Soldiers Road Portraits

There is clearly a reason why our blog is currently called 'The Hopeless Blogger' and I'm sure it's a pretty obvious reason. We are hopeless at keeping our blog up-to-date. So let's see if I can do it, at least for this week.

So a couple weeks ago I was on FB and seen this really awesome vintage image a mate had shared. After checking out the FB site for 'Soldiers Road', I fell in love with the thought of having our own vintage portraits. After further reading about 'Soldiers Road' I learnt that they were hoping to get to the Kuirau Park Saturday markets in Rotorua. Well I had the details they needed as I had only just enquired for my own stall. After passing on the details to 'Soldiers Road' and hitting 'LIKE' on their page, they replied and congratulated me on being their 14,000th 'LIKE' and said they would do a free portrait for me at the markets if I was going to be there, OF COURSE I WAS GOING TO BE THERE!

I was so excited! So excited that I 'won' something because I never really won anything, not even a pass the parcel when I was a kid, which I always felt a bit ripped off about, haha. So I was definitely over the moon!

It worked out quite nicely too, because just this style of photography is what my nan has been nagging me to have. My nan made me a beautiful Korowai for when I graduated Uni and since Ari was born, she has really been wanting me to have photos of Ari with the Korowai. Well it's funny how some things work out! This worked out perfect. Portraits, just like what my nan wanted and for FREE! Could it get any better? Well I think the images speak for themselves. So grateful for this 'freebie', which I would consider more a gift then anything.

 As well as the Korowai, a couple of the other items we used belonged to me or family as well, which made it a little extra special. The bone I am wearing belongs to my mum and was made especially for her and Ari is wearing my paunamu.

We LOVE these portraits. They turned out really awesome. Only thing I wish is that Llewellyn was in them with us as a 'Colonial' man. He would have made our pics!

The experience was great and Ari loved playing 'dress-ups' which is funny considering this kid very much DISLIKES getting undressed and dressed at bath times! But she was such a good little model!

My Ari...

It's so true what people say, babies really do grow up fast but I'm okay with that because I know I have made the most of the last 3 months! Yup, it's been that long already and my baby girl is a whole 3 months old, already a quarter of a year!

Some of the few things I love about my Ari:
She has beautiful big eyes that she smiles with.
She has a cheeky little smile.
She snuggles into me at night when I'm burping her.
She loves our playtimes.
She has these chunky little legs, they're so cute.
She looks up at me when I'm feeding her and smiles.
She has the cutest little facials.
She has baby toe jams, milk breath, poos and wees smells but they are comforting smells to me.
I miss her company when she has long sleeps and sometimes I long for her to wake up in the morning so we can snuggle.
I love seeing her smile at her daddy.
(In amongst the small battles...) Ari brings me so much joy!
I'm her mummy and she is my baby.

I feel like I have known her for a long time. Longer than the time she spent in my womb, longer than the little time she has been here as our earthly child. I feel like I knew her before. It makes me want to cry because it feels so special. I feel like I already know how she will be when she gets a little older. I feel like I already know some of her personality traits and characteristics.

Yes there is more... this is only a snippet of the HUNDREDS of photos we have of this little girl...

Most days, daddy gets a new photo when he is at work.

I'm not sure who she looks like. Mummy or daddy? Actually, maybe I don't really care because WE created a beautiful baby together! That is Ari's first passport photo... so cute! Look at that 'unruly' hair sticking out on the side hahaha... After looking at our baby photos, I know where she got that short at the front crazy on the top hair from... I thought it was from her dad but I was mistaken.


I think motherhood is such a great learning experience because you truly do learn so much. It's a physical and spiritual journey all rolled into one that mothers get to share with their babies. It's not always rainbows and lollipops...

