Well its been a couple of days...

We haven't really been doing much the last couple of days other than relaxing and playing with Zack's Christmas gifts. He was so spoilt...they hardly fit into his room.

Yesterday Zack went to Nana and Grandad Bailey's and played with his new train set (Thomas the Tank Engine of course) and his new tool set. They all had lots of fun and he ended up staying the night! I had a nice break although I did have to catch up on lots of housework (which is now all undone that Zack is home again) and shopping.

Zack on the rocking horse from his second cousins Caitlyn and Emma

Junior playing Soccer

Tomorrow is the last day of the year and Zack will be seeing in the new year with Mamere while I go out for a shimmy. Hope everyone has a good time and we will see you next year.
Love
J

Long time no post

Our Xmas...

Xmas Eve
We went to Nana Mearles in the afternoon for a lovely dinner and lots of presents. Zack wasn't really feeling in a partying kind of mood but he did VERY well considering. He enjoyed playing with Emma and Caitlin (mostly stealing their chairs from them). After dinner we headed out to the Nicholson's to meet up with the Christini clan. It was a very happy and festive atmosphere. Although Zack had slept in the car on the way out he settled back to sleep on the air bed after saying a quick hello to everyone. Unfortunately this is where it took a turn for the worst for me...I was in extreme agony and rushed to Botany 24 Hour Care (thanks Aunty Nicola)...turned out to be kidney stones.

Christmas Day
I still wasn’t feeling well in the morning but I did manage to see everyone open their presents, Zack wasn’t really interested in opening presents so I got to do it (YAH). Zack and Connor kept us on our toes trying to keep them separated - they both wanted what the other had and Zack wasn’t very kind about letting Connor know it.

Shortly before lunch, Mum drove us back to Manurewa to the Bailey's by the time we got there I was feeling better...and we had more presents before heading over to GG's for Xmas lunch. The food was FANTASTIC and most of the family was there. Zack had a great time playing with all the toys with Hana and Ella.

Then we headed home to unpack everything and a nap.

Boxing Day
We spent most of the day eating and playing with toys, reading books and trying to clean up. Zack had a couple of big sleeps through out the day, then we went round the Bailey's for dinner it was very relaxing.

I didn’t get many photos of our Xmas as I wasn’t really feeling the best, but there were lots of cameras about so I will update with more later.

Here are a few...

Granny

Nana Mearle and David

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Maya and Granny

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Toni and Maya

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Zack opening presents with Mamere

3 more sleeps

Zack and I have been pretty busy the last couple of days. His cough still hasn't subsided, it did appear to be getting better the other day but it got worse again last night (not much sleep for me) and today he was looking pretty miserable. Kept him dosed up on Pamol and he was happy enough just got grizzly towards the end of the dosage.

Erica (my cousin) came over for a few hours today and played with Zack, they had lots of fun and it kept him busy while I was wrapping up the last of the xmas presents.

Tomorrow Erica is coming over again (we are all looking forward to it), we have to pop through to Manukau to get some last minute gifts and then its home for the rest of the day getting packed for Saturday.

Tonight Nana and Grampa Curchin came to pick up their BBQ, Zack was very excited to see them. They had Keiley with them (Zack's Cousin) she is staying with them over the holidays...I am so jealous! Zack took to Keiley straight away and had her reading books to him, he hasn't seen her in suck a long time but he obviously recognised that she is family. Here are some photos...

Thats all from me, I'm really tired and need my beauty sleep.

Night

J

Monday Blues

The weather is GROSS today and I'm really feeling it. Zack seems to have developed a seal like cough as well (from no where) so needless to say he is miserable today too :( Poor boy, I have been keeping him dosed up on Pamol and keeping him warm so hopefully we can scare it off before Xmas.

The countdown is really on now, everywhere we go there seems to be traffic and shoppers and Xmas specials, I will glad when the day finally arrives and it's all over I think bleeeh, I don't mean that, its just today is so horrible and we went out for lunch and there were just people everywhere pushing and shoving.

Tomorrow I have to go to Playcentre for the big end of year clean up. It's happening all week this week, its a massive job. We have to stock take everything and then cram it into a tiny little shed. I only have to go for a few hours though and it will be nice to see the girls again before the holidays....No Playcentre until the beginning of February (it seems like so far away).

Wednesday we will be catching up with Nana Healy, Thursday I hope to get the last few gifts I need and then Friday Brett arrives in Auckland and we will just be getting the house in order before we go out to Aunty Nicola's.

