Sydney in Jan

In January, Cam's brother and fam were visiting from overseas. We did a pretty awesome walk through the wilderness.

Every good walk includes a nice picnic spot full of fun. We paused here and ran a bit in the grass chasing a green ball.

Andia did her best to strike a pose in between throws.

Honeypot really loved eating some yogurt on the trip, and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to capture it on film. 

YUM! I think he may have even gotten some in his mouth, but not sure.

Sydney Sides & Aquarium

We visited Sydney to see Cam's brother and family. Andia and Nevlin got along swimmingly. Of course, we headed to a park and raced on the slide.

The other outing was a trip to the Aquarium. Lots and lots of fish.

Nevlin enjoyed all the blue, especially the starfish. 

After pausing for a few snacks, the kids even had a bit of a giggle.

Then this monster of a fish swam by, spurring more and more conversation.

Last of Easter part 3 of 3

Nevlin woke up Easter morning and went on an Easter egg hunt in the back of the hotel. It was so fun to have him find the 10 eggs that I hid along with an Easter bilby. 

Instead of Easter bunnies, Australians like to have Easter bilbies, an endangered animal that gets some funds back with every purchase of its likeness in chocolate. Because this one wasn't wrapped in colorful foil, Nevlin had a hard time spotting it in the garden, but Daddy helped to point it out.

We then headed to the whispering wall, which is really a huge dam. Nevlin and Cam walked all the way to the other side and were met by Meme in the middle for this shot.

It was a huge dam, but I didn't hear anything when I tried to listen to someone else on the other side. Loved the Barossa!

Easter with Maggie! (2/3)

Maggie Beer has a farm and tasting room up in the Barossa that was really choice. In the back was a pond and Nevlin really enjoyed exploring it. He's the dot of red on the left with Tony & Cam on the right. 

We tried to capture a good photo of him with a natural background, and this was my favorite out of the series...you don't always capture his genuine smile, but this one really did.

There were many birds and quince plants on the farm, including these two beautiful ones. Can't remember what they were called. Anyone know?

The best places were restaurants that had an outdoor area or place where Nevlin could let off a bit of steam while we waited for the food. This place had a tether ball and rackets.

There was a scarecrow contest going on, and Nevlin finally found some friends his own size. Our last post will cover his Easter egg hunt.

Easter Flashback part 1/3

Hey y'all. We had Sydney side visitors for last Easter in April (2-8) and I wanted to post a few choice images. Here was the awesome Easter basket full of meat, beets, a piggy, eggs, and chocolate.

We headed to the Barossa Valley for some great food and good wine (although I was pregnant with Buckaroo/Livia so no wine for me). We were at a fantastic sculpture park outside and Nev loved hanging with his grandparents.

All of us enjoyed the view at the sculpture park, especially on this cool but beautiful day.

Here is an awesome eagle who had an eye that you could see through. He ran through the park with little to no hesitation. Thankfully it was all walking trails.

A few wineries were visited including this one with Chateau in its name. It was quite grand and some good wines I know about from a previous visit. They even had a croquet green in the back.

Ok, now for the next post.

Livia Turns 2 months

Livia has turned two months today. Here she is with a beautiful blue outfit. Her eyes look very blue but shift between blue and grey and a hazel-like color.

We went for a very long walk (Nevlin, Livia and I) stopped at the park and generally hung out the three of us together to celebrate. Since she's been sick, we haven't really been doing much out & about with friends. Can't risk her falling ill again, so keeping it quiet and in the family.

Sorry so few photos, will do more when I have a chance to download images from the cameras.

Livia Was Sick

Livia turned two months today, but she spent her first month birthday in the hospital. This post is a bit late but its been a rough time for the little lady. She was admitted on Monday and discharged on Friday in late May.

  

She was on high flow oxygen for three of those days and had a one to one nurse. It was a challenge for all of us, but at least my Mom and Cam's mom were here to help out with Nevlin.

She had RSV, a respiratory virus that affected her right upper lung. She had to have two different IVs because her veins were so small. There will be another x-ray in July to see if she has cleared it and fully recovered. Will let you all know when we know.

Video Star - E

Before Livia came along, I was interviewed on the public television/radio here in Australia known as the ABC. The video was streamed online and also aired during the centenary celebrations of Anzac Day in late April. Check it out!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-20/anzac-vets-cared-for-by-adelaides-amazing-humanitarian-sisters/6405374

A fantastic story of two women who volunteered 7 years at the first repatriation hospital in South Australia.

Livia's Glamour Shots

After a rather uneventful pregnancy and birth, we welcomed Livia into the world 3.5 weeks ago. She had some photos taken at the hospital and I thought these would be a great first post for her. 

