HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I was a bit slow on the "Christmas" message... so instead you're getting a HAPPY NEW YEAR message!!!


We went on holidays on 12 Dec - 28 Dec, up to the Gold Coast where it's nice and warm, with lots of theme parks! We had a fantastic time, except for the part when Mr T slipped down 6 wet (stone) stairs, and has possibly fractured his back (again).... oh, and the part, where a nob driver ran up the back of the hire car I was driving... oh, and the part where the car insurance excess cost me $3300 - other than that - it was a smashing trip!



Here are some pics:

In the rain on Christmas morning... it was still 34 degreesC!
Kisses for big sister

Us

Flume Ride at Seaworld

Waiting to take Tiny on the kiddy rides

Tiny LOOOOOVES THE POOL!

Posers at Seaworld!

Googles for Christmas:

More googles for Christmas!

Layer upon layer, of kids!

Big brotherly love!

We had "old time" photos done... Tiny wouldn't smile!

How old does my girl look, in this shot?!

Serial killer in the making?!!!

Family of gangsters! Check out the rack on Mummy?!!! Honestly... it's all the dress!

Fly Tiny, Fly!

Fashionista... heels and googles - it's all the rage, this season?!

Hangin' with Porky... (and the pig statue?!)

Daddy and Tiny chill out at Wet n Wild (its the name of the water park... not a p0rn0?!)

Christmas morning was a very small affair - because we were on holidays, gifts were light on - but thoroughly enjoyed! Tiny's absolute favourite thing EVA... is Dora. Urgh. Dora? I find her EXTREMELY annoying!!!! Tiny wants to watch her every waking moment! "Dooorah? Dooorah?"

Well, from us down under - we wish you all an absolutely fantabulous new year! May 2010 be the year that your dreams come true - May you smile and laugh more than you ever have before - May you find where your treasure truly lies.

God Bless!

xxx Love OziFamily!

23 Dec 2008... 23 Dec 2009

Oh what a difference a year makes!! 23 Dec 2008 will be forever permeated into my memory, as a day of extreme emotion! See this post, for the details!

And here we are, a full 12 months later... it's almost strange!!! It's bizaare to think, that one could have a "connection", from purely looking at a photo - but that's how it was for me, from the very first glimpse of our daughter's tiny passport photo, attached to her file. Her eyes were mesmerising, her face completely angelic. The way her tiny mouth sat, slightly downturned - not upset, not determined or stubborn... just a wee bit sad.

I still look at that first photo, and get teary. Her eyes just look right into my soul, as if to say "Where are you Mummy?"

Well, we found each other - and haven't looked back. She is a blessing everyday (sometimes I have to remind myself, of her blessing... when she's throwing a huge tanty!) She's is one amazing little girl - I pray that she will know, what a blessing she is, and just how much she has added to our family. From the 23rd Dec 2008, our family changed forever.

To all you beautiful families, who finally received your allocations or the beautiful gift of your child in your arms this year, may this Christmas be the sweetest ever. To my wonderful friends, still holding onto the dream of their child, don't lose hope. The wait is crushing, for sure - but the first glimpse of your child, is beyond magical. You WILL see the face of your sweetpea... keep the faith.

Merry Christmas to you and yours... from us and ours!

12 DEC 2009

Well... it's almost a year, since the day we first saw our daughter's face. A YEAR!!! The year, has disappeared in the blink of an eye. So much has happened! Tiny continues to absolutely amaze us! She is talking ALOT more - and we can actually understand what she's saying now! She's even singing the words to some adverts! She loves to draw (on everything... including walls, suede chairs, tables... you get the picture?!!), she adores her older siblings - and here's one I'm not so proud of... she recognises the golden arches!!! Yikes!!!! She gets all excited, in the back of the car, and starts screaming - "CHIP! CHIP!" pointing wildly at the arches!!! Honestly we don't go there that often!!! But, the first thing she ate all by herself (without us feeding her) was a french fry, while we were in China!!! Guess it left a lasting impression?!!! She has a HUGE SWEET TOOTH! She says "lolly" clear as anything... once again... YIKES!!! She still loves shoes (everyone's and anyone's!!), her first word (while still in China) was Shooooz. Ahhh... I may not have given birth to her - but geez louise! This child is most certainly MY DAUGHTER!

