marc.vic.max.elliot

First of all Happy New Year everyone!  Given what’s going on in Asia I think that we can all be that little bit more thankful as another year comes around.  Talking about the Tsunami I got an email through work saying that if we supplied proof of donation to an aid fund they would match it dollar for dollar to the Red Cross in our home country. Nice one Dell!  Vic and I had just given 100 bucks to the Red Cross so one receipt scan later and they had another 100!  Not quite up to the 10 million USD that Michael Schumacher gave but then I’m on less of a salary

In other news I felt the baby move for the first time the night before last!  I have to be really quiet and press quite hard but the feeling was still there! Cool!

It was our four year wedding anniversary last night and we went out on a date to

Istanbul, one of the oldest Turkish eateries in Wellington.  Very nice it was although we spent at least 50% of our time trying out baby names

Max put together his first three word sentance yesterday!  He’s only been stringing two together for a couple of weeks and put three together during his bath last night.

I had pulled the plug out and all the water had drained leaving some bubbles behind (he loves bubble bath ) but he’s been kinda freaked out by the plug hole recently.  I have been washing all the bubbles away but didn’t last night until he made it quite clear that I had forgotten something by saying “Daddy bubbles go” and pointing to the container I had used the last couple of nights.

Cool

Saffy has settled in really well over the last couple of days and is now eating like a trooper.  She didn’t eat much at all for the first 36 hours but I think that may have been due to the major changes in her environment.

As you can see she has made herself at home and her and Max are getting on pretty well.  He’s a bit wary as she has scratched him a few times when they are playing and she has this habit of running up you which isn’t much fun when the runner has needle-sharp claws!  We are all bearing battle scars to some degree…….

Breakfast time

A morning snooze for the two girls

Please join me in welcoming Saffy (short for Sapphire) to our family She’s been here about 4 hours and seems to be settling in well – she’s even used her dirt box!

Well, that’s Christmas over with and now maybe I can take a breath!  This is how the last few days have gone:

? Christmas eve was spent at a family friends house for our traditional Christmas eve dinner.  We had a great time and Max was such a good boy seeing that he stayed up until 21:30!

? Christmas morning found Vic and I up before Max! (that’ll change in the coming years……) as my Dad was visiting at 07:00.  Max woke up and wandered down just as Dad was walking in the door so that worked out well.  Much present giving occurred and then it was off to my Mum’s place for breakfast (another tradition) We had a great time there and Max was, of course, the centre of attention Midday found us at Vic’s Mum’s house for a mid afternoon Christmas dinner and another round of presents!  Home at about 18:00 and Max was in bed by about 19:00

? Boxing day we had loads of people visit us for lunch so we were up at 06:30 preparing for that and trying to keep Max occupied at the same time Another very tiring day…….

? Yesterday we spent time with various friends and then had our friend Gayle around for a barbeque.  The weather for the last two days has been fantastic with fine weather and about 24C/75F rather than a mediocre grey and 18C/65F as it was on Christmas and Boxing day.

? Today we had the midwife around for a visit (everything is going well) and then some UK based friends here for lunch.

All in all a busy time and Max has been really good all through it.  Given how upset his timetable has been he’s done remarkably well and been in a surprisingly good mood for most of the time.

As for presents, there were loads and I’d like to thank everyone for their generosity.  One of our favourites though is a gift from my Mother that we bought on her behalf on Christmas eve:

We pick her up tomorrow

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Merry Christmas everyone

Vic, Max and I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year wherever you are in the world.

I have quickly come to the conclusion that, just before Christmas, radio stations have far too much Mariah Carey butchering traditional Christmas songs and carols by wailing and warbling her way through them……..

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