Thank Crunchie it's Friday...

Not that my days are any different, in fact I'm never sure what day of the week it is. I only take note when it's feed time or sleep time, or perhaps bath time, cuddle time, nappy change time... things like that. One day it will matter...

...one day it was beautiful outside, I looked at it from my bedroom window.

The days are getting a bit chillier now, I need to be wrapped up in my blanket when I go outside.

I had a hospital appointment this week. Mr Grant (the surgeon) checked my hernia op scars. They're doing very nicely, just two red lines in the crease above my willy, hardly noticeable to those who don't know it was done (that'll be no one now then!).

...gimme some skin! I've discovered being naked with Mummy and Daddy (well, they took their tops off - let's not be rude)! Cuddling is much warmer and cosier. I can practice holding my head high too.

Bathtime again.

Today I went to a Macmillan coffee morning - they're ace! I got coffee and cake - oh no, that was Mummy... but I'll get it soon though in my milk... I like milky coffee and almonds! She bought me some little clothes with long sleeves and trousers for autumn. I think I'll need some shoes soon, not for stomping around in but for keeping my feet warm.

I've got lots going on this weekend. My 2nd cousin Matt and his wife Julie are visiting. Julie's pregnant with another cousin (3rd I think...? 5 million times removed...?). They're coming up for lunch because no grown ups with babies or those expecting one go out at night. I thought this was true, but Mummy and Daddy are out all of the time

On Sunday I'll be cutting some cheese with Harriet; I mean eating some cheese... well, looking at it anyway. Mummy says that if she eats any cheese she'll look like a round Edam or maybe half a Cheddar! I'm looking forward to seeing the animals and sharing the moment with Harriet. Mummy and Daddy are looking forward to seeing her Mummy and Daddy, it'll be the first time 'on the outside'... how exciting. Buddy Gene was going to come but he's only be 'out' a week and he's got visitors coming out of his earoles. Mummy hopes to take me to see him next week.

Roll on feed time, I'm working up an appetite...

This is what I've been up to...

I've done quite a lot of sleeping... this is good for me as I can grow and grow and grow and I don't use up too many calories and burn fat. I like fat, well, podge anyway. I've podged up to 9lbs 2ozs! That's 7.5ozs weight gain in 7 days - my health visitor is so pleased with me that she will see me in two weeks time not next week. I'm doing so well, I'm still just a tiny touch below average for a baby my age; my corrected age, which is 5 weeks now, but I'll be 5 months old on the 30th.

Snoozing is best done when on someone; their lap is good, shoulder is OK and cradled in their arms is just tip top.

I'm a clean boy, I like to be changed; here's me flashing my wee bod. Mummy and Daddy like to blow raspberries on my tummy - this makes me giggle.

Grandpa Barry and Granny Annie came to see me on Saturday. Careful Grandpa, don't get eaten by Sapper my hungry croc! We went shopping and I had lunch out.

Great Grandma Edna knitted me some groovy cardi's and a jumper. There are six of them and each one is a little bigger. She's done a really good job as the smallest one fits me now and I'll graduate to the bigger ones as I grow... If it gets too cold out then I can put one on on top of the other, I'd look like the Michellin man!

I like chatting, so Daddy made sure that we had a heart to heart. We chatted so much that I needed to snooze again...

More playing on my front... I'm getting a bit better at it. Mummy's made it more interesting by putting my toys in front of me, sometimes I need to have a break, so I let my head rest on my pillow...

I've been home for 2 weeks now...

I'm amazed at how the time has flown, but then I'm told that it always flies by when you're having fun - which I am... masses and masses of it. Too much sends me to sleep though, I have to sleep so that I can have more of it!

I'm smiling more, I'm holding my head up high and I might even sneak a giggle in somewhere... I'm doing that wrinkly nose thing that looks everso cute and makes Mummy go all dreamy when she sees me do it.

I'm quite chatty too, I like sitting on Mummy and Daddy's laps with my head up high on their knees. We have a chat and I wave my arms around a bit, I grab onto their face too when it's close; I want to feel what they look like too.

