Monday

and the first day of the school holidays which means Millie is home from Kindy for the next 2 weeks, thought I would be super organised so headed off to $2 shop and went mad buying crafty stuff for her and Paige to use over the holidays - lasted about an hour and then they were bored - and we're only on the first day!!!!
Went for dinner last night for my friend Sharyn's birthday - Lonestar was the destination, the food is so good there but the portions are HUGE so needless to say I didn't finish it and was still full! Happy Birthday Sharyn!!!!!
Weather here today is WARM which is great, washing is on the line - my office looks like a bomb went off, we had a huge stock order arrive from the States so Aaron and I along with a couple of helpers spent a large majority of our weekend packing, one of our forum members on the website Michelle (aka Mrs Frizz) came and visited - I thnk she was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of stock we now have!! She did help me make some space though by giving some of it a new home!!!!
A picture of Max and Paige - what is it that each child you have you have to consciously remember to take photos, I think it is more finding the time!!




Here's a pic of the guest designer monthly kit for October full of gorgeous Cosmo Cricket papers along with some of the yummy new velvet ric rac from Maya Road and one of their cute wee chipboard binders! I have decided to offer a limited quantity of these for sale at $44.95 plus postage which is a 10% saving so if anyone is interested in having a box of gorgeous coordinated product arriving on their front door, email me at Scrapbook Essentials.




Right off to check on those children of mine - I hear yelling!!

Ciao
Megs

It's Over..........

Ballet exam all done - don't know who was more nervous, Millie or her mother!
We had to be there an hour early so they can warm up, get their hair done (they all looked so cute). Millie was brilliant, stood really still while her hair was done and then basically chilled out colouring in and chatting with her wee friends until it was time for them to line up and go! Longest 30 mins ever and then it was over, she was finished and ready to go to McDonalds for dinner (bribe for being quiet while waiting for her exam, it was like a morgue in the room where we were waiting)!
Was really interesting watching some of the other mums - there were a couple of 'show biz' mums as I call them, poor daughters being stressed to the max by their mums with one girl in particular having her mother stretching her leg behind to her to the point of almost being in tears and at the same time lecturing her - while I want Millie to do well in life would never ever do anything like that!!! Heck I felt like telling the Mum to leave her alone, but I didn't!
Our wee guy is growing like a mushroom, full of smiles now. He had his 6 week jabs (we were a wee bit late getting them done), he was a bit unsettled last night resulting in me getting about 3 hours sleep, so needless to say I was not looking very glam this morning!



Have been a little slack in taking photos of the girls, here's one of our wee Paige, isn't she pesky looking!!

Father and Son.........

So finally took some photos of Aaron and Max, holy cow they are alike! Max had his hips checked today (we're only 5 weeks late) and he has his 6 weeks jab (1 week late for those) tomorrow! All the other babies when they had their hips checked roared, Max just lay there with a tummy full of milk and didn't utter a sound!

Ballerina

Had to share this pic of Millie at Ballet! Whoa, that 3 posts now in the last two days!

Two posts in two days........

Thought it was time I shared some of the amazing layouts that I have received from the wonderful ladies on our website forum at Scrapbook Essentials they are just gorgeous and means that Max has some layouts to call his own! I admit that since he was born I have achieved zero when it comes to scrapbooking as I never seem to have enough hours in the day at the moment, by the time I sort 3 kids (I do a head count these days to make sure I don't dive off without one of them!), running the business which is growing at rather an alarming rate (a good thing but we are a little unprepared) and then fit family and friends in there's not a lot left!!
Still I am putting a schedule together so that my days start to have a little more routine to them, apologies if you are waiting on an email from me, I am a bit behind on these at the moment!
Right better sort something for the childrens dinner before there is a mutiny!

Ciao
Megan

Smiling...........

That's what our little man is now doing!! Max has shared with us the what we were pretty sure was a smile but last night he went for it and wouldn't stop so I finally had the chance to capture photographic evidence of this milestone in his life! He will be 7 weeks old this coming Tuesday, it has just flown and while life is busier with him here it's also more perfect as well! He was weighed on Tuesday and is 11lb 5oz and a whopping 60cm long, he doesn't fit 0-3 months tops as he is really broad in the shoulders, I told Aaron that the next all black had been born, he rolled his eyes at me!!
We had Millie's acceptance to St John's Girls School last week which was a huge relief as we really didn't have a back up plan if she missed out (there were only 4 places available in the new entrants class next year) and there were quite a few on the waiting list so while I am ecstatic she got in I also feel sad for those who didn't get their first choice of school for their daughter! She has her first ballet exam next Friday which I had been quite nervous about for her but at the end of the day she's 4, ballet is not a career option for her as she likes it but would rather be swimming and will probably not keep going after the end of the year concert so no big deal, her teacher is a bit full on and very demanding and I feel like reminding her that they are only 4!!!!

