Penny for our thoughts

Penny Fish

2012-02-17T18:34:00.000Z

We went to Monterey Bay Aquarium (the best aquarium in the world?).

You enjoyed touching the animals...

...and the kelp.

The amazing deep sea tank held your attention for a while...

...but, to be honest, most of the time you were looking at the people rather than the fishes.

Boe-dean

2012-02-15T06:27:00.000Z

We went to Boudin's famous bakery ...

... where they make bread shaped like animals...

...Then we took the cable car...

...To watch the Chinese New Year celebrations!

See Food

2012-02-13T22:17:00.000Z

You ate with us in a posh restaurant in Ghirardelli Square called McCormick & Kuleto's.

Your table manners were impeccable.

But the food was a little sharp for you.

Feet

2012-02-11T22:35:00.000Z

Your feet are much smaller than Daddy's feet...

...taken on the beach by the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

More pics on Mummy's blog.

Tree high

2012-02-09T19:27:00.000Z

We took a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge...

...stopped off at Stinson Beach...

...on the way to Muir Woods...

...with its incredibly huge trees, taller than skyscrapers...

...and older than history.

They seem to produce strange fruit indeed.

Blocks

2012-02-07T07:07:00.000Z

Last time we went to visit your Yaya in Brighton, we dug out from the attic my old toy blocks.

We brought them home with us and they're your new favourite toy.

Funny to think that I was playing with those same blocks 30 years ago.

Golden Gate Park

2012-02-05T19:12:00.000Z

Twoth

2012-02-03T19:14:00.000Z

Your second tooth has come through!

We don't have a picture of it, so instead here's a picture of you and your mum dancing to Death Cab for Cutie.

Your first New Year!

2012-02-01T06:57:00.000Z

OK, it's a little late. But I thought I'd tell you where you spent your first New Year's Eve.

We went to Alex's house for a lovely meal, board games, and Rayman's Raving Rabbids on the Wii.

Given your rabbity pre-birth identity, and your proclivity for loud scrarking, you have occasionally been compared to a raving rabbid.

Hand dryer phobia

2012-01-30T22:42:00.000Z

You are usually a remarkably chilled out baby. Nothing seems to faze you - not sirens, nor dogs barking, nor your daddy face-hugging you like the creature in Alien.

But there's one thing that terrifies the life out of you.

As soon as you hear it you'll burst out in tears, your eyes wide with horror. No amount of reassurance can calm you down until it stops.

I hope you can overcome your phobia, or you'll spend a lot of your life with slightly damp hands.

Alcatraz

2012-01-28T06:38:00.000Z

On the day you were born, the law changed in the UK to allow parents to share maternity leave. So, after 10 months of maternity leave, your mum is now handing you over to me.

But I'm not your sole full-time carer just yet, because she's used all the annual leave she accrued from last year so we can have a month off together.

We've home-swapped with a lovely San Franciscan lady, so for the next few weeks we're living in her apartment in Golden Gate Heights, and she's living in Brixton.

Today, we played tourist and visited Alcatraz.

It was a sunny day.

There were great views of the city.

But you didn't eat your lunch, so we had to discipline you.

Your mum has done some great posts about what we've been up to in San Francisco at her blog.

No Crawling Yet

2012-01-26T10:46:00.000Z

Some of your contemporaries, especially those with big brothers or sisters, are crawling now. Some are even walking, coasting along by holding onto furniture as they toddle.

You will get to it in your own good time, and when you do, you will be able to explore the world properly. You will be able to fetch any toys you want!

Another Country

2012-01-24T10:41:00.000Z

Tomorrow, we are swapping our flat with a lady from San Francisco, so we are taking you to your fifth country, the United States of America!

It is much further away than the other countries you have been to (UK, Greece, Austria, Germany). They speak English, but it sounds a bit different to how we speak it at home. And their clocks will be a bit behind ours, so you might feel more sleepy in the daytime for a while.

We will have such a lovely time together!

SICK!

2012-01-22T10:39:00.000Z

Last night, just as I was putting you to bed, you were properly sick for the first time all over me.

Fortunately, you were very smiley afterwards, and seemed much better for it.

UNfortunately, when Daddy got home later, you were massively sick all over him too. Kind of you to treat us both equally.

We just feel lucky that it does not happen often.

