Thursday 16 May 2013

Time for an update...

So I've been MIA for a while on my blog, posting on facebook more lately.  But thought I'd take a sec to write and update.  For the past month someone has been sick each week.  First Scott, then Calan, then Brodie for a while, then Calan again, then me. :) Oh happy times.  But we are all better now.  And now that Calan is sleeping a little better, I hope that continues.  It's that constant interrupted sleep pattern that is hard on you.
I'm realizing that I think Brodie sleeps like a log because he has such high energy through the day, that his body just crashes.  That's my theory.  He's like me as a kid.  High energy, a little spastic, and sleeps hard and long. That was me.  Calan is very zen and calming.  He still gets upset, but is easily calmed again.
Calan's words are coming out like gangbusters.  New ones all the time and phrases too.  He's so cute. Too cute actually. lol.  His new one tonight, was 'ipad'.  He can sit and play on the ipad for, like this morning, an hour and a half. I had dozed off and apparently I woke to him still playing the ipad in our bed.
Brodie is trying a Rugby class, basically just exercises, but he is not at all joining in yet.  I've tried different ways to get him involved but it's hard.  He does get up at the end and want to kick the ball from the holding cone, he likes that.  But that's all.  Going to try two more times and then call it quits if he doesn't take part.  Scott is going to try him in a kids Jujitsu class.  He starts that sunday, so we'll see. He loves wresting with Scott, and he's got him doing some crazy moves already.  But we'll see.
We joined a playcentre here down the street on thursday mornings and the boys are having a blast there.  So much to do. Apparently there's a lot to do as a parent, so we'll see how much I can put in.
Also trying to figure out work.  I'm ready to do something. ha
question is...do I change careers and go with a company to stick with, or keep up what I've always done,  but amp it up.  Kids change your lives don't they?
Ok, I'm done for now with the inner thinkings of me............
Later!

Thursday 7 February 2013

Oh stormy Wellington

Well we've been here almost 3 weeks and I'm learning the city, getting out about, been enjoying the beautiful summer here.  And then comes our first storm.  Crazy rains and my god the WIND.  The house we are staying at is 4 stories on a hill and our rooms are on the bottom level.  Brodie's room, however, is the one room with only one wall connected to the house with a metal roof over it.  He woke up in the middle of the night cold, so I went to make his heater warmer and I swear, not sure how he got back to sleep, because being in his room with him, sounded like i was in Dorothy's house traveling through the tornado. Crazy winds here. I'm told I should get used to it. lol
I discovered the farmer's market last weekend which was fantastic.  It's pretty expensive to buy food here, but at the market I managed to buy a whole weeks worth of fruit and veges for $28.  Would have cost me twice that in a store.  So now i go every sunday.  Love it.
Brodie and Calan are doing well.  Brodie is a handful and going through his transition now.  Found a great little Montessori preschool for him and so far he really likes it.  It's so nice too, cause you get 20 hrs per week of preshool for 3 and 4 year olds paid for.  You only pay a 'donation' and that goes to assist with better teachers etc.
We just found a cute little house that we'll be moving into in a couple of weeks.
I joined a group called 'Weta Wives'.  All the spouses of people working at Weta and they have been VERY helpful, where to get toys, diapers etc. and setting up some playdates hopefully soon.
Today we went to Zealandia, The Karori Sanctuary.  Looked at the exhibit and went on a nice short kids walk and Brodie got to see some cool birds through binoculars which he enjoyed.
Calan is in that age of craziness getting into everything and poor guy learning to put up with Brodie's big brother pickings on him.  He's doing some of the same things my brother did to me, so guess Calan will survive.  But he really is the sweetest kid.  He loves to grab a blanket and lay down on it, suck on his wubby (wubbanub pacifier), and always comes to me for hugs and snuggles.  His smile makes me happy.  He will really be a caring, loving boy.  Brodie will be too, but just tougher with his love. haha
Ok, i'll end here and write here next week. Until then...
Oh here we are at the top of the Cable Car hill ride.

Tuesday 29 January 2013

New Zealand Week 1

Well we've been here in NZ for just over a week and thought I'd get a blog started to mark our adventure. I've always wanted to do one and basically spill my thoughts onto 'paper' so to speak and if anyone cares to read and respond, all the better.
So we have traveled to NZ, leaving Bend, OR with Brodie and Calan (3 1/2 and 14 months).  Packing up our house for the 3rd time in a year was insane and even harder knowing we weren't going to see most of our things for at least a year. We decided to only pack suitcases and pay to take an extra 3.  I had separate everything so not to have anything weigh over 50 lbs and alas, i was successful.  All bags weighed in just under 50. lol.  As we were to pack up our house on a sunday i wanted Brodie to have one more playdate with his buddy, Eli, which turned into a full day of partying it up with the Goody's.  They are the best neighbors EVER!!  We actually couldn't have gotten out of there without their help. Loaning us their car, taking all our food in the house (which was really funny cause there was a ton of condiments), and taking us to the airport.
So it was a crazy time packing up the last day but we got out and the 29 hour travels began.  We had to fly Bend to Salt Lake, to Los Angeles, to Auckland, to Wellington.  The kids did great! The first two flights were pretty easy and the long one to Auckland, Brodie slept the whole way and Calan slept for 8 hrs of it.  So not too bad.  But getting on the last plane, Calan was walking on and kept turning around to get off. Poor guy was done with flying.
We got to our place, staying with our friend, Alicia, who was so helpful in pointing us in all the right directions.  The house has a beautiful view and we are in walking distance to the beach.  Brodie has rekindled his LOVE for the beach. He wants to go every day, and luckily the weather has been very great here. So while Scott's been working 12 hr days this week, I've deemed our second week here as a vacation week! We went to Rivendell on saturday which was really fun.  We've discovered the Aquatic Center with a great kids splash pool, been to the beach almost everyday, and out for walks all over Seatoun and Miramar.  Today we went to Petone Beach and then walked the shops and had a great lunch at Fireman's Arms.
Ok, so that's a little update for now.  Oh, and driving on the left side of the road feels pretty natural. lol