Thursday

 

Max and his sister Millie............. gave up trying to get all three to look at the camera so went with Millie who at 4 is pretty cooperative and Max, who was a bit cranky as you can see from the photo!
On the Scrapbook Essentials forum a photo swap was started by Kelly (an awesome lady who scraps more than anyone I know) where forum members could sign up to each be sent a photo of Max that they could scrap for his very first album, I received the first one today from an amazingly talented lady - Christi - who simply creates the most gorgeous layouts! Here is the layout 



Am slowly getting into a routine with 3 children, it's certainly busy but to be honest no more so than 2 and Max is such a good baby, mind you it does take a lot longer to do things as people stop you and comment on him, the supermarket took 1 1/2 hours by the time I got around and spoke to all the staff and 3 elderly ladies stopped me, was a bit nervous taking both Paige and Max as our darling daugher has generally had enough of sitting in the trolley after about a nano second, but today she was quite happy to sit in the trolley next to Max and kept giving him little kisses, sooo cute!! Then.............. we got to the checkout and she promptly pulled all the Kit Kats out the box!!!! Oh well, at least she grabbed something I like I suppose!!

Later
Megs

Busy Busy

 

Life is hectic - 3 children, a business to run, friends to keep up to date with, it's a whirlwind at the moment, but I have always loved being busy, Mum has always said I have had ants in my pants as I can't stand still!
The picture above is a sneak peek of the kit that our Monthly Guest Designer, Monique will be working with, it has some of the new papers from Urban Lily in it which are very cool, looking forward to seeing what she comes up with!
We are expecting our shipments of Basic Grey and Scenic Route this week, all the latest releases from both so am looking forward to having a play with those, it seems like an age since I did anything resembling scrapbooking!!!
Max continues to grow, our midwife came yesterday and he is a whopping 9lb 11ozs, considering he is 3 weeks old today and his birth weight was 7lb 15oz, he's certainly a growing lad!
The girls are still smitten with their little brother and fight over who gets to hold him first, am having a wee photo shoot this afternoon so will post the result later - hmmm trying to get 3 children all looking at the camera at the same time could be very interesting!!

Later
Meg 

Due Date............

Well today was supposed to be the day that our wee guy was due to arrive, seems a bit surreal that he has been here 2 weeks now, suppose he gets that from me, always early, he's 8lb 13ozs (fond of his food it would appear) and just awesome!

Speaking of babies, Heidi Swapp is a Mum again, baby girl called Capri - her childrens names are all so different, love that, she has 2 boys Colton and Corey, Quincy is their daughter and now baby Capri!

BIG LETTERS...............

These big 22cm high letters have just arrived in - am thinking that I may have to use some for the girls and Max's room......... they are a good thickness chipboard
so should stick to the wall okay I'm thinking!
Have been busy packing Urban Lily preorders, will be dreaming about their products at this rate, their products are too cute and have cute names too!
Bought Max his first pair of camo pants today from Pumpkin Patch, he looks totally gorgeous and the girls got a new pair of jeans each with bling sewn to the hip, will post pics later!

Later
Meg

Just Had to Share........

Another photo of Max.........


and




this gorgeous tag that was sent to us by one of the forum members on the website, Kelly, thank you Kelly, it's just gorgeous! It amazes me daily how generous people can be with both their time and talent, the tag is only one of many little gifts, beautiful handmade cards etc we have received from people I have never met but talk to on a almost daily basis via the online forum on the website, so a BIG THANK YOU to all of you!!!
Our Urban Lily shipment has arrived in the country finally, am very excited to see this range in real life as it seems an age since I ordered it! This months guest designer has been selected - congratulations to Ruth - click here to see the kit Ruth will be creating with - love the Basic Grey Color Me Silly, lots of fun to be had with those papers!

Two posts in 2 days - bit of a record!!!

Later
Meg

Sleeping Babies.........