Your first story

2012-01-20T10:10:00.000Z

Whenever we're on our laptops, you're eager to have a turn bashing at the keys. We thought we'd leave you to it and see what you wrote. Here's what you came up with (until you started changing factory settings and we had to take the laptop away):

VGC g~ [1]D3

Gxswdfdez

LZ`,

[1] [/

Family Resemblance - Daddy

2012-01-18T23:25:00.000Z

Everybody (friends, family, strangers in the street) tells me how much you look like me. And they are right, but when I look at you I see glimmers of your daddy too... and above is the evidence!

Family Resemblance - Smiths

2012-01-16T23:22:00.000Z

A little while ago I thought I would investigate who you look like, so above is a collection of baby pics... parental Smiths at the top; their children on the row below; and your daddy, you and me at the bottom.

What do you think?

A Little Scrark

2012-01-14T16:55:00.000Z

It is lovely to hear you babbling away, making cute little squeaky noises and saying 'mama' or 'dada'. But every now and again you seem convinced that you are a dinosaur, and you make the loudest, most disturbing 'scrark' noises.

What a funny noise!

Your First Tooth!

2012-01-12T16:48:00.000Z

Godmama says

2012-01-10T21:36:00.000Z

My good friend Vicky has a blog for her goddaughter.

You might like it, it contains lots of good advice delivered in her wonderfully no-bullshit style.

http://godmamasays.blogspot.com/

Diva Strop!

2012-01-08T01:11:00.000Z

Some babies can be left to sit on a floor, sometimes even a hard surface like wood or tiles, and will play around but generally stay upright.

Not you.

Every now and again you have what we call a 'diva strop'. You have plenty of tummy and back muscles to keep yourself upright, but you occasionally fling yourself backwards with all your might, arching your back and crashing your head into whatever is behind you.

This is why there is a pile of cushions in your play area :)

The 'Diva Strop' is sometimes triggered by you feeling disgruntled, but if you do end up banging your head on a wall or the floor, then you get immeasurably more cross.

Part of me loves that you trust us/the world enough to know that you can fling yourself around and you will always be safe (may you always feel a little like that).

But I also hope you don't really hurt yourself in the process. Roll on exploring, crawling, walking, and having a more refined risk assessment process!

Snowdrops blooming

2012-01-06T21:06:00.002Z

You've been a bit restless this week, and on Wednesday morning we found out why - your first tooth is poking through!

You've been feeling it a lot with your tongue and your lip. At the moment it looks like a translucent sliver edging out of a sore bit in the middle of your lower gum. Your mum wants to take a picture but it's hard to see and you're quite reluctant to show it off.

Marion was telling us about how the snowdrops in her garden have started to come out, and the tip of the bud is extra hard so that it can push through a layer of frost. Just like your teeth pushing through your gums.

New Tricks

2012-01-04T23:26:00.000Z

You now know how to wave hello and goodbye. And as we saw in a previous video post, you can clap when you are asked to (though it makes Uncle Matthew call you Pavlov).

And now you can blow kisses! Well, it is a bit like a fish impression, but it is very sweet all the same.

Daddy and I know that you are on the brink of some big stuff, crawling and walking and talking. It is a bit of an unknown for us, but we are so excited to see you get bigger and stronger and more able.

Real Toys

2012-01-02T11:54:00.000Z

Having read this fabulous blog post from The Imagination Tree which Clare sent me, about the importance of different kinds of play, we added lots of random bits and pieces to your toy box.

Bottles with rice in, a wooden spoon, a cardboard tube... endless real/normal stuff that you find fascinating.

And lately you have been obsessed with our electrical gadgets, phones, ipods etc. So I took the batteries out of an old remote control, and it is your new favourite toy.

Granny and Grandad also gave you their old computer mouse and keyboard, so once you are a little bored of your new Christmas toys, I will cut the cables off them and you can go nuts!

Health

2011-12-31T11:42:00.000Z

We have been so lucky to have such a healthy and happy baby. Your Daddy always says how grateful he is for his good health. I am for mine too, and we are so pleased that so far you have barely had any of the endless list of baby ailments we hear of other babies getting.

You do have a bit of a snotty cold at the moment, with your nose streaming and an occasional cough, but nothing major... it just makes you a bit grumpy.

I caught a cold when we were on the Bike Trip this summer, and you didn't catch it! We figured you picked up all my clever antibodies through my breastmilk, and so you cured it before it could get to you. Genius!

New Year's Eve today. May your good health last long into 2012 and beyond!

