We "whisk" you a Merry Christmas!!

I borrowed this idea from Rick's cousin Stacey (one of many, many great ones she has - Stacey, I love reading your blog!) We gave these whisks to our neighbors for Christmas this year. Luckily I found the whisks on sale at Target. I'm not sure I would attempt this idea again with a much larger quantity than we did - we did six of them. Stacey suggested filling the whisks with Hershey's Kisses but we improvised with Cadbury chocolates since they don't carry Hershey's down under. I wish I had a better photo.

Introducing...

Piper's best friend Zoey (she loves Zoey, if you couldn't tell) gave Piper a great early Christmas present. Zoey got her a bear at the Build-A-Bear workshop. It's a very pretty bear! And of course Zoey named it Zoey Bear so that when we go back to the U.S. she'll still have a Zoey with her. Piper really liked it, although she's always pulling out the little hair ribbons.

Block stacking

Piper gave us a demonstration of her mad block stacking skills. She got the tower up to eight blocks at one time. And she tried to count them too. Every time she started a new tower, no matter how many blocks were on it, she would say "two..."

Popsicles

Our friends Mindy and Dave came over for dinner on Sunday with Piper's best friend Zoey. We had dessert on the balcony and gave the girls Popsicles to eat. We stripped them down so that they wouldn't get mess everywhere. They sure did need a bath afterwards. Piper bit off a piece from the tip and kept it in her mouth but would tell me that it was cold.

Petting Zoo

The preschool next to Piper's playgroup had a petting zoo in for a few days last week. They were nice enough to let the little ones get in some time with the animals too. They had rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, roosters, ducks, goats, and a sheep. Piper and Zoey had so much fun. Zoey didn't want to leave. Piper's favorite was the sheep - she's very into sheep these days. Surprisingly she got very quiet - not scared - but more as if in awe and not sure of what to do. She would answer me when I asked her what the animals said but was more just fascinated. Here are some pictures of her feeding and petting the animals.

Santa's Little Helper

We went to the neighborhood Christmas show a few weeks back. The kids could have their picture taken with Santa and they got goodie bags with chocolate and fake candles. They had a great jazz band with everyone dancing. At the end there were some small fireworks. Then we walked home and put Piper to bed. She loved the dancing and seeing her friends from playgroup. After the band was done, she said "loud." When the fireworks were going, she said "wow."

Then, last week we got out the Christmas decorations and listened to Christmas music. Piper is now in love with my old stuffed reindeer that she's named Lalu. She played peek-a-boo with the Santa hats and liked putting it on Rick.

The festivities begin...

We've been keeping busy lately, as the pictures will attest. We don't have any pictures of the actual Thanksgiving gathering, mostly because we were taking turns chasing Piper.

Piper and I went with her best friend Zoey and her mom, Mindy, and dad, Dave to the Christmas tree lighting in Martin Place and Hyde Park. We had fun, even, or maybe especially because Piper got to stay up late playing with Zoey.

I spent a whole Saturday away a few weekends ago at the Stake Relief Society camp. Rick took care of Piper all day and did a great job at it too.

Piper and Zoey in front of the Christmas tree in Hyde Park


The girls holding hands. Piper calls Zoey, "zozo"

Piper admiring the tree in Martin Place

Piper posing with Santa and Lord Mayor Clover Moore in the background

The Christmas Tree in Hyde Park

Thanksgiving photos at Manly Beach

Stanwell Tops where we had the Stake Relief Society Camp

Bondi Beach

We went to Bondi Beach this past weekend. It was the first time that we've gone that Piper's been old enough to enjoy the full experience. We rented a sun shelter and beach chair. Piper had so much fun. Next time we'll have to get closer to the water because everytime we'd go back to our stuff, she'd sign water and point back to ocean.

After the beach we stopped for some fish and chips. Piper fell asleep in the car on the way home. She was none to happy to have to wake up for a bath when we got home. But all in all, a very enjoyable day.

Piper is sitting under our sun/wind shelter. She liked it but wouldn't stay in for long.


Such pretty blue eyes


Piper hasn't quite mastered the use of her shovel so she took to using her hands to transport sand from the beach into her bucket.


Piper loves climbing on things, can't you tell?


She's talking to me while I take the picture.

Misty's Birthday

So my 30th birthday was last Thursday. I got a two-day celebration. Rick and I went to dinner on Thursday night at Hurricane's for wonderful pork ribs. Then on Friday night I got to open my gifts and have my cake with Rick and Piper.

This is me opening Piper's gift.


Piper got me some body lotion from LUSH. This is her smelling it. Mmm.


THE best and fanciest birthday cake I've ever had by far. (Sorry Mom, the Barney cake from my Sweet Sixteen has been replaced.) It was a white chocolate raspberry framboise from the Lindt cafe.


This is Piper and Rick singing me "Happy Birthday."


This is a composite shot that Rick did of all of my gifts. Rick bought me the fabulous South Seas pearl ring.

At Darling Harbor

We took Piper to the Darling Harbor playground two weeks ago and got in some quality time together.

Crossing the bridge at the playground.

This is Piper's second time on a merry-go-round but her first full-sized carousel. She kept wanting me to get on the horse next to her. She would do giddy-up.

Piper's friend Toby

Piper and I went to visit our friend Jo and her little boy Toby a few weeks ago. Toby is a few weeks older than Piper but we were in the same mother's group so we've known Jo and Toby since he was a wee thing. Jo had another little boy, Riley, about a month ago so we went to see how she was and to meet the new baby. Plus Piper got some one-on-one time with her friend. We had a great time; Piper shared her crayons and paper with Toby which he LOVED. Seeing Riley at two and a half weeks old, it's hard to remember that Piper was that tiny once. Oh, how fast they grow!

Piper took over Toby's chair (and his toys). I've looked for a chair like this for Piper but the store must have been sold out.

Trick or Treat

As we did last year for Hallowe'en, we took treats to the neighbors with Piper in costume. We visited several neighbors, some of whom had treats to give Piper. She wanted to eat all of the cookies right then. She was a cute pirate if our opinion means anything, which it does. Her costume was a bit difficult to keep on since she's such a wiggler, which is why we didn't get any perfect pictures of her in it. Piper said that her mascara moustache was "pitty" (read: pretty) when I put it on her. She cracks us up!

Take a look at the next post too to see some crazy hair on Piper. Where did she get those curls?!

Our two pumpkins


Yaarr! Don't ye pay no mind while I pick me teeth with me sword, matie. (Do you like my parrot?)


Pirate Piper and Papa together

Well, shiver me timbers!

Hairy Scary

This was Piper's wild Elvis 'do after her nap the other day. Can you say jellyroll? Or maybe it's more Jerry Lee Lewis. Thank you very much! (insert Elvis impersonation here)

Fish, fish, and more fish

With the construction going on in the apartment next door last week (and this week too!) we made plans to spend the day out the house. We went to the aquarium with our friends Mindy and Zoey, fellow Americans who moved here in July. Piper had a ball. She and Zoey ran around and ran around. I think Piper's favorite thing was the penguins.

There's a bench. We must sit on it.


In the underwater walkway beneath the sharks

In the big viewing room of the shark and ray tank

Can you tell that Piper was loving the blueberries?! (side note: she'll only really eat them if someone else has them, among other things.)

The girls are about to be lunch for the passing shark.

Here are Piper and Zoey on the crocodile teeter-totter at playgroup.

Piper is "in da house" at playgroup

Rick and Piper sharing a moment