What a cute boy!

Yes, yes, Nathan has a tooth! FINALLY! After God knows how many weeks - has it been nearly 2 months now??? - of poor sleep, tummy cramps, snotty nose, drooling on everything and chewing everything in sight, his first tooth cut through just before the weekend.

I'm hoping this signals the start of better sleep for everyone as a consequence!He is also pulling himself up on everything now, and loves standing. He's learning to squat from standing, and to then stand up straight again, to be able to pick up his toys without sitting down. Although I know he needs to crawl much more, I doubt it will be long before he starts walking.

Given that his crawling is now very confident, he's taken to exploring the house. This is one of his current favourite places to be - watching the washing going round and round. The only thing he likes better is the dog's water bowl (just like his Mommy at this age) and the TV (which he likes to stand and pat).
He's also clapping hands now, and starting to wave. He started with the royal wave, but has now moved onto the opening-and-closing-of the fingers wave.

He's started swimming and LOVES the water - just like his big sister. Also just like her at this age, he HATES being on his back in the water, including in the bath. However, given that Nellie's favourite stroke is now backstroke, I have confidence that this too shall pass.

He's a nutcase

It's official. My husband is a nutcase. I love him dearly, don't dream of wanting anyone else in my life, adore him; but he's still a nutcase.

You heard it here first: Darling dearest is going to swim the Robben Island to the mainland race next year. You know - the race in some of the strongest ocean currents in the world, in icy water (gotta love that old Benguela current!) with swells and sharks...?? Yes, that one!

Who was his inspiration for this minor feat of madness? The human polar bear - Lewis Gordon Pugh (the guy who swam 1km in nothing but a speedo & some duck fat at the North Pole - his aim was to raise awareness about climate change) . Lewis spoke at G's school this week. Now, he's inspired at least 4 of the male staff there to take on this smaller-scale challenge. They had originally planned to swim it this year, then discovered that the race is in a few weeks time - 27th April.

OK, granted, my darling dearest needs a goal and some people to keep him accountable if he's ever going to get serious about exercise. I love him all the more because he's actually serious about getting some exercise, and has found a challenge that not only excites him enough to make the effort to get the exercise, but he's found a challenge that is actually achievable for him. (He's not much of a cyclist, and forget running!). And granted, they will be wearing wetsuits, which they're allowed to do because they'll only be doing it as a relay (so he's not actually swimming the whole way.... on this occasion.

So I say, what the heck! He's mad as a hatter, but that only makes him more lovable and more my hero. I'll support him all the way - so much so I'll even swallow some anti-nausea tablets, hop on a boat and follow him as he swims to encourage him!

Fun in the sun with mum

Splish splash I was taking a bath, all upon a Saturday night...

We've had such beautiful weather the last few weeks - it feels like summer is nearly here already. However, the weather report forecasts rain for Monday... SO - thought we'd make the most of the sunshine that remains and get the pool out (in April!! I know!!) - mind you, I did fill it with warm water rather than cold.

Some cute photos

New toy! Graeme bought her a little pram, which she loves! Her favourite activity, apart from swimming, was to push it around. At Willow Point (the family holiday house near where the Phil and Brenda's wedding was held, has oodles of space, all of which she made good use of! Swimming was another favourite activity. The little sun-suit she's wearing is labelled as being for kids up to 6 months old... well, at 15 months, it fits her perfectly! Either the sizing is WAY off, or she's a really tiny 15 months.
There's no bath at the house, so the next best thing is the outside sink. (There is an indoor one, but it's tiny!) Here she is wearing her classic face,
... and, unusually, performing for the camera!More swimming! This time with Uncle Rob and Tata.

And more video...

Here's one from July, from the end of her first swimming course when she was 8 months old. If you compare it to the one of her we blogged in 2006 you'll see the difference in quality! Our digital camera takes RUBBISH video! (Actually, looking at it on the web it isn't all that great either - I'll try to do something about that later....) This one is with Daddy. There's also one of her with me, but I thought I'd only put the one up, just to give the flavour. Family will have the privilege of seeing my growing bulk in a shrinking costume though!

And then there were five....

Tooth #5 has made its way out into the world - at last.

Graeme was away for two days in Edinburgh with work last week, so I was on my own with her. This was then followed by Graeme working late several nights this week and being ill (having caught Janel's viral thing). Janel, meanwhile, was pushing out her tooth (with all the ensuing drama that brings). I was busy at work as my Year 9's wrote their mock SATS (which we then had to mark - lovely! 3 papers, 150 scripts for each set, and only 2 full time staff plus me....). Physically I'm getting worse and I suspect I'm developing PSD, which (if I'm right and it isn't halted) may mean I'll be in a wheel chair for the last few weeks of the pregnancy. I'm finding walking very painful, but I'm trying not to let that stop me walking as I need the exercise. To top it all off, Graeme's viral thing then sparked a chest infection resulting in him going to A&E and then being admitted to hospital for 2 days. (He's still recovering, but at home now and on strict bed rest.)

In the midst of all this we've been on tenterhooks waiting for my dad to have his op on Tuesday (he has another lump in the same place as last time....) to find out whether the cancer is back or not.

So all in all, the past 2 weeks have not been fun and we are all exhausted. Needless to say, all I want for Christmas is peace, quiet and as little fuss and hassle as possible, so that the 3 of us can have a lovely Christmas together as a new family.

However, we had a fun time this morning at swimming. What was supposed to be only a 1 week postponement because of the relining of the pool became a 6 week complete refurbishment. But we are finally back for our final 2 lessons (the last one is tomorrow). To say thank you for the inconvenience, the instructor took 2 underwater photos of us this morning. That, along with getting used to the new pool and swimming again after a 6 week break, was all rather intense for Janel. I doubt the photos will come out nicely, but we'll see. If they're any good I'll put them up on the blog.

We'll be away from Thursday, so the next blog will probably only be after New Year, unless something momentous happens before then!

Have a great Christmas! Remember that the real reason we celebrate is because God gave us the greatest gift - his Son - born as a baby (and what new meaning that takes on for me now!) in Bethlehem, and may that remembrance bring you great and everlasting joy. Shalom to you all!

Stuff and things

Definitely talking! Today at the childminder's, she apparently said 'that' and 'bye'!!

We had a fund day yesterday - we went to a chickenpox party! Scary, but true. One of Nellie's little friends has chickenpox and is still infectious, so we went round to play so she can catch it. I'd rather she gets it now than that she has my horrid experience. (I stopped counting spots when I hadn't moved down beyond my face and neck but had already hit 200! I have lots of scars all over because I had spots on top of spots - which then burst, leaving me with scars. Not pleasant.)

The rest of our swimming course has had to be cancelled because while carrying out routine maintenance they discovered that the pool is badly corroded under the lining. This means that the entire pool has to be ripped out and a new one put in. Assuming we get to book onto the next course we'll get our missing weeks tacked onto that course, otherwise I guess we'll get a refund. Still, I think we all really miss it (even though it was at the most inconvenient time!)

Last night Aunty Cath came to visit, with Cousin Trish, as they're both in London at the same time, and so Nellie got an early birthday present of a Hungarian hat. Very cute!