Penny Roulette

2011-12-29T23:19:00.000Z

If uncle Andrew is visiting when I give you a bath, part of your bath time routine is a round of Penny Roulette.

I take you into the lounge to dry you, and then before I put on your night clothes, while you're still naked, I hold you over uncle Andrew's head for a few seconds.

He particularly doesn't like this game when he's still wearing his work suit.

We've played at least a dozen rounds of Penny Roulette, and you haven't weed on him yet...

Learning

2011-12-27T18:57:00.000Z

You're getting cleverer.

You've got a book called "That's Not My Bear", and recently you've started reaching out for the textures on each page. You'll be reading it next!
You also clap now when you're asked.

The other day I met a baby just over two months older than you who was walking around - maybe you'll be doing that soon too. It's so exciting to think what you'll learn next!

Your First Christmas!

2011-12-25T18:58:00.000Z

Your first Christmas!

We're at your Granny and Grandad's house in Spalding.

Your uncles Andrew and Matthew are here, as well as Matthew's girlfriend Anna.

You and your mum dressed up as reindeers.

You received lots of generous gifts, like these penguins drawn by Granny...

...and this laptop which excited you very much.

Once or twice all the excitement was a bit overwhelming...

...but all in all you're having a ball.

Now the day is over; you're fast asleep...

...and dreaming lovely dreams.

Pole dancing baby

2011-12-23T22:36:00.000Z

Please, at least wait until you're 18.

Marriott

2011-12-21T22:32:00.000Z

We went for a very posh afternoon tea in the Marriott County Hall, right opposite the hospital in which you were born.

It was a sort of pre-Christmas celebration, with Gramps and Marion, Aunt Erika and Uncle Dan.

We had a lovely time...

...But I don't think we're really cut out for high society.

Growth spurt

2011-12-19T00:04:00.000Z

Tuppence

2011-12-17T23:37:00.000Z

Your First Thanksgiving

2011-12-15T23:03:00.000Z

We went to your Yaya's house to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Demetris was there too...

You met Guy who is your first cousin once removed, and his wife Sarah, and their daughters Sadie and Ruby.

You tried to walk using the same toy that helped me learn to walk 30 years ago.

You ate lots...

Opened presents...

And you were typically delightful!

Your latest favourite song

2011-12-13T22:08:00.000Z

Today, guest blogger Kirsten (our lovely Danish-American friend) will tell you about your new favourite song, which you laugh at even more than Kounelaki...

Klappe klappe kage
I morgen skal vi bage
En dejlig Penny-kage
En til mor
En til far
Og en til lille Penny!

And now in English:
Clap clap cake (a bit like patty cake, patty cake I guess)
Tomorrow we will bake
A lovely Penny-cake
One for mum
One for dad
And one for little Penny

Obviously you have to clap throughout and, although I hate to admit it, it's probably the clapping you enjoy more than the actual song. It's great for distracting you when you get a bit grisly though or just to make you laugh (which is such a delight). You positively beam whenever I start the song :-)

Take two

2011-12-11T22:51:00.000Z

Your mum loves this photo of you.

I prefer this one. You look like John Wayne. :)

Your Current Favourite Noises

2011-12-09T12:22:00.000Z

You have started squeaking a lot more over the last few days, but the usual suspects are:

Da-da-da-da

Nya-na-na-na

Ta-ta-ta-ta

Plus sometimes a snort of derision or two :)

Inception

2011-12-07T00:27:00.000Z

We did the maths and worked out when you were most likely conceived. Interesting to see what we were doing that day...

I love that your mum's blog post talks of "interesting discussions about the future"... I wonder what we were discussing? :)

Robot Baby

2011-12-05T22:51:00.000Z

This would be child abuse if you didn't enjoy it so much...

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

2011-12-03T12:51:00.000Z

Your mum and I went to Japan for our honeymoon. One of the places we visited was Nikko, home of the three wise monkeys - Kikazaru, Iwazaru and Mizaru.

When you suck your fingers, you sometimes cover them with your other hand. Looks a bit like Iwazaru...

You often cover (and even scratch at!) your left eye when you're tired. Looks a bit like Mizaru...

And today, to our delight, we caught you covering your ears while you were feeding. Just like Kikazaru...

Glasses

2011-12-01T12:53:00.000Z

I've had terrible eyesight since I was about eight years old. Your mum started having to wear glasses for driving in her late twenties. So, you might have to get used to this...

