Halloween

This was a busy weekend with all the different Halloween festivities.  First, I must thank Jane, my most amazing friend, for the most incredible costume for Jamie.  Jane is super talented and super creative and I am so grateful that she shares her gifts with my children.  Jamie was introduced to Toy Story recently and really likes Woody, so Jane agreed to make Jamie a Woody costume.

This arrived in the mail on Wednesday...

Complete with Pull String!

I couldn't have ever imagined, let alone created, such an amazing costume.  Hence, the other two children in store bought costumes.

Gavin - The Pea Pod

Braden - Top Banana

We debuted our costumes at Super Saturday at the YMCA.  They had games, crafts, music, and food.

Gavin and Braden napping

Playing Games

We found Buzz!

After naptime, it was off to the next event.  The Haunted House and Halloween Party at the Community Liaison office.

Jamie and Mommy enjoying a krinski (cheese filled sausage)

Jamie in the Bounce House

Mommy and Braden

Daddy and Gavin

Fishing for ducks

Jamie thought it would be more fun to dunk for the ducks, than to use the little claw.  He spent the rest of the evening soaked to the skin.

WARNING - SNAKE IN NEXT PICTURE!!!!

Jamie waited so patiently for so long to be able to hold Lexi the Python.  As soon as Rex, the Reptile Guy, put her on his shoulders he FROZE.  He could barely tell me that he was done.  However, as soon as she was lifted off his shoulders, he was ready to put her back.  We had to let other kids have a turn, so we went to hold a (tame) Bearded Dragon.  I had to explain that Conchita was used to being held, while Puff (from our backyard) was not.

After the Reptile Guy, Jamie participated in the Costume Parade.  I really think he should've won, he was by far the cutest!!!  But, I guess I'm a little biased.



Finally, Halloween Night arrived.  Apparently, our neighborhood is one of THE places to trick or treat in Alice Springs.  There were HUNDREDS of kids, cars lined up to come into the neighborhood.  Jamie, Braden, Gavin and I went to visit a few of our neighbors, while Ian handed out candy.  What was most notable, though, was the weather.  It was downright chilly - in the 50s!!!  It felt perfect to me, but most of the locals were unprepared for it to be that cold.

We are all exhausted and look forward to the regular week, so we can get some rest from our busy weekend. 

Playtime!

One of the things we like most about Alice Springs is the large variety of places to play.  I'm not sure how much we'll be able to get out and play once the temperature starts to rise when summer really hits.  In the meantime, we are enjoying our time here.  It'll be really fun once Braden and Gavin can really get out and move, too.

Every Wednesday night we go to the Gillen Club.  It's a family-oriented, dinner/social club.  They have a great playground with a huge bounce pillow in the back.  Jamie walks thru the doors, takes his shoes off and runs off to play without so much as a backward glance.



We also love go to Araluen to play.  We've met so many playmates there. 

Then there is the playground at the Old Ghan...

You may be wondering about Braden and Gavin at this point.  This is usually where you'll find us - tucked in the shade somewhere...



We also like to just walk around and explore... This is the Todd River (without water).

In the background of many of our pictures you can see the MacDonnell Range.  There are many beautiful spots along the Range called gaps.  We live near the Heavitree Gap (this is where we feed the Wallabies), but we took a short drive to some other nearby gaps.  We spent a wonderful afternoon at Jessie Gap, it would've been perfect for the picnic without all the flies. 

Our Boys

Jamie's new bed!!!

While we have been on our adventure, regular life has continued.  These past couple of weeks have seen some big leaps for the McCain boys.  Jamie has made the successful transition to his big boy bed.  He is so excited to be sleeping with fire trucks and dump trucks.  With all the other changes happening in his life, we delayed trying the move until we were settled into our permanent new home.  As with so many other things, Jamie continues to amaze.  He had to be walked back to his bed only one time during the very first sleep in the bed, which happened to be a nap.  In fact, he still calls to me in the morning to ask if he can get out of bed.  Of course, there is nothing to stop him from getting out on his own.  But, I'm not going to remind him of that fact, just yet.

So, for about 10 days now, Jamie has been sleeping peacefully in his big boy bed.  Then, today, we tried another big change.  I took Jamie to his first away from home day care.  He goes to a home day care with an older woman named, Ineke.  She has only 5 kids, including Jamie, and two of them are 2.5 year old boys.  So, they made quite the trio today.  I only kept him there for half the day, but he had a great time playing with the boys.

