settle him over and over for his night sleep. In the past we would put him down for his sleep and he would wake up screaming in pain with his reflux. Now we'll have to do more controlled crying with him as we know that reflux isn't disturbing his sleep.
Last week when he was weighed he wasn't even 6 kilograms. We started him on solids a little earlier than the other two (only two weeks!), to help him get a higher calorie intake. Hopefully with having some solids, being able to keep his feeds down and being a happy chucker, will help him be more content during feeds and he'll start to make some big gains.
Auntie Becky lent her Jolly Jumper to us. Linc has been having a great time bouncing around.
and less of this..........
One Losec tablet a day for reflux has made Linc a much more settled baby. The evening WITCHING HOURS is no longer hours on end and is more like it should be for a baby. The first night we saw a huge improvement. Linc was playing happily while we were eating our tea, squealing with delight. Usually he would be on our laps at the dinner table and would be fussying around, until 9-10pm. Sometimes the crying would end with one big regurgitation.
The other good thing is we no longer have to settle him over and over for his night sleep. In the past we would put him down for his sleep and he would wake up screaming in pain with his reflux. Now we'll have to do more controlled crying with him as we know that reflux isn't disturbing his sleep.
Last week when he was weighed he wasn't even 6 kilograms. We started him on solids a little earlier than the other two (only two weeks!), to help him get a higher calorie intake. Hopefully with having some solids, being able to keep his feeds down and being a happy chucker, will help him be more content during feeds and he'll start to make some big gains.
Auntie Becky lent her Jolly Jumper to us. Linc has been having a great time bouncing around.
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