photographic evidence!!

And here they are ladies and gentleman... FINALLY caught on film... !

time flies when your baby is having fun!

RR in disguise. what baby??

Well, I think this must surely be the longest we've gone without a blog update and I apologise to our millions of loyal fans (or at least Herbert, Lavinia and Linda) for keeping you in the cyberspatial dark. So what's news?

*RR has popped her first 2 teeth.... centre bottom. Haven't completely risen yet but definitely functional. They've taken a long time and cost lots of tears and difficult nights. They're also still to be captured on film -so watch this space-

* We've taken our first trip on the plane together to Jess and Harry's wedding in Newcastle. All went well but we did wonder how much fun a longer trip might be (ie 90 min was quite enough time to keep RR seated and entertained!!)

Dad and Daughter in their wedding splendour

RR inspecting Jess' bouquet

The wedding was at Catherine Bay (Catho to locals) just south of Newie. We stayed with Jess and Harry and some other mates at the great reception venue: the old local RSL that's been converted into a private house... which was a mixed blessing.... We got to party until our bedtime - and then we got to listen to everyone else party for a few more hours!!! (correction: joel had earplugs and RR slept like a baby - it was just kate lying awake and listening to the techno!)

on the catho beach at dusk

movin' on up...

LOOK OUT: Rakaia Rose is now officially mobile. She had been threatening to crawl for some time and then about 3 weeks ago it happened.
Sorry for the old news - but it's been a little harder to get on the computer ever since!!!
Mobility means curiosity... (wow look at those interesting piles of cds/electrical cords etc)
It means more accidents and tears...
It seems to mean more time spent awake in the daytime.
>> And all of this adds up to less lounging around for Mummy and Daddy.

Oh and did I mention that just plain crawling got pretty boring pretty quickly so RR added pulling herself up to standing to her repertoire. This is basically her fave pastime now and she'll try it on anything that will support her....

Visit from Nana

Rakaia loved having her Nana Lavinia over from NZ to stay with us in early January...

They shared lots of fun and games together

(especially of the early morning variety so Mum could get some more sleep!!)

Nana was a great help in getting us started on Rakaia's 'solid' diet...

("open wiiiiide")

We went for a sunday drive up the Great Alpine Road to Omeo - and had an average pub lunch at the original fabulously Art Deco "Golden Age Hotel"

Kate and Rakaia drove Nana back to Melbourne and the 3 girls spent a few days shopping and hanging out in the big smoke before Nana went home on the plane. Pictured here in front of 'Lavinia House' on Nicholson Street, North Carlton.

Food Glorious Food

Another milestone: solids!!! Now Daddy grows it and Rakaia eats it.

long time ago in bethlehem...

OK so we thought we'd go to the children's 'crib service' at our local church in Bruthen on Christmas Eve. A chance to sing some carols and connect with some folk in our new community... The service was to be structured as a nativity play and so as people arrived the (female) pastor (-pastrice?) nabbed them, dressed them up and gave them roles. Well, it seems we had the only baby in the place so right before the service was to start Joel was asked to play Joseph and Rakaia... you guessed it! BABY JESUS.

Wishing all our friends, loved ones and devoted bloggers

a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with peace, love

and all the good stuff xxx kate, joel and RR

our jolly little jumper

Rakaia had her first go in the "jolly jumper" on sunday

-her six month birthday believe it or not (!!)

It might take a few goes for her to get the hang of it... there's not so much jumping happening yet. But top marks for jollyness Miss Rakaia Rose!