It's almost 11 pm and I'm going to bed soon... I'm such a party animal :)
Regardless of whether I see fireworks or toast champagne at the strike of 12, I had a great New Years Eve day.
We didn't have anything to do, and the weather looked nice, so we headed out to St. Kilda beach with the kids.
Unfortunately we totally forgot to bring shovels and pails for the kids to play in the sand - but can you blame me? You recall the numerous times we attempted the beach in Santa Marinella with Finnian, the beach that was a 10 minute walk from our front door for nearly two years, the beach where Finn maybe touched the sand twice but instead parked himself on the towel every time and watched everyone else play...
Needless to say we aren't accustomed to kids who actually like the beach, but we had fun none the less.
Both kids loved the sand. It took a bit to get Finn down into the water (not to swim, a bit cold still), but once he got his feet in there he just loved it! There were a few waves and thought it was hysterical when the water would splash up on him a bit.
Elle however, very much disliked the water! I have a feeling it was more the waves and noise that she didn't like... I think she would have been fine if it was a calm lake or something.
Anyways, she wasn't having any of it, and whenever she would even look at Finn and I, or Finn and Conor, in the water she would start screeching.
After we got bored of that we walked up to the shops, had some fries and ice cream and then came home for naptime.
I'm so glad we just rested on Boxing Day - there was no way we would have mentally or physically been able to do the zoo on that day.
The next day we were all up bright and early so we had breakfast and I got the kids all ready, packed a lunch and off we went.
Pretty excited to be at the zoo!
There are 3 zoos in the Melbourne area, and if you get a year membership you can visit all of the zoos as often as you want.
We decided to go ahead and get the membership, even if we just visit each zoo once in the year, it will have saved us money, and then I thought I could go to the more local one with the kids for little visits if we are bored.
Just before this the zoo keepers were out spreading food all over the enclosure - and then they let all the Gorillas out!
We had been there about 3 hours, ate lunch, and then Finn was done. He had already stopped walking a half hour before, so I had to push him in the stroller while Conor held or ran after Elle... so I was also getting tired. And then he just said he wanted to go home, no more zoo.
Elle up on Daddy's shoulders watching the Gorillas
We were about half way through. So it ended up being a good thing we got the membership because then we didn't feel like we HAD to stay and see the whole zoo - we can go again!
Then I thought, since my brother and sister-in-law are planning on visiting in March, and Dan had already gone to that zoo with us 5 years ago on Christmas Eve, that they might want to visit one of the other ones with us... so we'll save that visit for when they are here!
Anyways, we had a lot of fun. Finn was just skipping along at the beginning, so excited to see the animals. Elle would screech with joy, especially at the monkeys and meerkats!
Here's some more pics:
Love the chubby hand!
A mommy lemur with 2 (I think) babies wrapped around her
This mommy was so funny, coming right up to the glass!
Such a cute little baby!
Elle wasn't afraid of the mommy before, but then she was smooshed up against the window watching the baby and the mommy came right back infront of her and scared her!
I was trying to convince Finn to sit on this turtle (and some other animal statues throughout the zoo) but he wouldn't
Well this Christmas turned out to be a really good one. Apart from it not feeling like Christmas AT ALL (example: nearly 40 degrees on the 23rd) and missing family, we got spoiled by good food, good friends, and generous gifts.
Christmas Eve:
We were invited to dinner by some new friends that we met at church (who also came to Finn's birthday, they have a daughter Finn's age and a son Elle's age). They said there would be other couples and kids and that it was to start at 7:30pm. I was a little apprehensive, since that's when the kids go to bed, but it all worked out very well. Elle had woken up early that day, so ended up having a morning nap and an afternoon nap. We were happy to see that this family know another family we know, so we had people other then the hosts to talk to! The kids all played really well together. There were 10 adults and 11 kids!
The food was amazing... I ate A LOT of turkey! And surprisingly, for the most part, all of the adults got to sit and enjoy the food and the kids behaved themselves either eating at another table or just playing. We didn't end up eating until close to 10. After that we had dessert, and Finn kept coming up to me and sitting on my lap and saying he was a bit tired. But then he would jump up and take off somewhere. Shortly after dessert it was time for us to go, Elle was looking exhausted. I went to the bathroom and as I walked past the empty living room, Finn had found a big teddy and was curled up almost asleep on the couch! It was the cutest thing I have ever seen. I like that he just gets calm and finds a quiet spot when he his tired, rather than throwing tantrums or getting super hyper (at least right now, could change!)
He let the host, Ricardo, carry him to the car. In the process of getting shoes and sweaters on Finn told me about 10 times "Finn a bit tired" haha, so cute. It was really just a great night. The kids hardly were coming up to us at all, so we just got to sit back and enjoy good company and good food. The kids went down fairly easily around 11:30. Then we cleaned up and put out the presents and stockings and had a little rest infront of the lights.
**Australians don't really do outdoor Christmas lights. AND because it's light so long, you can't really see the lights until later in the night anyways. We aren't usually out after dark, so it was a bit of a treat to come home so late and see ALL (maybe 5 houses!) the lights. The kids really enjoyed the house across the street and the lights. Christmas Day:
Santa Came!
So as you'll notice, these are NOT the red stockings that I wanted... but I decided that I would rather us all have the same stockings than Conor have his old sock and the kids and I have red stockings.
I wanted to buy work socks like Conor's family use, but they don't sell those here, at least not in summer, so I found these work socks and had a choice between red and orange, so I chose red... this way Conor gets his work sock and I get the "red" :)
Elle woke up at 7:30, and then Finn just kept sleeping and sleeping. I wanted to do stockings and have breakfast before Church at 10:30, so we woke Finn up at 8:30. At first he was quite grumpy at me and didn't want to wake up, until I said "I think Santa might have come to your house!" and then he perked right up and ran out to see the stockings and presents!
