27 February 2011

Matai's first birthday party with his friends.

He spends the day in a happy daze,

Ignoring lollies for watermelon and tomato sandwiches,

Reading books with Daddy and Miro,

Dancing to Sing Star while Mummy and Great Gran sing Abba,

And catching bubbles and marshmallows that fall from the sky!

26 February 2011

Matai spends Saturday being hoisted on Paul's back for duck-watching,

Walking gleefully around the backyard, and riding on the big bike.

(But note the unimpressed face when it's Miro's turn to ride!)

25 February 2011

When bathtimes turn bad

And Matai beseeches shower-goers

To get him out... and in with them!

24 February 2011

Watching ferries with Bandoo

On the shady shore.

23 February 2011

Matai is absolutely, unequivocally Bandoo's Boy.

22 February 2011

Whenever Tai sees an aeroplane or a helicopter

A big smile crosses his face, and he points at the sky.

21 February 2011

After seeing Miro talking on the phone to Din

Matai becomes a wheeler and dealer, brokering phonecalls

From the hallway, the bedroom and the toy box.

He's a busy little man!

20 February 2011

Matai loves being wrapped in a towel

And being thrown up in the air!

19 February 2011

Matai is not so keen on going *in* the icy cold water

But he delights in marching up and down the poolside

Waving a noodle or kicking the beachballs.

18 February 2011

Having done a lightning-quick promotion

From big boy chair to Bi-ig Boy chair !

17 February 2011

Matai's birthday celebration at the Reptile Park

Sees him more fascinated by the birds than the animals

(Meaning: native mynahs, not gate-crashing emus!)

And pulling the kangaroo's eyelashes and ears like he would with a dog.

Luckily the kangaroo is about a hundred and with a placid air,

Submitting to baby affection with gentle indifference.

16 February 2011

Matai wants the simple things for his very first birthday...

When we take him to the shops to choose a present, all he wants is a big plastic ball.

And so we fill his birthday breakfast with bubbles and music,

His favourite food (hot cross buns), and a special seat at the party table.

Later we spend the day with Nanny, roaming the shops,

And finish back at the kitchen with chocolate cake and a song.

15 February 2011

A usual Tuesday afternoon,

Playing with pegs, balls and the sandpit

While Miro wees on the grass

And Bandoo races the boys on the bicycle.

14 February 2011

On early morning Mondays, Maman warms up the steamy car

And takes Daddy to the station. Meanwhile, Bandoo

Creeps up the stairs and watches over the boys, sleeping

In big-bed heaven, unless the littlest one wakes up.

Then it's off to the sofa for sleepy cuddles

Until Mummy returns home, and breakfast begins...

13 February 2011

Another successful dinner

Made possible by sitting the boys at the table together

With exactly the same food and drink

And having each other's good example

(Especially when the faster eater then turns to you

And wants to eat from your plate too!)

12 February 2011

Having Aunties and Uncles over is so much fun !

First Matai freaks out Uncle Daney by standing on the furniture

And then, makes eyes through the window at Aunty Gena.

11 February 2011

Daddy is gee-d up and would like to mow the lawn

But he'll have to get Matai off the beloved mower first !

10 February 2011

Tai loves snuggling up to read books with Bandoo and Miro...

But he loves posing more!

9 February 2011

Playing on Nanny's kitchen floor with the pillows is fun~

Followed by falling asleep cuddling into her loving softness.

8 February 2011

Matai likes the museum

But spends a lot of it wHinging!

It is here that he perfects the head-back position

In protest at any putting-downery.

7 February 2011

Usually a 20 minute cat-napper

Matai surprises us with two one hour sleeps today...

But Mummy coming in afterwards with a camera

Surprises him much more!

(You can see he's thinking, What on Earth...?)

6 February 2011

A planned beach BBQ sees the family pile into the car,

Only to have the black sky break when we arrive at the beach.

So amid a ten degree temperature drop, the windows down,

Delicious flicks of water flying in,

We turn right back around to have the BBQ at home instead.

5 February 2011

Matai is quite happy to meet Ollie awake...

Ollie, less so !

Later, in the burning 42 degrees of Steve's 40th birthday party

Matai enjoys soy icecream, and continues where he left off yesterday,

Taking ever more brave stretches of walking,

This time to the television.

4 February 2011

Matai starts on all fours, but then carefully stands

And begins walking towards the ocean...

3 February 2011

At the Big Boy Table

Eating Big Boy Toast.

2 February 2011

Food and Love.

Both provided by Bandoo in abundance...!

1 February 2011

On the hottest, muggiest day

Matai and Miro paddle in the clamshell

And have a splash party with Steve and Lucy.

31 January 2011

After intently watching his big brother for the last few weeks

Matai suddenly refuses to sit in his high chair,

Insisting on eating only at Miro's table

And carefully turning a spoon in his fingers

Nutting out how to use it.