Summer Time

Since I last blogged it’s been busy as usual, we’ve had some great weather so we’ve been outside lots. We had a bbq at the McGraths’s a few weeks ago. I love going there because they have a trampoline and even though there is only meant to be 1 child in the trampoline at a time I usually go in with Ella and Ríodhna. Sometimes an adult also comes in to make sure that we’re not going too crazy, especially the older girls because if they jump too hard I can get hurt . The reason I like bbqs best is because there are always crisps at them. I can usually find the most highly artificially flavoured ones and eat as many as I can until Mum spots me and insists that I don’t have any more. I think Dad is a bit more lenient, only because I hardly ever have any junk (and because Dad has a weakness for crisps too) so it’s not as bad if he sees me eating them. I also like burgers and sausages too, especially when we sit on a picnic rug and have a picnic.

Margo and Rory Grace were home from Switzerland and we got to see quite a lot of them. We went to Emma’s house twice while they were home and all the kids were there (7 of us altogether) so we had great fun playing in their garden because they have lots of toys that I don’t have. I’m just starting to enjoy playing with other people but still quite like playing on my own.

I have to admit to the fact that I haven’t been in great form recently. I think it’s a combination of factors – it’s pretty hard when you’ve been the only one getting Mum & Dad’s attention for 19 months and now I have to share with Daisy, who seems to spend a lot of time with Mum. I do really love her but sometimes I do feel compelled to pinch her cheek/bite her fingers/bite her cheek. Mum is pretty quick at getting me away from Daisy when I do that. But it’s a good game to test Mum’s reaction speed to see if I can get to Daisy quicker than her. Also my ‘eye’ teeth are coming through so I’ve been in a lot of pain and haven’t been sleeping that well. Even though the teeth haven’t come through yet I’m sleeping way better but Mum & Dad know that it will get worse again when the teeth break through.

Our cousin Dominic had a Naming Day celebration last weekend. We had a lovely afternoon – Cava in Herbert Park followed by lunch in Roly’s. All the Dunphys and Jordans were there (although Uncle Ross couldn’t stay for lunch as he had to go back to work). The weather wasn’t great but we commandeered the band stand in the park which was very suitable to the event.The last (neé) Dunphy baby of the year was due yesterday, so we’re eagerly waiting for his/her arrival some time in the next week and we’re very excited about it. Will it bring the total grandchild count to 5 (girls) and 1 (boy) or 4 (girls) and 2 (boys). Our money is on another boy… watch this space.

Lots planned for the next couple of months – we’re off to Wexford next weekend, Nanna and Pa are coming to visit in August and hopefully we’ll go on holidays to Spain in September.

My Little Sister

Well it has been a while since I blogged but that’s just because mum was so busy. Well she thought she was busy, but she’s only realised in the last couple of weeks what busy is! March was pretty hectic – I was sick with a vomiting bug and then Dad got a really bad cold and then mum got the vomiting bug and then got the bad cold and cough. Mum was hoping that she would get better before she had to go into labour but things don’t always work out as you want them to. We did however have a lovely Easter weekend when we were all feeling ok and we went & had a lovely lunch with Mammó, Jill, Mark, Dominic, Ross and Brenda. I didn't really get to eat much chocolate but I think Mum and Dad did! We did have an Easter party in creche that was great fun. Of course the other big news that I didn't blog about was that I have a new baby cousin - baby Dominic. He was born in January and is really big already. I reckon it won't be long before he's as big as me!

So on Friday 9^th April we all got the best present ever…. a little baby sister, Daisy Sarah Rickard. It was all very exciting as I got to stay in my cousins’ house and play with Ella and Riodhna and then Mammó came up over the weekend and helped look after me. Uncle Paul and Auntie Lisa were away for the weekend so Johanna helped to look after me too. Then after the weekend mum came home with baby Daisy. She’s tiny and does a lot of sleeping. Mum is always telling me to be gentle with her and I am but I just can’t stop myself from swiping at her face/head and then mum gets cross with me but that really doesn’t make any difference.

Dad has been off work so we’ve been having a lot of fun at home. I was out of crèche for a few days last week because I had conjunctivitis but I’m better now. The weather has been getting better so we’ve been to the playground in the park quite often. Mum was ‘home alone’ with Daisy & I on Sunday for the first time while Dad played golf. We all survived it, mainly because Daisy and I slept at different times so Mum didn’t have to spend too much time pulling me off Daisy.

So we’re all looking forward to the summer when we can do lots of playing together and go to the playground and have lots of fun with mum & dad and our cousins.

Christmas 2009

Well its been a busy Christmas. It was really cold in Dublin before we went on our holidays. I had a great time going on the Santa train in Dundrum. Also Santa came to the crèche but myself and all the wobblers agreed that he was a bit scary and really didn’t want to sit on his lap, which was fine because we didn’t have to.

We went on a lovely sunny holiday over Christmas. It must have been very far away because it took us 3 eight our trips to get to our destination. And after the flights we still had to drive for nearly 2 hours. Anyway, it was well worth it because I got to spend time with my Nan and Pa and my Australian relations. It really was very hot there, even first thing in the morning, so we did spend quite a lot of time playing inside but I loved going outside and playing with the ball there. I did get a chance to get out for some walks.

My cousins Joel and Liam came up to visit along with A. Renae, U. Lee and Great A Dorothy. We had a barbeque and lots of fun and we had great time swimming in the pool. We had a lovely time on Christmas Day. We went to the beach for a walk in the morning and then I even had some ham and turkey after my mid-day nap. On Boxing Day we went to Bribie Island and had another great day, with even more food this time. There were 2 doggies there and I really liked them as long as they didn’t come too near me.

After Christmas we met up with more people. Cousin Dan (who is having a baby in 6 months), Great A. Gill and Great U. Wayne came up for a bbq and to visit me. While I do like bbqs, the only problem is that people want me to sit in my high chair and eat, but I much prefer to run around and throw the ball and have people chasing after me. I get the feeling that those activities aren’t always the perfect ingredients for a relaxing adult bbq.

The Binghams called around another day for a bbq – now it was fun to have 2 other children to cause some mayhem. But why do you think it is that all children want to play with the same toy at the same time, even when there are plenty to choose from? Anyway, it was great to see them all again and we also managed to have breakfast with them one morning on Hastings St.

I was very sad to leave Australia and to say good bye to everyone there. I was even sadder to spend 40 hours travelling home. Just when I thought we were home, we had a diversion to Shannon (Co Clare) because Dublin airport was closed. It was my first time in Co Clare and it seems quite nice. We then had a 3 hour coach trip back to Dublin. Boy were we happy to get into our beds on Saturday night!