48 hours in Singapore

The final stop on our round the world tour was hot and humid Singapore. The primary aim of the stop was to break up the long trip home and get some sleep and hopefully over some of the jet lag, but it was also an excuse to explore Singapore. 

We took the underground subway to the city and arrived at our station Lavender to be greeted by the oppressive heat and pouring rain. Completely unprepared for this weather we set off in to the rain. At least it was warm! Within a couple of minutes a random woman gave me her umbrella....wow, what kindness...a great start to our stay. We dumped our stuff at the hotel and headed out to little India and found a vegetarian curry house for a delicious dinner. 

After a slightly rough night, in not the most salubrious hotel (although at least the air conditioning worked well), we set out to explore. We headed to the Marina Bay Area, to see the famous hotel and the gardens in the bay. Unfortunately we set off on the subway during rush hour.... However when we got to the mall at Marina Bay it was completely empty as we were there before the exclusive shops opened. We walked around the empty waterfront on the double helix bridge and around the strange looking art and science museum, taking in the views looking back across to old Singapore mixed in with the new city. We then crossed over the sky bridge, through the Marina Bay Sands hotel to the gardens in the bay. This is a series of gardens with several large domes which house indoor flower gardens and other plants, but also the very impressive super grove of gigantic trees with creepers and ferns slowly climbing their way up the structures. 

Freya and Aaron on the double helix bridge.

Looking up at the Marina Bay Hotel all 57 floors

Looking down on the super grove from the observation deck at the top of the Marina Bay Sands hotel from 57 floors high

The super grove from the ground

It was hot, so we headed to the children's water garden. This is an area of fountains and sprays for kids (and adults who are supervising!!) to run through. It was great to cool off and Freya loved playing in the fish fountains. 

Water fountains and sprays in the children's water garden with one of the garden domes in the background.

Freya playing in the fish fountain

Next we headed to Chinatown to find some lunch. It wasn't quite what we expected...it was much more cosmopolitan with lots of different culinary delights. We chose Vietnamese. By mid afternoon the heat was too much, so we headed back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. We emerged again just before dinner and headed to the Arab district checking out the mosque and the old buildings, before finding some dinner at one of the Turkish restaurants. Another great meal. 

The Arab district and the mosque

The next morning we went to check out the old fort canning on the hill, then briefly checked out one of the many shopping malls along Orchard road, before heading back to check out of the hotel. We headed to the airport mid afternoon and after checking in for our flight we headed to the airport swimming pool and swam and hung out for the rest of the afternoon before boarding our flight. The swimming pool at the airport is just awesome....so much nicer than spending hours in the departure lounges. 

Plenty more of Singapore to explore and delicacies to eat. Next time....hopefully at a cooler???? Or at least a less humid time of the year. 

New Years visit to the Bostocks in the UK

Well after leaving warm and sunny Wellington, then visiting cool and sunny Phoenix, we reached cold and wet England. After a week of playing with 2 little ones, Freya now had 5 little cousins to play with, and a lot of different toys....she thoroughly enjoyed all the attention from the cousins and uncles, aunts, grandparents. 

Playing tea party with the girls

Great aunt Thalia and 1st cousin once removed Christopher, who was very good at making Freya laugh

Despite the inclement English weather we got out every day for a walk or activity. Freya went on her first train ride on an old English steam train in the pouring rain. Unfortunately we couldn't see much of the English countryside as the windows were all steamed up. We also went for several walks in the local, muddy woods. We had a family trip to the local swimming pool (indoor and heated) and the nearby Roald Dahl museum.

The hardy Bostocks walking in the rain and mud in whiteleaf hill above the cross

Chinnor steam train

On a rather windy day we went to the Uffington White horse and Iron Age castle and caught up with a friend Laura. Although due to the arctic conditions we spent more time in the pub. 

With Laura in the fox and hounds pub

We made a special trip to Nuneaton to see grandad (great-grandad for Freya) on his 90th birthday. Unfortunately a week was not enough time to catch up with all the family....that will have to wait till next time. 

4 generations of Bostocks 

Thankyou so much to Paul and Thalia and family for hosting us and looking after us so well...with lots of delicious home cooked meals and cakes. 

