Not a lottery rollover, an Oscar rollover!

I've decided that lying on my tummy is fun, also rollling over on to my back from my tummy is good fun, Mummy and Daddy are everso proud at what I can do, I'm getting stronger and more alert all of the time. I'm really good at putting my hands round a mug and putting it to my mouth - Mummy doesn't think I'm ready for a cuppa yet though, she'll put my water in a training cup first.

The last 2 weeks have flown by really quickly. That means that I must have been having lots of fun! I've seen some of my family, Grandma Pat has come back from France for ever so I've seen her and on Tuesday of this week I went to see her, Gt Aunty Andy and Gt Uncle Terry for the whole day, even Gt Aunty Janice came round to visit. I didn't miss Mummy or Daddy at all, we had fun every second of the time I was there, I even grumbled when it was time to go home!

I went swimming again which was great. I liked it more the second time as I think I remembered it from the week before. I did lots of floating on my back, Mummy supported my neck and shoulders and I splish splash splooshed with my arms and legs. Rubber ducky didn't have to save me this week!

I've had a nasty cough over the last week. Mummy took me to the docs last Friday as I was sounding like an old man. I've been taking an antibiotic called Amoxocillin - it's yellow and tastes of synthetic banana, I like the real thing and this yellow goo is urgh! Needless to say I give Mummy a run for her money when she tries to get it in my mouth, I keep it firmly shut... so she puts it in my dinner - naughty sneeky Mummy! I'm all better now though.

I was supposed to go and see Harriet and Gene yesterday. We only decided that morning to postpone until next Friday as Harriet's developed a hacking cough - she's obviously come out in a sympathy cough - Gene's gone in for a his hernia op today so his Mummy thought it better that he didn't get a double dose of illness from Harriet or I, so we all stayed clear of eachother. GOOD LUCK GENE for the op today, I'll be thinking of you!

We went to the pub last week and read the newspaper. Daddy let me have a go and I quite enjoyed it - I did ask for the Financial Times so that I could keep up with the FTSE 100 and could tell Daddy which companies to invest in... he said that I should perhaps wait a little bit until we know what the economy's doing... I agree! I also agree that beer's better than milk!

I'm 9 months old now... remember what I looked like... remarkable!

Check me out!

Today... all 14lbs 13ozs of me went swimming... for the first time, and it was fab. I think that I took to it like a duck to water...

Splish splash sploosh I went and giggled my head off, well not all the way off! There was one lip quivering moment when my mouth turned into an upside down U and I waled my head off, well not all the way off! Mummy sang 'Humpty Dumpty' to me and when it got to the bit where he fell down, that was when she was supposed to blow in my face, which she did to stop me taking a breath in and then she 'dunked' me under the water. Boo hoo didn't even come close.

I soon recovered though and played with my rubber duckie; he saved me from a dreary end!

On the move

Hey, look at me in my baby bouncer. 'Flouncy, bouncy, trouncy, pouncy, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun' says Tigger. I can move from side to side, round and round and up and down; it's great fun and I'm really beginning to learn what I can do!

I'm quite partial to moving backwards too. When I lye on my changing mat (or generally any slippy surface), I do a great job of shimmying backwards. Mummy and Daddy'll have to watch out soon as backwards will turn into forwards and then I'll be off! I'm also quite partial to lying on my tummy. My head has got quite strong now and I like peering around to see what's going on, as well as doing press-ups and bringing my knees up towards my sides. Keep your eyes peeled though, one thing leads to another and crawling here I come.

I had a jab in my leg this week. It was a half dose of the flu jab so that I don't get that nasty bug... the other half dose is in a few weeks, that, I am not looking forward to. But Mummy rubs my leg and kisses it all better.

Harriet and Gene are on top form. We said a big 'happy New Year' to each other this week. Harriet's still large - just how I like her and Gene's really getting tall (well, long!). We played for a while whilst our Mummies talked and talked and chatted and talked and chatted and talked some more. Time goes by very quickly when we're together. We'll all have to meet with Daddies n all soon, we've never managed to do this as when we'd arranged it last year, half of us were poorly ill. Hopefully soon, eh!

Stuart's getting better we thing, he's eating more and is now trying to muscle in on my grub! Just look how he's trying to take prime spot on Mummy's lap. He's such a softee, I can't help but pat him on the head!

This week Mummy's going to introduce different kinds of food to my diet. I like peas (petit pois actually), I'm not too keen on leek or scrambled egg (check out the 'egg on my face' - beautifully flicked by my own fair hands); prunes are yummy and so is fully loaded natural yogurt! I'm going to try mushrooms, couscous, sweetcorn and cheese. Not all in one go, silly; day by day - I can't wait!