Yes, I'm sure you have all heard it before, but being a mother is hard work!!! Thee hardest of all the roles I have ever had, the hardest of all callings I think I will ever have... but yes, the most rewarding, so cliché I know! Some days I am so tired, some days I don't know what it is that is upsetting baby that I get so frustrated at myself that I can't comfort her. We have had some little ups and downs with her having reflux and not being able to bring up her wind properly and I tell you, just these very small things are huge for babies. But it was tough for a good 3 weeks or so with an unsettled baby and not being able to take away her pain and discomfort. It was long hours. Baby crying and unsettled from 6-10pm before going to sleep for the night. It was upsetting. It was damn hard work. (But that was all fixed after taking her to an Osteopath! Remarkable difference and I am so grateful that it worked for Ari who now sleeps well during the day and during the night). I know these are all just challenges of motherhood and I know I have many more to come!

Our share of ups outweighs all of the minor downs we have had. When we aren't so tired, we have fun together. I love kisses and cuddles with Ari, singing to her, the conversations we have together, playing, watching her face light up when I walk in to her room, seeing her beautiful smile. I look forward to watching her continue to grow and continue to be a light in my life! Ari has just started to giggle too. Just the other day I heard Ari giggle for the first time when we were playing. Then I was so excited I tried to re-enact what we were doing to make it happen again, to no avail, so then for about ten minutes I just did all sorts of crazy stuff to try make her giggle... didn't work hahaha... so now every time she starts to laugh we try to rush for the camera to catch it but she gets so distracted by the camera she doesn't put on the show we are expecting! Oh well...

Ari has a little giggle in this vid. Sorry about the bad angle. It's hard trying to hold the camera and her at the same time lol. Excuse the sound effects too. That's me poking tongues at her to make her laugh...

Side note: I have just finished reading this book called 'Covenant Motherhood. Reflecting the role of Christ in our lives' by Stephanie Dibb Sorensen. It's really a light read. The author writes from her own experiences as a mother and compares how Jesus' example teaches us much about motherhood and how as mothers we take on a 'Christlike' role through our everyday service as mothers. Although a light read, I really enjoyed it!

Book Description:
Even the most devoted mom can feel overwhelmed and discouraged in the daily trenches of family service. But she can find power in her seemingly endless and ordinary tasks when she sees how they symbolize her covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. In this insightful exploration of domestic life, Stephanie Dibb Sorensen shows how everything a mother does, from folding laundry and washing dishes to refereeing arguments and taking temperatures, is designed to bear record of the Savior’s atoning mission. Through scriptural exploration and personal experience, she illustrates how the ongoing chaos of an active home enables a mother to develop the Lord’s attributes as a creator, teacher, healer, provider, and cleanser—thus giving her the opportunity to do for her family, on a smaller scale, what Christ does for the human family.

Our beautiful blessing...

So Llewellyn had blogged about the birth, but unfortunately his blog was deleted during editing :(
Hope you were lucky enough to read his awesome blog and his perspective on the birth... so here is the story from my point of view.

First of all, let us take a minute to look at this gorgeous little pepe...

Nawwwwwwwwww....

Arianwyn Hana-O-Te-Rangi Wright

Arianwyn is Welsh for 'pure' or 'white silver'. Hana-O-Te-Rangi is Maori and means 'brightness of the heavens.' 

I think Ari's names go nicely together because they read 'Pure brightness of the heavens.'

Born 28th December 2013, 11am, 8lb.

Lets start at the very beginning, a very good place to start... 

It all began on Friday 27th December at approximately 6.30pm. During a delightful conversation with my mum over the phone, I heard a 'pop' followed by a huge torrent of gushing water broke free like a river un-dammed after a long 9 months. "Uhm mum, hold on a minute"... "LLEWELLYN, MY WATERS JUST BROKE!"... "ahhh mum my waters just broke. I gotta go. Talk to you soon."... Was I nervous? Not yet... Excited? Understatement of the year!