Christmas with the Lymans in Phoenix

We made it.....arrived to a cool, dry and sunny Phoenix. The Oregon Lymans arrived by plane and car over the next few days. Freya seemed immediately at home and enjoyed playing with her cousins, grandparents and uncle and with lots of Millie's toys, although climbing through the coffee table was a favourite game. 

Kortney and Freya

Playing with cousins Akhen and Millie. 

A family trip to the Phoenix zoo was a highlight of the week. Freya's first trip to a zoo. I think she was just as interested in all the people as she was with the animals. 

Giraffes at the Phoenix zoo

We managed a few walks around the neighbourhood, frequenting the local playgrounds, and a couple of hikes in the desert. At the end of the week we had a fun hike and scramble up camelback (along with many others). With great views from the top. 

Helen and Freya next to a teddy bear cholla cacti in south mountain desert park. 

Kendall, Aaron, Freya, Craig, Helen and Kortney at the top of camelback

Aaron and Freya at the top of camelback, looking down the way we came up. 

We had a great week, consuming plenty of Mexican food, catching up with several friends. Thanks to the Phoenician Lymans for hosting us. 

Freya's first Christmas's

Our first family Christmas...Freya's present to her parents was to let them have a lie in until 7:30am. Freya got some lovely Christmas presents of books, a picture, and a music set with maracas, castanets, Tamborine, triangle etc...so lots of noise was had. After opening her presents we skyped with nagymama, nagypapa, uncle Andy, cousins Andrea and Annabel in Scotland, who were still having Christmas Eve. 

Freya opening her presents

We headed over to our neighbours for a delicious brunch, then in the afternoon we headed around to some friends for a bbq. We had perfect wellington weather. 

Brunch...yum

Family Christmas photo

Freya in her summer dress

Then at 6pm we headed to the airport to fly to the US. Freya did really well and managed to get some sleep in the bassinet on the plane, and mum and dad got a few hours as well. After a night on the plane we arrived in the US on Christmas Day....so at 7 and a half months Freya has had 2 Christmases due to time differences and datelines....

We are looking forward to catching up with the Lymans over the next week in Phoenix. 

Freya-proofing the house

As Freya starts to pull up on everything it is time to get our act together and start to baby-proof the house. Aaron, with the help of his dad Ralph, have built us a set of cupboards for the book shelves to sit on top. Today we finally carried it up to the house and assembled it.

Aaron and Ralph cutting up the wood

The finished cupboards with the bookshelves on top.

Freya checking out the cupboard

First step....now we have to put locks on the cupboards....

7 months

Summer is here and we are spending lots of time outdoors. Freya is enjoying exploring the garden, with regular visits to the playground, a few walks, bike rides and we finally took her to the beach and played in the sand and dangled her toes in the cold sea.

At scorching bay....

Despite a couple of colds and a vomiting episode, Freya continues to thrive and she was 9.24kg at her weigh in this week, 69 cm long, 45 cm head circumference. Physically she is getting stronger and better at crawling, still mostly commando crawling...but occasional knee crawling. Sh can sit up very well now. She is also starting to pull herself up on people and a few objects. Today she learnt to climb up the stairs in the back yard. Aaron and Ralph are busy building a cupboard to start the baby proofing process in the living room, to put some stuff away behind doors. Judy and Ralph are here for a few more days. Freya is enjoying playing with her granny. 

The Lymans 

Freya sitting in her toy basket

Thanksgiving with the Lymans

Grandma and grandpa Oregon have come over to meet Freya and celebrate her first thanksgiving. We had a traditional Turkey, stuffing, potato and sweet potato, but we added a kiwi twist of pavlova for desert. Freya didn't partake in dinner, but she did sit with us while we ate, before heading off to bed. She tried a bit of Turkey and mashed potato the next day.

Judy and Ralph have come over to New Zealand for a couple of weeks to get to know Freya and to see a bit more of the country that they didn't see last time. Freya has been enjoying playing with grandma. Freya has been learning to do a few new tricks, sitting up and transitioning from crawling to sitting and back again....we have had a few face plants as she got the hang of it. She has also pulled herself up a couple of times...but is still very wobbly on her feet, mainly because she tries to stand on one leg, or cross her legs. 

Playing with grandma Oregon 

Dancing with grandpa

We have had a couple of colds lately, but other than struggling to breathe at night she has been pretty happy during the day and continues to play hard as usual.