And A Happy New Year!!

So it's now 2011. Wow! How'd that happen?

I remember back to when I was a kid at primary school and the Summer holidays used to last FOREVER! And they were really hot. My two week holiday went by all too quickly and, to be fair, the weather was pretty good. Albeit a little too humid for my liking.

BUT I got to spend two weeks with the family up in Warkworth which was fantastic - including my gorgeous niece Annabelle. She is such a sweetie.

With Aunty Apes and Eru being home and not having seen her in person since she was 3 weeks old before they left for their overseas adventure, I kept in mind that Averil would want to have time for Annabelle to get to know her. Averil was VERY good at reading her favourite books - at least twice a day, even singing the nursary rhymes included. Bravo Aunty Apes! In fact, all Aunties and Grandparents were very much on hand for story reading when a book was thrust upon us and a little blonde face would look up at us, nodding, with eyebrows raised.

Annabelle stayed at Nana and Grandad's the whole time in her own little room while Gavin and Catkin stayed out at Twin Stream Road, house sitting for cousins Scott and Debbie while they were down South for Christmas. It worked out perfectly. Nana and Annabelle went walking most mornings and had breakfast together on their return. She would be dressed with her hair done by the time Mummy and Daddy got to Hill Street every morning.

Christmas Day was done a little differently this year and was really great. While some of us headed off to Church on Christmas morning, Moos and Kathryn stayed home and cooked us all Eggs Benedict for brunch which was absolutely superb! Good work guys. After brunch al fresco, we had present opening.

For the past few years we have drawn names out of a hat and each person has only one person to buy for with a limit of $100. I personally think this works well. It's cheaper, and with only one present to buy I can get it done before the Christmas Mall Madness AND generally the 'giftee' gets one good present that possibly they have requested. We all buy for Annabelle. This year she did very well - she gots lots of lovely presents. Claire made her the most beautiful scrap book of her first year. It is amazing. Well done Aunty Claire.

Even new baby Bartlett got some lovely knitted singlets from Nana and Grandad. They are so teeny tiny!

Kathryn and Moos were the first to leave Warkworth. They left on Boxing Day to head down to Moos' family in Te Puke. Eru flew back to Christchurch on New Years Eve for a job interview with MacPac. (Last I heard he was STILL waiting to hear back from them.) Claire and Scott left on Jan 2nd to drive back to Christchurch in Mum's old car which Claire has bought. Averil flew back to Christchurch on Thursday 6th Jan and me on Saturday 8th Jan. Gavin, Catkin, and Annabelle were the last to leave on Monday 10th Jan.
And then there were two.

I called Mum on Monday night to see how she was and she said the house was very quiet and she was already missing her little walking buddy.

We had a little pre birthday celebration for Annabelle on the Friday night before I left Warkworth. She turns 2 this week and none of us are able to make it down to Queenstown this year for the big day. She wasn't so interested in our singing or photo taking but she did, however, want to eat ALL of the pink icing. She's DEFINATELY a Bartlett!

Annabelle turning 2 years old also means that this blog has been going now for 2 years. Thanks to all my 11 followers for your continued support and much appreciated comments.

I started back at work last Monday. It's hard being back at work. I miss the little (quite loud actually) patter of little feet walking up the hallway every morning. I have, however, had a song stuck in my head all week which I can't seem to get rid of but it makes me smile .... 'the wheels on the bus go round and round...' Roll on February when I am booked to go to Queenstown for a weekend and there will be ANOTHER gorgeous Bartlett baby to coo over. Oooh I can't wait!