Highlights from Huia: Week 1

Huia Pad

We moved into our new pad in Huia this week (May 20th 2011). We have been really lucky in that we have let this place from Andrew and Jeannie Van Der Putten for four months while they are in Bali. Andrew and Jeannie are both professional potters who spend 4 months a year in Bali where they work in ceramics and textile design. The great part for us is that we have been able to get their house fully furnished - which is perfect as none of our stuff has arrived from the UK yet. Andrew and Jeannie are very friendly and generous - they have left us with a fully stocked pantry and even lent us their bath robes so that we can fully enjoy the bath house (more about that later).

First meal of our new life

This is the first meal that we cooked in our Huia pad on Friday 20th May. We are really enjoying the asian supermarkets in NZ and are taking full advantage. We washed it down with a bottle of Greylands Ridge Pinot Noir 2007 - a gift for our wedding from my friends The Medlicotts vineyard in Central Otago. Nice.

Eating hands in Huia

We've been taking it easy just enjoying the area and settling Elsie into a routine. She is already so much more settled and becoming a very happy contented little girl again.

Huia Bay

The area and house are so beautiful - we still can't believe that we get to live here. It certainly doesn't feel like Auckland - well probably because it isn't. We don't have any cell phone coverage out here and that makes it feel like we really are away from it all. There is a really cute general store here that does good fish and chips and great coffee. What more could you ask for?

We have been going for big walks everyday - I'm still super unfit so this is about all I am up for. The area is very hilly so I am gearing myself up to go running but I'm not quite ready for punishment yet!

Jo at Huia Bay

Elsie has been developing a lot this week. She is definitely grabbing anything and everything that she can. Its all starting to go straight into the mouth. There is much dribbling and poking out of the tongue like a lizard! She has twice rolled over from her tummy to her back but not the other way yet. It is amazing just how much time you can pass trying to get laughs out of Elsie. She has a mean mean chuckle that we are taking much delight in.

Laughing Girl

The Huia house has an amazing outdoor bath house that Joel and I just love. Unfortunately Elsie doesn't feel the same way. We think it might be a bit dim and scary for her out there. So today she was back in a bucket for her bath!

Upstairs mezzanine - note the big girl's cot  - there's a great view from  that window!

Huia House

The house comes with a lovely little cat called Storm. Elsie has so far diligently ignored the cat (as with all previous cats), however, Storm has been a but curious about her.

Storm and Elsie acting nonchalent

Storm on the front deck

Nup - totally disinterested in each other

Yesterday Storm jumped up to where I was changing Elsie and starting heading towards Elsie. Elsie clocked the cat and the cat clocked Elsie. I got a bit excited thinking 'here we go, Elsie is finally going to notice the cat'. Well she did, and she got a little startled and did that spazzy thing with her arms (called the startle reflex strangely enough) and accidentally managed to bash the cat smack on the nose. The cat hasn't really come near her since....

Taranaki 2

View from Coastal Walkway, 'The Links', Taranaki

After our week in Auckland we have come down to Taranaki in order to celebrate my 35th birthday with the family. Elsie has become quite unsettled and Joel and I think that need to just stay in one place for a while. So we are going to be here until we headed back to Auckland to move into our new flat in Huia. It's been great to spend some more time in Taranaki after our initial flying visit. We made the most of the coastal walkway where we took these pictures

During the rainy days (and there are a few!) we've been hanging out at the Kawaroa Baths. Costing a grand total of $5.50 for all three of us it's the perfect way to pass a miserable day. Lovely and warm inside with a nice big spa pool.

Big Eyes in the Pool

We took Elsie for her first ever swim. It was a bit exciting for me - also because I got to finally dress her in the pink swimming nappy that I bought for her when she was, oh, 5 days old or something! She seemed to really enjoyit! I think it was the entire experience as much as the water itself - the other children, the noise, the bright colours everywhere. There was a ceiling mounted bubble blowing machine above the infant pool which the lifeguard kindly switched on for us. Elsie had never seen bubbles before and there were some very BIG EYES going on. No smiles initially - she was just taking it all in. When we went to leave the receptionists stopped us to say that Elsie's eyes were so big that had noticed her all the way out in reception. The second time we headed to the pool it was all smiles and giggles. Especially for the bubble machine!

Lynn Gilbert-Smith, Elsie and I - Piccolo Morso Cafe, New Plymouth

I was lucky enough to catch up with Lynn Gilbert-Smith who taught me Ballet from when I was 4 years old until I was 17. Lynn looked great and I was so happy to hear that she was still teaching and the Ballet School was busier than ever. We had a little inspection of Elsie's feet - perhaps she will have dancers feet....

Lots more interaction and eye contact from our precious girl

There have been lots of big milestones for Elsie while we we've been in New Plymouth. She's started sleeping a proper big girl's cot (kindly made for us by, Dave, the Woodwork teacher at my Father's school). She has also started responding when we read her stories, properly listening, smiling and chuckling with delight. I am loving reading to her - it makes me so happy. Her favourite story is 'Schnitzel Von Krumm' followed closely by 'The Snail and the Whale'.  Otherwise these were the weeks of grabbing and batting things. She also rolled over once (from her front to her back) - well she sort of tipped over - but we're counting it!