Happy New Year

Burping with Daddy...

Relaxing in my swing seat...

Cuddles with Daddy...

Me & my cot friends...

My new found friend during tummy time...

Yep, as you can tell it's been another hard few days of being a baby... Hope you enjoy my latest pictures.

Love Oliver

Merry Christmas

Mummy, help me!.....
Me being checked out by my 3 midwives

Well, I’ve just been on my first big adventure and we’re now back home in Hanoi. I do miss the friendly atmosphere at the A’s in NZ and especially the twins but I’m excited to be home.

We flew back on Monday, via Singapore where we stayed the night at the airport hotel, so I am now an international traveler and have already been to three countries (though Mummy and Daddy say Singapore doesn't count as we never left the airport). The flights were good, and though I had heard that your ears can get sore during landing, I had no problems at all... ...though I was a bit preoccupied; on the first leg of our journey we landed during my dinner time, so of course I was concentrating on drinking milk - don't want to spill any after all! On the second flight I was asleep when we landed, so I missed that one as well!! Mummy and Daddy received many compliments about how well behaved I am, which was great, but what do people expect???? I even helped Mummy & Daddy jump the customs queue at Hanoi airport. They were a bit slow getting off the plane and were at the back of the queue but a nice customs man saw me and said we could go to the front of the line. I reckon we would still be there if it wasn’t for me!

I like my new home, though it is nice to be sharing a room with Mummy and Daddy for the moment as my new bed is quite big and has taken a bit of getting used to! I have lots of friends to keep me company though.

Hanoi is quite cold so I am very grateful that I have my nice warm sleeping bag that grandma knitted for me for when we go out in my buggy. I have been very sociable and have been getting out lots. I do find the traffic a bit scary but Daddy is very good at guiding me between all the scooters and other obstacles that are in my way.

Last night Mummy and Daddy took me to a Christmas carol service. I really enjoyed the music, but couldn't help getting a bit fidgety during the 'talky' bits. I met some of Mummy and Daddy’s friends here, which was nice. Today is my first Christmas and it was all very exciting. I awoke to find Mummy and Daddy with a whole lot of presents that people had given me. Auntie Sue, Uncle Barny & Jasper had brought me a rugby jersey and a soft toy for me to play with. Pops and Grandma had also brought me a paddling pool although it might be a few months til I use it, as it’s a bit chilly at the moment. Mummy and Daddy were very nice and opened my presents on my behalf, as my arms still aren’t doing as they’re told. I reckon I will have it sussed by next Christmas though! This afternoon, I went round to Uncle Dennis and Auntie Christina’s place to celebrate Christmas. Lots of people wanted to say hello to me and I got a bit tired so I went off to a room and had a nice snooze while Mummy & Daddy had fun. I think I’ll be seeing lots of these people in the future as they did seem very friendly.

Well I better stop typing here, as I hear a rumor that it’s bath time.
Love Oliver.

Me chilling out on Mummy's lap after a feed
Me with the Liddell Clan (I'm the cute one in the middle if you can't pick me)

Me talking to Uncle Peter

Well, its been another busy few days. I have had various appointments with my paediatrician and also had to go back to Starship Childrens hospital to have an MCU test done. This was definitely not a nice experience but Mummy and Daddy stayed wth me the whole time and encouraged me to be a brave boy. Mummy said she thought I was braver than she was!!! The test showed that I have Vesicoureteral Reflux and I'll need to be looked after when I go back to Hanoi. The doctors are confident though that things will get better as I grow up to be a big boy so I'm focusing on having as much of Mummy's yummy milk as possible. I've put on another 200g in the last week and my apetite has increased over the past few days so I'm well on the way!

Saturday was a very exciting day for me as Grandma and Pops came up to see me again. To celebrate we went out for my first dinner at a restaurant. Apparently this was our family Christmas dinner, but I'd had lots of milk before we left so as no-one told me it was an important family event, I managed to sleep through the entire dinner. No-one seemed to mind my lack of participation though.