Waters had broken but it wasn't for an hour or so before any contractions began so in the meantime to try and keep my excitement at bay, I journeyed up and down our cul-de-sac getting my curb walk on. Meanwhile, Haydn and Jessie pop in and join us in the excitement. I'm sure Jessie was over the moon with hope that her little dream of me going into labour at home for her to deliver baby, would come to pass. ;) My parents arrive, excited of course, mum, surprisingly, a tad bit nervous. However, although the process had begun, it was only early days before any real action would occur. So then begins a bit of a waiting game. We get the car prepared, carseat, babies pre-packed bag, my bag etc. fill the car... still not much action. So we continue to plod around the house keeping ourselves busy. Contractions come on at about 8.30pm, very mild, all over the place varying  between 7-10 minutes apart and no cause for urgency. Come 10.30pm, we decide it might be a good time to head up to Hamilton to avoid travelling with intense contractions.

It was surprising we didn't get pulled over on the way up. Not for exceeding the speed limit, but for lack of speed our driver was going. In Llewellyn's defence, he had a feeling we were going to be too early for the birth centre to take us, so a cruisy drive it was. He was on the money with that one! Contractions weren't much faster, as they began to spread out in time. We arrive at the birth centre and the midwives check me only to find out that I hadn't even dilated!!! So off we were to a Hotel just up the road to wait for the time being. I tell you, there is a lot of waaaaaaaaaaaiting and waaaaaaaaaaaiting during pregnancy! One sure milestone to help teach you some patience. At this stage, my parents are on the road and on their way to Hamilton and join us to wait in the hotel. It's pretty late by the time they get there so they are pretty smashed and soon crash out. MAAAAAAAAAAAATE... I liken that experience to being in a peaceful forest and then all of a sudden a pair of chainsaws start up and go on and on and on and on! Hahaha... Yes, fair to say, there was little rest to be had for Llewellyn and myself. Besides, I had crazy contractions that went on and on, as they do. I was getting desperate to go back to the birthing centre. I was changing positions, trying to get comfortable to help deal with the pain, but it starting to get to me and the pain was wearing me down. 

2.30am and I beg to go back to the birthing centre. We arrive and I break down as Llewellyn drives off to park the car. The on-shift midwife lets me in, takes me to the room and settles me down. My midwives arrive, do their check over and find that I am 7cm dilated! But it's still early days so more waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiting but in the meantime, I request some pain relief. Gas was on the menu! I'm instructed to only suck on the gas as during contractions... I'm also instructed to get some rest and with the gas, I manage to get a bit of rest and Llewellyn curls up on the couch for a kip as well. Now this is where things start to get a bit hazy for me, perhaps due to my gas intake? (I had to be reminded, actually probably more like firmly reminded, to take it easy on the gas before I knock myself out! I think I needed "reminding" a couple of times!).

It seems like forever before anything starts happening. The series of small events that follow are really only snippets of what happened. I remember trying to move around a lot, so walking, sitting in different positions etc. to help with it all, to reserve my energy I spoke very little often just saying "water", "hot" etc. Somewhere along the way we decided to run the birthing pool, thinking that may be a good way to bring things on.... Boy was that soooooooooooo wrong! It was like sitting in a relaxing-not-so-relaxing spa, 38 degrees Celsius, and everyone knows how that feels. Well it slowed everything down from slow and steady to freeeeeeeeeeeeeak'n waiting for snail mail to arrive from outer space! Decide to get out of that stupid pool and carry on as we were. Then from that all I really remember is sitting vertical with the bed upright, facing the mattress, wishing the contractions would speed up and hang around long enough for a decent party before disappearing again! This is where things started to get REALLY hard and EXTREMELY frustrating. My contractions were so short that I didn't have enough time to give a decent push and my pitiful attempts were exhausting my body and spirit. I was becoming more and more emotional and feeling quite hopeless at this stage. The midwives tell me I am doing good and I feel myself getting a bit upset that it just isn't happening. Then I start demanding that they take me to the hospital, give me a C section because I "just want her out!" I remember saying that... telling them to "get her out of me!" Much to everyone's amusement, well I was less than amused that they said no. I start screaming in pain and was reminded that screaming was a waste of my energy so then I tried really hard to focus that energy into the biggest "Kemehameha's" any Super Saiyan has ever seen. 

