8/52

The Lily Bug - when Granny Greener came up to Auckland for a train trip, we hung out in Devonport for the evening, took loads of snaps, watched a couple of huge ocean liners cruise out from the harbour... And all that time, our dog mad girl couldn't take her wistful eyes of this lil fella running up and down the beach.

Guy Smiley - taking time out to enjoy a refreshing drink during  the second of two birthday parties we attended on the weekend.

Backdating like a mad woman to join in on...

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

7/52

 The Lily Bug - the best way to overcome the nerve-wrecking adrenalin-pumping mortifying terror or hurtling face first down a water slide is to think (and act) like a T Rex. That'll scare them drops of water!!

Guy Smiley - making himself at home during the Lily Bug's school visit. He had been standing on the edge of the fort and, using a long plastic hockey-stick-like-thing as a fishing rod, caught a dozen fish of every size and colour. Most he threw back into the ocean, one or two he ate.... It was a gorgeous game led by his own imagination and initiative. I flicked the camera to video but - idiot me! - Accidently deleted it. :(

6/52

Guy Smiley - our adventure to the relatively new park at Tui Glen fell a little flat when we realised the climbing frames were high and huge, and completely intimidating to our little dude who could only stand on the smallest platform and gaze about in frustration.  I love this photo so much, but could only surprise him into smiling when I told him I had a poo on my head. He looked up and laughed. Fleetingly.

The Lily Bug - climbing the rope at the playground near Narrow Neck Beach. Love the determination.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."

5 birthday candles...

In the days leading up to her 5th birthday, the Lily Bug grew increasingly anxious. As much as she was excited by the hype of her birthday (and the hope of her Trash Pack Street Sweeper wish coming true) she was terrified at what she would suddenly become, on the day of her birthday. Would she wake up and discover she'd grown into an adult all at once? Would she suddenly be too big to play with toys and run around a playground?

Despite our reassurances that she'd still be the same height on the 4th as she was on the 3rd, she had taken the notion of suddenly becoming a 'big' five year old to heart, and began waking from bad dreams in the night, refusing to sleep and even wetting her bed. It was only on the morning of her birthday when she woke to realise she was still a little girl, and made me measure her height just to be sure, that she finally relaxed - and got on with enjoying life through the eyes of a five year old. Which are, initially at least, very much like the eyes of a four year old.

 


Me on the other hand... I found it hard, really hard, to get excited about this particular birthday. These last five years have gone way way too fast, and no matter how much I may wish it, I just can't seem to grab Time in my hands and stretch it out, to make it last longer.

Guy Smiley - can have his cake and eat it. Though, whatever else that is hanging out of his mouth, I just can't tell you.

To be honest, the Teen and the Lily Bug don't spend a lot of time together. You know how it goes with 17 year olds... They have their own life to live etcetera etcetera... But it was nice to see them hanging out for this special event - and I made sure to snap photographic evidence. ;)

The Lily Bug's birthday cake. The birthday girl painted it herself. She had longed for a T-rex cake, and I'd used chocolate truffle mix as I usually find it easy to mold into shapes. This year, the Bug and I shaped the cake together, and she painted it. Less a T-Rex, more a Dragon, but the process of its creation became the theme of our day and as well as being incredibly fun, it was a nice way for the Bug to relax and overcome her birthday anxiety. Henceforth, a new birthday ritual for our family.

5/52

At the end of another postcard Summer afternoon spent jumping off boat ramps, chasing gulls and dogs and struggling in vain to pull out the ocean's plug, the kids stopped for a quiet (and oh-so-fleeting) moment to stand side-by-side and admire the deep blue, arm in arm. For all the pics that I snapped of them laughing in mid-air as they leapt from the ramp, or in deep concentration as they balanced along its edge, this moment was the one that defines just how beautiful their friendship is. I'm so glad to have managed to caught this scene just as it was, before one of them had a chance to look over shoulder and poke out a tongue - or shove the other one on to the sand ;)

Furiously backdating to join in on the Portrait a Week project at...

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013."