Yo Gabba Gabba!

This morning Max and I (through a very well-connected Daddy) scored good seats at the first live show of Yo Gabba Gabba, which is a kid's TV show. Although neither of us was really looking forward to going (me because, well, watch some of their clips :)) and Max because he is a bit too young to explain that that's what we were about to see. He was excited about going in to visit Daddy at work and going to a concert, even though he didn't really know what that was!

I think we were both pleasantly surprised when the show started. They had a live band who played well, and the show was bright and colourful and had a good pace so that Max never got bored. For the first 10 or 15 minutes he just sat still on my lap and watched both the stage and the audience spellbound, since it was like nothing he had ever seen before, plus he recognised the characters from the TV show.

At intermission Daddy came in to check how Max was liking it, and we went for a walk down to the stage and the drumkit, which Max was very impressed by. During the next part of the show we went down in front of the stage for a while again, but this only made Max upset because he wasn't allowed actually onto the stage with the 'teddies'. He did enjoy the rest of the show from our seats though.

I DON'T want a cuddle Daddy! I want to play the drums!

Special guest Darren from Powderfinger doing the 'Roo-bot' dancy-dance

As a special bonus, due to Daddy's good connections with the event organisers, after the show we were allowed backstage to meet the characters from the show. We thought Max may have been scared by the big characters in their colourful suits, but he loved them instantly and had to be dragged away from them so that others could get their photos taken with them. He had no hesitations about going right up to the show characters ('cuddles!', 'teddies!'), but was quite shy and hesitant about meeting Daddy's other work friends in their uniforms.

Great timing from Daddy meant that he could be in the photos as well. Thanks to everyone who helped us get there and make it a fun time for Max!

A new cousin has arrived!

On Thursday last week (14th May) I got a wonderful phone call from my sister Amy to say that she had just given birth to a new daughter - Ingrid Leah Mutzelburg! She was born at about 6.30pm and weighed about 3.4kgs, or roughly 7.5 pounds, and has many very excited relatives!

On Saturday, after a busy morning buying fruit and veggies from the markets, cleaning the church, and going to a birthday party for some of Max's friends from church, Max and I dropped in to the hospital to visit baby Ingrid. We managed to arrive at the same time as my parents, which worked out great since Max not only got to see his new cousin but Grandma and Pa as well. Max was a bit shy at first but when he saw us all cuddling the baby he definitely wanted a turn too, and he was so gentle at holding her, patting her and kissing her. The inevitable pointing out of her features (eyes! nose! ears! hair!) wasn't quite as gentle as I'd have liked but he was really trying and did a great job of welcoming his new cousin the only way he knows how.

Grandma and Pa also showed great foresight by buying not only Ingrid some presents, but Max and the twins some stickers as well, so he had a great time helping Pa put them into the book in the right places, and also playing outside with Pa on the playground while I got a nice cuddle of my little niece.

We got some good photos of Ingrid being cuddled by various relatives, including Max, so here they are.

Congratulations to the Mutzelburgs and welcome to little Ingrid!

Mummy's Birthday

Last Saturday was my birthday, yay! :)

My two boys helped me to celebrate it in lots of lovely ways, starting with homemade pancakes with raspberry sauce for breakfast in bed. Max helped Daddy make them by telling him when there were bubbles in the pancakes and they were ready to flip over, and by sitting next to me in bed eating every other mouthful. After breakfast Max and Cam went to the markets and left me at home to sleep in and relax in bed which was lovely.

Later in the afternoon when we had all had a nap, we headed in to Southbank for a family afternoon out. We browsed through the Saturday markets that they hold there and I found a gorgeous necklace that I instantly loved (this happens very rarely), and so my lovely husband bought it as a birthday present! What a nice guy.

Max enjoyed the playgrounds and just watching all of the people. It was busier than usual, being Buddha's birthday, with lots of Chinese lanterns strung up and many different displays and food. 

The best thing about the event as far as he was concerned, however, was not the food (for once!) but the free drum workshop for children. He thought it was brilliant that they gave him so many different noisy toys and let him go crazy with them, although Cam didn't think it was quite so great being hit with the clapping sticks.

We picked up a delicious birthday cake on the way home and got Chinese for dinner for a nice finish to a really lovely day. Thanks Cam and Max!