Christmas Recap

My super cute Xavi-deer on Christmas Eve with his Nana (my mum).

I cant believe that Christmas is already over for 2011. We had a fantastic weekend. My parents and one of my sisters came to visit for the weekend and my partners Mum and Sister spent the day with us as well. It was nice just having a low key, no stress day. X got so very very spoiled. And not really from us - it was all the generous family and friends that we have that just gave him so much. I am not even joking when I say that we could probably open a toy store, I am spending the day tomorrow trying to organise his room and fit all the new toys in there. Some of the toys are being packed in the cupboard as they are too old for him yet, but in a few months it is going to be great to be getting new toys out for him.

X loved opening presents with his dad. He loved this plush talking Lightening McQueen, as you can see every present he opened and got his hands on went straight into his mouth.

X's MASSIVE haul of presents! I know - totally spoiled!!

In our family we usually have a handmade Christmas, so its always nice to get a gift that is made especially for us (plus a few store brought presents). I got totally spoiled this year......from my partner and X, I got a new camera (I LOVE IT), an SD card to go with it and a 10 pack of frames for my new photos to go on the wall. From Mum and Dad I got a saucepan set, a frame (dad brought second hand and just restored it a little) witch has an awesome HUGE family picture of me, T and X in it (it now hangs proudly above my TV) and mum made me a plastic bag holder, handtowels for my kitchen and she is making me a peg bag (so pretty), from my sister I got a really cute frame that she painted and decorated for me and put pictures of X in it!! Totally LOVE IT!!

X chilling with Poppy (my dad) on the deck, playing with his presents, although doing his favourite thing in the world - PULLING BEARDS!! Poppy spoils him and lets him pull it!! hee hee

For my mum I made a notebook which I decorated, I made Dad a little display with pictures of him and X and for 2 of my sisters I made a heap of flowers and scrapbooking embellishments. I took some photos of these so I will share these next post. Just have to get them off the camera.

X pretty much chewed on his fingers all day, all thanks to teething!

Something exciting that happened on Christmas Day was X got his first tooth!! So exciting but poor little X, he was so cranky and irritable all day. It popped through Christmas morning, but it is only just through the gum. I now think that he is getting his second one, as his gum is looking white and swollen. I think it will pop through in the next few days, I cant wait as I just want my happy baby boy back!! He is also having a terrible time with eczema at the moment, and the teething is not helping at all.

Getting all clever and sitting up by himself, he now does this for small amounts of time...where is my baby going? He is growing so fast!

X enjoying his Christmas lunch (Beef, Pumpkin and Potato). He really loves the jar food with pumpkin in it!!

Thank you for reading my blog, and I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with your family!!

All the best for 2012 from my little family to yours!!

Guess who we went to visit.....

We FINALLY got down to see Santa and get our photo taken!! We had a couple of false starts (one of those times, just as we jumped in line Santa went on lunch - I guess Santa needs to eat too) but today we made it. We had to wait in line for nearly an hour - WHAT?!?

I guess the good thing was that they were taking a few photos each child so that you could pick which photo you liked the best....but for us, waiting for an hour in line with an almost 5 month old was not all that fun. When we finally got to Santa - the first thing X did was to grab a big handful of Santa's beard and give it a yank.....his new favourite thing is to pull his dad's and poppy's beards!! Santa was pretty understanding and just made sure he restrained (I mean held) X's hands. ha ha ha So we didn't end up with a smiling photo - but that's ok because I still think he is pretty darn cute!

He definitely seems to love all things Christmas so far - we put the tree up together on the 1st of December and he is mesmerized when the lights are turned on. I cant wait to get all the presents off layby and wrap them so the tree can be overflowing with awesomeness. ha ha ha I also realise how lucky I am this year, as he cant pull down any of the decorations yet - give me strength for next year. ha ha ha I hope you are all having an awesome start to December!! Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog!!

PS When we got his 4 month needles (almost 3 weeks) ago he weighed a whopping 7.1kg - the same as some of my friends 6 months olds!!

Harry Potter

Well everyone seems to have Twilight Fever at the moment (especially my Mum) but for me it is all about Harry Potter!! I read all the Twilight books and did very much enjoy them (couldn't put them down) but with the Harry Potter book I have read them over and over and over!! I have lost count at the amount of times I have read these books.

