Back to Brisbane…..
Lucy had been getting more than her share of ear infections so we took a trip to Brisbane to meet with an ENT about putting tubes in her ears…..or grommets as they say on this side of the world. What we found out was that it was part of a much bigger problem….ie, her tonsils and adenoids. We decided not to rush it but go back to Fiji and watch her for the next few months.
In the meantime….when in Brisbane….
First stop was the Lone Tree Koala Sanctuary…the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary with over 130 koalas….and is located in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket. Yup. There is a city called Fig Tree Pocket.
Turns out that koala’s are kind of boring……but, not kangaroos!
We thought it would be fun if the kids got stuffed animals to remember their time with the koala’s and kangaroos……but, Will wanted a dog and Lucy wanted an owl. Sometimes as an adult, ya gotta just let go….and by the way, don’t both kids kind of look like the Tasmanian Devil?
So, we then proceeded to taunt the real version of Lucy’s owl……and he or she was pissed.
Cuties.
Next up was New Farm park and the playgrounds of all playgrounds. Nestled in and around the banyan trees, the playground in New Farm park was clean, safe (which made it different than the playgrounds in Suva) and magical….
Post playground Juice….boy, I do miss Will’s long curly locks….
Next stop: Sunshine Coast. About an hour and a half north of Brisbane lies the Sunshine Coast. We rolled the dice on a town called Noosa which turned out to be everything we were looking for….
A beach that went as far as you could see and was wide and super gradual with nice little waves for the kids to play in.
We hadn’t packed for the beach so off the clothes went…..and Abby and I had one of the more peaceful 2 hours of our lives watching the kids run back and forth and back and forth and around and around…..
As we sat there watching our kids have the time of their lives, we daydreamed about coming back for more……
Lobsta’s in Fiji..
At a night out with friends, we noticed some massive lobsters being displayed and so Abby bought a few….
….and we plotted for Lobster night with Sune and Nicole.
No Cape Cod chips for a proper Maine inspired lobsta fest, but we found a big pot and did it up.
…and there may or may not have been some after dinner dancing to George Michael as we talked and played music into the night….
Lucy’s 5th Birthday.
We embarrassingly blew out Will’s 1st birthday party in Denver and decided it was time to go way overboard with Lucy for her 5th.
Things started slow and magical with her birthday celebration Waldorf style….
Lora telling her Birthday story….
Speech!
Lora’s speech was so beautiful, there was a young princess and some clouds and……and I found myself just listening to Lora’s sweet voice and not really listening to the story so I am guessing there is some importance to Lucy blowing out this candle….:)
Happy Birthday Lucy!
So, Abby introduced the character Francis the octopus during one of the night time stories and he became a hit…..every night was Francis this and Francis that….so, of course, Lucy wanted a Francis birthday cake….and I was up for the challenge.
Wala…and yes, those cupcakes are Francis’ tentacle extensions.
We hired someone to organize activities for all the kids, we had Lucy’s entire school including the teachers…..and Lucy glowed!
A sign of a party in Fiji:
Dance Party upstairs…
Looks completely over the top and all about the parents, but everyone had a blast…..hip hip horaay for the birthday girl!
We had 5 cakes and 40 + cupcakes….and it was gone in seconds. It was an amazing display of eating….
Lucy absolutely adores her Waldorf family….Shirlyn, Sai, Lora, Aunty Mere and Malisha….
About an hour after everyone left, she was still either super excited about her party or still riding the sugar high of sugar highs!
Next up? The adults birthdays!
Love and miss you all,
William, Abby, Lucy and Clancey