Grandma Cassie's Visit

It had been over 2 years since Grandma Cassie had visited NZ, so we were looking forward to her visit. After all we had lots to show her...new baby Wyatt and new house! I didn't take as many photos as I should have, but here are a few snapshots from her 2 week visit. She's got more on her camera. We didn't venture too far from home, and it seems like we didn't get up to a whole lot but we did manage a few backyard hikes, a trip to the pool, a roadtrip down to Wellington to the American Embassy to get Luca's passport and registration of birth, getting lost in the corn maze, Eplanade Open Day, a visit to Mars' farm, the beach, wine with the neighbors, the Martinborough Craft fair, and an open house party for Wyatt. Okay, I take that back, we were actually quite busy every day.

Luckily she was also around when I had to attend some University classes - so she was our babysitter for the boys. While here she got to witness Luca's wild child 2 year old tantrums, and also his cute as a button, I'm the sweetest boy on the earth routine. She watched Wyatt become more alert, and strong as he began to hold his head up, focus his eyes and begin to grasp for toys.

Luca has this new thing that whenever you ask him to smile for the camera he makes this wierd squinty face. He must be taking camera lessons from his Dad (Love ya James!) I just love this picture of my 3 boys though. Look at Wyatt's little arm on Luca :-)

Wyatt is now close 11lbs! He's growing well - no sign of under nourishment here. I feel like a 24 hour all you can eat milk bar. Seriously - does he have to wake every 2-3 hours for food in the middle of the night? I feel so exhausted every day, and I know I should probably be in bed right now instead of writing this blog, but it just feels like the little time I have at night always gets filled up so fast. There needs to be more hours in the day.

Grandma Cassie was a tremendous help around the house - We go through quite a bit of laundry with all the spitting up and burping that comes with the territory of newborn babies. Grandma Cassie was Luca's favourite spitting target - every time she held him, he seemed to spit up all over her shirt. I think by the end of week 1, she finally learned to wear a burp cloth.

I just recieved my last visit from the Midwife. She has been fantastic. I had the Dr expierence and the midwife expierence and I definitly enjoyed the midwife expierence more. Both are publicly funded in NZ, and 90% of the time women go with the midwife expierence. She was not only a medical professional, but also like a counsellor, and a friend -and there was no home birth or drug free pressure at all. I'd recommend her to anyone in a heartbeat. The photo belowe is of Megan, my midwife

Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Grandma Cassie and learn how to survive on our own as a family of four. Luca was fascinated with the airport and the airplanes - who would have though? Ha HaBye Bye Grandma Cassie. We already miss you!!! Luca keeps asking where you are, and when I tell him you went home to St. Louis he says "Grandma Cassie. Home. On Jumbo Jet." Unfortuantly this is as big as the Jumbo Jets get in Palmerston North. Still pretty Jumbo compared to him.