I have seen the first 3 Twilight movies - and did enjoy Twilight and New Moon but when I watched Eclipse I was less than impressed. I don't know what it was but to me it was really cheesy and just wasn't really into it (sorry all you Twilight fans - and I mean you Mum as I know you are one of the only people that read my blog....and Paige...Hi Paige ha ha ha). Maybe my expectations were too high, I wont be seeing the latest Twilight movie at the movies (too expensive to go to the movies these days) I will just be waiting for my mum to buy it on Blu Ray so I can watch it on my big TV! ha ha ha See even though I wasn't a fan of the last movie I will still watch all the rest of the series (hmm I know that's a bit weird)....if only for Jacob. ha ha ha I feel a bit weird watching (and by watching I mean drooling) him though as I can remember being an adult at my work (daycare) and watching him in Sharkboy and Lavagirl with all my Preschoolers! ha ha ha


But what got me SUPER excited this week was the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2!!! WOW!! I have most of the Harry Potter series on the big screen except the first one (as I hadn't read the books then and wasn't a fan) and sadly I missed the last one at the movies when I was pregnant! I had really bad swelling at this time and was in pain when I sat for too long but I had decided that NOTHING was going to keep me from seeing this movie (boy was I wrong) and thought I would just keep my feet up on the chair when the ushers weren't looking. ha ha ha

My whole pregnancy I kept saying that I was going to the movies to watch Harry Potter as I wasn't due for another 3 weeks after it came out. My mum kept saying to me that she thought I would miss it as she had a feeling I would be in hospital with a baby when it opened....but I didn't believe her!! No way would I go 3 weeks early. Well would you believe that they admitted me into the hospital on the night of the midnight screening!! ARGHH!!! I totally missed Harry Potter - on release day when everyone was at the movies watching Harry on the big screen I was in labour (Mum its all your fault actually - you jinxed me)!! GRRR!! ha ha ha Don't get me wrong I love my baby to bits (how could you not when he is so super duper cute) but I still tell him all the time that I never got to see Harry Potter on the big screen because of him. ha ha ha I finally watched it this week and I LOVED IT!! I have been waiting very impatiently for it to be released on DVD - and it was all a bit sad pressing play and knowing it would be the last Harry Potter movie! I was blown away with how well they made the last book into the movies!

I think that after I finish the book I am reading at the moment that I am going to reread the Twilight series (as mum keeps asking me what happens in the end and I cant remember as it was that long ago that I read the book) and then I am going to do Harry Potter....again. ha ha ha And then I will start on my massive stack of new books that I have not read yet!! Lucky I love to read so much!!

Polly Scrapbook Kits!!

I have always wanted to buy scrapbook kits but none have ever really taken my fancy, until I came across Polly! Scrapbook Kits!! They are AMAZING!! I love all the products that are included in them and definitely recommend them to everyone! You get a stack of stuff in each kit and they are just so easy to create with!! Kayla (who runs the business) lovely and makes ordering kits so easy!! Head on over to The Blog or The Facebook Page (and tell them that I sent you) you wont be disappointed.....the November kit is being released, which contains lots of Christmas goodness - I'm excited!!

Scrapping

I love scrapping - I just never seem to sit down and actually do any. I definitely did NOT get any done when I was pregnant - I had pretty bad morning sickness for half of it and the plastic cases that some of my craft goodies were wrapped in used to make me throw up!! Not even joking - I had many a morning where I thought I would brave the scrap room and would come quickly running back out and throw up all over the floor in the hallway (lucky we have tiles), so I just gave up and thought when the morning sickness had subsided I would give it a go. But that was then I was trying to get all the paperwork for my job up to date so I could leave for 6 months. When I got that under control for my last few weeks at work I started to get high blood pressure and I started to retain A LOT of fluid and I couldn't sit up or stand up for long periods of time!! ARGHH!! When I finally gave up work (at 36 weeks - although I think they had my dates wrong and I was actually 38 weeks) - they were so worried at the hospital about my blood pressure that I was at the doctors or hospital almost every day and then a week and a half later they admitted me in hospital and induced me. So all up I only ended up with a week and a half off work before I was in having my baby!! I was hoping for a little more time (like at least 4 weeks) but oh well these things happen. And of course I now have even more photos of my precious boy to scrap!

So its been in the past few weeks that I have scrapbooked for the first time in I don't know how long!! Its nice when Tim will take X for a few hours on the weekend so I can sit at the table and craft (I had to give up my scraproom as it became the nursery). Now I have to scrap as much as I can before I go back to work in January!! I don't want to go back but at least I will get some money to buy new products. ha ha ha

Here are a few layouts that I have been working on!!

Finally a Family - Tim and I had been trying for many years to have a baby and we were actually just about to start fertility treatment (I had been for the first appointment to get all the tests done and was booked in with the fertility doctor) when we found out we had fallen pregnant naturally!!

