Lani is 2 months

2 whole months has gone by since our little girl was born.  And what an adventure it's been.  Getting used to having 3 kids hasn't exactly been hard to do, it's just taken time to adjust, re-figure out our routine and roles.  But oh how we love this little girl.  She is in the smiley stage, flashing big grins to us all day long. And I loooooooooove it!  She knows the sound of our voices, and looks around the room until she focus' on us.  She's started talking a little, although it's more like growling and gurgling.  And she's started getting ticklish too, although no laughing yet (except in her sleep).  She is forever poking out her tounge, and has started to drool a bit, which is new for me, never had a drooler before.  Vili gets very concerned when she dribbles, says she's dirty and yucky, and rushes to get a tissue and wipe her mouth. She gets called Lani, nani, lani-banani, and buty (beauty pronouced oddly) baby.  She loves to lie on the ground and just watch, although it's not always safe for her when her overly-loving brothers are around.  She enjoys being read to, by me or the boys.  She has the most beautiful brown eyes that I just get lost in, they're goreous.  She's still retained her chubs for now, which I'm pleased about, and sometimes I heat up the room, make it nice and toasty, and then strip her down to her nappy, so I can give her cuddles and enjoy her rolly polliness.  Lani looooooooves having her nappy off.  If she's upset, especially when I need to be doing something with the boys, I just take her nappy off, put her on the ground and she is set for the next half an hour.  She also likes watching TV,which is terrible, I know, but very hand for when I need to have a shower in the morning.  She was taking a bottle, and a dummy, but then one day just decided she wanted neither, and we haven't had much luck since then.  Malachi did the same, with the bottle, but eventually took it again, so I'll keep perservering.  But she's already going 3 hours between feeds (and absolute record in this family, with brothers who couldn't even go 2 hours to save their lives), and she's napping well in her bed now, so it means I've been able to go out and leave her with Tui, even took the boys on a few Mummy-Son dates.  She hates the carseat with a passion, which makes short distance traveling a nightmare.  It's gotten so bad that we've started taking her to a ciropractor to see if they can help her (More on that in another post). She's such a sweet little thing, and oddly enough, I can't wait for her to start talking and to hear her little girly voice.

sleepy beauty

story time with malachi

my 3 little munchkins, very interested in vegietales

"playing" cars with Vili

Vili wanted to take Lani for a ride, so she's inside the washing basket, and he pulled her around the house. lol

cuddles with daddy     -      Ready for church with Mummy

fatty grins

seriously, these two boys adore her

 

chewing on her hand       -    this girl has some serious eyebrown action going on

Don't you just wanna kiss those cheeks?

You do run, run run....

So last week I ran for the first time in 10 months.  And I ran a whole 1km.  Which seems ridiculous considering I ran a half marathon less then a year ago.  But I found out I was pregnant the day after the race, got sick a day later, and was sick for the next 3 months, during which time my fitness level (and mental strength) plummeted back down to ground level, so when I was finally well enough to run again, I was so out of shape I didn't want to.  So here I am starting from scratch again.  Mentally and physically.  It amazes me how quickly you lose it all.  I'm finding that I have to mentally prepare myself to run 2 or 3 km - that's pathetic, because I KNOW I can do it, but it's just a matter or working back up to it I suppose.  My goal is to run the Rotorua Half Marathon next April (it's one of the only ones in NZ that are NOT on a Sunday). 
But in the mean time, me and Tui are going to run in an 8km school fundraiser next month.  I'm so excited for him to be doing it with me, having someone to do it with makes it so much easier to get motivated for. We took a jogging class together the semester before we got married (to get into tip top shape before the big day), and its like that all over again.  And thanks to my sister's husband's father, we have a treadmill in our garage that we have been taking turns getting our run on.  So watch this space for an update on that glorious event.

And here's to getting in shape!

Love

I.love.this.little.girl.

(And all her Aunties who make/give her such cute clothes).

She recognises my voice now, and when she hears me, her eyes start searching the room, and when she finds me, she melts me with one of these bad boys.

Oxo

2 fine days

This week we had these two, very out of season, warm(er), fine days, and after a week of rain, and all 3 kids being sick, we were DETERMINED to spend every minute of them out of the house.  The boys rode bikes and played tennis, Tui cleaned the car, I started running again (more on that later), Lani soaked up some rays (on her face, while bundled tightly).  And we went on a few outings.

The first was to Bridal Veil Falls, near Raglan.  This was partly chosen because it was a loooong drive getting there (aka, all 3 kids (and Mummy) took naps there and back).  It was so good for kids, because you get there, and you only have to walk horizontally for 5 minutes to see the falls.  Then you can choose to walk vertically for a better view; the more stairs you climbed the better the view.  We opted for just the middle view, not the bottom one, as we were not prepared for that many stairs.  Next time we will syke ourselves up and go the whole way down.  But the boys thought that the waterfall was "soooooooo cooooooooooool". Vili wanted to touch the water, and Malachi wanted to know how waterfalls were made. Typical. Vili wants the action, Malachi wants the knowledge.  And just as we got to where we could take a good picture AND there were other people there who could take the picture.....my battery died.  Boo.

What would we do without self-timers?

The next day we visited the Lake Karapiro Dam.  And Malachi wanted to know all about what a Dam was and how they made it and how it works.  I love that he wants to know stuff, that he asks questions.  It makes me realise how much I don't know.  And then we have fun together finding out the answers.  We took a picnic this time and just sat and enjoyed the sunshine.  And of course, Vili wanted to touch the water.


At the top of the dam.






The weather was so amazing, the water looked like blue marble.

 



Winter time + a new baby = me feeling like I'm trapped in my house sometimes.  So it's so nice to get out and do stuff, stuff outside of these 4 walls. :)

Adios trainer wheels!

This post is a big fat brag about my awesome little 4 year old.  Today Tui took the trainer wheels off Malachi's bike, just to see how he would do.  Well. That kid hoped on, pushed off, and pedaled himself down the driveway.  First pop!  I'm sure I didn't learn to ride without training wheels til I was 6 or 7. I am constantly amazed by this kid, at what he can do and how hard he tries.  When he got off he said "Mum, are you so proud of me? I'm so proud of me.  I tried my very best and I can do it!!"  It makes me think that sometimes we hold our kids back, by not giving them the oppportunity to try,because we are worried about the mess or wasting our time.  The other day Malachi asked to help me crack the eggs while we were baking.  I never have let him before coz I didn't wanna waste the eggs.  But I must have been in a generous mood coz I let him, and he totally could!  Clever duck. 

 

I love his little tounge sticking out to help him concentrate.

You're so awesome Malachi!!!

"Happy America Day!"

I was asked a number of times while living in the states "Do you guys celebrate Indepence day?" (You mean do we, in New Zealand, celebrate the day American became an independant state......??).  Obviously the answer is no.  Not usually.

However.....

In an effort to keep Malachi in touch with his American heritage we decided we would.  And so every July 5th (that's the day it's July 4th in the states) we celebrate Independence day.   We eat what I consider to be typical American foods - hot dogs, corn on the cob, apple pie (homemade btw, my first ever, which I was extremely proud of), lemonade and root beer.  We ate on a picnic mat to make it feel more authentic. We even did fireworks this year, to keep in the spirit of things. This is the first  year Malachi had any idea of what was going on.  And he was most excited to tell everyone "Happy American Day!!"  He invited his cousins to come and celebrate the day with him.

Super excited to watch the fireworks.

This was the first time Vili was brave enough to hold a sparkler on his own.

Happy Independence Day y'all!!!