I promise the rest of our genes are top notch!

Cosy Coat

2011-11-29T17:48:00.000Z

I found this lovely coat for you before you were born, a second-hand bargain and just so cute. I knew it would be the right size for you when winter came along, and lo and behold it is!

I know you get a little grumpy in it, as the thick layers restrict your movement a bit and it is harder for you to reach your hand to suck your fingers. But it keeps you so cosy warm.

You wore it for the first time today (Mon 28th Nov 2011) and you looked so grown up. Such a beautiful girl.

Bouncing Baby

2011-11-27T14:16:00.000Z

A fabulous toy, that lets you explore what your body can now do. You love to bounce up and down, and you enjoy being able to stand upright by yourself.

A great way to get you to expend all your energy and have a good nap!

You're much bouncier now than you were five months ago...

Rice Cakes

2011-11-25T12:02:00.000Z

Rice cakes are more of a project than a food to you. You gaze at them like they are precious jewels, and you love to grab at them. Some more staring and investigation, then you then fit the whole thing in your mouth, making it smooshy enough to bite off with your gums and swallow...

...and fall in bits all over your clothes and the floor. Yum!

Your daily routine

2011-11-23T12:21:00.000Z

I'm not sure why your mum had this stuck up on the fridge...

Guy Fawkes

2011-11-21T23:09:00.000Z

We took you to the Brockwell Park firework display a couple of weeks ago for your first Guy Fawkes night.

The display was amazing - one of the best I've ever seen.

You seemed mostly nonplussed by it...

...but you had fun in the pub afterwards!

BRAIN SLUG!

2011-11-19T12:30:00.000Z

Telling our parents

2011-11-17T22:41:00.000Z

When we first found out that your mum was pregnant with you, we kept it a secret. After three months we got a scan; we saw that you were healthy and happy, so we decided it was time to share our secret.

We arranged to see all your grandparents on the same weekend. Gramps and Marion were first.

We were at a chocolate-making workshop to celebrate Gramps' birthday with Gramps, Marion, Aunt Erika, uncle Dan and Elle. At the opportune moment, without a word, we showed them the strip of images from the scan - and they jumped for joy.

Then we took a train to Brighton to see Yaya and Demetris. Hugs and tears all round.

What a joy to have such wonderful news to share! As if we had learned a magic word that instilled jubilation in all who hear it.

The next day we met for dinner at Azzurro in Waterloo with Grandad, Granny, uncle Matthew and uncle Andrew. We wolfed down our starters, gave each other a meaningful nod, and revealed our magic news.

In stark contrast to the voluble reactions from the Sundt side of the family, the Smiths seemed rather shellshocked.

Once they'd gathered their wits, they were elated, but how funny that it was such a surprise!

Then again, think of it this way: you're the first new baby in the Smith family for 30 years. The last time they'd heard this news was about your mum. No wonder it took a while to sink in... :)

The Big Bang Theory

2011-11-15T22:40:00.000Z

I wrote in an earlier post our reasons for calling you Penny.

But, I realise now, there might have been another influence playing on our subconscious. You see, we've recently been addicted to a clever sitcom called The Big Bang Theory, which features a character called... you guessed it... Penny.

And the winner of best baby ever is...

2011-11-13T21:03:00.000Z

You!

(Round of applause!)

Your first Halloween

2011-11-11T23:48:00.000Z

You had a ball at our Halloween party a couple of weeks ago. You were very excited by the punkin. It was yummy too.

You dressed up as a witch...

...and then at midnight you turned into a punkin.

Barnard dressed up too.

No gift like the present

2011-11-09T10:05:00.000Z

Your uncle Matty made a wonderful collage for you, to celebrate your six month unbirthday. We're planning to hang it above your cot in the nursery.

I think he might have been inspired by the collages his parents have of your mum and her brothers.

Your first ever photo

2011-11-07T00:58:00.000Z

Your Favourite Foods

2011-11-05T18:33:00.000Z

Mummy here! My second post on the blog that your fabulous Daddy set up for you.

And at the moment we are spending a lot of our time together eating. Since you ate your first food (apple, when you were 6 months old) you have tried lots of different things:

Yummy Yummy!
Apple
Sweet Potato
Aubergine
Baby Rice
Baby Porridge
Mango
Papaya

It's OK, I suppose
Carrot
Courgette
Butternut Squash
Broccoli

Not Quite So Yummy
Banana
Spinach

Just a little taste
Chicken
Cheese Sauce
Cheese
Omelette
Bread

Sometimes it takes a long time to persuade you to eat your lunch/dinner. But sometimes, like today when you ate sweet potato and papaya, you gulp it up with gusto.