Better dash, Zack is awake.
Love
J

Our Trip to Tairua

Zack and I had a great stay in Tairua. The drive was fun (not in a girl racer kind of way either), Nana and Grampa were very happy to see Zack. We got taken out to lunch down at the beach, it was Yum. Then Zack showed off on the play ground and then went for a run with Nana on the beach, he had a ball. Although we werent very organised and hadnt taken any sand toys, Zack was eyeing up some other kids toys and was getting very grumpy because we kept stopping him from going to steal them.

We had a lovely dinner and then an awsome Chocolate Fondue for dessert, Zack had lots of fun as you can imagine - he especially liked the grapes!

This morning when we woke up, there were presents for us! Zack got a really neat Hairy Maclary book that BARKS!

Here are some pics

Zack and Nana

Zack opening presents

Zack and Grampa

Zack's photo of Grampa (Zack took this)

Zack and Grampa reading a book

Not long after we got home, I was hanging out the washing when we found a baby bird. Zack and I made a nest for it and put it up high near the tree it fell from. Hopefully its parents will find it and take it back to the nest. I hope it lasts that long, its a brand new baby!

Best be off...shortland street is on.

Love

J

Jingle Bells...

Christmas is getting so close, how exciting. We visited the Bailey's today and their house is really xmasy it was cool. Toni even had some reindeer antlers for Maya, Zack thought they were great and wouldnt stop grinning at himself in the mirror...

And Maya...

We are pretty busy for the rest of the week, playcentre tomorrow and going to Tairua on Thursday to see Zack's Grandparents, hopefully the weather stays nice as they live right near the beach.

Better get a wriggle on, have to get to playcentre meeting soon.

See Ya

J

Zack's Christmas Wish List

I found a cool kids toy website today which allows you to save Wishlists...so guess what I did, that's right, here is the link for those of you interested in what would make excellent Xmas Gifts for Zack;
http://www.iqtoys.co.nz/site/page=wishlistview/wishlist=Zack2005

If you want to leave a comment you will need to use this password 5qy0ae

Zack spent most of the day outside with Junior playing with the hose and making mud puddles, we went through LOTS of changes of clothes and nappies. I'm sure he did it on purpose so that he could be left to run around nude!

I spent the afternoon cleaning the roof and walls in the lounge, it was very tiring and didn't help that I have been feeling coughy and spluttery most of the day.

Zack's Uncle Fork came to Auckland tonight, for work. Zack was so happy to see him and showed off all his books. When we got home he took Brett to show him his new room and big bed, he was impressed!

Tomorrow night I have my first Playcentre meeting, should be fun as it is the last one of the year and sounds like there will be more drinking of wine than anything serious. I will have to be voted in as the new secretary, I hope it isn't too embarrassing...oh no wait I'm thinking of the American Fraternities - well anyway I hope its nothing like that either ha ha ha!

Anyway, I'm off to shower and then to bed.
Buh bye
J

The Playcentre Xmas Party

Just quickly...Spookers was GREAT. It was frightening in a fun way we had lots of laughs.

Zack had a great time at the Bailey's playing in the sandpit, with the water pistols, bubble solution and even visited GG.

Today we had the Playcentre Xmas Party, there was lots of great food, friends and SANTA! It was hard for Zack to wait for his name to be called, especially when everyone around us had BOOKS! Zack absolutely loves books, cant get enough of them so he was very excited - even managed to swipe some nice little boys book off him (poor kid). Zack was a little grumpy this morning though so we werent able to stay for the whole thing, although we caught all the important bits.

Here are some photos;

Zack and Mamere having lunch

Ange dressed up as Santa's helper

This is Zack after getting his present from Santa - not very happy.

He did like the book though!

Must dash, books to read!

J

Cuddly Boy

Zack is being very cute and cuddly today, I have had to read "The little Yellow Digger" to him about 5 times already today. He still has a bit of a runny nose but seems much better.

It's a beautiful hot day today, we have already been outside playing with the hose...the grass will be loving it. Junior however got chased around the back yard with the water and was soaking wet. He ran inside and dried himself on Zack's bed for revenge HA HA HA HA. But its a good excuse for me to try out the other Duvet Cover on Zack's bed so I didn't mind too much.

Tonight Zack is going to the Bailey's for the night, I am going out to Mum's Work Xmas party with her...we are going to "Spookers" it should be fun although it sounds scary.

Better dash, Zack has just finished his lunch.
J

Cough Splutter

Zack still has a bit of a cough, seems to be worse in the mornings and the evenings which is not uncommon. We went to Playcentre yesterday anyway, the weather wasn't that great though so we were in doors most of the day. The girls got crazily messy with paints etc I guess its being confined to a smaller area you just notice it more or something. Zack spent most of the day playing with cars and blocks...ooh and eating play dough (errrr). But we had a good day, it sure is nicer when the weather is fine and we can get outside anyway.