There were several artistic shots done including this one with our hands. Tiny, medium, and large.

Livia had a few hand knit hats from a woman that my aunt knows. We loved them and they fit her tiny head so well.

A final shot here of her feet...the end for now.

Second Birthday for Nev & New Family Addition: Livia Opal

Lots has been happening here at our residence: we have a new 6lb (2.755kg) addition to the family, someone has turned 2, and my mom is here visiting/being a huge help.

LOTS to post & catch up. Will do that sometime in the near future. I will get on top of everything including a visit at Easter from Cam's parents, but first the very important things...


NEVLIN turned 2 on the 20th of March. Here was the inside of his invitation, cheeky to the max.

He celebrated in style with a crown made at day care. On his birthday, he and all his friends made crowns, but his was the only one that said 2. Here he is with Sophie at the playground where we had his party.

Cam & I made his cake, but more importantly we also decorated it. It turned out really awesome, if we did say so ourselves. He enjoyed it & is absolutely in love with puppies. 

 We kept it a surprise for Nevlin until the party. He loved it & had a great time with his party.

IN OTHER NEWS: April 24 saw the addition of a little lady to our household: Livia Opal. She came into the world weighing in at 6lbs or 2.755kg. I had a c-section and both of us were a bit pale at the end of it all, but we came out pretty good. 

Here is my first look up after she was born at 3:20 in the afternoon. I was pretty heavily numb, but could feel her breath on my neck. She was only 46cm long or just over 18". 

My mom known to all of us here in South Australia as "Busha." She and Nevlin got in a few good cuddles on daily visits to the hospital. We were in from Friday and came home on Monday.

Here is Livia coming home from the hospital. It was a bit chilly, but we mostly really just loved her home-made hat. More photos of the little lady to come. W E L C O M E little Livia!

Friends & Santa holiday visits

We had a few visitors to the house over the holidays including some little people about the same age as Nevlin. It was great to see that Nev continues to get used to new friends, but sometimes is challenged when they compete for attention. 

Cam's suburb does an amazing tradition of greeting Santa not by sleigh but by boat at the ferry dock. Here he is coming, between the two lamp posts on the right with a few helpers to hand out presents to all the neighborhood children.

Unlike some, we went with a very modest sized present, that Nevlin patiently waited for with Cameron. There were probably about 60 kids patiently waiting for Santa to call out their name. Nev's was small, and sunk down to the bottom of bag 3, so I was hanging with him by the time "Nevlin Hartnell" was called by the man in red & white.

Nevlin got two similar gifts: one from Cioci/Papa/Jess and another from Santa. Here he has just opened "Liam" also known as Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Liam's friend, Lilly (AKA Piglet) was already opened upon the package's arrival from Cleveland.

Nevlin was so happy that Lilly finally had a friend that he gave cuddles all around. It was a fantastic Christmas morning. We headed back to the house for cinnamon rolls and mango madness.

More Christmas

We had another fun Christmas and Nevlin really got into the spirit this year. He was into the tree and trying to rearrange both the lights and all the ornaments. When MaryEd took it down while he had a nap, he woke up and said "no more tree, no more presents, no more lights, no more baby Jesus, no more lamb-y (from a nativity scene)." 

I thought I would include a few night shots from the evening that C & I went out in the big city. We wandered from one holiday decoration to the next, stumbled on some decorated department store windows and saw a huge tree with lots of lights in the center of Sydney.

I'm sure most of you heard about the gun siege at a chocolate cafe. Two people plus the gunman were killed, and tributes to those two people flooded in. The area was right down the block from the Christmas tree pictured above, and this building was designed to carry a light show (the street is closed & it is a bit of a shopping area). Such a tragedy really brought out an amazing tribute that smelled sweetly even a week after it happened.

We ended the evening with another light performance on a cathedral about a 10 minute walk away. This one included the 12 days of Christmas in lights, along with a Christmas tree tribute. It was beautiful and very clever because it incorporated the architecture of the church into the song.

Christmas take 1

There was an abnormally early Christmas parade and Nevlin enjoyed seeing Santa from this distance. Can't say that he felt the same way in person. 

Nevlin gets so excited when we get a package, he MUST open it as soon as it arrives. A package came from Cioci and Papa and Jess with lots of Christmas presents showed up on our door. Here was the first of several gifts. Nevlin named it "Lilly" with such an exclamation that it was as if he had finally seen his long lost friend.

We headed to Sydney and began relaxing for a whole two weeks. There is a little beach right next to where Cam's parents live. 

Nothing like having an entire beach-ful of pebbles to toss into the harbor. 

Smiles and giggles would abound when his Michelle was around!