And that makes us both smile :)

Autumn walk

2011-11-03T20:48:00.000Z

Matt and Elle lent us a baby carrier that used to be Eva's. (They also lent us pretty much everything else you wear, use and play with.)

So we took you with us on our annual autumn walk.

We walked around Otford with Alex, Greg and Kate. We stopped halfway for lunch at a lovely pub, and at the end of the walk we had tea and scones.

We all had a great time. Then your mum ate something that made her very ill indeed, but that's another story...

Bettie Lou Jackson's Christening

2011-11-01T17:46:00.000Z

Remember Bettie? We went to her Christening. Here she is in her dress.

You had fun playing with her and Mattie.

And you had fun playing with Daddy Keith.

Keith had fun playing with you too!

When you're a parent, this kind of conversation topic becomes fair game...

2011-10-30T16:45:00.000Z

Our code words:

Splot = Small bullet point of poo

Poosplosion = Nappy filler

Psoonami = Breakout! Poo everywhere!

There is a purely theoretical fourth category too... Heaven forbid we should ever have to suffer a Pooclear War.

I know how it looks, but how does it TASTE?

2011-10-28T17:39:00.000+01:00

You're at the stage now where everything you get your hands on...

...goes into your mouth.

Except, of course, for food. That tends to go everywhere but your mouth.

Treasure Hunt

2011-10-26T00:55:00.000+01:00

It took a few months before your mum fell pregnant with you. During that time we were keeping our intentions top secret, using the codename Project Windmill whenever we were talking about trying to have a baby.

So we were very excited when the good news finally came (in the form of a stripe on a pee stick).

I wanted to celebrate the news, so I made your mum a secret treasure hunt. When she got back from work, I called her from the pub and asked her to look in the fireplace.

She found a ribbon there, and followed it all around the room, and out the window, across the front of the house and back in through the front door. At the end of the ribbon was a web address: http://bit.ly/emmaplusone.

At that address was a presentation of lots of joyous quotes about pregnancy - one of which contained a microdot. The microdot directed your mum to look inside a particular book on our shelves.

The book had been hollowed out, and contained a memory stick. On the memory stick were these seven photos:

Salvator's trail revealed a musical sequence, which converted to letters, which converted to numbers, which converted to coordinates, which pinpointed a tree outside our flat. (I'm very proud of your mum for finding it - it wasn't easy!)

On the tree was another memory stick, which contained a poem:

*

Emma is Egnant and Preggers with Plus One

Embly is CarryingDaughter or Plus Son

Gravid, parturient, fecund, expecting

Eating for Two and Tummy Projecting

Fertile, With Child, happy and fat J

Emma is carrying Substitute Cat

Exciting! Exciting! Nerves and joy fill our minds

And distract our attention atimproper times

SerenPenelopeCamScarletDipity

ByronChristanielDeanCalvinJiminy

What shall we name him, who shall shebe?

Will you be pregnant again when she’sthree?

Where will we live? Vermont? Guildford? Brixton?

Will you work for Fair Trade? Will Isell all my scripts on?

Will she grow to be pretty? Will we care for him well?

Will the pregnancy work? Will the labour be hell?

One thing at a time, nine months to go yet

Before you give birth to Human Pet

(Who’ll grow up on Simpsonsand comedy shows

And crocheting, board games, calligraphy, Go)

First you must solve this treasure huntclue

That your boyfriend slash husband created for you

As a ^symbol his lovinj will never run short

And a ^sign that he offersbOUNDLESS sUPPORT

You’ve done well so far to have followed the trail

Of ribbons and websites andSalvator’s tale

{A square like a capital E, and inside

A circle – the womb where ourchild will reside}

The next clue location’s despicably clever

Lucky that Mummy’s as brainy asever

On t’Interweb, find that most modern of media

Something dot org, an online-opedia

Look up the word that’s been causing you glee

Starts with a P, means the words on line three

Now here’s the cunning part; to solve the mystery

Click on the tab at the top called View History

There’s a list of revisions way backthrough time

Check out August 3^rd at eleven oh-nine

Blastocyst bedded,on with the show

Bun in the oven, Proj Windmill is go!

