The "No, No" song

Naddie Song from Andrea Wood on Vimeo.

Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty from Andrea Wood on Vimeo.

Guess who’s back? Can you ask that fast and four times?

I am not going to apologize. I could, but than all you would be reading about is why I have not posted and how sorry I am and bla, bla,bla.
So why waste time and precious energy, when I can just start right where I left off?
I say “precious energy”, because it is hard to come by lately.
Why? You might ask. Well, I tell you why. We are expecting again!!!!!
I am 17 weeks along and the due date according to the midwife and the doctors and the technicians (at the ultrasound) we have seen so far is February 17th.
Naddie seems to understand that there is a baby in my belly and that we have to be careful when playing. She also does some random act of “loving”. She often comes up to me and says: “I want to give a kissy to the baby”. And than she pulls up my shirt and kisses right where she thinks the baby is.
I do think she will be a great big sister. She seems to really care about smaller babies when we are at the playground and has quite a nurturing nature towards them in any situation. So, fingers crossed that it will be a smooth transition.
At this point we have been here in Auckland for almost three months. We seem to be settling in just fine. Found a great house with three bedrooms in a suburb called Mission Bay. It is about 7 minutes drive from the city and is located right on the beach, hence the name.
Naddie took all the transitions pretty easily as if nothing really happened.
When our container arrived at our house with all of our stuff she literarily had Christmas in July. I think at some point while we were unpacking I found her head over hills in a box full of toys, while she was screaming: OHHHH! UHHH! YESS! LOOK AT THIS MOMMY!!!
We gave her the biggest bedroom, thinking she will spend more time in there than we will in our bedroom. WRONG!
She finds a way to spread all of her toys around be that the bathroom, kitchen, living room, dinning room or dad’s office. She even managed to take over parts of dad’s office at the University.
We are looking into putting her into daycare part time for now and when she turns three and the baby is here most likely full time. The government here pays for 3 days of daycare, which makes life easier, when you have more than one child.
There are different opportunities for kids to socialize. Daycare is just one, but they have “coffee groups”, play centers and of course mom groups.
We are exploring the “playcentre”as parents are deeply involved.
Of course as everywhere else in the world there is a waiting list for each of these centers, so for now we are hoping to get in as soon as possible.
As of October Bug will be starting “Soccer for Tots” and we are also looking into going back swimming around that time. We have been going to this indoor aquatic center that has many toddler pools, slides, wave pools and lots and lots of entertainment for all the 2-5 year old visitors. All this is for a hefty $7. You can imagine how happy this makes me. 4-5 hours entertainment for such little price and I don’t even mind becoming a raisin. “Hi you reached the voicemail of William, Naddie and Andrea. Please leave a message after the tone as most likely we are at the pool. Again!”
There are many things Baby Bug just loves about this whole new situation.
One of them is the “fluffy” also known as steamed milk with a little bit of chocolate. Every coffee place seems to have them and it is like “crack” for toddlers. While they are sipping their own cup (and I mean nice china) of steamed milk they are tricked into thinking “Hey I am also having a cup of coffee”. Genius.
So every morning while I am making Naddie’s breakfast the first thing out of her mouth is “Mommy, I want fluffy too”.

We have taken some trips to the coast but certainly not enough.
The scenery is like something out of a movie. The forests are amazing containing palm trees and evergreens living side by side.
I imagine, as the weather gets better we will be taking more and more trips to explore.
For now I will live you with this post and with a sentence: “I will be back and posting regularly as I used to. Before you know it, you will be sick of all the jibber jab.”
Well, that was actually two sentences. I am already exceeding all expectations.