4/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Harrison: Having fun with the bubble machine.

Amelie: Our big girl heading off to school next week!

Finley: You are 18 months old this week.

We've enjoyed play dates with friends this week after not seeing them since school finished for the holidays.  Lots of fun at different parks and the new Jungle Buddies indoor playground where the kids were occupied for hours!

We celebrated Harrison's seventh birthday on Thursday, a pancake stack for brekkie before an awesome day at Taronga Zoo seeing the Dinosaurs in the wild exhibition and checking out all the  zoo animals. 
Nacho's for dinner at the birthday boys request and a chocolate birthday cake for dessert!
He is having a spy birthday party in a couple of weeks so we are busy planning that! He is taking great joy in being a part of the planning process.

Harrison has been lucky enough to visit the Wests Tigers twice this week with his friend whose Dad is a Club member.  He has been able to watch the pre season training and then go to the Season Opening party.  He got all the autographs on a cap and photos with some of the players so he was stoked.

It's the Australia Day long weekend and we're hanging around Sydney.   We've got a few things planned but for the first day we enjoyed a relaxing day by the pool.

3/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Harrison & Amelie: You're both water babies and loved every minute of the time spent at the pool, especially playing with your new dive balls and fish you got for Christmas.

Finley: Trying out the floating ring for the first time, a little unsure, you prefer to be standing in the shallow water.

Before flying back to Sydney in the afternoon I was able to attend the baby shower of a close friend, so lovely to see her in late pregnancy and spend a lovely morning at the garden party with my friends.
The afternoon proved to be a lot more stressful with a terrible flight home with Finley he certainly wasn't on his best behaviour and I've since joked I'm not flying with him again until he's five!

It was a week of organisation with unpacking the remaining boxes from the move, the suitcases from our time in New Zealand and getting things ready for the kids starting back to school.  Not long until Amelie starts school!

A quiet weekend around home sorting the new house and getting to enjoy the perk of having the use of the pool at the Country Club.  It is such a lovely environment and the lagoon pool is beautiful and perfect for the kids.  We will definitely be making the most of it during these hot Sydney days.

Finley seems to have mastered the art of climbing this week and is constantly on the couch and coffee table!  He has settled this week with his sleeping after being thrown out with the move and then being in New Zealand.  It's so nice to be enjoying our sleep again!

Amelie is obviously getting excited about starting school and keeps on getting dressed up in her school hat, bag and school shoes! Here's hoping the excitement sticks around at drop off on the first day!

2/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Harrison: You loved exploring the river and braved the cool water for a swim.

Amelie: You are in your element pottering around in the water.  This was a lovely evening spent at the estuary after our fish & chips for dinner.

Finley: You were happy to sit on the rivers edge and suck the water off the river stones!

Once again we were spoilt with a lovely week of weather so we were able to make the most of it spending our days either at the beach, estuary and on one day we went on a bush walk to the river.
The estuary was probably the best spot for our family this year as it meant all the kids could potter around without worrying about the waves knocking them over and Finley's confidence grew with playing in the water.  Lots of fun was had making dams and creating little pools of warm water where they played for hours!  The big boys had lots of fun mucking around on the skim board in the shallow water.
The kids loved having the time at the holiday house and beach to spend with their cousins and a great time for us adults to catch up and play games in the evenings. 
Harrison loved the opportunity to go fishing at the wharf and for the first time on Poppa's boat! He caught his first snapper!  He also loved getting to play a round of golf at the 9 hole with Daddy and Poppa.
We took the kids to Paddington Bear at the movies and we all really enjoyed it, Nana and Poppa looked after Finley so it was really nice for us to spend some time with the older two.
We also went to the Circus that was travelling through Whangamata, the first time the kids have been to one so they enjoyed seeing what it was all about.  The acrobats were amazing.

1/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2015."

Harrison: You couldn't wait to get to the wharf to go fishing and there was success!

Amelie: A swing before bed time

Finley: You had so much fun hanging out with your cousin in the country.

Happy New Year and welcome back to Three Little Dickie Birds for 2015!
I'm really looking forward to taking part again in the 52 project again and capturing portraits of the kids each week. 

We had  a day back in Auckland so my hubby could take part in his annual cricket match with his best mates, something they've been doing since high school.  Matt won this year and lucky us get to keep the trophy for the year! How unfortunate that it's just too heavy to bring back in our luggage to Sydney!
We then spent a wonderful five days up at my sisters place again in the country visiting different beaches each day which were just beautiful and the weather  so lovely.  The kids loved helping their Uncle on the ride on mower a cool experience for 'city' kids! and checking the chickens each day. 
We were very fortunate to go from one holiday to another as we then travelled down to Whangamata to my in-laws at their holiday house with the extended family, arriving on Nana's birthday!

52/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Harrison: Getting straight into playing with your Christmas presents.

Amelie: You love the ribbon on a stick just like a real gymnast!

Finley: Sitting at the table for Christmas lunch like a big boy!

We farewelled my Nannie at her funeral on Monday and it was a lovely celebration of her life and the talented and loving woman she was.  I'm so thankful we were home to be with all of the family at this time.

The kids have been counting down to Christmas and have loved being around both of our families and hanging out with their cousins.  They had a great time digging up potatoes in Grandad's garden ready for Christmas.
The Pohutukawa trees are in full bloom all around Auckland and are a great reminder to us how beautiful New Zealand is and how lovely it is to be back at Christmas time.
Christmas Eve came and the stockings were hung, a note to Santa was written and a few treats left out for him and the reindeer.  Two super excited kiddies come Christmas morning, and one who fed off their excitement not knowing what it was all about but joined in the fun!  All very spoilt with presents, an amazing Christmas meal at my in-laws and special time with family.
We travelled north Christmas night to have our Christmas celebration on Boxing Day with my family at my sister's new house in the country.  Another great day of family, food and lovely gifts followed by a fun day at the beach the next day as a family.  Harrison and Amelie loved trying out their Uncle's surf board in the estuary and Finley sat on the towel and didn't move the whole afternoon, he was so content just digging and playing in the sand!

Wow it's my 52nd and last post of 'The 52 Project' for 2014! I'm so pleased that I've stuck with it for the year and it is going to be so lovely looking back over them with a portrait of each of my kids for the whole year.  I'm looking forward to putting together a photo book in the coming months.  Thanks for your support this year reading my posts and commenting on my photos.  I've loved doing it and I can't wait to take part again in 2015, I hope you'll join me.

Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year and may 2015 bring you loads of fun and happiness.
Nat x

Wishing a very Merry Christmas!

51/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Harrison: Your last day of Year 1.

Amelie: Your last day of Preschool!

Finley: Helping to unpack.

Another crazy week with highs and lows.  We unpacked and found new homes for most of our belongings with only a few boxes outstanding before we left for New Zealand.

Harrison finished his second year at school, he's done so well this year and has a great bunch of friends, we're so proud with his achievements and how much he loves school.

Amelie had her last day at Preschool on Thursday, wow how the years have passed and we can't believe she starts school at the beginning of next year.  She has loved her time at preschool and learnt so much and we definitely feel both socially and academically she's ready for school.

Sadly Thursday brought very sad news from home that my Grandmother had passed away after going downhill in the last week.   After suffering from a long illness she can now be at peace.  I missed out by one day of seeing her in person but am so thankful that my Mum put the phone to her ear so she could hear my voice.  A truly wonderful woman who was a great inspiration to me in many aspects of my life, I have so many amazing memories that will stay with me forever.

Friday we travelled to New Zealand as planned for our Christmas holiday and were able to be in the loving support of our families.