So while all of this is happening, in my mind I can hear myself saying over and over again "I am so not doing this again. Catch this up." but I could only say it in my head because I didn't want Llewellyn to hear hahaha...

Eventually, the midwives inform that there is progress and they can see babies head. I feel ecstatic but the feelings that follow are disheartening as I ask "how much longer?" followed by a bit of apprehension to answer the question, which was something like... "aaaaaah well usually at this stage woman take another 2 to 3 hours." "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." I couldn't believe what I was being told. I was so upset, I was feeling so useless, I was feeling like it was never ever going to end. I could see the pain Llewellyn was feeling for me.

Nevertheless I was mad keen to get to that finish line, so onward we went. Let's spare you some details, fast forward and cut this long story short... about an hour and a half later, after thinking the cord was wrapped around baby, and her top shoulder coming out first, finally... POP and out she came! I tell you, that is best feeling of relief. I read this thing on Facebook the other day about that feeling you get when you make it to the toilet when you have diarrhoea (lol) well I tell you, this was WAAAAAAAY better then that feeling and there is a great reward at the end. I feel like I've gone from a delirious crazy woman to rationality. Then I thought to myself, "Wow, I can do this, I did this, I can so do this again." 

They call the time at 10.57am but baby isn't breathing so they are furiously rubbing her and trying to get her to breath. I can feel that the midwives are somewhat frantic as they tell Llewellyn to push the emergency buzzer. The whole time I am relaxed, no panic entered my mind because I knew that she would be fine. 11am she was recorded as being born as she had taken her first breaths of life here on this world, finally to start her mortal journey with us. As I looked at her all I could think was how she was the most beautiful and perfect of anything I had, we had, ever made! I love her. I love her so much. My very own little brightness from the Heavens. 

I was praying and praying and praying in my heart. You know how Jesus knows all our pains, every one of them, during all of this, as I was praying, I guess I thought I felt a bit of what it may have felt like for Jesus as he prayed to Heavenly Father in Gethsemane.

She was so alert and strong, looking around at everyone and everything. I knew she was a special little girl.

My husband was soooo awesome during the whole birth. I say "water" he gave me water, when I was writhing in agony, he eased my pain. Thank you baby for being there for me, for us! I love you Llewellyn!

Thank you Heavenly Father. Thank you for entrusting us with this beautiful spirit to raise in righteousness. I pray for her everyday that she will be well and healthy. I pray for us everyday that we can be what she needs, that we can love her so much, that one day she can return home to our Father in Heaven knowing that she was loved so much that she was given a body to dwell on this earth, knowing that her parents loved her and wanted her to be with them forever. I love you so much my little girl. Mummy wants you to be mine and daddys forever. 

This is daddys favourite picture of baby when she was born.

Daddy having skin to skin cuddles with baby.

Our very curious little girl.

After all that, I feel like an athlete who wants to beat their own record! I am so geared up to do better in my next birth than I was able to this time. I want to be able to handle it and have the power to push the baby out and feel that I have the strength to do it. I can't wait - but I can... just for little while!

Christmas day.... Santa arrives.

Christmas was special this year, for the fact that our baby daughter was due on this day. But unfortunately she didn't arrive on this day, but it was a great day anyway.
Ayuri is not a morning person so it was great that we got to have a sleep in. When Ayuri got up it was time to go pick up the boys so we texted them and went and got them. We opened our presents up together.

Ayu with her blanket

We got Ryotaro some clothes and a lens mug which I could tell that he liked. Daisho got some clothes from us and he seemed pleased with that too. Ayuri got heaps of stuff but she told me that her favourite present was her quilt and pillow cases that she got from Ash. Daisho got presents for me and Ash, some aftershave and perfume which we were very grateful for. They were really nice smells so he had great taste.

Taro with his lens mug

I got Ash so perfume that she really liked and some nice chocolates. She got me a Bonsai which I really love and Ayuri got me a CD of a reggae band that I like called House of Shem. I felt like I had got spoilt.