 





are always cute - wouldn't you agree! Well our wee guy LOVES to sleep so we are lucky in that respect! He's doing so well, he was weighed on Monday and had put on a whole 300gms in 3 days, the normal weight gain is around 200gms a week give or take so our wee man is doing really well!!! Aaron was so proud when he heard how much weight Max had gained - men and their sons!!!!!
The weather has been great the last 2 days so am contemplating taking him for a big walk in the buggy, mind you now that I have said it it will probably rain!!
The girls are FAB, love their little brother dearly and are adjusting well to having another person around, we had a family dinner on Monday night and it was so BIZARRE doing the head count in the back seat in the car on the way there, 3 little people sitting there looking back at us!
Millie came home today from Kindy absolutely covered in blue dye, seriously she looked like Smurfette, turns out she got into a paint brush flicking play fight with one of the little boys at her kindy - needless to say the teachers weren't impressed but I am just pleased she stood up to the wee boy and got her own back!!!
Paige is well Paige, into everything! Her talking is coming along so well and she has lots of words and can make herself pretty clear when she wants or needs something, such a hard case, Aaron and I often find myself hiding behind our hands laughing when we are trying to tell her off as she is just so cute!

The kit for the Guest Monthly Designer is now on the forum - with the weather warming up am feeling quite cheery so thought I would design the kit to this theme - if you still haven't checked out the site then click here, there is lots happening, monthly swaps, competitions and lots of chatting!!!!
Received confirmation that the new Scenic Route papers will be here in approx 2 weeks, these papers are just beautiful, love Scenic Route!!! The chipboard products etc will be here later in the month! Well had better go and do some paperwork before the children wake up!

Day 5..............

Well our wee guy is now a whole 5 days old and already I can't believe how much he has grown - can't believe that this time last week I was at a friends cocktail party still pregnant and now I am a mother of three! Max is doing GREAT, feeds so well, loves to sleep (just like his Dad on that score) and is spending a little more time awake each day - he's soooo cute! Both Paige and Millie seem to be quite smitten with him and certainly Millie's opening statment to anyone she comes across is 'I've got a brother Max!' which is really great to hear as I think it is natural to be worried how siblings will react to a new addition to the family!
A big thank you to everyone who has sent flowers, cards, gifts etc, it's quite overwhelming and humbling so THANK YOU!!! Also a big thank you to Max's amazing 'cyber aunties' on the shop website forum who are all scrapping a photo of Max each for an album for him - you ladies are just AWESOME and I know that when he is old enough to understand he will really appreciate it! A big congratulations also to our friends Mark and Shanelle who got married yesterday in Te Anau, sorry we couldn't be there with you guys, look forward to seeing the photos!

On the business front, wouldn't you know it but the very week Max arrives we have our busiest week ever! Murphys Law! Our Urban Lily shipment has left and should be with us in the next few days, these products are just gorgeous and extremely popular!
We are also expecting in August quite a few shipments of new product releases from the recent CHA Trade Show held in the States which debuts all the companies new product releases! So it's going to be a very busy time for the next few weeks!

Introducing Max...............

 

Hi everyone - very quick update on our beautiful wee boy who arrived 2 weeks early on Tuesday 25 July 2006 at 2.25am weighing 7lb 15ozs and was 54cms long.
We are at home and everyone is fine, if a little (okay who I am kidding) tired!
Will post more photos and details tomorrow! 

  

Yay - finally figured out how all those link thingys work on these blogs and even have put a clock on it! Considering I am a technical klutz, am quite chuffed I figured it out! So anyway, this is my new blog and means I can combine both the website news and our own news in one place instead of having to update two!
The photo above is of me and Paige, our second daughter also know as Paigey, pest or the destroyer, very different to her older sister!
Lots happening with the business, the big trade show for all the new products releases is on this weekend in the States and have been busy finalising all the new product lines the store will be carrying, there are some favourites releasing new products, but also some brand new companies we will be stocking which are very cool, the first of the new stock should be here in approx 6-8 weeks so remember to bookmark the site Scrapbook Essentials and check back as we will soon be loading the products for preorder!
Waiting, waiting - for baby no 3 to make their appearance, you will notice that I refer to the baby as they on here as there a couple of people who read my blog who want a surprise so ssshhh, no telling!!!!
Oh and a sneak peek of a very cool product line that I am hoping to have in store in the next 2 weeks.............



Also a big congratulations to Monique for her winning layout on the NZ Dares, great layout and I am actually contemplating finding the time to give this weeks dare a go!! Weather isn't supposed to be great so perfect opportunity wouldn't you say!