A change of season

We survived Week One!

I loved my first week at Learning Media. I was able to met many of the staff, had an opportunity to meet most of the Board, as well as participating in a Leadership half day on Friday. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to my return to work. The passion and commitment that people at LML have both for what the company does and what they do as individuals is really obvious. It's something I'm already proud to be a part of!

Little Mylo also had a good first week at daycare, if you ignore the fact that he barely slept! I was a little concerned when I picked him up on Tuesday to find out he had only slept 20 mins the ENTIRE day! That was the worst day, but the other days weren't much better. However, it is still early days, so hopefully once he realises that the sleep room is for sleeping, and gets used to other children and teachers being in and out of the room, he will just relax and get the sleep he needs. It wasn't as if the teachers didn't try hard to get him to sleep, he just outwitted and outlasted them on most occasions...monkey! Today (Saturday) he had 3 hours sleep during the day as he was clearly trying to make up for the rest of the week! Overall though, the teachers have said what a happy, cruisy, and curious wee soul he is, commando crawling everywhere and getting right amongst all the action! He clearly spent the week at daycare learning a few new skills, as he can now pull himself up on the coffee table, chair or couch into a standing position which he wasn't doing last weekend!

As it turns out, we have timed our change in routines well. This weekend is a long weekend in NZ (Queens Birthday), so it means working/daycare will be shorter for us all next week. Today we baked up a storm, savoury muffins and chocolate M&M cookies, before heading out to the botanical gardens for some fresh air. We welcomed back the first real patches of blue sky yesterday in what seems like weeks (although probably only two), and oh how lovely it was to see it, however briefly. Today dawned sunny, but the storm clouds were starting to gather again tonight, so the rest of the long weekend may be spent indoors.

Just why it was so lovely to get out for an hour this afternoon. There were still a few signs of the fading autumn around in the varying shades of golden, crunchy leaves underfoot.

Winter is well and truly taking over, only resisted on the odd occasion by plants tough enough to withstand its ever widening grip.

Before long the glorious, fiery exhibitions will fade, with the only splashes of colour seen from the likes of this holly bush.

Surprisingly, a few roses were still fighting for their chance to bloom, although the rose garden and flower beds right around the gardens have taken on a much more sparse look these days. The winter pansies do their best to fill the gaps until the spring tulips welcome in the new season, which is still so far away.

There is much poignancy in seeing the changing of the seasons. Much like the seasons in our lives, ever changing. So apt for where we are in our lives right now too.

The weekends now become our treasured time, of stolen moments and soaking up every last minute of family being together.

What a privilege to make our time together full of wonder and pleasure for these eyes.

And as little or as much as we choose to do, it matters not, as long as we're doing it together.

And when Mr. 8 1/2 months discovers that standing is far more fun than crawling, you can bet we were there to support him in his achievements.

As it turns out, the opportunity to investigate a tin of tuna on the coffee table proving just the right motivation for this munchie to make his way upwards...up, up and then hey peeps, I'm upright!

Let Operation Elevate Things Further North begin!