My birthday weekend at Double Island Point

Mum & Dad, Troy and Danny & Paddy and I all camped for the weekend at Double Island Point. The weather was perfect and it was an awesome relaxing 4 days.

This is us heading off in the car....

Mum & Dad got to take the jalopy.

This is our campsite - complete with Troy's DC sign.

This is where we spent most of our time - the most beautiful lagoon I have ever seen. Paddy played on the edge of the water - lots of digging - Troy did some snorkelling and Dad did some fishing.

Uncle Mister became the favourite over the weekend - mostly because he let Paddy dig up the sand and throw it all over him.

My favourite view from our campsite - my three boys and the water.

Next year I think we need to expand our camp - so lock it in now and come and camp with us for the weekend.

Glow Sticks in the Bath

Danny does bath time and has said he needs some new toys - bath time is getting boring.

Thanks to Pinterest (my new addiction) I found this idea. Paddy loved it and it was really calming too which always helps.

Wallabies got the Bronze

World Cup is a big deal in our house. Our lives revolved around when the Wallabies were playing - at least this time it was on free to air so we didn't have to visit our Foxtel friends every weekend.

Paddy and I made a sign to cheer on the Wallabies for the semi-final game - we even blew up green and yellow balloons.

Caloundra Music Festival

We had a great time - spent the weekend in a unit.

Saw Icehouse, Diesel, Thirsty Merc and heaps of others - even a band playing gypsy disco music....

Who says I don't find anything cool at Garage Sales...

$10!!!!!

Paddy loves Gram & Poppy's

Paddy goes to my Mum & Dad's every Tuesday when I go to work.

He absolutely runs that house.

He loves sitting in the recliner....

freeballing....

and shooing Poppy's chickens.

Australia Zoo Visit III

For our third Australia Zoo visit Gram came.

He got close with the elephants....

And with a wombat.

And we got the obligatory photo with the crocodile.

GYMPIE MUSTER 2011

We did have fun despite the unexcited faces in this photo

Peter got us camping tickets this year so despite the weather warnings we took the camper trailer up for the weekend.

Friday was a great day - we watched Peter and Paddy had a really awesome time kicking his ball around in the ampitheatre.

Saturday during the day was great - then the rain came. We got back to the camper on Saturday night to unzip the canvas and step in a pool of water. We slept dry but the next morning we bailed. A tractor had to come and pull us out.

Gram & Poppy looked after Paddy the next day and Danny and I went up to watch Peter with Catherine. We thought we would check on the camper trailer - this is what we saw. That's us all alone with the blue canvas.

Eventful to say the least!

Couch Video - Mumma & Paddy

This was at the end of a long day. I was struggling for activities but it turned out to be pretty cute.

This is Paddy at 16 months.

Australia Zoo Visit II

The kangaroo stand off

Paddy's favourite thing is feeding the kangaroos.

He just sometimes gets a little too cocky...

Dadda is way more fun!

And he even let's me eat all his breakfast.

Daycare with Toni

Paddy goes to Daycare now. I am back at work 3 days a week.

We found a daycare mum in Beerwah - her name is Toni. There are only 3 other kids with him on Mondays and Wednesdays and they are 3 years old so Paddy gets all the attention.

First day was the day Danny flew to America so to say that day was emotional is an understatement. He didn't cry and when I got back there in the afternoon he was still asleep.

He has been back 2 more times and had a little cry but really enjoys it.

We bought him a backpack for daycare and he loves it - wears it around the house all the time. It is super cute

Australia Zoo

Nanna, Cooper, Cole, Paddy and I went to Australia Zoo this holidays. It is awesome! And we get unlimited entry until November which is great. Paddy loved the elephants and the kangaroos but wanted to play with the boys more.

Lucky it's just down the road because we will be visiting it all the time.

Lynnie's Birthday

For Mum's birthday we surprised her with a trip to Melbourne. Renee, Adam and Amaya were there and we spent 4 days together. Troy had a work trip down to Melbourne too so we were all there.

It was Paddy's first plane trip too. He did good but I made the decision to fly business class next time!!!

We ate at Mr Wolf - Karen Martini's pizza restaurant and at Masterchef George's restaurant for breakfast on Lygon Street. Best meal for me was a cafe on Bridge Rd in Richmond for breakfast. Really yummy!!

We saw an AFL game which was really awesome. Definitely do that again - Paddy loved it.

We nearly missed our plane home and with way too much shopping to fit in our already crowded suitcases and a screaming baby we ran to the flight. So were buggered by the time we got home.