Eye Candy for you!

No words needed... the teeshirt says it all!This girl couldn't get anymore sophisticated if she tried!!! hehehe!

Kisses for you.... right back at ya, sweetheart!

[how cute is the ladybug hairclip? it's not a real good shot of it - but its downright adorable! can't get anything like it here... we have the gorgeous KIM to thank!!! The Queen of Clippies!]

12th November 2009

Another month has disappeared - which marks, nine months from the first day we held Tiny. I was looking back through our trip photos the other day. How things have changed!!! I remembered the emotions. I remembered the sites and smells. Still gives me goosebumps to this day. How, oh how, did the person at C.c.A.@ allocate Tiny to us? It baffles me, how a person can place a child with a family - a child they've never met, new parents they've never met - yet they are perfect for each other? How does that happen?!!!




Well, they've done it again - CATHERINE finally has Hannah in her arms. Catherine has been an amazing encouragement and outstanding example of true faith in God. I feel my faith is so pathetic when I read of her strength and unwavering peace!!! I never doubted God... but I was such a bad example of peace (especially the week before we got our allocation!!!) Ah, Catherine - you deserve every blessing, that is to be had!

AND Doris and Dan received their allocation late October too!!! WOOHOO!!! I tell ya, there is NOTHING more heart warming than seeing families made. Seeing the photo of their sweet daughter, just gave me chills. They can finally put a face to their long awaited baby!!!

And in closing (ha! I should be a preacher, no?!!) here is my monthly photo report!!!

Tiny is:

* screaming like a banchee when she pitches a fit (I mean - peel the wallpaper off the walls, screaming!!) - I say this first... because she is screaming right now. I think H-man has something she wants?!

* mimics everything we say, but doesn't seem to use many words, on her own

* is now 8.6kgs, 83cm tall and is finally into size 1 (although still fits in many sz 0 dresses! they're made for 9 month olds!!!) still wears size 4 shoe

* still sleeping like a champion - 12 hrs at night, 3 hrs during the day

* is a very fussy eater. will eat something one day, but not the next etc etc. is currently loving oranges and grapes... everything else is on a day-to-day basis

* absolutely adores her older siblings. especially loves to play the piano with miss m, and play on the play equipment with h-man

* LOVES water. It got very warm, very quick here last week. We took the kids to the beach, Tiny just didn't want to get out of the water!!! She threw a huge fit, when we went to leave!

* loves music... even in the supermarket!!

* I think she has hayfever. Has had a constant (clear) runny nose for nearly 2 weeks, and has watery eyes. (**see last note: could be why she's had a runny nose?!)

* Loves LOLLIES! She is a sweets garbage disposal!!! Devours anything sweet in seconds.

* still loves her bath. She's doing a wee on the toilet before every bath, and even done a couple of poos on there... now the weather is warmer - I MUST pull my finger out, and get onto toilet training... I just need to find knickers that'll fit!!! Size 2 just won't stay up - and you can see through one leg - to the other!!! Mr T is going to Bali soon, will measure her, and get some tailor made!!!

* is just starting to get the hang of "loving" a soft toy, or doll. She'll give them hugs now.... then throw them to one side!!

* is much better with men now. Mr T has Wed off, and stays home with her (while I go to work!) and it has helped enormously!

* is screaming when I go to work, or leave her with someone else. Breaks my heart.

* loves my Mum!!! My Mum lives interstate, and has been over a couple of times in the last 6 weeks or so - so just LOVES her! (when my Mum is here... Tiny would rather be with her, than me!!! :(

* turned 2 late Sept... it was like a switch flicked, and now we have a "terrible 2"!!! She is just throwing fits, all the time!!! Over ridiculous stuff!!! And if I tell her off, she gives the most incredible pout, then turns around and slaps the closest thing to her!!! NOT something we encourage... so then she gets told off for doing that!!!