*

You can follow the next clue yourself! That led to a puzzle, which in turn led to a final clue.

The treasure at the end was a star, engraved. And, of course, you.

Board Gaming Baby

2011-10-24T23:26:00.000+01:00

We've been obsessing over some new board games recently, in particular Ticket to Ride: Europe and Pandemic.

We'll teach you as soon as you stop trying to eat the pieces.

Baby Einstein is strangely compelling...

2011-10-22T22:54:00.000+01:00

Baby songs

2011-10-20T16:26:00.000+01:00

Your favourite nursery rhymes are Hickory Dickory Dock, the Grand Old Duke of York, and of course Kounelaki.

But you also like it when we sing you such classics as:

ABBA
Penny Penny, how I love you so
My my, how can I resist you?

ELTON JOHN
P-P-P-Penny and the Jets...

J-LO (uncle Matty's favourite)
Don't be fooled by the spots on your socks
You're still you're still Penny Penny pops
Used to be quite little and now you're not
No matter where you go you know where you came from (Brixton!)

Barnard

2011-10-18T00:12:00.000+01:00

Your mum and I joked about getting you a bear that was bigger than you.One day I got home from work and saw you sitting in the lap of this wonderful giant.

We named him Barnard because your mum got him from Barnardo's for £4.99. What a bargain. Or, should I say, beargain.(Groan.)

Miss Funny Penny

2011-10-16T18:45:00.000+01:00

Two more videos that your mum made of you.

You really are the most delightful child!

You can sit up by yourself now!

2011-10-14T23:54:00.000+01:00

Look at you, sitting up all by yourself!

You're getting better at standing too...

...but you're not at all interested in crawling. You don't seem to like being on your front at all.

We reckon you'll walk before you crawl. Wishful thinking, perhaps.

Sitting disease

2011-10-12T23:31:00.000+01:00

When you're feeling grimbly, and we're giving you a cuddle to calm you down, you absolutely refuse to let us sit down.

It's bizarre. You can be totally chilled out, almost asleep even, as long I'm standing. Then I gradually, carefully sit down and WAAAH!

It's like a sixth sense. You're keeping us on our toes. Literally.

Your first meal

2011-10-10T00:00:00.000+01:00

After six months of breastfeeding, we gave you your first meal.

No, not that! It was apple, and we mashed it up first!

The downside is, well, the down side if you know what I mean. Real food means real poo. YUK.

Horrible weather

2011-10-08T22:29:00.000+01:00

The weather's been bizarrely hot.

But you're ready for winter, whenever it decides to come!

What your parents did before they did what they do now

2011-10-06T23:28:00.000+01:00

Jobs your dad has had in the past:
Lifeguard
Barman
Care assistant in old people's homes
Vice President (Student Activities)
Seller of fabric conditioner

Jobs your mum has had in the past:
Flower packer
Castrator of cats and dogs
Waitress
Security guard
Seller of laundry powder to old people's homes

Six months old!

2011-10-04T18:41:00.000+01:00

Here's a video of you about five and a half months ago.

Taking a stand

2011-10-02T18:40:00.000+01:00

You've been pretty good at standing for a while now...

But you have no sense of balance at all.

Not your uncle

2011-09-30T18:25:00.000+01:00

We were helping Alex move into his new flat. It's actually hard sometimes not to call him uncle Alex, not because he's particularly avuncular, but as a way of emphasising that he's a close friend of ours and we'd love for you to have a relationship with him too.

Doesn't just apply to Alex, of course. The same temptation holds with all of our close friends. But you only have four uncles and two aunts. Plenty enough as it is.

Mind you, I'm sure your uncles on your Mum's side are working on finding you a couple more aunts.

Lighter than air

2011-09-28T18:15:00.000+01:00

As I write this, you are sitting in your Bumbo chair on top of the table with your bowl of toys, playing with a balloon that we got from your Gramps' birthday meal last week, while your mum and I write on our laptops.

The balloon's as big as you are. And shiny. I'd be fascinated too.

Third person

2011-09-26T08:03:00.000+01:00

Since you were born, we've been referring to ourselves a lot more in the third person.

I'll look at you and tell you that Daddy's doing this or that, as if Daddy is someone else - some character I'm building.

Come to think of it, maybe that's the case.

Hm. Not sure what I think about that.

Cutest baby videos

2011-09-24T17:03:00.000+01:00

Your mum has been learning to use iMovie on her Macbook.