Sunday was a big day for me, as I was being dedicated to God by Uncle Peter who had married my Mummy & Daddy. There were lots of people who came round to see me and I did feel a little embarassed at all the attention. I even tried to tell Uncle Peter this but I don't think he understood. Maybe I didn't say it loud enough! It was very nice to be prayed for and also to know that people here will be praying for Daddy, Mummy and I over the next few years. Everyone commented on that I am such a cute baby - i take it that is 'grown-up speak' for handsome young man!!

Last week I received my passport, and today Daddy told me that I now have a visa for Vietnam, so we are all ready to go back to Hanoi. This will be my first flight outside Mummy's tummy but as I became a seasoned traveller before i was born i'm not to worried about it - after all Mummy and Daddy will be coming with me. Aparently they are finding it a bit difficult trying to work out how many nappies I will use during the trip.... surely thats easy... LOTS! Before we go I have to have a BCG jab which I am really not looking forward to - if they need somewhere to stick a needle, why not just get a pin-cushion??

Tomorrow my mid-wife, Lee, is coming to see me. This should be fun as she is really nice and always complements me on how well I am doing and how I have grown. She will also weigh me which will be good as I will be able to see if I am really having the growth spurt I am supposed to be having at the moment.

I am going to be a month old on Friday. Quite an event as I have never been a month before - wonder if it feels different to weeks?

I had better stop writing as it is time for my bath and after that mummy has promised me more milk and I don't want to miss out on that! Bye for now.

My passport photo

Grandma, Pops and I

Me being weighed at 1 week old

Chilling out with mummy after a meal

My 'One Eyed Pirate' look

Goodness me its been a busy time since we left Birthcare... As well as having to make sure that I fit in all my meals (and I DO like meals so have about 7-8 per day) and sleeps, and cuddles with Mummy and Daddy, I have also had several 'first' experiences, social engagements and lots of visitors to see...

On Wednesday last week I had to go to Starship (the childrens hospital in Auckland) for a scan of my kidneys as they were enlarged in my pre-birth scans. Mummy and I got a bit lost in the hospital as things had been moved but the signage not changed but a nice man in a white coat showed us where to go. The lady who did my scan was very impressed at how well behaved I was (not sure why, as Mummy and Daddy are teaching me good manners), but Mummy got a bit teary - thought about suggesting that she toughen up, but its kind of nice to know she loves me so much... and it may have made her more teary!! I have to carry on taking my antibiotics for a while and see a paediatrician at the end of this week, but other than that I feel fine.

Sometime at the end of last week I went on my first shopping trip. I have to say, shopping does not seem vey exciting so I used the time to good purpose and caught up on some sleep. On friday my midwife, Lee, came to see me. She checked me and Mummy out and said we were doing well. Lee weighed me and was pleased to see that I was back to my birth weight - apparently it takes most babies 2 weeks to achieve that - maybe their mummy's milk isn't as yummy as my Mummy's...

On Saturday I went to my first birthday party as the twin girls I live with (Necia and Charis) had just turned one. The girls are great and seem to really like me - they are always coming to watch me eating and offering to help with my nappy changes - very good of them, though Mummy and Daddy generally have things under control apart from when I raise the stakes and wee as they are in the process of removing my nappy... The other day we went through 6 singlets - oops. The party was good though there were a lot of people here and I got a bit confused about who was who... ...I have to admit that after a while I fell asleep, but no-one seemed to mind.

Since my last blog I have had visits from Aunty Jo, Aunty Steph (she must really like me as I have now seen her a few times) Aunty Naomi and Aunty Merinda and Uncle Jeremy. I got a bit over-excited when Aunt Merinda gave me a cuddle and pee'd on her - luckily she didn't seem to mind. I did feel very embarassed though as I don't want her and Uncle Jeremy to think I am badly brought up! I have also been sent lots of presents and flowers - its very kind of everyone to make me feel so special. Grandma and Pops (Daddy's parents) came to see me on Sunday and Monday which was cool as Grandma took me for a walk in my buggy and had brought me lots of bibs and a couple of sleeping bags. I'm going to look so smart when I wear them!!

