New Zealand ... First Few Days

Maddie and I had a tearful goodbye with Daddy at the airport and we were off on our way to New Zealand. Our first leg of the trip was a 5 hour flight to LA. I always said I would not be a mom that sits their child in front of a TV ... but I have learned the joy of the few minutes of peace TV can provide a mother. So ... Maddie set herself up with "Quack Quack Mou(se)" (Mickey Mouse Club) and watched that for most of the flight.

Flat Lamb needed to hear what was going on in the story.
We landed in LA and found Nana in baggage claim. All our bags arrived and we wandered over to Air New Zealand. We then realized we had 4 hours to wait ... awesome.

Maddie took over Nana's wheely bag and really enjoyed it.

Then Nan and Maddie sat down on the dirty ground and colored. Maddie then proceeded to roll all over the floor. Yuck.

A little ring around the rosie with the dolly.
Finally we got on our flight. Maddie was the queen and was pulled out of the large group to board first. We tagged along.

I changed her out of her airport-floor clothes and into her PJs in the hopes that it would get her in the sleeping mood. She sat down in her big seat on the top floor and belted her teddy in, too.
She did fall asleep ... for about 7 hours of the flight. Way to go Maddie!

She woke up and started having some fun. Nan turned on some music and Maddie said "Gaga music." (it was techno)

We arrived in Auckland at about 5:30, made it through customs, etc and found Christie waiting for us. We somehow managed to fit all our luggage and all of us in her Golf. I still have no idea how it happened.

We arrived at Momma's Nana's house (I had told Maddie on the flight we were going to see Momma's Nana and she kept talking about it all the way home ... it is what she calls her now). Maddie and Christie started right in on taking care of the babies ... I started right in on eating.

Maddie and Christie took their babies for a little morning walk.



After a nap, Maddie, Nana and I all went down to the park at Mount Eden. We used to go to this park almost every day when I was little. It has changed A LOT but was still a lot of fun (it is strange how the dangerous toys were the most fun, huh?!).





We came home and played with Momma's Nana at Maddie's special table. They colored on Maddie's special magic marker book.

After and early night, we woke up to another beautiful day. We got some bread together and went to feed the birds at the Domain (and big park in Auckland). When we were little, we used to go here to feed the birds and eat cream filled doughnuts. It is fun taking Maddie to do the things I used to do. (They did not, however, have doughnuts anymore. I was not pleased.)

Here are a few photos and a video of our time with the birds. Maddie had such a great time.

Maddie learned she could hold the bread and they would come right to her.
(gross Nana)

Maddie tried to pet the flying rats ... I mean pigeons, but they moved to fast.



Maddie, Momma's Nana and Nana went for a walk to find some geese.






(I will upload the movie later. Slow connection).