What? Xmas Already?

This was Xmas past in Hamilton with six grand mokopuna. They now have their own children and we are blessed with a total of eleven Great Grand Mokopuna. Xmas then was traditional and of course these mokos were showered with toys and otherwise spoilt by me. The oldest kotiro I recall was given a Doll. She pushed it away in disgust and went after her brother's  "boys" toys. There's no way of predicting how they will grow into adults but the oldest are over 30. I learnt not to maintain unrealistic expectations like; "the parents and grand parents are school teachers and they should be too, right?" Wrong. None of them are but vital personalities they all are. Add three more to this six. All went to the new Kohanga Reo and were taught Te Reo by their Kai Ako Koroua and Kuia. Us Grand Parents are proud of them all as they make their way in a changing world with confidence and bring up their own children.

This Great Grand Moko will be at Intermediate next year I believe. I can't recall where this Xmas was but I think, Taupo. She is the oldest of six children, the youngest are the twins below. This is a large whanau by today's standards. Even their Great Grand Dad had only four (one brother and two sisters) in his 1940s whanau. She and her brother and sisters attend a Kura kaupapa school. Who knows what their futures will be but one thought is true. The world for them will change again. 

These Mahanga have featured on this blog before Of the six children they have only one brother. They still look at me like they haven't seen me before but interaction is improving. They have started to walk and are at Kohanga Reo. Both parents work but they are lucky in that they have Grand Mother namesakes  for after Kohanga care. 

This Great Grand Moko is not even one year yet and he has gone around the world and been to more countries than all of his Great Grand Parents put together except possibly one. I don't know where this photo was taken; England I think. He's back in NZ now but he failed to come back to Taupo where he left from much to the sorrow of two of his Great Karanis. Still, he's not too far away and we will see him this Xmas. He better not Tipi Haere around the Globe before then.

Ae marika. Te waimarie o te Tangata. E hia Kirihimete kua hipa engari e ora tonu ana. Nga mihi kia koutou nga hoa kei runga i te Pukapuka Kanohi, kia koutou nga whanaunga, kia tatou katoa hoki. Meri Kirihi Mete me nga mihi mo te Tau Hou.

Atihana raua ko Hera.