Yesterday Mummy, Daddy and I went to visit Aunty Steph. Mummy, Aunty Steph and I had afternoon tea whilst Daddy worked on removing a tree stump from their garden. It was a bit of a shame as my friend Hannah was asleep when we arrived and slept almost until we left, but it was good to catch up with her briefly. Mummy was a bit worried about giving me my first feed away from home, but I'm not sure why - I behaved perfectly! I sometimes think Mummy is not as confident as I am about my feeds so to re-assure her I have been having a few longer feeds in the last couple of days - my record is 1.5 hours!! Daddy thinks I may be going through a growth-spurt!

Two other major events have happened this week - I recieved my birth certificate (which I think means that I now officially exist according to the NZ government) and we applied for my passport so that we can go back to Vietnam towards the end of the month. I think I look very smart in my passport photo!

This evening I have had a bath - Mummy started calling me her 'little grub' and I don't want that name to stick! Have been a bit unsure about the whole bath thing to date, but quite enjoyed it tonight - its really nice to have both Mummy and Daddy focussing 100% on me and the warm water is quite nice.

I must go as its time for late dinner soon and I have to get Mummy organised.

Me with Mummy & Daddy (I'm 3 days old)

My Female Fan Club

The Godfather...

My First Bath

Daddy Relaxing with Me (I'm 2 days old)

Me Snuggling up to Mummy (I'm 30mins old)

Me - Oliver Peter Erik Liddell

Hello everybody and welcome to my blog. After a bit of a slow start, I made my appearance into the world on Friday 21 November at 12:32pm. The first person I saw was Daddy who was waiting to catch me. Mummy and Auntie Sue reckoned that Daddy would've fainted by the time I arrived but I was glad to see that he managed to hang in there.

After Daddy had expertly caught me, I asked Daddy politely if I could go and say hello to Mummy, as I had grown rather close to Mummy over the last few months. I was very pleased that I got to snuggle with Mummy on her chest for a couple of hours. Daddy says that I must take after Mummy because I do like my cuddles.

I had my very first visitor later on Friday. He looked very tall from my perspective and I was a little scared to begin with. However, Mummy & Daddy had a special name for him - the Godfather - so I figured that he couldn't be too bad. He even gave me a cuddle...

Lee (my midwife) was very happy with me so after a few hours, I got to go on my first car ride. I was a little grumpy about it initially but I did enjoy it when Daddy started driving.

Mummy and Daddy must be part of a big family because Uncle Mark & Auntie Mandy were waiting to see me at my new digs. I even received my first rugby ball. I didn't quite know what to do with it, as I was only 6 hours old but Daddy did promise to fill me in.

After 9 months of having my food delivered, I did find it a bit difficult to feed initially but Mummy is a very good coach and I now reckon I have it sussed. Saturday was very busy as I had lots of visitors - Uncle Andy & Auntie Jo, Uncle Dave & Auntie Cherrie-Anne, Uncle Euan & Auntie Amy, Uncle Murray & Auntie Steph. I do feel very privledged to have so many visitors.

Sunday was a day of firsts as I had my first bath, I watched my first All Blacks game as well as watching the kiwis demolish the kangeroos. Go the kiwis I say!

I've now made it back to my temporary accomodation at the A's before Mummy & Daddy take me on a big adventure back to Vietnam. There are a couple of little girls there who seem quite interested in me, which is not surprising seeing how handsome I am (according to Mummy's opinion and we all know that Mummy is always right).

For those of you who are concerned, Mummy & Daddy are coping well with my recent arrival although I do look after them by being so chilled. I think they find it great that I only wake up once in the night wanting something to eat. I would sleep through the night but my tummy's only little and there's only so much of Mummy's delicious milk that I can store in there. I think Daddy is especially pleased with me because I time my worst poos for when he is out of the house getting supplies.

Well I must go as I hear it's dinner time and I'm not allowed to be late for dinner...