Photos

 

At the playground- March 2013

 

 

Dressing up as a Pirate for Finn's party

 

 

Easter fun! April 2013

 

 

Easter bunny Isla

 



Heading towards the BIG 1 :-)

Isla has been doing some amazing things in the last two weeks. At 11 months old she started to stand unsupported, much to my amazement! She has been getting better and better at it as the weeks go. She now has 5 teeth too. We are two weeks old from her First Birthday, but will celebrate with a party/morning tea for her at the end of May. Isla has been doing swimming lessons this term but hasn't really adjusted to the colder water....even with two sets of togs on her!! We will leave term 2 and see how we go later in the year. She can say 'mum  mum', 'dad dad', uh-oh (when she drops something) and 'this' (when she wants something). She starts pre school with Niamh in 2 weeks also for two days.

Niamh has turned three and is still keeping me on my toes. She recently had a cute Minnie mouse party with her 3 year old friends, complete with tramp bouncing, party food and lounge dancing! It was a busy/crazy one and a half hour with 10 children 3 and under, but she had heaps of fun. Niamh is doing so well with swimming that for term 2 she will be solo swimming! Not that she can touch the bottom of the pool yet!! She is so motivated when it comes to letters and the alphabet. She is asking me to spell out words for her to 'write' with letter blocks.

We are counting down until Isla's first birthday now. The last year has been pretty busy for us, baby, building new house, relocating for 7 months, then back again, and now landscaping ourselves. It's been full on but worth it in so many ways.

Happy 3rd birthday!

Happy 3rd birthday to our beautiful Niamh!

Growing up!

Isla had her Plunket 9 month checks at 9 and half months. She is now 7.46 kg, 67.5cm long and sits on the 25 percentile for both weight and height. She is moving around everywhere with her own crawling style! And she's getting faster!! She is a much happier Isla being able to move now and scoots after her big sister. Isla tries to pull herself up on furniture and is getting really good at 'walking' around the furniture. She still has the two teeth and has dropped her third day sleep, making only two sleeps per day now BUT sleeps the whole 12hours from 7pm- 7am which is great!! Isla has started swimming this term and is loving it.

Niamhy is really settled at Pre school now and waves Isla and I off in the morning. She is doing really well. She loves 'spelling' out her name with letters. She loves dancing and music. We have started back at music again on Mondays, and wriggle and rhyme at the Library on Fridays. This term is going to go incredibly fast and before I know it'll be term 2 with two children in preschool for two days while I go back relieving. It's all go!

We are loving being in our new home and are currently busy getting the landscaping sorted with Anth building the first deck now. It's going to be great to have that finished.

9 months and counting...

Isla is 9 months old today and celebrated it herself by starting to crawl!!! She was getting pretty close to doing it recently and could get into a crawling position then move 2 steps along, but today it all 'clicked' for her. She is so proud of herself. Just might need to get the gates out soon to keep things safe!! Isla still has just the two teeth, is majoring having teething issues though, and can say dada. She still just loves getting out and about during the day as she seems to get bored easily :-/ She's doing really well, wants to copy what Niamh does and has a favourite person- her dad! We started Isla with swimming lessons on Saturday, and have to say it she didn't do too bad. I'm looking forward to a Plunket visit soon to check out her weight and height measurements.

A lot happens in 2 months...

Isla is now off her medication (wahoo!)  at 6 months of age, is such a roller that we got a safety sleep wrap for her at night time, is now sleeping through the night (at 6.5 months)- after a tough mum and dad routine (!), and now at nearly 8 months is starting to pull herself up to stand...with anyone or or anything, can move from sitting to lying to beginner crawling position AND has TWO front bottom teeth!!! Wow! The first tooth popped through on the 12th (7.5 months) and the second two days ago. She seems to be doing things a little quicker than Niamh at the same age...and I'm not use to it :-) Isla is a very alert wee thing who is happiest out and about always watching to see what's going on! She loves people and is such a little delight with a great big smile. She's our little sweetheart!

Niamh has settled back at pre school since being away for 7 months. She is 2 years and 9 months now and is constantly keeping us on our toes. She's a strong willed, independent, spirited wee toddler who is quick to learn new things. Niamh has been doing amazing things at swimming this year and next year will be in the 'advanced chicks' which is a smaller group that sets children up to be independent swimmers. I think she'll do great! Niamh is a little fashionista who is beginning to have a unique way of dressing ...including putting her bracelets on her ankles! It actually looked very cool. She tells me that she likes wearing skirts because they are "good for dancing". Niamh has magnetic letters on the fridge that a few times in the last week has been using to 'write' words. I'm soooo impressed with her beginner writing.... it's all jargon but she can tell us what the words are (grandad = G M F D E; Dad = D H R F S)  She's got the intial sound sussed!! She's our little princess :-)

The past few months have been a blur with moving into out new, wonderful, amazing BIG house....(and sorting out a few issues with it); Anthony's work do at the zoo; a friends' 30th get together; Oli's 6 th birthday party; a sick Niamh with gastroenteristis :-(; coffee group get togethers; Pre school Christmas party/concert and the build up to Christmas. I don't think we have had many weekend days spare! Lots of fun, family, Christmasy things going on :-)


We have just had two wonderful Christmas family get togthers. The Simon's family one was last Saturday and lucky lil Niamh got a trampoline!! Thanks Nanny and Popsie. Isla also got a cute musical wind up ferris wheel. Niamh loves her tramp which took dad a bit to put up, but it's been a hit so far with Niamh's cousins and play friends.

Christmas Eve was complete with Niamh putting out a cookie and beer for Santa, and a carrot and water for the reindeer. It's soooo neat that she is really into Christmas this year. We had the Parsons side at our new place for the day. Niamh got sooo many very cool things- watering can/ seeds/ and pots; books/ clothes/ felts; paints to name a few. Isla got teething things (perfect!); books, book ends; a moving turtle and beach towel. Lucky little girls! From us Niamh and Isla got tutu's; books, duplo for Niamh, a mary lou doll for Isla etc. It was a really wonderful day.

As 2012 is nearly all complete, it has been a truely wonderful, amazing and AMBITIOUS year for the Simons family. We had Niamhs second birthday in March, moved at Easter, welcomed Isla in May, built a house, and moved again in October. Phew! A bit crazy but soooo worth it all. :-)

Moving!

Isla is moving- rolling now from her back onto her tummy, and sometimes right over again! So clever at 5 months :-)

And.....

We are moving- into our lovely new home tomorrow! We can't wait as this process started back in August 2011 for us. Very, very excited!!!