Love Melbourne!!!

Paddy's Second Maleny Show

Paddy had a ball at his second Maleny Show.

First day we went with Will, Tracey and Hugh. After we did the rounds we ended up back at the food and bar where Paddy played with his ball most of the afternoon.

The next day Paddy went with Gram and Poppy. He rode the ponies and played the clowns. Danny and I went for our first alone lunch at The Reserve - a 4 course degustation with the most beautiful Verdelho ever!!

The sun was shining for the first time in years at the Show. It was a really beautiful weekend!

Mothers Day

This was our camp for mothers day at Double Island Point Lagoon.

We started off with bacon burgers and ate and drank our way through the day. The boys did some fishing and buried Paddy Cook in the sand.

Really relaxing day - one Gram might remember I think....

Cooper's Birthday Weekend

For spent Cooper's birthday weekend in Brisbane. Picked up Cole and headed to Southport to watch Cooper play AFL. Then we gave him some clues to work out the rest of the weekend. It was really fun.

We checked into our hotel and then the boys picked up some hire bikes and navigated their way to the Valley pool where we watched Billy play Water Polo. They had to ride across the Story Bridge which was pretty cool.

Then next day the boys went Rock Climbing at Kangaroo Point. Danny was their spotter and coach from the sidelines. It took them a few goes to try and get up but finally Cooper found a way and got to the top. That white dot is Cooper right up the top of the wall.

It was a lot of fun

Easter 2011

Easter this year we went out to Kym & Bill's in St George. I think I said to Kymmie that it was the first time I had been out there and thought it was beautiful. It really was.

The Rockleys were there too so it was a big Staines family reunion.

Apart from eating a lot!! we went to the Flinton Races. A highlight for Paddy was when Dad picked him up to see the horses gallop past.

Easter Bunny came and bought Paddy some trucks - deliberately forgetting to pack the chocolate. Lucky for Paddy, Poppy had bought him a chocolate bunny!

Another highlight was a dusk cruise of the Balonne River with heaps of nibblies and some champagne as well.

Really really great Easter thanks Kymmie and Bill!!

Paddy's First Steps

It feels like he has been walking for ages but in doing the recap I realised I haven't mentioned it.

He took his first steps at Gram & Poppy's one day when and got it down pat in the main bar of Uncle Terry's and Aunt Janie's pub in Toowoomba. Now he is off and running!

Big thanks to Poppy who persisted in making him walk by holding the back of his shirt. When he started every time you let go of his hand he just sat down. But Poppy got him back up and made him walk again.

Now there is no stopping him!

Danny's "Around the world in Beer" Birthday Party

Saturday afternoon was Danny's birthday party. Deb and I came up with the concept of going to 10 different countries in beer - everyone bought a carton from the country they were assigned and I cooked food from each different country. We stood at the start of each country and raised our beers to the national anthem before we ate and drank.

We flew through the first 4 countries and then hit Italy. Will bought along a bottle of sambuca and an Italian trivia game with the people getting the questions wrong having a shot of sambuca. Let me just say we aren't too flash with our Italian trivia.

So then Mexico came along and Sal made a pinata with Danny Cook's face on it. I beat the bejesus out of it which was heaps of fun.

Needless to say the wig did the rounds especially after we visited Italy.

We missed our flight to the last country - Ireland. Probably a good thing as we had Irish Whiskey lined up for that one.

Really great afternoon with really great friends. Happy Birthday Danny xoxo

Paddy's 1st Birthday

Can you believe he is 1!!!

Started off the morning opening presents in the big bed and showed how when you turn 1 you suddenly learn a few new poses for the camera.

Nanna and Gram & Poppy came over for the day which was wonderful. This is another pose and the bike that Gram & Poppy gave him.

And here is the awesome cake Poppy and his sous chef Lynnie made for Paddy. We left the cake cutting a little late resulting in Paddy not going to bed until 10pm. Too much sugar on his birthday!

It was a great, easy day full of reflecting from me. I spent the whole day thinking about what I was doing at that time 1 year ago. Lots of grabbing my stomach and screaming "Owww!"

Paddy's first trip with Gram & Poppy

Now Paddy is weaned not only can I do things by myself he can do things without me.

Tuesday was his first trip with Gram and Poppy. They went to the Gold Coast to visit the Rockleys all day.

When he got home he pushed me aside and went straight down to Dad at the horses. He didn't miss a beat.

He is such a big boy now!