I'm at that inbetweeny stage of growing. I've got lots of clothes that don't fit; they're too small or too big. There's a few things that are ok, but it's trousers that I'm missing - I have massive turn-ups; Mummy tells me that I'm trendy!

I'm 8lbs 9.5oz's. I thought I'd be bigger, but I did put on 5oz's in 6 days, which is quite a lot actually. However, Harriet's catching me up and she just can't be heavier than me because girlfriends are supposed to be smaller than their boyfriends...

I've been having a feeding issue. I've got over it a bit now though, Mummy was going a bit demented at having to get up 2 or even 3 times during the night... I'm back to just once now (hopefully it will continue). '4 hourly feeds, not 2 or 3 hourly please' says Mummy - Daddy doesn't care, he just stays in bed!

Mummy and Daddy have been learning about what I like at play times - I like being on my front so that I can do sit ups to build arm and neck muscles... I'll be crawling soon!

It's just non-stop around here...

I ventured back to the John Radcliffe on Thursday to see Gene and Harriet (and so that Mummy could see their Mummys). What a fun time we had, however because of possible bugs jumping from Gene onto me or vice versa, I never got to see him. Mummy did though and what a wee cherub he is she says. He's coming home on Saturday... 22nd - hip hip hoorah!

Harriet's doing well too, she's a right podger, just like me. We're all meeting up on Sunday 30th to eat some cheese at the cheese festival near Wantage at Millets Farm. That'll be fun, it'll be the first time we'll all be together 'on the outside', it sounds as though we've all been in prison doesn't it!

I had another outing on Friday, to the hairdressers. No, I didn't get my swishy locks cut... Mummy did (and how jolly nice her hair looks!). All of the ladies had to come over and see me, they couldn't leave me alone - it reminded me of all the lovely ladies in blue who looked after me when I was poorly, I loved the attention, it took me back!

Saturday was tiring, I spent a lot of it in the car. We went to Newbury to see Daddy's family. First his niece and nephew (Max and Connor), it was the first time Connor saw me... he held me like a pro. Cousin Max was there, she loved cuddling me and I loved it too, she took lots of piccies of me, here's one of them...

We then went to see Grandma Felicity and Grandad Martin, they and Mummy and Daddy had a lovely lunch. We saw Great Grandma too, and her friend Marion - they chatted to me and played with me. Then we went to see my Uncle and Aunty (Alistair and Dee) also my cousins Chelsea and Conrad. So I was very buys, no wonder I slept when I was in the car.

Mummy's had me all to herself today. She's tidied my bedroom and my bunny Stuart's and has done some cooking and washing and house wifey stuff, she has to remind Daddy that she's not a wife though so won't be doing all wifey things like ironing his shirts... She's on her own with me again tomorrow... I think I'll get her to bath me, I haven't had one since Wednesday and I've started to pong.

I've got my health visitor check up tomorrow so I'll get weighed, hopefully I've put some weight on... I've started to grow out of lots of clothes (my going home outfit is getting a bit tight). I'm going to have another busy week again, Mummy keeps seeing people and going places... I'll have to see if she'll just let me stay in; I'll be a good boy!

What haven't I been up to more like...

It would be far to much to write if I were to tell you eeeeeverything that I've been doing. But all of it is stored in my memory to remember if I can. I've been doing things that I like as I haven't cried very much and Daddy and Mummy are delighted to say the least.

I went shopping for a chair on Monday. All the way up to Solihull in the car with Mummy, Grandma Pat and Pat (who bought me Champ all that time ago). I bought one of those 'must have' vibrating chairs... it also bounces and plays music, whatever next!

Ever heard of Tom and Gerry? I'm not sure if they're friends of Mummy and Daddy's, they're on this thing on the wall and they run around a lot and make funny noises (a bit like me, Mummy says that I sound like a snuffly pig that's the size of an elephant - whatever they are). They were very funny... I'm looking forward to seeing them again soon, they do naughty things like break things... Mummy says that she hopes I don't learn any bad habits from them!

The health visitor came round on Tuesday afternoon to go through some things; Mummy and Daddy helped her with these 'things', I'd just had my lunch so needed to have a well earned snooze. They even took my clothes off and weighed me, I wee weed everywhere to get them back for exposing me... I'd only put on 35g's in the last 5 days... this is wrong, it's the scales that aren't the same as those in the hospital... we'll know what average increase is when I weighed again on Monday... my 'weekly weigh in' - just like Weighwatchers Mummy says!

