the first Halloween...

This year, it was my fourth Halloween in Albuquerque and the first for Paloma and my Mum and Dad. Australians don't really celebrate Halloween, although trick-or-treating is apparently gaining popularity amongst Australian kids.

Mum and Dad seemed to enjoy Halloween. We gave out candy to the kids who came and knocked on the door. Once again, we didn't have as many trick-or-treaters as we had catered for, so we had to encourage the kids to take big handfuls of candy so that we wouldn't be left with too much the next day. Even so, we did have quite a big bowlful left over - but the sugar hit was most appreciated by those of us who were a little sleep-deprived and old enough to eat treats.

Mum carved a pretty darn good looking jack o' lantern. Those big eyes make it look scary, hey?


Even though Paloma was only a few days old, we dressed her up and tried to get into the spirit of things (ha ha ha). We didn't really have a costume, but we did have a bright orange jumpsuit and a pumpkin-ish hat, so that seemed good enough for this year. No trick-or-treating for Paloma, but someone did give her a lolly that she seemed to want to hang onto. I think Grandma grabbed it off her later (she was rather fond of those taffy lollies).


Here's Grandma, after she has stolen the taffy from her grand-daughter (she does look rather pleased with herself):


Paloma didn't seem to mind the Great Taffy Theft - she was just as happy to snooze and suck on her fingers.

On All Hallows Day, two silly jack o' lanterns were found in our front yard. Time to go smash some pumpkins? (Actually, we're going to feed them to the chickens.)

Paloma Lois Brandenburg

Bugalugs is here! After months of speculating and wondering whether it will be a boy or a girl, we now know.

Paloma Lois Brandenburg arrived on Sunday 25th of October at 10.35am. She weighed a healthy 7lbs 13oz and measured 21.25 inches. Apparently there was plenty of baby crammed into my little bump! I can now play with the feet that used to be jammed into the bottom of my rib cage.
We think that she's pretty darn cute. Howard keeps looking at her and then looking at me and saying, "She's so cuuuute!", even when she is crying. Semilla is adapting to being a big sister and is getting used to not being the center of attention all of the time.


Howard is really enjoying being a dad - he has been in charge of most of the diaper changes, particularly the late-night ones. Here he is, warming up Paloma in front of the fire after a bath.

And we have had lots of visitors! Aussie Grandma and Grandpa flew in the afternoon before Paloma arrived, so they had a chance to see me pregnant (for one night) and they were at the hospital as quick as they could hail a taxi the next day.


George came to visit too...
... and Auntie Cathy learnt all about the Australian definition of 'nursing' (holding the baby, rather than feeding).

Grandma Claire came from the Northern lands to visit the little baby Paloma.....


and a little plum tree was placed in the ground with the help of the Burdetts. In the foreground is the container that had the placenta which was placed under the plum tree to provide lots of nutrients to the new tree. WELCOME TO THE WORLD LITTLE BABY PALOMA!!