I'm going to get weighed on Tuesday, so I'll update you on that one then... and I'm going to start swimming. Mummy's got a con flab (coffee appointment) on Monday afternoon with my friends Mummy's (Ellie and Little Harriet). Mummy's got my swimming trunks at the ready, perhaps I'll try a bit of breast stroke - Daddy likes that one!

Cheers!

Family & friends; Christmas cheer & New Year's here...

I spent the last few days before Christmas making sure that everything was ready, which included seeing Grandpa Barry, Granny Annie and Gt Grandma Edna... this is because I knew that I wouldn't see them during Christmas week... I got my first piggy bank and my first investment to put in it...

Christmas was lovely... sooo much has gone on and I've had so much fun. Look at me in my '1st Christmas' baby grow. My friends from down the road bought me this, I hope they had a lovely time.

On Christmas Eve we packed the car (no room left) with all of my things so that we could go to Newbury and see Grandma Felicity and Grandad Martin. We had a nice quiet evening and then Santa came overnight and Christmas Day arrived. This is me waiting for Santa to arrive, with Freddy the dog and Grandma giving me a cuddle.

We had a nice calm breakfast and then crash, bang, crash, bang, the rest of the family arrived. There was G'ma F, G'dad M, Unc Al, Aunty's Dee and Leone and Cousins Maxi, Connor, Tristan, Conrad and Chelsea... Great Grandma came to cuddle me too.

Presents flew all over the place as did the wrappers and lots of Christmas crackers, it was all hectic fun throughout the '8' course lunch that Grandad M cooked for us all. I got really full up and had to snooze it off!

On Boxing Day we went to Gt Aunty Andy and Gt Unc Terry's house nearer to where I live. My Mummy's family were there which included the hosts, Gt Aunty Janice, Gt Aunty Vallee, Gt Unc Robin and Gt Aunty Chris and of course Grandma Pat! Gt Unc Brian was poorly so we ate his share of the food! Lots more presents and lots more fun... It would be easier to list what I didn't get rather than what I did... I didn't get a kitchen sink!

Still some quality time left for Mummy and me!

New Year saw us on the move again... We went all the way to a place call Thurlstone in Devon. Daddy packed the car up again, he says that it's amazing how much clobber there is to take with you when you've got a little me to pack for... that's the joy of having me I thought! Thurlstone was great... just look at the view!

We met our friends Eddie and Esme, Antonia and Nathan and Tom. We had lots of yummy food and lots of thirst quenching tipples (mine's a pint... of milk!). We did lots of walking and talking and it was such fun. I got even more cuddles and attention, it was just great! We even saw our local friends there, the Harrison's were holidaying near by so we met up for a cuppa. At New Year we all got wrapped up and went down to the beach and played a game of throw the stone into the sea and go fetch before the wave got you... I just watched with Mummy... Daddy went in!

This year Daddy, Mummy and I are going to enjoy Christmas in our new house. It's still being renovated at the moment, but that's the plan. We'll hopefully go on a holiday to Cyprus and maybe I'll nip over to Germany to see Aunty Steph (she's been living it up in Egypt this Christmas). Mummy and Daddy would like to take me to America, but they'll see about that one... something about seeing what pennies are available!

I'll be 1 in April and am looking forward to some warmer weather so that I can romp around in the garden with nothing on! I think that I'll get some teeth this year, perhaps even do a bit of crawling and walking. I might even say the odd 'hello' and wave at people. I'd also like to be in my own set of underpants. I think that I'll take up swimming soon (have got my own pair of groovy trunks already) and I plan to have many more cuddles, some with my little bunny, he'll be 5 this year!

Thank you so much for my presents. I've been truly spoiled with all of the gifts you've bought me. I am such a lucky boy... here's to a fabulous and fun 2008!

Acting debut...

Christmas started for me on Sunday 23rd December. A few weeks ago Mummy was asked if I would be baby Jesus in the village nativity play, she said yes... which meant that she had to be the virgin Mary! How funny is that! Mummy and Daddy don't believe in any religion but thought that doing the nativity play was a lovely idea for the village and knew that it would be fun.

I had a bit of a grumble to start, I've never had so many pairs of eyes looking at me all at once, but I soon settled into the role and played the star role with every ounce of professionalism that I could muster... Don't we look fetching in our outfits! (Mummy doesn't think that she was looking her best!).

Lots of friends came to see me, so thank you for your support... you might see me on the big screen one day... next stop a London premier!