Makara Beach Visit

As far back as I can remember, my family have visited the rugged coastline of Makara for beach walks and BBQs, Sunday drives, rock pool scouring and hot chocolates at the nearby cafe.

 I have strong memories of visiting there as a little girl 

When Action Dad and I first got together, I introduced him to the rocky shore and we regularly frequented the cafe to read magazines and drink coffee while the wind  outside shook the windows. 

This weekend we decided to introduce the girls to Makara and managed to pick the perfect weather for it. It wouldn't be Makara without bone chilling cold and wind so strong it pushes you backwards! After winding our way through Ohariu Valley, Buttons needed feeding, so I sat in the car watching Miss Muffet and Action Dad playing outside. 

They threw rocks in the sea and chased the sea gulls. Miss Muffet tried to compete with the howling wind by shrieking. She had an absolutely awesome time 

 

I love this picture of her, all rugged up in her woollen coat that Nana made! Note the pigtails blowing backwards in the wind? 

 

We had to bribe her to come in from the cold with hot chips from the cafe. The Makara cafe has been there as  long as I can remember, with the same menu, old magazines and mismatched chairs. 

We had a really lovely family outing and I hope my girls will grow up with fond memories of Makara, just like I have.  

Blessed

  

Our darling daughter Buttons 

It is amazing how much life can change in the space of a day. This week our family welcomed our darling daughter into the world and our whole world changed again. 

Buttons arrived on Tuesday 24th May after my lovely midwife managed to get us induced early- those of you who have read my earlier posts will know that we were expecting Buttons to be between 10-11pounds and I had been becoming increasingly uncomfortable so was more than happy for an induction to happen! 

 

Action Dad snuggling an hour old Buttons- check out those tired eyes! 

Button's birth was long- she didn't arrive until nearly 13 hours after the induction began and the whole experience was more painful than Miss Muffet's as the epidural didn't work very well. One day I will write my girls' birth stories but at the moment it is a bit too raw! 

I will never forget the moment I looked down and realised my baby was a girl- I had strongly felt she was a girl for most of the pregnancy so to have it confirmed after a hard labour was just the icing on the cake. 

Our other big surprise was that not only was our gorgeous baby a girl... But she was a teeny tiny button of a thing. I knew that the minute I saw her, that she was smaller than Miss Muffet and well smaller than 10-11 pound. After all the worry and stress and extra scans- Buttons came in at 8 pound on the nose. 

She is an exact replica of her big sister, just in miniature and has so far spent the week sleeping on her bean bag. She barely cries and when she does, it is more of a mew.

 

Miss Muffet meeting her teeny tiny sister 

I am filled with happiness and love and am in a kind of sleep deprived crazy state of bliss. I am so thankful she is here and in our arms at last. The weather has been atrocious lately- on the day she was born, Wellington experienced an intense, crazy thunderstorm! So I am more than happy to snuggle on the couch with my two girls and ignore the washing and vacuuming for a wee while. 

 My gorgeous girl with the button nose - just like her mum and sister xxx