Day of firsts.

Our boy's first Cammock Christmas Tree Pick out.
There were some seriously warm Northwesterly winds so we kept
the picking to a minimum but Alice found a goody.

Mike and I went on proper date.

We left the boy with his grandparents and headed to get some of our favorite
dumplings and up the Port hills for a favorite drive.


Our boy had his first solids.
He's 5 months now and still has quite an appetite so we decided to start him
on some rice cereal. There was no hesitation, he just went for it. It was pretty funny and a little strange for me to see my little boy eating with a spoon in a high chair and all. Big steps.

With dad before the big eatsThe first biteFeeling good

Getting into it

Thinking he's a really big boy so might as well
feed himself

Slightly stunned mother

Random pretty picture of his eyelashes

New Hat. New Pram.

his cool hat that liz knit him.It may be summer but somedays
he can still use a hat

I think we are all settling in pretty well. A jetlagged baby is NOT a happy baby. Our boy had a bit of hard transition but is doing well now. liz knit him the coolest lil hat and yesterday we found the pram/buggy/stroller we' ve had our eye on and it was a super deal even compared to the deals on trademe (NZ's ebay). I have already taken 2 nice long walks with the boy and he has fallen asleep within minutes. I love being able to take walks.

Funnily enough, Mike is over working at his old camera store. We bumped into the owner and he told him that he would give him a dollar percentage of store credit according to what he can sell . Mike is a camera selling maniac and he has his eye on a new Canon and if he can get a deep discount on it...plus, it is a challenge and he loves a good challenge. So he is going to see how the day goes and see if it something he wants to do for a few days before Christmas.

Asleep in his new pram

With his Auntie Alice overlooking the Avon River just
across the street.

Travel half way across the world. Check.

We have arrived in Christchurch, New Zealand after 21 hours on planes and 3 days transit time. Luckily, we took a break in Santa Cruz, CA before the big leap over the Ocean for some much needed some sleep. The little guy did very well and was in great spirits until the last hour flight when he had had enough--we all had.

Funny thing is, I feel alright. Sure, the jetlag might kick in later but I think the general fatigue from being a new parent has left me so tired all the time that this doesn't feel any different. It felt excellent to take a shower and wash off the airports.

We had been off the plane maybe an hour when we were cruising the streets of Christchurch on a quest (binge) for all of the foods Mike has been thinking about the last couple years. He said he wanted to get it out of his system. ChCh, has some great sushi so the first stop was for me. Then we headed over to the other side of town to a bakery by his old high school to get a sausage roll and meat pie. Apparently the sausage roll was great but the meat pie wasn't worth more than a bite. Oh, and don't forget the lolly cake. Finally, we headed to the Mall to get a Cookies n' Cream thick shake. We stopped by Mike's old camera shop and he still holds the record for the most cameras sold in a day (by a long shot) --40--All he has left is Fish n' Chips which I am sure will be purchased today.

It is warm and green and all is well.

the boys on the beach in Santa Cruz

Who wouldn't want a whole smoked Turkey leg?
This seemed odd to us. At the Santa Cruz boardwalk.

He slept a large portion of the 13 hours on my lap like this.

Lolly cake--literally candies smushed into cake.

I thought this ad campaign I saw in ChCh was pretty sweet.

One zonked out and time zone confused little guy

Our first family picture.

I have been quite excited to visit Gail and have her take our first real family picture which she did last night at the Santa Cruz boardwalk here in California. She's an awesome photographer and I loved watching her do her thing and just flow. I feel so lucky seeing my beautiful boys. We've been able to pause for a couple days and gear up for the big flight over the ocean to New Zealand. The flight here was 7 hours and the boy was great so just another 5 to that will be the flight tomorrow. May the force be with us a a few more days and then we can really crash. I don't think we have ever felt this exhausted.

Patient little person.

While we are crazily trying to get everything done before we leave on Friday, our boy is patiently waiting for us. Oh, there is a new Giveaway up on the Snapdragon Blog--some yummy Vermont Maple Syrup and other VT goodies. Check it out and comment at a chance!

Happy Birthday liz!

Today is liz's birthday in New Zealand--tomorrow it will be her birthday here :) but it is also her first birthday as a grandma which we think is pretty cool. We fly to NZ in 12 days (man, I have so much to get done, phew!) and can't wait for you to get your hands on this little guy. We hope you enjoy your day, we love you, and can't wait to enjoy a NZ Christmas with you (because your Christmases are pretty sweet :)

A good week.

Last week was a good week--besides not sleeping much.

Some things we had really been thinking about and praying about started to work themselves out.

1. Dad got a much needed job after 3 months of searching and it is a well suited job at that.

2. I have had quite a bit of interest in taking family pictures for people and have already done 3 and booked 2 more sessions. THIS has been a HUGE blessing for me and Mike to have a little cash injection.

3. Thanks Gail, for asking me to work on your logo and business cards. I am glad you like 'em.

4. Also, the Snapdragon Blog is gaining momentum and we started our first Giveaway today so go there and comment if you want a chance at some lovely items.

Early night for me.

Mike has taken our little guy away for a couple hours and I am going to bed because I am so tired my eyes are burning, I can't see straight, and several times today I have fallen asleep when I blinked. I figure if I can get a couple hours of sleep now in the early evening perhaps up every hour and a half won't feel so evil.

Oh and today he was baby talking up a storm. He "mmm mmm mmm'd" and I "ahh ahh ahh'd" at him and he " MMM MMM MMM" at me. My first conversation with my son.

Reuniting in Boston!

On Saturday we made our way (through an incredible deluge) to Boston to go to the temple and meet up with good friends. It was actually quite a little Buddha House Reunion from our days in Hawaii plus a few kids and spouses :)

We all took the T to Cambridge and met up with some more friends and found ourselves eating some most excellente Mexican food. It was quite the adventure for our boy and so so so so good to spend some time (even just a little) with some very cool people.

Oh and just because I love how sometimes he sleeps with his hand in mid-air. Seemingly not relaxed but he was deep asleep.

a

Exercising.

4 months with our boy.

I can't BELIEVE it has been 4 months since he was born. Where did that go? That is a third of the year. It has been a long a couple weeks with his first cold but he is on the mend and such a cool little person. He has been chewing on his hands a lot lately and does this smiley/flirty thing and sticks out his tongue. He is gurgling and talking to us more especially in the mornings when he wakes up and hangs out until we get over to pick him up. He follows us with his eyes and I am sure I have mentioned this before, but is very alert. He moves his eyes and head around like a little bird. Lately he's been hanging out with me at the Inn either sleeping or in the carrier as I paint. He has been such a trouper during these crazy few months and is gearing up for a nice break and relax to summer in New Zealand. He will be one well traveled little guy.

Look at those foreheads! I can see him in me more these days. He is
quite the mix of me and Mike.

His full belly.

Eating his hands.

Sticking his little tongue out when he smiles.


Those eyes.


Amazed by our little boy.

Oh this is what it is like to have a crying baby.

Keeping himself soothed with both hands and keeping warm
in his new leg warmers

Our boy has his first official cold. I think half of the town is sick so it was pretty unavoidable. We took him to the doctor yesterday because he had a bit of a fever and they checked him and he is going to live :) His temp is normal now and he seems a bit less stuffy even. We have been hanging out in our humidified room for the past 2 days :)

But the past 5 days have brought a whole new meaning to crying baby. I didn't realize what an awesome sleeper and relatively un-fussy baby he was until these last few days. To coincide with the stuffy nose and cough, he is also really gassy. He gets really stiff and looks to be in pain but sometimes it is really hard to get him settled or burped. Being a new parent and having NO IDEA what you are doing can be really awful. We eventually find something that either gets the gas out or calms him down-- after we are both at our wits end and our boy is so mad at us that he gives up. It is hard because just a few days ago, the nights were not nearly as dramatic and I rarely woke up Mike.

I learned some baby massage techniques that seem to help a little and he is able to sleep in the swing sometimes because he is more elevated I guess. Who knows? I sure don't but we are figuring it out little by little. I do wish there were directions stamped on his back sometimes though.

This morning he was most content sitting in my lap while I "tried"
to get some work done. I think he liked the light of the screen.

I got my hair cut short short. Pregnancy and breastfeeding
have sucked the life out of my body and my hair has been falling out
besides the fact it was already fried so I just went ahead and cut it off. It was
easy to take care of before but now it is really easy.