Here are the first couple of videos she made. This one shows you at three months old...

And in this one you're just 36 hours old.

We'll post up more of her videos soon!

You were on the Boat Trip!

2011-09-22T03:32:00.000+01:00

The Bike Trip across Austria was the fourth of a series of annual trips we've taken with our friends. There was the Road Trip in 2008, the Rail Trip in 2009, and the Boat Trip in 2010.

Technically, you were on the Boat Trip with us, although it was a secret at the time. You were still a foetus - probably only about 3cm long.

Next year's trip might have to be the Pram Trip.

Bike Trip! Part 8

2011-09-20T06:33:00.000+01:00

We've all come back home from the Bike Trip now.

But we're still enjoying the happy memories...

And we caught you praying for many more lovely holidays to come.

Bike Trip! Part 7

2011-09-18T06:25:00.000+01:00

You saw lots of pretty sights on holiday.

And you dressed up a few times.

All in all, you seemed to be having a great time!

Bike Trip! Part 6

2011-09-16T06:17:00.000+01:00

While on holiday, you enjoyed spending lots of quality time with uncle Matthew...

And uncle Andrew.

Andrew even got you a special Bike Trip babygrow.

Bike Trip! Part 5

2011-09-14T06:05:00.000+01:00

While we were cycling across Austria, we stayed in lots of different hotels...

Some of which didn't have baths, so we washed you in the sink instead.

Somehow, you always felt at home.

We ate out a lot too...

And went for the occasional drink.

Bike Trip! Part 4

2011-09-12T05:56:00.000+01:00

It was very hot when we cycled across Austria.

As much as 35 degrees. We were worried you were going to cook in your little trailer.

But most of the time you were happy. Or asleep.

We had to stop regularly to make sure you didn't get too thirsty.

You even had a go on the bike yourself!

Bike Trip! Part 3

2011-09-10T05:10:00.000+01:00

Your dad pulled you more than 300 kilometres across Austria in a bike trailer.

And then, to top it off, he climbed an amusingly-named mountain in the Bavarian part of Germany with you.

So now you've been to as many countries as you are months old: four!

Bike Trip! Part 2

2011-09-08T03:54:00.000+01:00

We took you on a trip to Germany and Austria with a big group of friends.

The trip included cycling from Salzburg to Vienna...

With you in a trailer!

Bike Trip! Part 1

2011-09-06T04:00:00.000+01:00

A long tube ride...

Planes...

Trains...

And automobiles...

Could only mean - another holiday!

Past and Future

2011-09-04T08:19:00.013+01:00

What will the world be like when you grow up?

Our lives until now will seem ancient history to you - in some ways they already seem ancient history to us.

When we were kids, the web didn't exist.

I bought my first CD when I was about 15 years old. It was all cassettes until then.

I didn't have a mobile phone until my first year of University.

Your mum and I still have a sizeable collection of VHS cassettes (although we don't really watch them anymore, given that we have an even more sizeable collection of DVDs).

USB memory sticks and touchscreen smart phones still seem amazing to us now.

What technology will you be playing with when you're a teenager?

Your New Cot

2011-09-02T22:08:00.000+01:00

In early August, Gramps, Marion, Elle and Eva came to London to kindly take away your little baby crib and replace it with a big girl cot. You look teeny tiny again! But don't worry, your animals are still there to look after you, and your soft cot books are still there to entertain you when you wake up in the morning.

Job

2011-08-31T08:04:00.048+01:00

When I was a kid, I never really understood what my dad's job was. So I'm going to explain what I do for a living.

I am a Traffic Information Officer at Transport for London, which is the public transport agency for London and the highway authority for London's main roads.

I work in the Streets department of TfL. We collect lots of information about traffic incidents and planned works, which we use to try and manage the road network and reduce disruption.

It's my job to make sure the information we collect doesn't only get used by our traffic engineers, but also by satellite navigation companies, app developers, radio broadcasters and so on.

OK, I admit, that wasn't very interesting. Particularly because by the time you read this, I'll be doing something else entirely. Hopefully I'll have fulfilled my dream and be making a living as a writer.

But hey, if you ever want to know about the world of traffic information, I'm your man.

Ritzy

2011-08-29T00:34:00.006+01:00

Your mum sometimes takes you to see films at our local cinema, the Ritzy. They put on "Big Scream" screenings where babies are invited.

So far you've been there to see Green Lantern, the last Harry Potter film and Super 8.

