Tina, Amber & Scott

Big earth quake here this morning in Christchurch on the south island at 4:30 ish we didn’t feel it but apparently some people in Wellington did. All over the news, roads ripped up and houses ripped to shreds went on for 15 mins the most I have ever felt was a few seconds. only injuries so lets hope all ok.

In other news, Amber is doing really well at day care,we went to the Zoo a few weeks ago and she loved that, growing all the time and is now putting two separate words together to say bye bye daddy as she waves (very cute). She gets very frustrated when she wants something and cant communicate it, and has now staring biting as well as smacking agh! any advice would be great please!

Scott and I are ok just plodding along with work etc, need another holiday now that its officially spring the weather is getting nicer and Amber is going outside more (she has decided that its far to boring inside) so we are generally having to get out the house before 930 every day.

Tomorrow is Fathers day so Scott will get pampered or so he thinks and have a nice relaxing day, as next week is going to be a really busy one.

July has been a cold and frosty month here in Wellington, but we have had a lot of clear and sunny days and not much rain which is good.

Ambers Swimming lessons have come to a term end, but a few of us are continuing to go on a Sunday Morning so it keeps the kids in the water, and its important they are not afraid of the water, kind hard to avoid it here ;o)

We went to see Swan Lake on ice recently and it was fantastic, I was so amazed by the grace and skill of 15 people dancing so beautifully on such a small patch of ice. The lead Swan was so graceful she even swapped her ice-skates for sippers at one point and her balance was perfect. I’d definitely go and see the proper ballet if it ever came to Wellington.

So I also had a big change this month with my hair went from the traditional brown/blonde to very different red/brown, the change made a positive  influence on all. It is really growing on me now, took me a few weeks to get used to it.

The coffee group met up at the Zoo this month, not a huge turnout but it was a good morning very wet though towards the end and all the kids were getting restless. Its nice that the first group outing including all the husbands since blueberry park back in May. Also had a girls night last night, as Scott went out with work, I had a some other mum friends over for a giggle filled night with love actually dvd and wine. good night. Thanks Ladies.

To finish July up I had some rough news this past week with a death in the family, so my love goes out to all, Wescombes, Smalleys, Stiles, Willis, Wrights, Miles, Woodwards and Monks.

Days 3: It turned out to be another beautiful sunny morning, so took the opportunity to go to the top of Bluff hill, and look out over Napier, very nice view and very clean, from there we Silver Oaks chocolate factory and I had the best chocolate muffin with real cream and chocolate sauce yum, spent some time going round the shop and watching the factory works through the window, Amber was fascinated by a chocolate bunny that was as tall as she was. From there a drive to Ocean Beach as recommended. Lovely beach gorgeous golden sand but the weather wasn’t really up to much so we could sit and play, I should imagine that it gets really packed in summer though. Then a trip to Hastings to have a look around their town centre, and discovered that the fright trains go straight through a lovely garden in the town centre very weird. Then I had the experience of my food shopping life I went to Pak N Save Napier and what a wonderful place to shop much better than ours, I could have stayed longer but I needed to get back and as I had the dinner

Day 4:  Thursday was cloudier but still warm, she we decided to go to the aquarium, Amber wasn’t too impressed with the large tanks, but she loved the underground water walkway thing and we went round it 4 times, still only took us 1 1/2 hours to see the lot though, so from there after we ate lunch we headed off for cape kidnappers and clear view winery. We soon found out that it was actually a 5 hours return walk to cape kidnappers from where you had to dump your car, so we didn’t do it, the winery was nice though  did a little bit of tasting and  then moved on. I wanted to go and see the honey factory but we didn’t have a leaflet or know where it was only roughly in Havelock North, but as it turns out you really don’t need a map, just head for the general area and then its signposted. Amber and Scott both loved this place, getting to taste all the different honeys and watching live bees do their thing, very cool and we are glad that we went. We finished the day off by having the most delicious steak and a  restaurant called steak out yum,.

Day 1: So what a start to our holiday rain rain go away… Monday was horrid weather wise, we set off from very damp Wellington at 9:50am and after a very long nearly 5 hour car journey with Amber awake and not enjoying, being strapped into the car seat, we arrived in Napier at about 3 ish. It was pouring down and so we couldn’t see anything. We checked in to our motel room nice clean and tidy, just a shame our ocean view was obscured by the heavy rain. We decided to make the most of it, and took a drive around Napier starting with Bluff Hill, and then around town, Amber was protesting very loudly so we stopped at a burger king just to let her play on the playground and burn off some energy, then back to the room, to gather ideas for the week. Later out for dinner at Breakers restaurant, as they had an indoor play park and vegetables on the menu, so all were happy.

Day 2: How different was Tuesday, we had a terrible night sleep with Amber, resulting in both of us being up half the night and Scott sleeping in the other room with Amber from about 4am onwards. Still when we got up at 7am there was a beautiful sunrise and blue skies ahead. We took Amber to the park opposite and let her run wild, I have never seen a park like it no graffiti, no rubbish, what a clean place and so well kept. We also made most of the beach, and Amber loved playing with the pebbles between her fingers. Then Amber slept while we walked along the sea front and up to the Centennial Gardens Waterfall, via the Spa, War Memorial and sunken gardens. I loved the waterfall it was simply beautiful. From there on to town and a walk around the art deco shop fronts popping into the art deco shop and train land home to NZ’s largest model railway and a little ride on track that Amber had great fun on. It turned out the owner was from Somerset . Time to walk back to the apartment via the park and skate park and a afternoon nap for all before a late dinner at a different Breakers Restaurant.

Not a lot to report since the last update. Amber had a really bad ear infection and was a very grumpy girl over the Easter break, but she is back to her old self now. 

Easter was fun, first taste of chocolate for Amber  and she loved it (Surprise surprise). We also moved her from the bedroom closest to the lounge to the back extension bedroom, and now we can be noisy  with action movies etc and not have to worry. so that went well even though we did it on the weekend she was poorly she still settled into her new room very well.

Coffee group took all bubs on the train on Wednesday for our weekly meet up, and the kids loved it Amber just kept running up and down the carriage, it was very funny and tiring. Scott and I are both well, work is actually going ok for both of us, with Scott successfully completing his big move downstairs, and I am finally playing catch up before payroll kicks off again next week. At least it means money is coming into the house.

Scott is after a Google phone or something like it, and is trying to sell some of his discworld figurines to raise the funds, so if your interested look here http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=283484883

Amber is almost 14 months old and she is amazing, she is not only walking but running! stopping and sudden changes of direction are still under progression. she says Ta, Dog, Mama, Dada, Look and a new one over the last few days what! I think she is trying also to say down.

She insists on feeding herself and use a spoon but she cant yet get the food loaded so mummy or daddy load it up first. She prefers to eat everything with her fingers and let Sam have a lick. She has progressed on to whole milk no more formula.

We are teaching her to communicate with words more rather then tantrums yes they do start at 12 months not 24 as the myth goes. So teaching her new rules all the time, like say Ta when you are given something, down if you want to get down and up if you want to get up. She understands loads too, and can blow kisses and wave bye bye on demand, she also likes to give mummy/daddy kisses & cuddles.

New sounds and faces are forever emerging, and she has 8 teeth 4 at the top and 4 at the bottom with molars coming I think! Oh it must be tough being a baby.