Surprise birthday cakes

While it was just small celebration, Noel received a surprise from his 叔叔 and Auntie R. Yes it's a burger birthday cake. The burger roll is a sponge cake, the cheese is a layer of pudding , the burger pattie is choclate brownie and the salad is fresh strawberries. The tomato sauce was made of jam. It is actually pretty tasty.

Here is another birthday cake given by his 姑姑。

Birthday at Kindy

During Mat time, Noel got seated next to B, his teacher. His chair had a special slipcover, usually it's Mattime helper but today it was the Birthday slipcover :) Everyone sang him the happy Birthday song while playing 'air keyboard' . Noel got to choose his birthday badge and he can choose his 'magnetic' cake. He chose a two tier cake and his 4 candles.

Him and the silly face.

Chilling out in the playground.

Noel's 4th Birthday

I promised Sal & Stace I will show the picture of Noel's birthday cakes. Here they are after 3 months. Noel is really into fire engines and fireman and for his 4th birthday he wanted fireengine for his cake. I would normally just go to the cake shop and ordered one but this year, he saw this little fire engine cake from a cake book I borrowed from the library.

I bought mini swiss roll from the bakery the afternoon before and at 5 45am the next day I started assembling these cakes. I finished assembling all 10 about 45minutes before service starts. *phew

The brothers posing with the little cake before we leave our house.

Since I was not working in those months, I decided to give a try. I did a test run a week before. Don't laugh at my attempt but the boy was stoked. He gave me the seal of approval. I tried to follow the recipe in the book. The only replacement I did was to replace the light with yellow skittles and the ladder with orange flavoured chocolate sticks (the book was calling for star shaped type sprinkles and licorice for the ladder)

We didn't do a big party for him, I only made the cake for his classmates at Sunday school. Above a photo of him and his little friends and teachers; Miss Y and Mrs W.

Miss Y got this shot of Abel and Noel saying grace. It was so cute:) I had to share it.

The kids with their personal fire engine and animal shaped nuggets.

An evening with Dad @ kindy

The kindy organised a Me and Daddy evening at End of Spring/Early Summer. I packed some food for the duo and off they went. Here's some of my favourite photo.

Noel hanging on the monkey bar

Playing on the zoom slider

This is where he freaks jake out. He puts on his safety goggle, ear muff and took a hammer and decided to build something.

Hammer, hammer, hammer....

Measuring

Sawing the wood

玫瑰，玫瑰，我爱你。。。

Pictures of roses taken from the Howick Horticultural Society Show. These are as big as my palms and they have such gorgeous colours. I have never attempted growing roses but for now, going to rose garden and admiring other people's roses is sufficient for me:)

Abel's First ever painting at Playgroup

Abel was always more into the cars and the see saws and playdough. This is the one and only time he's asked to paint at the easel. I helped him put the bib. He started painting making big arm movements.

He used all the colours available.

Here's his masterpiece.

Meet Baby...

Big brother Noel is babysitting 'baby' here. 'Baby' is a Peterkin doll that is 40-43cm and is anatomically correct. I got him for Noel when Abel was first born. He wanted a 'boy' baby doll and I hunted all the shops I know and online shops but to no avail. I resorted to scouring on Trademe. Even then I kept losing in all my bids on all the boy doll. Finally this one came up and the seller is in my area BUT the doll is a SHE. I couldn't wait any longer as Noel kept asking about it. He wasn't too bothered that the doll is not a HE.

Over the months, Baby has had many names. Nathan, Dolly, and now that Abel is also playing with it, they prefer it to be "BABY". so i guess BABY it is.

Here, Abel has put Baby in the 'exersaucer' , activity station whatever you call...and was checking him out. i caught him on the pic, it was so cute watching the boys play. Noel was cooking in the background.

Then it was cuddling time. The next thing, Baby has joined them in their pretend play.

Are you Jackie?

Abel's vocab has expanded a lot more these days.  After I got home from work today, he fetched my mail for me, and said " Yours?"

Me: Yes. That's for me.

Abel: Are you Jackie???  (As if he can read the name on the big envelope)

I had to crack up laughing!

Superhero outing 2

Here are some of my favourite photos from the Light Festival.

We all attempted to fish the ducks. I think jake got a duck for Noel while I didn't have any luck.

Noel wanted to go on the safari trip. They had to spot what people dressed up as on their ride.

They spotted Darth Vader running about.

I believe the Charlie Chaplin is the pastor of the church

Noel with his popcorn snack.

Superhero outing

Abel was dressed up in Noel's old superman outfit for the light festival @ st columba church. He went on the baby bouncy castles.

Here he got a sausage dog balloon.

The man of Steel and his sausage dog.

sign of new life

The boys and I found this nest sitting on our fence. Two baby birds waiting for Mother Bird to bring back some food for them.