Here's a picture of you enjoying yourself in the Ritzy. Maybe you'll be like me and LOVE films. Although probably not if you keep seeing films like Green Lantern.

Stag do

2011-08-27T01:03:00.039+01:00

My old schoolfriend Nick got married this year, and he invited me to his stag party on the weekend of 2 April. We went down to Brighton on the Friday, drank lots, dressed Nick up in silly costumes and made him eat chili peppers, and the plan was to go paintballing the next day and do it all over again.

You were due to be born on 11 April - and first babies are usually late anyway. So I thought I was pretty safe going to the stag do.

I woke up on the Saturday morning feeling somewhat worse for wear. Dragged myself down for a hotel breakfast, swapped stories about the previous night, and tried to avoid loud noises.

That's when your mum called to say her waters had broken. I was only too pleased to leave the others to finish the stag celebrations without me!

Your first taste of ice cream

2011-08-25T23:43:00.001+01:00

You didn't like it one bit.

Your NCT contemporaries

2011-08-23T00:41:00.009+01:00

We attended a pre-natal course with the National Childbirth Trust, and we've become friends with the other parents that attended the same course.

You were the first baby in our little group to be born. We brought you to meet the others when you were a week old, and two of the mothers were so excited by holding you that they went into labour that very night.

You and your mum see them almost every week now. I wonder if you will still be friends with Hermione, Betsy, Leo, Clara and Sydney when you grow up?

Not always happy

2011-08-21T23:36:00.001+01:00

You smile a lot.

But sometimes this happens too.

Will you be a chef when you grow up?

2011-08-19T22:14:00.000+01:00

Actually, I hope you never really quite grow up. :)

Sweet-talk

2011-08-17T23:26:00.000+01:00

For some reason, you're especially vocal when you rub your daddy's face.

Mirror image

2011-08-15T23:02:00.000+01:00

The one on the left is you, the one on the right is a picture of your daddy when he was newborn.

Or maybe it's the other way around.

Like father, like daughter.

Ticking like a cartoon bomb

2011-08-13T16:17:00.000+01:00

There's a particular gadget that has brought us peace of mind while we're still paranoid that you might just forget to breathe.

The Tommee Tippee sensor mat.

It's a plastic pressure pad that sneaks under your mattress and detects your every movement. Every time you breathe it ticks. The ticking is very reassuring in the middle of the night - we can be sure you're safe without having to get up and check.

Although it does sound a bit like a cartoon bomb.

Blue Eyed Girl

2011-08-11T23:13:00.000+01:00

Riots in Brixton (and Tottenham and Hackney and Peckham and Croydon and...)

2011-08-09T00:29:00.003+01:00

It's night 3 of the London riots, which seem to be quickly escalating into national riots.

This is a picture of the Games Master up the road from our home, where your mum and I often trade in DVDs. The whole of Brixton high street is in a similar state. Very sad.

May you never be as angry and disaffected as the people who are perpetrating these riots.

And if you are, may you find a more constructive way of expressing it.

And if you can't, may you at least show some respect for people's livelihoods and communities.

And if you don't, may you feel humble, and go out of your way to put things right again.

All of us do stupid things sometimes - let your mistakes be your own rather than the product of submitting to peer pressure or a mob mentality.

My daughter

2011-08-07T16:18:00.000+01:00

I call you "my" daughter, but of course that doesn't imply ownership. You are your own person!

You might say that Charlie is "my" father, but that doesn't mean you own me. Just as you might say "my" country - the country doesn't belong to you; it's almost the other way around.

In fact, saying that things are "mine" is often less to do with ownership and more to do with identity. What you (claim to) possess defines who you are.

So, you are only "my" daughter because I am proud to identify myself as a father. Now go and be whoever you want to be.

Baby trivia

2011-08-05T16:16:00.001+01:00

Your uncle Dan and I have been trying to teach you some important facts.

I'm repeating over and over, in the hope that you'll remember, that the square of the hypoteneuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

(But only for right angled triangles!)

You've also tried to sing along to pi to eight decimal places...

And Dan has been trying to indoctrinate your brain with the 1985 Everton team. They won both the league and the Cup Winners' Cup, don't ya know?

Useless trivia is so much fun!

Secret Garden Party

2011-08-03T22:38:00.005+01:00

We took you to a festival!

It was cold sleeping in a tent.

And the music was loud.

But, apart from a few teething problems, you had lots of fun!