Pigeon Pie, anyone?

If you're ever in need of pigeons for a pigeon pie, look no further than the Avenue in the Cape Town Gardens! They have to be the most well fed birds anywhere!! We were there yesterday for a family photo shoot and between 4 children they finished off a BIG bag of nuts, there were also a few squirrels but those birds are a greedy bunch!!BTW, I'm kidding about the pigeon pie!!

Autumn at Kirstenbosch

This has to be at least the 3rd post about Kirstenbosch. But it is a beautiful place and so different at different times of the year.

It was a lovely, sunny day and we had beautiful views of

the gardens,

and the mountain.

(these pictures were both taken by Abigail)

We had a little picnic and then set off on a walk

and I discovered that sunset is a really beautiful time of the day to be there.
And now that the sun sets so much earlier it is more possible to be there at that time rather than in summer when the sun sets at 8 and we are at home trying to get little people to sleep in the broad daylight!!

There were wonderful autumn colours to see and textures to feel.

and a few interesting creatures - not least of all this fellow:

There wasn't a lot of water around - being the end of summer, but Niave managed to find some and climbed right in!!
Glad I wasn't the next person to use that water fountain!!

We managed to fit in tea and scones (thanks Bev!) and then home for supper, bath and bed.

Not a bad end to a day that started out rather trying and frustrating.

Swimming.

Niave has made a lot of progress in her swimming and has no fear at all of the water.

Check out this picture: that's her foot sticking out! The rest of her is under the water!!

Here's another one: diving for sunken fish!!

As I said - No fear!!

Abigail also started swimming with Jeanette this week, we've decided to keep her going through the winter as she's made such good progress at school.

She did very well and of course Aunty Bev (and Ouma) were there to watch!

Milestones.

This may very well be the year in which I make my very last purchase of a nappy. Ever. In my life!

Niave has been 95% potty trained since December/January but was having poo-refusal! i.e. refusing to poo on the loo. Her reason was always that she was "still little" and I'd say "when you are 3, you'll be big enough" well, true enough the day after her 3rd birthday it happened! And so now the only reason for a nappy is the bedtime milky bottle, as soon as we can chuck that we'll have about R200,00 extra each month!

This week also saw Niave gain control of another bodily function: blowing her nose! Something you probably take for granted but the delight on her face when she actually did it was priceless! So, it would seem that our little girl is growing up.

3 years old.

At midday on the 6 of April 2006 a little girl was born. Her name: Niave Megan Hutton.
She has been with us for 3 years and has certainly lived up to the meaning of her name which is "brightness". She is a real cutie but keeps us on our toes as well!!

From 0-3 in pictures from L - R.

Niave's 3rd birthday started at 1:30 a.m. when she woke up with what I suspect was croup. She had a barking cough and couldn't breathe properly. After we'd calmed her down she fell asleep on the couch where she slept for the rest of the night!When she woke up it was present time!

A pretty new dress,

the Heffalump DVD (from Abs)

and a garage from us - this little girl LOVES cars.

Then it was a mad rush to get everyone ready for Peter Rabbit at the Artscape.

No pictures allowed but it was very sweet. Mr McGregor (or Mr. Rake as Niave calls him!)was a bit scary but not too bad.

This afternoon we had to visit the doctor to check out her chest etc. and then it was back to Ouma's house for MORE presents and candles of course (we did the birthday cake on Saturday at her party but I thought we should sing to her on the day too).

She was very spoilt (again!) with a super construction set from Ouma and Oupa and a Beatrix Potter DVD and Peter Rabbit soft toy from Aunty Bev.

So, of course, poor old, faithful Beaky has been left out in the cold again and 2 Peter rabbits (Abigail's and Niave's) are tucked up warm in bed!

All in all a Happy 3rd Birthday!

Humpty Dumpty Party!

Today we celebrated Niave's 3rd birthday (which is on Monday) with a nursery rhyme party.

She "ordered" her Humpty Dumpty cake in August last year and there was no wavering on it at all so a nursery rhyme party it had to be. And it was actually quite a lot of fun to organise and I think the kids all had fun too!

There was a lot of baking to be done and with baking comes licking the bowl - this year she managed it all on her own!!

The morning dawned ominously cloudy after a huge thunder storm over night and quite a lot of rain.

I told myself that it had rained itself out overnight - but I was horribly misled!! The heavens opened about 45 minutes before the party but fortunately it didn't last too long and it turned out fine and actually quite hot. In fact it was so hot I was like a ripe tomato by the end!

The children all got busy with a craft as they arrived - Humpty Dumpty's of course!

Then they had to find Little Bo Peep's sheep which were lost in my garden! After which they received a party box which they filled with treats while helping me complete some nursery rhymes. So they got a marshmallow mouse for Hickory Dickory Dock, a ladybird cupcake for Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home and moon shaped biscuits for Hey diddle diddle etc. etc. etc.

We did some party games:

pass-the-(enormous)-parcel

Jack and Jill's bucket race

and musical bumps:

After all the fun and games it was time for the cake! Niave was a little shy and needed some "help" blowing out her candles!!

She received many lovely presents and had great fun playing with them for the rest of the afternoon. She is now fast asleep, completely finished because as she often says "*sigh* I've had a busy day"!

March Moments.

Today is the last day of March, the first quarter of 2009 is behind us.

And with that some March Moments captured on camera.

Usually we have a gradual change from summer pyjamas to winter ones with one day winter and the next day summer until the seasons can decide what they are up to, but this year there was "a day" that the weather changed and since that day we have been in winter pyjamas! So no more summery swimming days, it's time to get stuck into autumn, not that I'm complaining, I've had enough of 35 deg. days but just give me a few weeks and I'll be bemoaning the cold!