London Sea Life

I mentioned in an earlier post that your mum was going to take you to the London Aquarium. As it turns out, you didn't go that week, but you did get to go eventually!

Statistics

Number of days old you are: 385

Your weight: 9.30 kilograms

Your height: 68 centimetres (very short for your age!)

Your head circumference: 44 centimetres

Number of teeth: 6

Number of Penny blog posts before going from once every two days to once a week: 153

Easter

For about five years now we've had a tradition of going walking for Easter with a large group of friends.

We started with Snowdon in 2007, then Peak District, Brecon Beacons, and Dartmoor (about 32 of us gathered for that one!).

In 2011, our group of friends went to Cornwall, but you were busy being born so we missed that one.

This year we went to the Cotswolds.

Actually, we ended up walking in the Forest of Dean and Eastnor Castle so we didn't really visit the Cotswolds at all...

We played boardgames and Werewolf...

...And Ninja!

Until we were all exhausted.

First Words

Technically, you said your first word several months ago, and the word was "gay". But that doesn't really count - it was more of a gurgle than a word.

But recently you've been trying to talk more purposefully, and over the Easter weekend you said your first official words.

We were in a beer garden on the way to the Cotswolds, and we'd given you a chip to nibble on. You very deliberately picked up the chip, looked at us, held the chip out to one side, dropped it on the grass, and said:

"Oh dear."

As Ryan put it, you've learned irony before you've learned to talk.

As well as being wry, you also enjoy singing the first three words of "Row Row Row Your Boat", and you've got Mama, Dada and Yaya pretty well pinned (even if you do treat them fairly interchangeably).

King of the Swingers baby yeah

Your first time on a swing!



I was pushing you ever so gently at first, but you were holding on tight and really enjoying yourself!

It was at the playground on Goose Green in East Dulwich just after we made your Yaya's birthday present at All Fired Up.

Intrepid sleeping

You were so tired the other day you fell asleep with your head leaning against the table leg!

Unfortunately, I woke you up by taking the picture...

Jane's dedication

Dear Jane Buffham welcomed you to the world by giving you a precious early edition of Peter Pan. Her dedication made me cry with joy. Here it is in full.

For Penny Fish, March 2012

Adventures happen anytime and anywhere you happen to be. Anyone can have them if only they believe they can. 

Over a hundred years ago, the first books about the first adventures of a boy who never grew up began to appear in the world. This is one of them. 

It is a very old book, and therefore a tenacious book, which naturally makes it a wise book. It is not, however, a grown-up book. Grown-up books are all very well if you want to know how many miles stretch to the moon and back, or the correct way to spell onomatopoeia. They really are very instructive about changing the oil in an old Ford Fiesta or naming all the kings and queens of England since 1066 but, by and large, grown-up book are far too serious to concern themselves with adventuring of any kind. This is why most people by the age of ten start to begin to forget to believe. 

Get bigger Penny, and get taller. Get older, if you must, and one day, when you are as old as this book is now you'll be just as tenacious and wise, providing, of course, that you never grow up. 

Jane Buffham

Even typing it out now brings a tear to my eye.

First birthday presents

A couple of pictures of you opening cards and presents you received for your first birthday.

Happy first birthday!

You're one!

But you know, in China a newborn baby is said to be one, so by that system you're already two... :)

You and your mum are going to the London Aquarium on Thursday. So, best birthday fishes!

No pictures of that yet, so instead here's a couple of pictures of you at your friend Bettie's first birthday party two days ago.

Kiwi

You're supposed to peel it!

Ah well, never mind. I guess you're exercising your new (fifth) tooth.