Daisho with his clothes

We read from the scriptures about the birth of Christ which helps us to put things into perspective. I think its important for us to remember what it is all really about. When I remember the Saviour and all he done for me and the people I love, I feel gratitude and a reliance on His love.

Ash with baby clothes from Daisho

We then jumped in the car with the food that we made and headed over to Sarah's house. One of the dishes that we made was poached snapper in cream. It is really nice! When we got to Sarah's and I went to the boot to get the fish out, some of the cream had spilt out onto the floor. I cleaned it up the best I could, but by the time we had finished for the day and we hopped back in the car, the stink of fish and cream was awful. it took me until this week to get the smell out of the car!

Me and my Bonsai

At sarah's we were greeted by a great table display and layout that she had arranged, and of course, great food. We had a wonderful time hanging out, eating and talking about all sorts of stuff. The saga of Mini the cat and her whereabouts was the most intriguing of the conversations. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, and its always nice to be with family.

Ayu struggling to open a present

Ayuri and the boys went back when their mother came to get them, and we headed off not long after that. We caught up with Ash's family before getting back to our place. There was not too much rest as Mum had the elders over for dinner so we went for another meal and had a great game of Zerahemla together. So that really capped of a great day for us all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeF6q3Diqqk&feature=youtu.be

I have to mention about the next day when we got up an hour too early to be at Rotorua for the boxing day sales. We were not impressed. there were some good sales, and after going there to get a weed eater and a cordless drill, we came back with christmas decorations, a hand mixer and a big cake mixer. Go figure!!! lol

Tainui's got talent.

Ayuri was involved in a talent show at her school at the end of the year. She was going to go in a group but she said that they were having 'dramas' so she decided to go solo. Each week she would come home and tell me how things went and the songs that she sang. I was surprised by a couple of the songs she attempted as I knew they were fairly hard. one week she did Thinking about you by Frank Ocean. its a really nice song. youtube it if you haven't heard of it and I bet you will like it.
So each week she would tell me "Dad I got in the top 8", and "dad I'm in the top 4". so when she got to that stage, I thought that she might have a chance of winning.
I guess that I never thought that she was going to have a chance to win. I mean I know that she has always loved singing and I think that she has a nice voice, but I'm her dad so of course I am going to be bias. She sings all the time at home, and is always learning new songs so she would sing a new song each week when she was performing.
When she got in the top 4 she told me when the final was but I couldn't make it. I was mad keen to hear how she went, so when I found out that she came first equal I was really happy for her. So she got the chance to sing at the final assembly in front of all of the parents and students. This is the video here. its not the best quality as I had to zoom right up, but you can hear Ayuri which is all that matters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUt0eMhlOV4&feature=youtu.be

I didn't really like the song choice, but Ayu told me that they couldn't pick their own song to sing and that this was better then the other choice that they were give. I am happy that she had the confidence to get up and have a go... it must have taken courage to do that in front of her peers. Love you Bub!!

After the show

Hello my name is Dr. Green thumb.

Sugar peas

Hahahaha..... Ash's  will be shaking her head when she reads this title! Before we were married, when we were hanging out, we use to listen to old school music that we use to like, and I use to put on a little Cypress Hill for her. She use to crack up at the music I use to listen to. Dr Green Thumb was one that I use to play for her as part of the Cypress Hill songs I use to like.
But lets get to the reason that I am doing this post. It is not to reminisce about the music that use to like, or about anything to do with growing tomato-less tomato plants, but to explain to you my passion and enthusiasm for growing things.
When I was a young boy growing up in the beautiful town of Invercargill, my Dad was a keen gardener.

Dad always planted pansies, they remind me of him.

Succulent

I remember helping him to dig the grass off the lawn and dig the dirt over so that we could expand the garden that we had. I remember making the hot house frame, and then tacking on the plastic so that he could grow grapes, tomatoes and cucumbers. We had all sorts of berries and a couple of fruit trees, and we were always so keen to eat them that they would barely change colour and we would be eating them. So I give full credit to my father for fueling the interest in gardening. I think in a way too, I started to get into gardening so that I could keep the memory alive that I have between him and me, and the magic moments we would have being together in the garden. Thats why I guess I am so happy, that Ayuri comes and helps me out and takes an interest in planting and growing in the garden.

