Hellyer Family: July 2011

We had Grandad here last week for a few days and had a great time, the highlight of the trip was catching the train into Dunedin. Once a year the Taieri Gorge Railway runs the train locally, between Mosgiel, Dunedin and Waitati, it makes trips back and forth throughout the day, this year it was jam-packed. We departed Mosgiel at 9.30am and arrived into Dunedin at 10.05am, stopped off for a coffee and a wander through our historic railway station and then boarded the train for home again at 12.10pm to be home in time for a sleep. A wonderful outing and will definitely be a starter for next year.

This week kicked off the Cadbury Chocolate Carnival which is a week full of chocolate filled activities and events sponsored by Cadbury’s. The carnival opened with a fun day in our mall with free chocolate and family entertainment so the girls and I headed along. We enjoyed a concert, yummy Cadbury chocolate, balloon sculpting and a chocolate house. The chocolate house was as the name suggests, made of chocolate, and was a delight for the eyes and the nose J

Then came the snow! It started on Sunday morning and carried on throughout the day. Scott made a sled out of a cardboard box and some plastic and we pulled Brianna up and down the drive, she thoroughly enjoyed it, and still it kept snowing. On Monday it started again and continued snowing until lunch time. The volume of snow meant that the motorway was closed and Scott couldn’t get to work (sad), so we enjoyed another family day in the snow, followed by hot milo’s by the fire J It was great fun.

Yesterday (Tuesday) our driveway had turned the slushy snow into ice which meant that I couldn’t get my car out so we were stuck at home. This wasn’t an issue and just meant we spent more time in the snow J

Brianna has really enjoyed the snow and can now say ‘snow, frosty, ice’ all in the last couple of days. Funny though, she has spent just as much time at the park on the swing in the last few days as playing in the snow, proving that it doesn’t really matter what the weather is doing as long as you are dressed for it J

Caitlyn wasn’t too fazed by the snow, and we took her out a few times. We had to make sure we had pictures the same as we had for Bree's first snow J

Caitlyn is almost on the move. She is trying so hard to crawl, even as I am writing this she is up on her knees rocking back and forth, a sure sign that she is almost there. She is certainly moving round in circles from this position, so will see how long it takes. Once she can move, life will change again and a whole new phase will begin.

Brianna on the train with Elmo (of course he had to come)

Grandad & Caitlyn on the train

The chocolate house inside and outside

Caitlyn trying hard to crawl

The snow!

The girls

Brianna (2 months - June 2009)

Caitlyn (7 months- July 2010)

Sledding up and down the driveway

No Caitlyn didn't go down!

Our Snowman and Snowbaby

And still it snowed

Tuesday morning sunrise

I don’t have a good excuse for not posting news, I have just been busy and tired, did I mention tired!

Its funny how as time goes on you somehow manage to survive on less sleep than you ever thought possible. You start off being used to nights of uninterrupted sleep and when you stay out late you wake up feeling a little jaded. When you have children suddenly you have nights where if you get 4 ours in a row you feel a million dollars. Well at the moment Caitlyn is still up numerous times during the night, and I guess I am becoming used to it, but sometimes feel like I am in a state of complete tiredness.

Life is good though and I have been telling myself it really is only for a short time and she will be sleeping through the night very soon. Whilst soon may not come fast enough for me, I know that there is an end in sight (somewhere).

So the best news of the moment is that Brianna is on the waiting list for Grommets. We had an appointment at the hospital on Tuesday and they confirmed that her ears show changes consistent with numerous ear infections, so she fits the criteria to have grommet surgery. While surgery is not always a good thing, I am very much looking forward to this one and the waiting list is only 3 months, so we should be well on our way to kissing ear infections goodbye.

The next step will be to get Caitlyn on the list as well, while she has only had 2 ear infections so far (both in one month) given our family history, she is likely to follow the same path as Brianna, so will have to keep an eye on her and pester our Doctor if required J

Brianna is becoming quite the independent little girl and her speech is coming along quite well now, she is starting to say words out of the blue that she has just picked up and it really is quite astounding. It’s amazing how much it changes the way you communicate with her, while I have always chattered away to Brianna, now she can talk back (still one word sentences) but we can actually have conversations, and it is lovely (and often noisy) J

Over winter, we have been trying to make the most of the fine days by getting outside. Brianna loves to play on our driveway with a ball and we spend ages kicking it up and rolling it down. This is possibly how she has learnt the word ‘up’. At the moment, anytime we drive or walk up a hill (however slight) she proudly says ‘up’. We are still working on the ‘down’. We have also hired a Trike from the toy library so have been for many walks/rides around the neighbourhood.

On the cold days we have been managing to keep warm inside with the fire cranking. Some more toys from the library have kept us entertained, currently have a mini roller coaster set up in the lounge and Brianna has literally spent hours on it, riding it again and again.

From a child who I couldn’t get to watch TV, she has come along way and quite enjoys watching different kids shows/dvds. She loves Sesame Street, The Wiggles and Barney, all shows we get to watch free on tv (thanks Channel 4)

But her favourite at the moment is ‘The Gruffalo’ DVD, a wonderful animated story for those who don’t know. Enjoyable for young and old alike and we were first introduced to it on our Perth holiday. Brianna has always enjoyed ‘The Gruffalo’ book but now she loves the movie and would happily watch it continuously if I let her.

Caitlyn is now eating solids 3 meals a day plus snacks and is loving it and seems to have taken to it really well. She is now rolling around the place and is very mobile, she is bringing herself up on her knees and is trying very hard to crawl. She is also sitting up on her own, and hardly every topples over. This morning she sat on her own for almost an hour watching Bree play and playing with toys on the floor.

Unfortunately the introduction of solids has not helped her sleeping or breastfeeding habits. She still feeds regularly throughout the day and is still waking many times during the night and while she can sometimes be pacified with a dummy, more often than not she wants to be fed. Brianna was down to one feed a night at the same age so it shows how different children can be. As I said at the beginning, I know it won’t last forever, but sometimes when I have been up for the umpteenth time during the night, I am really a bit over it and wonder if it will ever end.

Chilling out at playgroup

Cuddles (or huggles as Bree calls them) on the couch

In the playground at our local cafe

Mum and Bree (what can I say) hmm two very gorgeous girls

Bree and Mello (a friends horse that we visit regularly) she is in a paddock next to Music and Playgroup and has a regular string of visitors

Dad and his two girls

Bree and her friend Reuben at the farm

The trike

Her newest and bestest friend ever - Elmo!

(Well for the moment anyway)

Yumm this cake is good

Boxes are fun!

Caitlyn having a snack while I get veges done for tea (a friend of ours let us borrow this seat called a Bumbo and it has been great, as I can pop her up on the bench beside me)