Chocolate and Flowers

Sam and Max brought me flowers they picked on their run. Little moments like this are priceless and mean more than hundreds of dollars worth of flowers.

The chocolate. Funny story. Our local little store on the corner LOVES Max. This sweet couple have taken to Max and are always giving him hugs, cuddles and chocolate gold coins. I always smile and let Max chew on it until we are out the door. Today we went in and they gave him Momma's FAVORITE chocolate: Cadbury Dairy Milk!!! Sam cracked up when we got home and said that I trained him like a dog to look longingly at that chocolate. Now I won't say I am above that, but I didn't do it this time. It was just my day to get candy and flowers!

Cold but Beautiful.

It might be cold but we really do live in a glorious place! The water was a gorgeous turquoise blue and the sky was crystal clear. I will make it through the winter and fully embrace the heat of summer!!!

Max and I walked up the Mount with friends today. It was a gorgeous day and in true NZ style TONS of people were out and about. Max loves walks and loves going up the Mount. We spent the day enjoying the sunshine and dreaming of Summer. Okay so maybe I'm not sure Max was dreaming of summer, but if he is anything like his momma he was!

His new favorite "toy" is the pots and pans!


He absolutely squeals with delight each morning as I make my eggs and now he likes to pretend he is cooking eggs too. It really is one of the most funny experiences to watch him get so excited over a pan and wooden spoons. He cracks us up on a daily basis already!


Max is always good for a posed picture and a cheesy smile!



Seriously can he be any cuter?!?!?!

Cold.

I have done very well this winter keeping a positive attitude. Not complaining. Enjoying the moment of winter. This week I am DONE! It has been SOOO cold here. NZ has been on world news talking about it's cold weather. My house is cold. My family is cold. I want swimsuits and summer!!!!!

Why people here think it is normal to be cold in your house is beyond me. I am not sure that they think it is normal as much as it is all they know. I am constantly reminded that we don't have it that bad and to get over myself. Our power bill was RIDICULOUS!!! (what floor heaters that suck energy and money right out from under you will do) But at the end of the day we live at the beach. We have food. We have water. We have warm (albeit at the price of gold!) beds. It truly is more than most have. AAAAAHHHHH okay my bad attitude is over.

Summer is literally around the corner. I feel like sprinting to Summer, not running a marathon of winter. It's so close I can taste it...I can taste the popsicles, the cool sea air, the sweat on my shoulders as I play in the sand with Max, the cold Diet Coke, the crashing of waves, the BBQ's, the bubbles, chai soy frappaccinos, the ice cream....the sounds, smells and sights of summer...they are coming! Until then how cute is my bundled up boy?!?!? His faces say it all!!!!!

"Mounties"

The other day Sam and I were taking Max to feed the seagulls and stopped by to get a Starbucks. On our way to the beach one of the shop owners came out to say hi to Max right after the girls at Starbucks gushed all over Max. Sam looked at me and said, "We are such 'Mounties.'" That is a term to refer to the locals at the Mount. I laughed and thought he was absolutely right. Instead of taking our son to feed ducks we feed seagulls. Ever shop owner feels like Max is their little mascot. He even gets chocolate at the local store on the corner (which Momma takes and eats herself :) Now I am just holding out for summer so we can add to that list that we are constantly in swimsuits!

Winter

Lest I lose perspective, I live at the beach. Winter may still be looming over our heads, but I walked 2 minutes with my family and took this picture.

I'm 9 Months Old

Today Max turned 9 months! It's Rugby season here and we are VERY excited! Tonight the All Blacks play Australia -- preview to the Rugby World Cup Final I think! Max wears his All Blacks Rugby shirt every game day!

His favorite friend Meila just hanging out with him

A little blurry but the cute smile is just too cute!

Sam is going to take some pictures this week but I had to capture him on his official birthday!

Giggles

Max is a laugher and a giggler. He loves the play ground and my good friend Celeste caught these shots at the swings last week.



Max's new thing is shutting his eyes to giggle or randomly shutting his eyes at you to make you laugh. It looks kind of likes these pictures. He's a cutie! How can you not eat him up!?!?!?

The other thing Max loves and makes him giggle is being with Daddy. Sunday we went down and feed the seagulls. Such beach people :) Max had a blast and squealed and giggled with delight