Mum and Dad had a couple of days with us and then drove back home carrying Lucy and Olli with them. Five days later and Marcus, Nate, Sam and I join them in Morrinsville as well as my older sister's 3 kids while her and her hubby head to the beach for a few child free days. Add Andrew their student to the mix and that's five adults, six kids, two dogs and a cat rolling around their Morrinsville home. All wanting to be fed all....the.....time!
 |
| Look at all those shoes lined up by the door, as well as the chair of dressing gowns and the chair of jackets. |
It was loud, cold and wintery, chaotic, messy, and full on with at least one kid in tears or needing help as soon as an adult had sat down with a cup of tea or attempted a full sentence without been interupted. But it was also so wonderful to spend time with Mum and Dad and have the kids get to know their cousins. They had a ball!
 |
| Cousins Leila and Oliver. |
Back at home in their own bath tonight, I was talking to the kids about it. Lucy said it was a shame that she couldn't marry her cousin Max because he made her laugh and laugh. When Lucy said something about her liking Mum and Dad's old house better, Oliver said "I love Nana Rose as a person not a house." Profound statement I thought from one so young. When I repeated his statement to him he said "yes, I love her. She gives the best cuddles." Have to agree there buddy.
Dad was great too, always whipping them outside for some bike or scooter time or a walk to the dog parks. He was also the one up with them most mornings at 6.30am to flick on the cartoons, make the milos and toast and tend to the dogs.
 |
Sam had to be fed inside to avoid him starving to death. He doesn't stand a chance of getting any food with a lovable but greedy lab at the ready. Check Jock the lab out watching through the cat door. |
And meanwhile Nathan had a few firsts as well. He sat up on his own for the first time while waiting with Marcus for me to finish up some shopping at THE BASE in Hamilton. By golly, that's one BIG shopping centre.
He also pooed in the bath for the first time. Thankfully the other kids had already left so it was only me to witness what played out essentially like a water birth, complete with red face and pushing grunts on his behalf.
And.... he got his first blood nose in what was a hideous event and a fail in my mothering watching him fall face first onto the wooden floor from his travel highchair seat which had been un clicked from the chair by little toddler hands. It was hideous, he was screaming, I was crying, Mum was attempting to put a wet cloth on the bump and I kept thinking how grateful I was that he was crying instead of been dead. Marcus was great, so calm. He took him from my arms and settled him......and me with soft kind words. "The first of many blood noses and bumps" he said and knowing boys, I knew he was right.
 |
| Nathan in the highchair before the dreaded fall. |
And now we are home, walking in the door after a long wet day of driving to find the fire lit and dinner and pudding in the fridge all courtesy of our other amazing parents who I'm sure parade around at night as elves and fairies, blessing up a storm. There was also a birthday parcel from my little sister in England waiting for me. She knows too well that brown paper packages, tied up with string are one of my favourite things. Bet she was even humming that as she wrapped it in London for me.
Home is so good, and everyone sleeps in their own beds tonight ready for Term 3 to begin tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment