Beach Day

It was a BEAUTIFUL day at the Mount today. The Mount is still closed but the beach was open :) We took Max to the doctor because he is still a little sick. I had a different doctor today who I absolutely LOVED!!!! He was so patient with all my questions and listened to me when I told him how tired I was even though Max sleeps through the night and has since 6 weeks. He didn't patronize me with "well that is normal for you to feel tired you have a new born." He gave me paper work right away for a blood test to check my iron which was low all through my pregnancy. He explained some other things with me and with Max and was so understanding. I felt so much better leaving the doctor today. YAY!

We then headed to Starbucks but found a few photo ops on the way :)

Had a yummy Starbucks stop and Max had a little lunch

We then headed to the beach!! Max did GREAT! He loves loves loves his new stroller so he never fussed once and then watched the ocean for a bit then fussed a few minutes and off he went to slumber land. I read a magazine while Kimberly and Hols swam and then we just talked on the beach together. I even got to get in and was instantly refreshed being in the ocean!

Hols let Max stand/walk....his favorite past time :) He LOVED the sand! Such fun!

We had such a fun afternoon and then headed to get gelato, what else would you do after a day at the beach? Max had his milk shake and we needed ours :) We headed home after that and Hols spent some more time playing with Max as I got dinner ready. Little turkey just loves seeing the world.

We had a great time sitting out on the deck enjoying the sun and dinner!

Tomorrow????

BUNGEE JUMPING!!!!!!!

(not me just to put any of your fears to rest--though of course I want to and will be jealous)

FRIENDS

Holly and Kimberly are HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

This visit came at a much needed time. Now I know that I have seemingly had visitors the last two months, but this weekend I hit such a lonely spot. Lonliness will never kill you but it sure isn't fun. On Saturday I was home all day with a sick bubbs. The weather has been YUCK the last week so I haven't been able to take Max out on a walk which means Max hasn't taken Momma out on a walk which seems to be more how the story really goes :) I got through my Saturday with a few tears, texts to America and a VERY supportive husband that went over and above even though he worked 11 hours that day!

When I picked the girls up from the airport I saw them walk out and couldn't stop crying. Sam's response was "of course." :) It was so good to have the familiar with me in my town. The weather has been yuck so far, but the girls have been wonderful! Max loves them and they are such a big help to me. Their goal is to take LOTS of pictures so that means I will take them too!! WOO HOO!!!

My plan was to take a picture when they came out at the airport but...well...too many tears stopped that so here is right when we got back to the Mount and the next day or two!

Sam was working so Max and I took the girls on a walk to Pilot Bay. It was SO windy but still so fun to show them.

I had to take a better picture where you can see Max's feet not even hitting the ground. The little turkey loves this and LOVES walking with our help to us. UGH! I can't believe this kiddo is already trying to walk. He almost grabbed for a toy yesterday in the midst of trying to walk!!

Kimberly's Mom sent the CUTEST clothes for Max! I quickly washed the cute jammies she sent and put him in them that night!!

The next day we went on a walk to the beach while Sam watched Max. It was still cold and windy but SUPER fun. There is a Lifeguard competition on this whole week so we sat and watched that for a bit and just enjoyed hanging out by the ocean

Holly loves playing with Max in his little car/walker and Max loves the attention. I think he was missing ALL the people from Australia so this is a welcome gift to him to have so many people around

Holly and Kimberly of course had to have coffee :) I took this picture and put it on the blog for my mom especially! This was the cafe that her and my dad went to every day!

Pretty sure Max is LOVING life with the girls here!! He constantly is moving (as you can tell from the blurry little Max in this picture) and smiling at the girls!

Our friend Trisha also sent us the COOLEST clothes and a great painting that she did especially for us that signifies HOPE! It was much needed for me this week as God was challenging me to higher levels of trusting and hope. Thanks TRISHA!!

Unfortunately the Mount has been closed since the girls got here :( The weather was so bad on Friday night that there were mudslides off the mount. I hope it opens up before the go so they can at least get one walk around it. Though they have other fun and exciting things they want to do...look for bungee jump pictures in the near future!!!!

New Fun

Seeing Max isn't all that into tummy and back time I figured that he would like a walker. Call it a mother's instinct or the fact that he fussed or cried when he wasn't able to stand up almost every time. My parent's good friends gave us some money for Max and we were able to use some of it to get this. It was very needed for this momma! Thank you Carmen and Kathy and Mike and Phylis!!!!!!! I love that you are all in our lives and are now seeing me with a kiddo. :)

Sam got to come home for a few minutes today and we put him in it and Max INSTANTLY LOVED IT! His feet can't reach the floor but he thinks he's a pretty big deal!











If you notice most of the pictures are a bit blurry--that's my mover! He can't really do much in it since he can't grasp things at all, but he absolutely loves it and smiles and giggles. He loves when I make it make noise and loves all the colors and shapes. He hung out in the kitchen with us while we made dinner, he chatted with my parents & told them how much he loved it and just smiled and laughed all night. So he can't sit up, cant grasp toys, but he can act older than he should. What do we have on our hands???? :)

Same Kid????

While in Australia we realized that Maximillian was OVER his bassinet style stroller. He wanted to see the world! Now that we are back at our little Mount I put on the bigger attatchement of the stroller. I also noticed that it said, 'Not suitable for kids under 6 months.' I tried it anyway, feeling like I was breaking a rule. WHY THE HECK AM I SUCH A RULE FOLLOWER???!! I had to remind myself I am the mom and he was absolutely safe. Thankfully Lorna helped me figure out how to keep his little head up with a rolled up blanket behind his neck. Worked like a charm! Thank you Lorna!!!