* still has bad teeth, at the front - must take her to the paed dentist (she had black on her teeth when we first got her - it went away for a month or so - but is back)

* has a gorgeous laugh - a real belly laugh

... and finally, to wrap up her 9 months with us... I'm pretty sure she has Chicken Pox!!! Urgh.

First Haircut

On Tues (27th Oct) Tiny had her first haircut! Poor little thing couldn't see!!! She was brilliant! Sat still. Didn't make a fuss at all!!!

Before (how funny is her expression in this photo?!!)

During

After

She thought it was all pretty good! A girl after my own heart!!!! I love going to the hairdressers!

I think the hairdresser was pretty vicious with her fringe (bangs, for my American readers!)... but it'll grow back! She cut the back into a nice little bob, and the sides are almost as long as the back... one more haircut, and it'll be all the same! Tiny has a kooky hairline, so the hairdresser had a bit of trouble knowing where to cut the fringe! Her hairline starts halfway back on her head!!! Anyway - I think she's very cute... and that's all that matters!

On another note: I went to see Mao's Last Dancer, the movie, last night, with a couple of other Mum's from our batch. I haven't read the book, but have heard it is very good. I liked the movie. Not the best movie I've ever seen... but it made me cry... so I guess the moviemakers did their job?!!! Gives a tiny insight to the Communism Regime, but somehow I think that the family would have received much more persecution than was portrayed in the movie? Anyway, was well worth watching - lots of subtitles, so I'm glad my hubs wasn't there - he hates subtitles!!! I actually liked that the majority of the movie was in Chinese... was nice to hear the language again...

I miss China. Can't wait to go back, one day.

Its been 8 months!

Holy Cow this year has just gone so fast!!! We're in October, already?!!! Crikey! Just a few more weeks and it'll be Christmas!!!

As is tradition... here is my monthly layout! (I used Vicki's Girly Girl kit... available at Scrap That Idea)

I thought I'd post this one too... just because I like it! I used RebeccaB's freebie kit, called Gypsy Rose... its soooo pretty!!! The picture was taken at Tiny's 2nd birthday party.

I also really like this photo I took today... haven't scrapped it yet!!

Here's little movie from today as well... just to give you a taste of a few seconds in my house!!!

Lil Movie

I took this yesterday... nothing exciting happens... I just thought it was cute! (I accidentally posted it to my scrapbooking blog, first!! Whoops!)





PS...I'm still in my pjs (stripey pink pants!)... just in case you thought I had terrible dress sense, and actually allow people to see my in horrible stripey pink pants!!!

SHE'S TWO!!!

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABYCAKES!!!

You have truly enriched our lives - make us laugh - we sing - we dance... Thank You for being YOU! This is your first birthday at home with us - and it was a wonderful day, with family and friends. We had your party on Saturday 26th Sept, at home. We love you, so much, Sweetpea.

This photo was taken before Church on Sunday 27 Sept - you are wearing the dress that TESS sent over... it is just soooo gorgeous!

And finally... this is you today, your 2nd birthday. Monday 28th September 2009.

So precious.

12 Sept 2009

Today, officially marks 7 months of knowing Tari. I took a heap of photos this arvo, of HMan & Tiny in the backyard. It was an unusually warm day... we actually got to wear a teeshirt today! These are my fav. 2 photos - and I scrapped one.

(and yes... I know Mr T needs to mow the lawn!!! He's been working like a dog for about 3 weeks now... maybe it'll get a mow next week?!)

7 months... already?!!

Our angel is still going great guns, and continues to be a beautiful blessing to our family!

(I just realised I missed May, in my layout!!! hehehe!)

Its Official!

On Friday 28 August 2009, we received Tari's change of name certificate... she is now "officially"

TARI MEI

Another chapter, in our tiny, precious, 23 month old's life.