Easter in Dromana

Easter this year was spent down the beach in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. The camper trailer was again called into action. The park we stayed at was filled with families all around the same age as Eloise and Abbey. Eloise was in seventh heaven as there was a little girl on tHe site next to us and the park was traffic free enough that we felt quite comfortable letting her go off with her little friend. If we let her, she would only have come back to eat and sleep and even that might not be guaranteed.

Eloise with her new friend Lauren and Abbey trying to join in

Lots of playmates

Dromana is a great spot with a nice sandy beach that seemed to be quite sheltered, plenty of cafes and restaurants, wineries (although we did not attempt to visit these with two kids in tow).

And there was a wonderful garden called the Enchanted Maze. First stop was Arthurs Seat for a cofee and then we thought we would only spend half an hour at the Enchanted Maze but we ended up spending the whole day there. Lots to see and do, a truly impressive garden and the maze is just a very small part of it.
                        

Walking the plank at the Echanted Garden bush course

Tube slide at Enchanted Gardens

Mini hedges were just the right size for the girls

                       

The maze at the Enchanted Gardens got the better of us ...we wandered around for over half an hour trying to find our way out !

                          

Eloise was very excited to see"Grandma Willow" ... one of the characters out of Pocahantas

    

On Easter Sunday we had another egg hunt for Eloise and Abbey and then the Easter Bunny came to visit.  Before that all the kids were invited to take part in a coloring in competition with the Easter Bunny to judge the best one. This is off course right up Eloise's alley and she took to the task with her usual creativity and she was so proud when the Easter Bunny judged her work as the best in the 4 to 5 year old category! 

Eloise and her work in progress

Eloise's winning entry on the right

Abbey not to be outdone took part in the egg and spoon race and absolutely trounced the field in the 2 to 3 year old age group. Before the others had even worked out how to keep the egg on the spoon she was already halfway across the lawn ... it must have been the previous practice she had at egg and spoon races at her 2nd birthday party! Even the adults had a go, although none of us did as well as Abbey. Eloise refused to do the race (we think it might have something to do with her fear of not winning!).

Abbey off to a flying start

Dora the Explorer

Abbey loves nothing better than being out and about and seeking some adventure. A number of people have also commented that she looks like Dora the Explorer. Here's the little explorer in her favorite shorts and boots. The bruises on her legs are a testament to her action filled days.

It is very rare to have Abbey sitting still for longer than 2 minuntes. From the minute she is awake she is on the go. Never one to walk, she is always running(which is the cause of her most her bruises). A common phrase heard at home from Abbey is 'me first, me first' as she races her sisters to do one thing or another. At the age of two Abbey is now stringing two or three words together and her favorite question is 'what's this?'

Chocolate cake

It was Abbey's actual birthday and we caught up with Marina, Mindy and Jen and their kids for a picnic in Bundoora park. Thanks Marina for Abbey's cake .... As you can see she enjoyed it and did not seem to mind wearing it either!

Bubble bubble toil and trouble....

A routine and mundane trip to the bakery turned into a wet and soapy trip when Eloise found the fountain in the Eltham town square overflowing with soap suds. It looks like somebody had poured a bottle or two or three into the fountain and the result ...a child's dream bubble bath! What should have been a 10 min trip to the bakery turned into a hour's water play for Eloise (Abbey was too afraid to go near it saying 'its scary').

Happy 2nd Birthday Abbey !

Happy 2nd birthday Abbey !  You've gone from this ....

                                       to this, in just two years !  

We are so proud of you and love watching you develop your own little personality that can only be described as cheeky, strong willed and independent.  Your laugh is absolutely infectious and we love watching you do your favourite things ... singing, playing with your dolls, drawing, jumping and off course annoying your big sister !! 

To mark the occasion we had a bunny themed party with the extended family. There were plenty of party games such as the egg & spoon race and a bunny hop and off course the Easter egg hunt which was a hit with the older kids  so much so that we had to re-hide the eggs a number of times to allow the hunt to start again and again and again..... Abbey and Zoey though did not really see the point in looking for eggs once they already found one with Abbey only wanting to eat the ones that she had already found. There was also an egg and spoon race and a bunny hop race.

Kids in action during the Easter Egg hunt

                            

The start of the egg and spoon race

Getting ready for the bunny hop race

                             
There was plenty of food for afternoon tea followed by roast meats and various salads for dinner.  
                                                 
                                                 
                               
                               
We've stuck with our tradition of making our own cake and this time, it had to be a bunny cake off course.  Brett again showed how adept he was at cake decorating!