I took these two pictures the last two days. Our little man definitely doesn't really know his age. He LOVED LOVED LOVED the "older than 6 month" stroller. Plus the little turkey continues to fight his way to his feet so he can take steps with us. He has no need for back and tummy time. He just looks at me like I am crazy.

These two pictures made me smile for two reasons. One: well he's just super cute to me! Two: he looks like two completely different kids. Sam and I were laughing so hard as we looked at them yesterday. We both noticed that in the first picture below Max looks like my side of the family and the second one he looks like Sam's side of the family. Funnily enough the bottom picture looks the most like himself. He is definitely his daddy's boy.

Home Sweet Home

What a trip! If you are a "glass half empty" person you would say, 'Anything that could go wrong did.' If you are a "glass half full" person you would say, 'LOTS of funny stories and memories.' I have to admit I vacillated between both persons. Now I can safely safe that I am the glass half full person and am ready to laugh at some of our stories. I am sure in a few months I will be roaring with laughter at all of them!

Here are the highlights:

Glass Half Empty

2 Flights with a 2 month old in one day

Glass Half Full

Air NZ was great. We had help and a row to ourselves and free meals!

Glass Half Empty

Getting my wallet stolen in Sydney on 2nd day from the diaper bag that was in the stroller that I was never away from

Glass Half Full

Credit card company that denied the $945 attempted charge at a Target in Sydney down the road--seriously at Target?!? It was as if it was being rubbed in my face by going to my most missed store ever!

Glass Half Empty

Trying to deal with banks, credit card companies etc while in Sydney and explaining why I am in Australia but live in NZ and have American cards.

Glass Half Full

Everything was taken care of and my Mom was a ROCK STAR and helped us so much. And we still had one credit card and one bank card for the rest of the trip

Glass Half Empty

Staying in a hotel on the 62nd floor that was so tall that your ears popped on the way up and down--the poor bubbs screamed every time

Glass Half Full

We stayed for free with our friend and had a view of the ocean

Glass Half Empty

Our hotel was struck by lightening while we were there and Sea Jay and I were away from Sam and her husband and kids because they were swimming in the pool!

Glass Half Full

Everyone was okay and it happened while I was shopping with Sea Jay and staying with her family. Everything just seemed doable because of that

Glass Half Empty

The one movie Sam was dying to see with Banning was posted with times and everything, when they arrived the movie theater informed them that they post movie times a week early before the movie comes out. UGH!

Glass Half Full

They got to be home with us that night :)

Glass Half Empty

Sea Jay got super sick and we had to take her to the doctor and we ended up not going to Steve Irwin's Zoo and a Race Track near there.

Glass Half Full

We still got to be with Sea Jay and the kids all weekend before we flew out

Glass Half Empty

We had to leave the Jesus Culture conference early because of when we flew out

Glass Half Full

We got to see some of the Jesus Culture and it revived both of our hearts and refreshed our souls being in healthy worship and a church environment. For me that 30 minutes made the whole trip worth it!

Glass Half Empty

Sea Jay being sick the last 3 days so she couldn't cuddle Max

Glass Half Full

She got to cuddle Max TONS before that when her kiddos would relinquish him :) They got quite attached while we were with them....So did Maximillian, I think he is wondering where all the kids are that were constantly in his face and begging to hold him.

Glass Half Empty

Saying good bye to the kids and Sea Jay while trying to pack to leave the hotel at 5:30AM and Sea Jay being so sick still

Glass Half Full

We know how to stay in touch even with the distance and we just went on National Lampoon's Vacation that will forever be a very funny memory!

Glass Half Empty

The bubbs getting sick and being sick all week when we got home

Glass Half Full

He isn't bad enough for antibiotics and he got sick while spending time with the Liebschers :)

It really was National Lampoon's Vacation--Australian Style!

Our first day in Australia at Sydney Harbor

At the beach with Momma

My favorite picture of the whole trip!

They loved helping Max take a bath!!

Sam and Lakey (and the girls too) LOVE watching Sponge Bob together. One night I caught the picture above and thought it was just TOO adorable! Then at the bottom of our hotel there was a shop that was like Sponge Bob HEAVEN!

They just LOVED Max

Our views in the Gold Coast!!!

Those were just a few of the highlights. Other fun ones were Max thinking he is big enough to take steps! We put him on the counter to show the kids how he likes to look at himself in the mirror. The next thing we know he is moving his feet in perfect steps towards himself. This is now his latest trick and HATES sitting down and only wants to be standing up! Oh my is all I can say to that!!

I took this for my MOM! :)

Off To Australia!!!!

We head to Australia BRIGHT AND EARLY tomorrow morning for two weeks to see the Leibschers!!!!!!!! So exciting....not excited about the flooding! But where we are going we will be okay, plus if we have to be in a hotel room for 2 weeks who cares! We will be with the Liebschers and for that we are very excited!!!


Probably won't be able to update the blog much but will for sure when we return in a couple weeks. I will try to let you all know that we are safe and sound too. Like I said though, where we are going we should be fine but I know you all worry :)

Two Months Old and the Hoff

Our little man is 2 months old!!!!!

To celebrate we took a walk down to the beach to see the Hoff!! Yep David Hasselhoff was at the Mount and Sam was shooting him for the paper!!!! Sam is HUGE a Knight Rider fan so it was pretty fun for him to be down in all the action!!!

Max and I in the chaos. He slept the whole time and it rained! But he was covered and snuggled into me watching Daddy work!!!

Sam getting shots of the Hoff

The Hoff came in on a boat after coming in to the mount on a helicopter!

Just like Baywatch....

This is a picture off a new website...check out the guy in the blue!