Jamie and Braden

While Jamie was at Ineke's, I took the boys for their 4 month checkup.  Here are the stats.

Braden:  Length 25.5" (58%)   Weight 14lb 3oz (24%)  Head Circumference 16.5" (29%)

Gavin: Length 24.75" (29%) Weight 12lb 11oz (5%) Head Circumference 16" (7%)

Now, those percentiles are based on full-term gestation.  When we plot them on the charts for babies born prematurely, they are both off the charts for length.  Braden jumps to 75th percentile for weight and Gavin jumps to the 50th.  In other words, they are both growing and developing as we would want and expect them to.  Both smile, coo, giggle, bat at toys and most importantly, sleep.  Gavin for the last couple of weeks has been sleeping about 10 hours at night.  Braden gets up just once during the night, so we are getting lots more sleep these days.

Blog v. Facebook

When I first announced that I was going to do this blog, I was asked to write a post as to why a Blog vice keeping it all on Facebook.  The simplest answer is most of Ian's and my family members are not on Facebook.  We found ourselves writing updates on Facebook, sending emails to family members, posting pictures on our online album.  Frankly, we simply didn't have the time to maintain all those different methods of communication.  Our former nanny, Michelle, (who we miss dearly!!!!) asked one day in an email if I was going to do a blog.  And, that night McCainiaks Down Under was born. 

Of course, if I'm going to be completely honest, I have to add that I like to talk and tell stories too much.  Facebook doesn't really give me the outlet to ramble on as much as I am wont to do.  And, I don't have time (and am sure you all don't want the constant emails) to update everyone individually. 

One more confession.  I need comments!!! Please let me know once in a while that you've stopped by and read a little about our adventure.  If you really want to make my day, you can become a Follower, but that might be overkill.  :)  I'd love to have the comments and everything here on the blog, so I can have the full trail of the story that is Alice Springs. 

On a completely unrelated note, I'd like to give a shout-out to a blog that I read and enjoy.  Glennon is an amazing writer and extremely thought-provoking.  I don't always agree with everything that she says, but she is always respectful and inclusive.  I am proud to be a Monkee and am grateful for the support that this amazing group gave me as I struggled with bedrest and babies in a NICU.  Last week, she wrote an essay about bullying.  I think I need to follow her example and write letters to my children.  This essay is probably the one that has moved me most out of all of them that I have read in the past year.  And, that includes the one she wrote just for me.

On a lighter note, today (October 21) is Braden and Gavin's 4-month birthday.  I truly cannot believe that 120 days have passed and all that has transpired in such a short period of time.  I'm including a few of the pictures I took of them today.  Jamie had such a ball helping pose the babies and making sure they had their signs.  Look for Puff in the background.  Remember the Bearded Dragon, I mentioned in the past?  Well, apparently he has followed us to our new digs.  I've nicknamed him Puff, because, well, he is a dragon and he puffs out his neck.  :)

Gavin

Puff keeping an eye on us

Braden



Puff and Jamie



Gavin and Braden





Jamie as set director



Alice Springs Masters Games

So, every other year Alice Springs hosts The Masters Games. Alice Springs Masters Games Its kind of like Olympics for old fogeys.  Just kidding, anyone over 30 can participate and there are many many sports and competitions. 

Just a few of the sports

Old Balls Rule

Ian was invitied to join a team of Americans to play Men's Volleyball.  So, even though he hadn't played in quite some time, he strapped on the braces and spent the week playing.



The parade

   The festivities started with a parade on Friday thru the Todd Mall.


Braden and Gavin at the parade

 













There were definitely some real characters... 

Can you guess their team name?

 
  I dropped the babies off with some friends and Jamie and I got to watch Daddy play a few games. 
The results of the first matches called out one Ian McCain.  :)  You rock, baby! 

Old Balls Rule Sets: 2 D NT Heat Sets: 1

SET SCORES:

1st set 25 : 12

2nd set 25: 19

3rd set 27: 29

BEST PLAYERS:

1. Ian McCain – Old Balls Rule

Game Notes:

A good start to the tournament for these 2 teams, playing their first game. A great comeback by NT Heat to pick up the 3rd set of the game.

DIVISION: Men’s

We weren't there for the finals, but...the Bronze goes to... Old Balls Rule!!!  We are so proud.  I just won't tell you how many teams were in their division.  ;)