Some new words Zack can say on his own accord - turtle, pig, socks, bed, snake, hang on, dinner, monkey, head and down (that's all I can think of at the moment).

When you ask him the noise a cow makes he moos, a duck he quacks (and its a very impressive quack too, not just saying quack but that noise you make in the back of your throat), a snake and he hisses, a tiger and he growls (again this noise is impressive, sounds like a Raaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwl), a chicken and he bwarks. He seems to be a little confused with Cat though and rather than meowing he calls the cat "Puss Puss Puss". Still its very cute!

We have been teaching him his name and providing that he is the mood for thinking (typical man) he will say "Zack" and when I ask him my name he smiles and says "Mum". He has picked this up very quickly, seems he is learning LOTS at the moment.

Zack and I are off to pay some bills this morning and maybe catch up with Mamere for lunch and stop in to see the Bailey's in the afternoon.


Here is a photo of Zack at Nana and Grandad Christini's attempting to ride the dump truck...it can't have been comfortable as it is not actually meant for riding on!

Till tomorrow
J

Oooooh Flash

Here are some pics of Zack's new curtains...

Zack hasn't noticed yet...but he did notice the mess this morning. I didn't want to start the vacuum so late at night so there were still cottons and little bits of material on the floor this morning. He must have pointed at every piece, saying "ooooh" and "oh ow" it was so cute!

Anyway off now to get the housework done for the day...back later.

Quiet day at home

We had a quiet day at home today, Zack has developed a nasty cough and still has a runny nose so kept him inside most of the day...needless to say he wasn't impressed.

I sewed up the curtains for Zack's room tonight after he went to bed and they look great...will post a photo tomorrow. Just need to find a nice brown mat to go in there now.

Tomorrow we are dropping Mamere off at work so she can get her car serviced and then visiting the Bailey's in the afternoon. Toni made a cake today...I can't wait to try it - although will probably have to go for a run afterward to work it off ha ha ha ha.

Getting really excited about xmas...can't wait to get the xmas tree up - I know it should be up by now but we were too busy on the weekend. Hopefully this weekend.

That's all for me...till tomorrow
J

MCC Xmas Party

Today we went to a vineyard in Mangere for the Manukau City Council Family Xmas Party and a great time was had by all. The weather was fantastic, the food was scrummy, the wine was delicious, the band were outstanding and the company was great. Here are a few pics...

1

Zack, while he was still clean (this didn't last very long) and drinking out a of a cup (woop woop)

2

Mrs Claus, Stinky (the entertainers) and some kid who helped them out with one of their skits.

3

Zack on the bouncy castle - it was hard to keep him off this. He had absolutely no fear, even when the bigger kids were knocking him around.

4

This cute little girl spent about as much time on the bouncy castle as Zack - pitty her Mum dresses her funny (paaaaaaaaaaah ha ha ha ha ha) sorry that was my evil hand that typed that!

5

Zack quickly worked out that the plastic cups weren't as impressive to drink out of as the wine glasses.

6

Zack took this photo of Mamere, pretty good I reckon. She is sooooo purdeeeee!

7

Zack eating an icecream - he did very well too, just about finished it and didn't make too much mess.

8

The Band

The council magazine are running a photo competition offering $50 Camera House Vouchers as prizes, so EVERYONE had their cameras there. I will be very surprised if Zack doesn't end up in the magazine as all day we had people snapping photos of Zack (awwww).

Just quickly...another photo of Zack doing the dishes - Paaaaaah ha ha ha ha, its so cute.

Now just for the record, I would like to say that he wanted to do the dishes and we didn't set this up in any way...you can tell from the look on his face. In fact hes been busy at the sink for about twenty minutes so far...although the dish rack doesn't seem to be filling up.

Till next time

J

Santa!

So we went to the mall today and tried to get a photo done of Zack with Santa. But unlike last year, Zack was quicker on the uptake and got upset as soon as he was put on Santa's knee. He was fine talking to him but not that close to him. Here is a photo of the photo we got (and yes I meant to type it like that. I had to take a photo of the photo as we don't have a scanner at home).



I would just like to mention (for the record) that I am smiling as I had no idea he was about to cry! At least we got a photo...We are going to try again next week, with Toni and Maya. Hopefully if Zack sees that Maya doesn't mind Santa then he will be ok *fingers crossed*

We are off to see a Pantomime tomorrow with Nana, will post afterward to let you know how it went...I'm sure Zack will love it!

Till then
J