Christmas 2006 comes and goes....

Saturday, 6th January 2007

Wow...I can't believe I'm posting again and it's already a few days into the new year! The Petersen family certainly have had a very busy last month & a half.

Christmas was a wonderful time for us, albeit busy and kind of stressful. On Sunday, 24th December we celebrated Madeline's 1st birthday and marked the day with a party! Thank goodness I have no plans to do another party until she is say...5!, as I really didn't remember from growing up how much organisation, money and energy went into organising a party. We had nearly 50 people over, mostly friends and family (including many that came across from New Zealand for Christmas and were also able to share in Maddy's birthday).

It was a beautiful sunny day, John fired the bbq up (and had an 'argument' with my father about who's fault it was that some rissoles got charred! *L*) and Maddy took to opening presents like a pro. By the third present that Daddy helped her open, she'd figured out it was pull off the car first, then rip open the paper. Talk about spoiled...she got clothes, toys and loads of books which she loves. Our loungeroom and her bedroom look like a Toys'r'us!



Her cake was beautiful...and we themed the invitations, gift bags & birthday cake with 'Winnie-the-Pooh' design. She stuck her fingers straight in the cake as soon as the candles were blown out, but wasn't in the slightest bit interested in eating it.



Monday morning dawned Christmas Day and we had a lovely morning opening presents with Maddy and just relaxing around the house. We headed off to Bec's sister's place at about 10am, who was hosting Christmas Lunch. Although we were still really tired from the day before, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. It was early to bed that night, as we were off to Bec's Dad's for his traditional Christmas celebration on Boxing Day. Although it was raining on Boxing Day, we still had a fantastic time. It was a typical Boxing Day lunch at the Dengate's which involved the Boxing Day test match (cricket) and ALOT of rum'n'coke. *L*

We had a few days off, then headed to Toowoomba to meet up with our sister-in-law, Lorraine, and family for her birthday. Although we only managed to catch up in the madness of post-Christmas shopping, for a few hours; it was still a lovely chance for our kids (the cousins) to see each other.



The 30th & the 31st of December were spent up at the Woodford Folk Festival. Bec has danced at the festival for 7 of the past 8 years. Only having left the hospital with a newborn Maddy was the only reason why she didn't dance at the end of 2005. We braved the camp site for the night of the 30th, WITH Maddy. *L* It wasn't as bad as we thought and our little one appears to be quite the flower power child! :) Although sunburnt, tired and a little sore from camping out; we travelled back late on New Year's Eve home after Bec's 2nd performance. (Both performances had to be modified as Davydd - friend and uber-champion dancer - rolled his ankle. It has since turned out that he actually broke his foot and he is encased in plaster for the next six weeks!)

The 2nd of January was our niece, Chloe's, 4th birthday. We popped by in the evening to share some cake and check out the goodies she'd received. Maddy was thrilled as usual to see her cousin - they are particularly close. With John back at work on the 4th, we've had a fairly quiet past few days. Not surprisingly as we've all come down with gastro in a reasonably mild form thankfully. Maddy's a bit off her food soon but has been enjoying plates of fruit, much to my relief. Yesterday (the 5th - also my half-sister Jessica's birthday!), Maddy decided that she'd had enough of Mummy spoon feeding her, and wants to feed herself. My 'little' baby is growing up!




Anyway, that's about all that's been happening. Only 6 weeks to go until I see Westlife in concert which I'm thrilled about. Organised my flight to Sydney for the 27th February today. Really wish I could afford to go to the other three shows of the Australian tour - Adelaide, Perth & Melbourne - but sadly, the hip pocket only stretches so far.

Will post more soon! :)

Bec, John & Maddy XXX