Bula!

We’re home safe and sound (and rested!) from our fabulous Fiji holiday in the tropical sun, thawing out our chilly bones from the Gippsland Winter and happily celebrating the wonderful woman that is our beautiful Mother and Grandi. Nine adults, five kids, one baby blossom, eight days on an island full of palm trees, coral beaches and pina coladas. Excuse the mass photo dump about to happen here, but I seem to have a problem with culling…

We stayed on Treasure Island, about a 40 minute boat road from Denarau, near Nadi (where we flew into/out of). Eleanor was an absolute dream baby through the airports, on the plane and transferring boats to eventually the island. She blessed us with falling asleep as soon as we took off and waking up just as we were landing. The whole holiday was spent being entertained constantly by her doting big cousins – so much to see, do, learn! I’m certain her mind has absolutely exploded with new sensory overload in the past week. And it wasn’t just me questioning what was in that warm tropical air – Blossom put on nearly a kilo while we were in Fiji!

Our days were mostly spent by the pool or at the beach, keeping out of the sun and cool with swims in the warm salty sea, snorkeling amongst the amazing reef life and general frivolity with Eleanor’s cousins who range in age from 3, 6, 6, 7 and 12. Matt went out on a boat fishing one morning, returning with a Spanish mackerel for lunch! Was absolutely delicious. He also took a kayak with my sister Louise out to the sand bar, snorkeling as they went, and circumnavigated the island on the kayak with a few nieces aboard. Most of all I loved watching my husbo being the amazing uncle (and Daddy!) he is to all these squealing munchkins. One more and we’ll have a netball team! Eleanor has been duly dubbed ‘the wing defence’. Hilarious.

The kids, of course, had an amazing time. Naturally there were tears and general overtiredness, the excitement of it all was a bit much at times, but we definitely fell into ‘island time’ Fiji rhythm by the end of the week! The Fijian staff loved Eleanor, she was well looked after and spoilt rotten for attention, now at home she is so understimulated! Oh what a problem to have. I was about six when we holidayed in Fiji, I hope the girls remember this time spent all together as a family. Mostly though I hope my mum adored her time with all her offspring, and all their offspring, spending time together, just as she wished for her 60th birthday. She is quite simply the bees knees, if I can be half the mother that she is I will be doing a fine job I think.

Happy birthday Grandi! We love you to the moon and back, and feel so grateful and blessed that our Eleanor and her five (girl!) cousins have such an amazing woman to call their grandmother. What a matriarch! What a holiday! Vinaka!