Discovering the stockings
Opening his present from Santa - a John Deere tractor with a hook up and horses, fences and farmers
Elle's present from Santa - a flip-phone toy
So we opened stockings, had breakfast, let the kids open one other present (a book each from Grandma Peters, to bring to church) and then off we went. It wasn't the best mass experience, haha, but that's how it goes. We got home and got right down to business opening presents.
Conor and I decided to not really do gifts for eachother this year, but I had something small I had planned to get him and I hinted ever so subtly that Christmas isn't the same without lindor chocolates and ferraro rochers :) I didn't know if his present would make it in time for Christmas, but it did! I had a mug with a picture of the kids on it made at Big W (walmart), and he liked it!
Conor couldn't resist getting Elle this HUGE teddy bear (for $15), but I didn't know how we were going to give it to her without Finn getting upset about not having it. I had a couple little people sets I had bought off someone awhile ago, so I put them all in one big box and wrapped it up for Finn and Elle. It was the biggest box under the tree and right away Finn wanted to open it. So after we did all of the other presents I had Finn come into my room and get the teddy to give to Elle and then he would be allowed to open the big present. It worked perfectly. He kinda just threw the teddy (as well as he could throw such a big teddy!) at Elle and then ran off to the other present .
Bringing the teddy out of the room and down the hall
BIG TEDDY!
Opening a present from Grandma Peters
Cheeky monkey for a cheeky monkey
Opening present from Grandma Peters
More playmobil!
Richard Scarry DVD (which unfortunately stopped working after the first couple uses!! Good thing we could find it on youtube)
Cute hat from Conor's Grannie!
After that it was lunch and nap time. Finn didn't sleep, but Elle and I had a good long nap, and Conor napped while Finn watched a new Richard Scarry DVD. Then we got ready and went to the Rawlins (parents of our friends, the Andersons) for Christmas Dinner.
2 years ago, in Italy, we spend Christmas Day with Kate, Mark and the kids, Kates sister Bron, Bron and Kates mom and dad, Father Denton, Andy and another girl. This year Father Denton wasn't there, or the other girl... but Kate & Brons other sister and family were, so it was almost just like 2010!
*Bron got a good picture of us all, I'll have to get it off of her
We were so happy and blessed to be invited to their family dinner. Bronwyn is an apprenticing chef, so the dinner was fantastic. I devoured a lot of Turkey again, and Conor was salivating at the calamari salad, and the large prawns that were served with the main course. Elle was a bit more of a nuisance that night, but she was tired and probably a bit overstimulated from two late nights. We had brought a small gift for the families we did know, but I feel so bad now because EVERYONE got Conor & I a gift, and gave Finn and Elle each a gift. We all got very spoiled.
It ended up being another late night, I think the kids got to bed at about 10:30. And I was exhausted! I went to bed shortly after them.
Boxing Day:
Finn enjoying the fresh scones
Conor filling up his Christmas Present
Finn was up a bit early that morning. He had been given a BIG dump truck by Kate's Mom and Dad, but we hadn't taken it out of the box. So the first thing he asked Conor for was the big dump truck. Luckily Elle slept until around 8:30! This day was a much needed rest day. Conor made scones and eggs for breakfast, and we just played with the kids new toys, played outside a bit, and relaxed.
Elle likes her own water bottle. I had gotten Finn and I each one awhile ago, but didn't think she would be ready for one... well little miss is always so upset when we are drinking from them that we always have to "share" with her (which means not getting it back!) so I finally decided to get her one for Christmas.
I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We missed you all, and I was especially sad to see that we missed a REAL white Christmas! But we were so blessed with the friends that all took us in this year that I can't really complain!
*Sorry for such a LONG post! Here's just a couple quick videos to wrap it up :)
We are enjoying a relaxing Boxing Day at home, after two busy and late days.
I planned on uploading pictures onto facebook, I used to do it monthly, and that changed to bi-monthly, now I haven't updated for a few months. Although most of the pictures I take are on my mobile now, and I upload those in real time usually right after I take the picture.
Anyways, I used to be able to share a link on my blog to each album... but now it looks like you have to have facebook and be signed in to follow the link, which doesn't work for my in-laws or Conor's Grannie and Papa... so I'll be figuring something else out I guess.
I put my favorites ON the blog usually, but I like to have albums with descriptions on each picture as well... we'll see what I can do :)
I forgot a few things I wanted to say about Elle - so here they are before I forget again.
I love that she's at the age now that you can give her directions and she can usually follow them. Example. If we are in the living room and are getting ready to go out, I can ask her to get her shoes and she will promptly go to her room, get her shoes, bring them to me, and sit right down on my lap for me to put them on her!
Similarly the other day she was angry because I told her "no" regarding something, I don't remember... she slapped her hands on the coffee table really hurt, and I guess it stung a bit and she started crying. I told her to kiss kiss her hands all better and she did :)
She's very communicative in different ways. She's mastered "all done" and "more" in sign language. Although to anyone else it probably looks the same, she just waves her arms around! You do have to ask though, to determine which one it is. If she's waving her arms at the dinner table and you ask her if she's all done she will enthusiastically wave her hands again if she is... if she wasn't all done she would just shake her head and you would know she was saying "more".
She's also learning to be polite. When I ask her if she wants something, and she does want it, I say to her "say yes please" and she nods her head very seriously and says "ya pee".
This girl LOVES food! She's especially happy to be able to go into the backyard to get corn and apricots.
Excuse the pajama shirts and Finn's flood pants! haha Finnian and Elle infront of the corn :)
Sooo excited to eat fresh corn on the cob.
She's just too darn cute - I can't even handle it sometimes!
