Kounelaki

While we were in holiday in Greece, we learned a rabbity nursery rhyme. Appropriate, given your rabbity pre-birth identity.

It sounds very odd when you translate it into English:

Ah, little rabbit, little rabbit, wood that you will eat (an idiom meaning you're in trouble!)
In the neighbour's
Vegetable patch
Holes, why do you dig holes

Don't scrunch your nose
Don't bend your ears
Don't wink your eye
You're a picture

It sounds much better in Greek...

Holiday Mosts

You had a lot of new experiences in Greece.

Your most beautiful sunset.

The most food.

Hottest temperatures.

The most family.

Your biggest growth spurt.

Your funniest photo.

Holiday Firsts

We took you on holiday to Greece when you were just three and a half months old! It was fantastic fun, although it was very hot.

Your uncle David got married to aunt Justina on the beach. It wasn't the first wedding you've attended, but your trip to Greece was full of firsts.

Your first flight.

Your first time abroad.

Your first time meeting uncle David and aunt Justina.

Your first time meeting your Super-Papou.

Your first swim in the sea.

Your first stay in a hotel.

Your first taste of karpouzi.

Android App for Babies

There's an app for everything these days.

Your mum has an idea that when people die they get a rundown of all of their life statistics. Like how many pairs of shoes they ever bought, how many cumulative hours they spent on the loo, how many times they had sex, how much money they earned during their lifetime.

Well, she found an app that measures your life statistics, and she's been keeping it up to date religiously.

So here's your rundown for the last 11 weeks:

• You've slept for a total of 37 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes.
• That's an average of 11 hours 55 minutes per day, 7 hours and 52 minutes of which have been at night.
• Your longest sleep has been exactly 9 hours.

• You have breastfed 653 times.
• Which took you a cumulative total of 8 days, 12 hours and 10 minutes.
• That's an average of 18 minutes per session, or 2 hours 41 minutes per day.
• You've fed from the left breast 48.1% of the time.

• You've had your nappy changed 457 times.
• That's a modest average of 6 nappies per day.
• You've pooped an average of 1.1 times per day.

• You've had 46 baths. That's an average of 0.6 a day.

I wonder if your mum will still be keeping the stats when you're eighty.

Glam

Mother's Day and Father's Day

You were born on Mother's Day. You gave your mum a Mother's Day card, and she got another one from the hospital too.

When Father's Day came, you gave me a card and a present - Scrabble fridge magnets, which your mum and I have been using to set each other anagrams each day.

Thank you!

Ta Da!

Best friends

Bettie Lou was born six days before you. You two are like best buddies.

(Actually, in truth, we had to take about seven pictures before we got one where you weren't trying to roll away from each other.)

And that's our god-daughter (your god-sister?) Matilda. She's a little older than you and will probably give you lots and lots of good advice.

PooSPLOSION

Your record so far is not pooing for four days straight.

Then, when it comes, it's a psoonami.

Which is why it's helpful that you wear a nappy so big you look like a weeble.

Wall stickers

We got you wall stickers for your nursery.

We thought they were so really cool we got some for ourselves as well.

No doubt that by the time you're a teenager these will be so uncool.

Soundtrack to your birth

While your mum was in labour, we had our classical music collection playing on our Macbook in the maternity ward. It's about six hours' worth, so we heard the whole thing twice over while we were there.

You were born to the dulcet strains of Puccini's Madama Butterfly - Act 2: Un Bel Di Vedremo, performed by Renata Scotto and the Rome Opera Theater Orchestra with John Barbirolli conducting.

But you'll never guess what was playing just before that, when your mum was bearing down and your head finally crowned. It added to the drama somewhat.



Click the play button to find out. I hope it works... (If not try clicking here.)

Cornthwaite

Your Yaya gave your mum an unusual gift at her hen party before we got married. Two Build-a-Bears.

Thus, a couple of months later, Salvator and Cornthwaite were born, named after our great-grandparents (your great-great grandparents!).

We made the bears for our children-to-be, and we gave them a heart of gold. Literally. Each one contains an Edward VII sovereign.

They have very different characters. Salvator is adventurous, takes risks, and loves to travel. Cornthwaite is sleepy and smiley and likes to stay at home.

Cornthwaite is your bear. Salvator is still his own bear, but he's looking forward to meeting his soulmate one day soon.

Penny's from heaven

Pretty Penny. Why did we call you Penelope?

• Penelope, wife of Odysseus, known for being faithful, beautiful, creative, clever. (Or at least wily.)
• Penny Lane, character from one of my favourite films. And, of course, a great Beatles song.
• Not in the top 200 most popular girls' names, so hopefully you'll be the only one.

Why didn't we call you Penny?

• Penélope Cruz
• Penelope Keith
• Ravenclaw prefect Penelope Clearwater from Harry Potter
• Lady Penelope from Thunderbirds
• Penelope Pitstop from Wacky Races

(OK, maybe Penelope Pitstop had a smidgeon to do with it...)

Your first swim

We took you for your first swim in the teaching pool at Tooting Leisure Centre. You did some good floating and kicking (with a little help from mum), and you even went all the way underwater.

She's very advanced

We have a catchphrase we use with you...

..."She's very advanced!"

Every parent believes that their child is very advanced. But you... you really are! :)