We call ourselves 'Team Clarke' - even though I am not a Clarke yet - Tim has made me an honorary member!!

My gorgeous baby boy - this is one of our favourite photos taken of him (my dad took it) and Xavier was only 11 hours old - so alert!!

Check out those stats - all 5's and 3's!! It was pretty crazy!! And his head circumference was 33cm!! I think he will just have to be a little bit lucky now!!

My gorgeous boy!! This photo was when he was only a few days old and we think he is just adorable!

I love clusters at the moment (the blue lollipop is from Charm's Creations) - so have been playing around with them a little bit! And it is using my product!!

11 months to go.....

...until I become a MRS!! We were actually meant to be married in August this year, although I found out I was pregnant at the end of last year and that I was due 3 weeks before the wedding (turns out I had my baby 3 weeks earlier anyway - but oh well, Im glad we are waiting for the extra year).

Tim and I have been together for 9 and a half years!! WOW!! We met through mutual friends, when a group of us went to a concert (Australian band Jebediah) and we just kind of clicked. We got along really well and after only meeting him a couple of times I knew that I had found a best friend for life!! I cant believe how much our lives have changed and matured since we have been together. We met when I was 20 and Tim was 21 (we are only 6 months apart in age) and over the next 9.5 years we have brought a house, been overseas together (to Hawaii), shared many laughs, shed many tears, been there for better or worse and most importantly had our beautiful baby boy together!! I could not imagine my life without either of my boys, and I love both of them to bits!!

Tim is poking his tongue out in this picture, we went on a walk to Queen Mary Falls and half way through the walk is started POURING rain - and we got drenched. This photo was when it first started to rain and we thought it was funny...we were not too wet by then. You should have seen us at the end of the walk - most uncomfortable drive home EVER!! But such a fun day!

This photo was taken at my nieces 18th - she had an Alice in Wonderland theme - Tim doesn't look too happy here, I have to admit he HATES having his photo taken, so I have lots of photos of him where he inst smiling - he better start practicing for our wedding photos though!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I have ALWAYS loved Christmas (definitely think this was a character trait passed down from Mum) our house was always decorated and we made so many decorations when we were little it wasn't funny. Mum kept the paper Christmas tree angel that I made when I was in Preschool (I would have been 5)....I think I ended up with this a few years ago and plan to put it on the top of the tree every year...well until X is a bit bigger and he can make one for me!! :)

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year as I have X to share all my Christmas Spirit with, we are going to decorate the house and put up the tree, have way too many presents wrapped under it and definitely go down to one of the shopping centres for Santa photos. I am even going to go see ALL the Santas in town first and then go and pick the nicest looking Santa for our photos. Only the best for my boy!! ha ha ha I cant wait until December 1st so I can start to put up the decorations....along with my love of Christmas, my mum also passed on the character trait of believing in superstitions, and I know its bad luck to decorate for Christmas before December 1st. ha ha ha

I can remember when we were younger and used to leave out cookies and milk for Santa, without fail every year we would also leave out a tub of water and some carrots for the Reindeer's.....first thing on Christmas morning we would run to the table to check if Santa ate the cookie (only crumbs were left) then out to the verandah to check the water (always had bits of grass floating in it and nibbles taken from the carrots) and there were ALWAYS reindeer hoof prints on the wood from where they had walked across the wet grass. I want to start traditions like this with X (but mum to this day stands by the fact that it was really Rudolph and the Reindeer that made the hoof prints). ha ha ha

Yesterday Mum had a stall at a craft market so I decided to go for a drive and see her and check out all the lovely crafts. I brought a few things (although most things were for little girls, looking back though I am glad that I have a son as I would have spent WAY too much money) X got an owl for his bookshelf in his bedroom and I got an owl to hang on the wall. They are both so adorable. I also got a few other bits and pieces. After spending all of our money we went to visit my dad and have lunch with him. He was out in the veggie patch (its awesome - everytime I visit I get some fresh home grown veggies....yesterday we scored super fresh potatoes - I was there when dad dug them out and a stack of cauliflower) and X loved being outside in the fresh air and watching Poppy dig.....he got so excited at one point that he started to squeal in delight (he has never done this before) and I couldn't stop laughing!!

