Visit to the Bay City Fire Station

I've been meaning to take Cooper to visit the fire station for about a year now, but we never quite got to it until today, despite the guys always inviting us to come and see them - for those who haven't been here, the fire station is on the corner of the next block in front of us, we can see the back of it from the house and the engines go past several times a day and often pull over to say hi or wave out. Since getting a fireman costume for Christmas, we often have 'Fireman Sam' here at the house (note the special fireman face in the photo here taken in January with pyjamas underneath!) and he spent a good half-an-hour climbing all over one of the fire trucks when they were parked in the street for the St Patrick's Day parade last month. So today when we walked past, the doors were open and Fireman Paul showed us around and even slid down the pole as a demonstration! (yes they actually do have poles just like in the storybooks!!!). Here is Cooper outside the firestation - the photo doubles as a "Springtime in Bay City" photo with the tulips and blossoms and some others here in the kodakgallery.

Cooper learns to write

All of a sudden our boy who is obsessed with reading but has had very little interest in drawing pictures or writing, announced he could write letters! Last week: 'Mummy I can write an 'O' (and drew a kind of wonky O), and "I can do an 'E' - look I just think really hard in my brain and it makes my hand go" and this week wrote his entire name (with a wee bit of help on the 'tail' of the R) which became the first item to make it to the fridge door. We think he's not too bad for not yet 3 1/2! It kind of helps that spelling his name fits perfectly to the 'Mickey mouse song' tune - not that he has heard the real version yet!). We visited a local pre-school and he took this to give to the teacher so she would remember his name, but then decided he would make her another one sometime as he wanted this to come home with him!

Finally, finally, the Down-under photos from February!

It was taken a while to wade through all the pics... but what a great time we had!!! A week in Auckland, a week in the South Island - Queenstown, Milford Sound and a road trip from Queenstown to Christchurch before flying to Sydney where Jamie had 4 days with us and Cooper & I stayed another week or so. So lovely to catch up with so many friends and family - thank you for taking the time to see us and to keep in touch on an ongoing basis. I've separated out the photos into various categories to make things easier.

Friends and Family in NZ & Australia

Highlights taken by VF

Jamie's photos Auckland & Queenstown

Jamie's photos more South Island incl Milford Sound & Akaroa

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Visitor on the porch

A visitor has moved onto our front porch - a robin has made a nest on top of the light (you might have to double-click the photos to see her properly)! She has been there for about 10 days now, and Cooper & I roped off the porch as she gets very bothered when people come near. I have no idea how many eggs are on the nest, but I guess time will tell once we see more beaks poking over the top. The nest appeared quite suddenly so must have only taken a few days to make.

Playing Shops - the latest fave game

At Nonna & Poppa's in February, Cooper fell in love with their pretend cash register. I found one here for $15 and it has been just the best investment! The apparatus above forms a "regular" shop, but other additions make it become a library, a bookshop (yes two different games!), a restaurant, a hardware store and other variations. The restaurant is the most involved game as he takes the orders as a waiter, goes to his kitchen and cooks the food, calls for deliveries via the microphone on the cash register, and brings the bill after you've eaten the food. All wearing an apron with the pockets stuffed full of utensils!