Poppy!!

 I also have his old wheelbarrow that I remember we used to do the foundation to the garage back in the Islington street house. Its my little thing that I use so that dad is always with me still gardening.
I also like gardening because it helps me to feel closer to God. I think the process of growing something from a seed, that is usually small and one colour, into something that is big or colourful, gives me joy.

Roses

It helps me to remember that when things reach their full potential, they can be beautiful and wonderful. As I have the chance to look after and nurture the seed or seedling, I feel like I am a father to all those plants that I look after. That they rely on me to help them out and give them the conditions they need to flourish.
I do have many weaknesses as a gardener. I tend to not like to spray the veggies with pesticides and herbicides, and this means that I eat stuff from the garden that has spots or a little desease on it. If its blight then I will spray copper on it, but with the other stuff I just let nature do its thing. I don't mind spots, as long as there isn't nasty chemicals being sprayed onto my plants and then being eaten by me. The other issue I have is cabbages, or ice burg lettuces, or any other plant that has to round together. For some reason, they always go to seed. I think the biggest problem is that I plant when the weather is too hot. So this year I planted just before winter, and here is the result.

Finally, a proper cabbage!!

Now I can have home made coleslaw.

Here are some more flowers.... I said to Ash when we first got married that I am not interested in growing something I can't eat.... Nek minit.....

Soooo, I also have heard back from my work about the job I applied for, and I am pleased to say that I got the job.So I am way excited and happy that I got it. I credit it all to the Lords timing and blessing from his hand. I'm so blessed and hope that I will always remember how good He is to me.

Did I tell you that..... I love fishing?!

Ok peeps, before I get into the main topic of my post, I have to mention about a recent discovery that Delwyn introduced to me and Ayuri. We saw a Vine from Delwyn that really made us laugh and I asked Ashaan what it was, and how he made it. She told me it was a Vine and that there is this app that you can down load that you can make short 6 second videos on. So we had a look at it and Ayuri had a little play. She sorted it out and we got cracking making a Vine. Just to give you a brief background, Ash's mum got this huge sea horse for baby and Ayuri has been a teeny bit jealous of it. So while Ash was out we made a Vine about it. Then we decided to pic an epic movie scene involving horses and I told her, Lord of the rings. So we got together and this is what we came up with. Follow the link below.
 
https://vine.co/v/hPJr36zx1vz?fb_action_ids=599282666803484&fb_action_types=vine-app%3Apost&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

When we first watched it together, me and Ayu couldn't stop laughing!! We laughed so much that we ended up waking up Ash. (sorry babe) I have no doubt next week when Ayu is back with us, that we will be thinking of our next Vine to do.

So.... have I ever mentioned that I LOVE fishing??? I have been  out twice lately and I always have a great time going out and getting into it. Any day fishing is way, way better then being at work. Even a stink day fishing is awesome. I guess for me, it is the anticipation and excitement of landing a big snapper or pulling up my favorite fish to eat, a Trevally.

My delicious Trevally. 

Cant wait to eat him raw!

I went out this week, and even though the fishing was a little slow, I still managed to catch 8 snapper and was given a Trevally from my friend who let me have it. I love to eat Trevally as sashimi with a little bit of soya sauce and lemon. Mmmmmmmmm. So yummy! I was totally thinking of Bevin when I got it, cause that dude loves Trevally too. But alas he is in Perth, so I had to down his portion.
The guy who owned the boat that we went on, went to one of the working mussel barges and filled up a chill bin full of mussels so that was a great bonus for us.

This is called a king fish. It is great on the BBQ!

I have got a trip booked for the 18th of this month out at Kawhia. It has been fairly good the times I have gone out there so I'm hoping for some luck so I will have some fish for Christmas.

Raw Trevally and marinated mussels.