You know, Daddy's trying to lure me into bad habits like he has, I've been to the pub 4 times since I came home, on Tuesday it was with Grandma Felicity and Gt Grandma, I was a very good boy and had lots of cuddles and attention - if this is what being a baby's about then I'll stay one for ages! People can't believe that 4 1/2 months old, 133 days today, yippee!

I've spend the day with Grandma Pat today. She goes home to France on Thursday and I won't see her for a while. I'll send her piccies of me and will chat to her on the telephone, but it won't be like having her here, she won't be able to just 'pop' round for chats and cuddles. I'll be glad when she comes home to stay - I'll keep everything crossed so that it happens sooner rather than later. She thinks I'm a wiggly worm and she tells me that she loves me whilst kissing me on my head - I love her too, she's all warm and cosy.

I'm getting excited about tomorrow... I'm going to see Harriet and Gene. Mummy's looking forward to seeing their Mummy's, but not as much as I'm looking forward to it as I'll see my old home and all of the lovely people who cared for me - just so long as I'm a good boy so they won't want to kidnap me to keep me there! Gene will be going home within the week. We'll all have a get together in the outside world soon - that will be the best day ever!

I'm off for a bath now - I must smell fresh for Harriet and all of the lovely nurses in blue - I hope I get cuddles - I'd best put on some of that Lynx effect stuff... how does the song go... 'simply irresistible'!

This weekend I have been...

...looking particularly gorgeous!


...playing on my gym mat and meeting my pet bunny.




...having a bath.



...socialising in the back garden.



...snoozing with Mummy.

...cuddling Daddy.

...and catching crocodiles!

A new chapter - Freedom

What an amazing couple of days I've had. I knew that I would go home eventually, but boy didn't it spring up soon and hey, what a great place home is - Mummy and Daddy on tap 24/7!

Yippee to be free. I did enjoy my time in hospital as I was getting better by the day and there were lovely nurses and doctors looking after me, so I was never stuck for anyone to chat with. I must say though that it's not the same having my little mate Gene around, we spoke the same language and Mummy's and Daddy's have their own!

The flat was an experience for us all. There was only us three, a sofa, a bed, an ensuite, a microwave, my cot and the all important vibrating chair. We all got on really well. I slept from 12.30am to about 4.15am, then to about 7.00 am - how civilised is that!

On Thursday I went back to the nursery for my final checks and a bit of paperwork. Mummy and Daddy stayed with me during my brain scan - which is normal (phewey) and then I was allowed home. In fact, they were all so sure of my departure that a little baby girl took my space even before I'd properly moved out! And they'd put me in my going away outfit. It was sad to leave such lovely people, especially Mummy and Daddy's friends Stewart and Sam, this is Gene when he saw me leaving...

The journey home was uneventful, it took ages and ages. But the moment of settling in arrived. I saw all of my lovely presents (thank you to everyone) and I've got many lovely toys to explore and have fun with. My crib's great, it swings - how fab is that?!

It was not long before news got round that I was home. Grandpa Barry phoned me to say congratulations so I had a chat with him and then there were loads of people in my house... The Harrison troops, here's William looking after me - I was so cozy! We went for a walk around the village - my village with my neighbours who live in houses like me and not incubators or cots like at the hospital.

Today has been lovely, I saw the sunshine and felt the breezes of nature on my face. There were buzzy things with wings around me and flowers that smell so sweet. More visitors too, Grandma Pat, Gt A Janice, Gt U Brian and neighbour Lucy. They all held me and gave me kisses and chatted to me. I thought that I wouldn't get as much attention when I came home - how wrong was I!

We've even gone to my new house today - I still can't see what Mummy and Daddy see in the place, I've reported back to my teddies that there will be a 'settling in' period and for them to give it a good while before they pass judgement on whether they like it. We're going to have sooo much fun, I'm going to enjoy my new life sooo much - I even shake with excitement.

Off to the pub now to taste my first pint... milk of course!