Two of my dads favourite hobbies over the past year or so have been gardening and photography......it used to be woodwork, although he got very sick a few years ago and spent 8 weeks in hospital and he has now lost use of his legs properly. Of course one of his favourite things to take photos of is X.....I kid you not there have been THOUSANDS of photos taken of him. Its not uncommon to take 400 or so photos in one shoot!! ha ha ha We are lucky that X loves the camera. So yesterday I decided to get some Christmas photos taken that I will use for my Christmas cards, and we do 'handmade Christmas' in my immediate family, so they will be used for presents as well!! I just had to show some of the photos as I think they are so super duper cute!! Unfortunately X decided that he didn't want to smile and his new favourite thing is so see how much of his fist he can fit in his mouth, we will probably try to get some more done this weekend so I can see if I can get some smiling ones!!!

I have been scrapbooking again lately - it feels good so I will be back soonish to post some photos, I have to take pictures of the layouts.

Christmas sure is serious business!! I love X in red so I think this Santa outfit looks super cute!!


I love these Christmas Nappies that Huggies brought out - and one of the few (almost) smiles we got!!

Xavi-deer Santa's newest reindeer!! The two Christmas Romper Suits and matching hats were brought at KMart for only $7 each set.....super bargain I thought!!

Hello and Welcome

I just thought I would post this little quiz thing that I found while blog hopping so that you can all get to know me a little better!! I will be back shortly to post some photos and other stuff too, just want to get the ball rolling!! :)

A. Age: 30 (EEEEEKKKKKK) Actually I loved turning 30, although I was heavily pregnant so never got the 30th I had dreamed of....so fingers crossed it all comes together for my 30th(plus1) next year.

B. Bed size: Queen size but I would loooooove a king size!! There is never enough room in the bed!!

C. Chore that you hate: Folding the washing and putting it away!! It always ends up staying in the basket for way too long!

D. Dogs: Nope - much to my partners disgust!!

E. Essential start to your day: My weetbix and chat to X as he sits in the bouncer on the table!

F. Favorite color: Yellow. And brown!

G. Gold or Silver: Mainly silver but if you wanna give me gold - I wont complain!

H. Height: Ummmm I think about 168cm.

I. Instruments you play: None, played recorder at school, although always wanted to learn the violin!! Not sure why!!

J. Job title: Childcare Group Leader, have worked in most room (not nursery though) before I left work for Maternity leave I was in the Preschool room (3-5years) although not sure what I will be doing when I go back.....fingers crossed for lunch relief!!

K. Kids: Yes one super duper adorable son X!!! I love him to bits and not at all biased, and will quite confidently say he is the best baby in the whole wide world.....and definitely the CUTEST! hee hee

L. Live: With my fiance and son in our house that we are slowly paying off!

M. Mother’s name: Catherine

N. Nicknames: Wella, Louie, Lou

O. Overnight hospital stays: To give birth, was admitted to monitor my high blood pressure but they decided to induce me and when I was younger (about 7) I had to have an operation on my jawbone!

P. Pet peeves: People parking in pram parks or disabled parks when they dont need to be!! I hate seeing cars with no carseats in them in pram parks - especially when we dont get one!! GRRR

Q. Quote from a movie: " You guys might not know this, but I consider myself a bit of a loner. I tend to think of myself as a one-man wolf pack. But when my sister brought Doug home, I knew he was one of my own. And my wolf pack... it grew by one. So there... there were two of us in the wolf pack... I was alone first in the pack, and then Doug joined in later. And six months ago, when Doug introduced me to you guys, I thought, "Wait a second, could it be?" And now I know for sure, I just added two more guys to my wolf pack. Four of us wolves, running around the desert together, in Las Vegas, looking for strippers and cocaine. So tonight, I make a toast!" The Wolfpack speech that Alan gives in The Hangover - my favourite movie!! LOVE IT!!

R. Right or left handed: Rightie

S. Siblings: 3 sisters (1 older, 2 younger) and 1 brother

U. Underwear: Worn always!

V. Vegetable you hate: Brocolli and Squash - although every now and then I will eat squash but brocolli.............EUGH YUCK!!

W. What makes you run late: It used to always be the fact that I love to sleep.....but its now because of X....my schedule works around him! ha ha ha

X. X-Rays you’ve had: Many on my teeth and jawbone, I broke my elbow when I was 3 so guessing they did x-rays then and I also had to have my back x-rayed a few years back.

Y. Yummy food that you make: I am right into baking at the moment and I make these awesome peanut butter and choc chip cookies. Although if you ask my partner, everything I make is yummy!! ha ha ha

Z. Zoo animal: I love the giraffes!! I could have spend hours watching them when we went to the Zoo in Honolulu a few years back!!

And now I will just add a pic of X to prove that he is so super duper cute!! This was taken on Father's Day last month! He sleeps just like his father.....with his mouth open!! ha ha ha So cute!