New Denne Family Blog

We've created a new blog with a more inclusive name, and it already has a number of posts, so to continue keeping up with the Denne Family, head on over to the Denne Family Blog:

http://denne-family.blogspot.com/

Rachel's Smile

Here are some photos of Rachel smiling which were taken this afternoon.

She's quite happy to smile at you when she's awake.

She knew I was taking photos, and so presumably gave these particularly good smiles knowing she was smiling at you all.

Asleep on the Floor

It looks like Andrew had a good night's sleep...

We've no idea how much of it was on the floor. He was in his bed when we went to bed.

Construction

Andrew's finally figured out how to join the train track pieces together.

This is his most complex creation to date:



He does still get quite frustrated when he has difficulty.

Andrew's Big Bed

The whole family spent the morning rearranging the two spare rooms so that Andrew could have a "Big Boy's Bed", and sometime soon Rachel could move from the basinet to the cot. Rachel's room is not quite finished (hence no photo).

We'd investigated the arrangement possibilities the day before, and come up with a workable plan, which so far seems great.

Here's Andrew having his first sleep in his bed. I'd earlier poked my nose in to see if he was asleep to find him sitting on his bed reading books. This time he's still surrounded by books, but has succumbed to sleep.

One month old

(This was written a week or so ago...)

One month old

Rachel was one month old on Friday. Where has the last month gone?

Rachel spends most of the time sleeping and eating. She normally sleeps from 7pm. We wake her up between 10 and 11pm for a feed. Then she will normally wake between 2 and 3am and then between 6am and 7am. Mornings depend on what we are doing. She has to fit into Andrew’s routine here. Most days she sleeps in the afternoon. She has a bath in the wash hand basin most afternoons. She likes to be awake between 5pm and 7pm and have lots of feeds. She likes to be at the table while the rest of us are having dinner. She obvious is aware that it is good for a family to eat togther. Mummy doesn’t mind as long she sleeps well in the evening.

She smiled at mummy last week.

Andrew and Rachel

Andrew is showing Rachel how to play with her bouncer. He is an expert as he use to play with it when he was Rachel's age.

Andrew's birthday party

Here are some photos from Andrews birthday party on Saturday 24 May 2008.

His birthday cake. It is a race track. Mummy was pleased with how it turned out.

Andrew had to get into his highchair once he saw the food on the table.

Some of the people at his party.

Sitting in the high chair eating his party food.

Playing pass the parcel.

Rachel was a really good girl and slept for most of the party.

Another present

When Aunty Margaret stayed the other week she brought with her Andrew's present from Aunty Margaret, Uncle Murray, Olivia, Tom and Uncle Dave. It has been hidden in the spare room until yesterday.

Andrew checks out the cool card. Mummy wants to copy it sometime when she has time to be creative.

It was a Bob the Builder sleeping bag. What a great idea. It will be useful when we go on holidays or when we have visitors and Andrew has to sleep on the floor. It should fit him for a long time too.

Andrew wasn't totally sure about getting inside the sleeping bag.

Daddy and Andrew set up Andrew's new train set

Daddy and Andrew out it all together. It has both a train track and a roadway. Mummy and Daddy think it is cool. Andrew insisted it was set up again this morning. Mummy couldn't get away with just putting the train track. She was given all the road pieces to set up as well.

Andrew looks with anticipation for the train to arrive at the station. It is a switch to make the train stop at the station. The train is battery powered.

There is a bus that goes along the roadway. Andrew is still working out how to make the bus go and stop. Daddy is trying to teach him in this photo.

There is also a bus.

Guess what we are spending our day playing with today.

Opening his present from Mummy, Daddy and Rachel

It is Andrew's second birthday today. As today was also Daddy's first full day at work since Rachel was born. Andrew got to open some presents yesterday afternoon. Here he is opening his present from Daddy, Mummy and Rachel.

Andrew is getting really good at opening presents. He has been helping mummy open the ones or Rachel and also tried to open mummy's brithday presents the other week.

What is in the box?

It is a train set.

Rachel gets to wear her new dress

Here is Rachel wearing her new dress and cardigan that Aunty Margaret made for her. She is looking quite tired as we had just come home from the antenatal second birthday get together. Doesn't she look great in her dress!

Andrew really enjoyed the birthday cake. He would have quite happily spent the entire party eating this piece.

Daddy's bony shoulder

Rachel doesn't seem to mind Daddy's bony shoulder. Although we think that carrying Andrew has built up some chest muscle for padding.

Grandparents Harris

Grandma and Grandad Harris were in Wellington for just over three weeks. They were here to help out when Rachel was born. Grandma did lots of washing and cooking. Thanks!!!

Grandad read Andrew lots and lots of books.

Grandma having a cuddle with Rachel.

Grandad gets a hold too. Rachel has her eyes open in this photo.

Mummy's birthday surprise

Mummy had her birthday on Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon Aunty Margaret arrived to visit for a couple of nights. Stephen knew she was coming but Mummy was pleasantly surprised.

Here she has a cuddle with Rachel, it looks like Rachel is enjoy it.

Andrew really enjoyed having her to stay.

Andrew the big brother

Andrew has now been a big brother for eight days. How is he going? We think he will make a good big brother.

He comes over with open arms to cuddle Rachel. He has cuddles on the couch with mummy and daddy alongside.

As you can see, her hair is no longer red and curly, but mummy lives in hope! Everyone at the hospital was saying that she was a lovely blond, but when we think of blond, Andrew's hair comes to mind.

Yesterday morning he went and got her cardigan and brought it to mummy when she was dressing Rachel. He obviously thought she need to wear one.

He is still working on saying Rachel it comes out more like "Rahwee"

The other night he gave her a kiss good night and she screwed up her face. I think it was full lips kiss.

He likes to sit on the couch with mummy reading books while she is feeding Rachel.

He is really good about the fact that mummy can't lift him at all at present. We have worked out how to get him in and out of the cot and up on to the change table.