Jack and Katrina's Place

Sometimes Guy looks a bit like Katrina, less often he looks like Jack but very often he looks like a miniature replica of his Grandfather Pat (Katrina's Dad) These photos were actually taken a few months ago in Finland when Guy was 6 months old, which is about the same age as Pat was when the black and white photo was taken. Check out the head shape, the dimple in the chin and the eyes, hard to believe they are two generations apart

Lucy is the second daughter of our friends Barnaby and Rachel. She is 10 weeks older than Guy, I remember this because Barnaby told me about Lucy one Saturday morning when I went jet boating with him. Lucy-to-be had passed 15 weeks when he told me and it was the morning before Guy became a pale blue line (5 weeks). All the way up the Ruamahunga river and back I had to bite my tounge while Barnaby told me how excited he was about having a baby for the second time, although he didn't expect me to understand!

So anyway now Lucy is a year old and doesn't she look pretty? They had a great birthday party at the Little Monkeys Activity Centre. It is a great place for kids even though Guy seems to have his Daddy's abilty to look serious even when he's having fun.

The last entry about a beautiful moment with Guy was mostly inspired by Guy of course but also by an intersting Blog called Three Beautiful Things, you can check it out at http://threebeautifulthings.blogspot.com/ The lady who writes it tries to think of 3 beautiful things that she has seen each day, it a good thing to do I think, just forget all the other stuff.

Here are a whole bunch of beautiful things, the antenatal class kids having their two weekly catch up at our place. Guy and friends took turns on the motorbike and the trolley and Hannah joined Guy at one of his favourite pastimes standing up at the book shelf and playing with the books. He actually takes the books out inspects them and puts them on the ground, it's not as destructive as it looks (and the good books are out of his reach!!)

There is something special about watching a child see something for the first time, and the other morning I got to experience it. Guy and I have a little routine in the morning, we go downstairs and make Katrina a hot milo. While we wait for the milk to heat in the microwave we step out onto the deck (if the wind is below 20knots!) and take in the early morning scene. Guy is developing a sharp eye and often greets the morning commuter train with an outstretched arm as it rumbles across the bridge in the valley. The other morning after the train had disappered round the curve, Guy looked up and raised his arm again in the combined pointing/grasping motion with which he indicates interest. I realised he was looking at the moon for the first time. In a heartbeat his little face flickered from a frown of concentration, to astonshiment and then he turned to me with a little squeal of delight, the realisation that there was such a beautiful thing as a crescent moon in the pre dawn sky. Sorry I can only describe it in words, but here are some photos of Guy the serious trying brocoli for the first time, and experimenting with a bubble beard.

Since Guy was very little we have frequently taken him outside (and around the world) so it shouldn't be very suprising that the cargivers at Creche have written in his notes, that 'Guy loves to be outside and enjoys exploring his environment." The creche have found whenever Guy is a bit upset taking hin outside for a walk under the trees settles him very quickly. We find the he is just the same and I look forward to getting home from work in time to take Guy for a walk around the garden. These photos were taken last week in our garden on one of those lovely Spring evenings we get in Wellington, a short of lull in the Northerly gales and rain where the whole town looks sparky and clean as if it's just been waterblasted (which it has!)

In recent weeks Guy has discovered the toilet is great fun! He loves to hang over the edge and try to touch the water and especially loves to put his hands in when the toilet is flushing. When the lid is down he likes to bang it like a drum. Here he was during a recent lid-banging session and earlier that day he had discovered one of the great joys of manhood (according to Jack) - the ability to pee standing up! He was in the right room, but instead of doing it in the toilet (he's a bit short for that) he decided to hang onto the bowl and pee on the floor!

Enough toilet humour and on to other things. . . .









We've been the house of sick over the last week or so and Jack had 3 days at home (unheard of!). Here is poor sick Daddy with a silly looking little boy who has discovered that his tongue feels tickly when poked past his teeth.


Guy is a little water baby and here he is having a lovely time with some baby-safe kitchen implements. This was moments before it ended up all over the floor, the towels and of course Guy who needed a full change of clothes!

The Kathmandu Backpack has been one of our favourite pieces of baby equipment. It was brilliant for travelling of course, but we still use it on Sunday mornings for going to the vege market. On another Sunday, Katrina bought Guy down to the Kaiwharawhara stream where Jack has been volunteering to clear the weeds from a section of regenerating native bush. So far amongst the gorse and broom we have discovered lots of Titoki trees and a 6 ft high Rewarewa. It will be nice to bring Guy back to this corner of the park in years to come.

Guy enjoys his diners, sometimes Mr Watties lambs fry and bacon but usually Katrina's mashed vegetables and meat frozen into ice cubes. This week he has been a bit fussy with sore gums as tooth number 8 makes its way through. He also enjoys feeding himself vegemite sandwiches and cheese slices.

Hugs for Mummy

Katina's Aunt Roberta is a Dental Hygenist so this photo is for her. Guy gets his teeth lightly brushed every night, and seems to enjoy the tickly feeling and playing with the brush. The other photo is Guy and Jack trying out an reusable eco-shopping bag, just right for carrying little baggages.

On Sunday we went to visit Kirri, and Guy had a lovely time reading the 'Very Hungry Catepillar with her. Even Kirris new Kitten 'Elvis' was reading along!

Roberta and Graeme came over to see Katrina's cousin Danielle modelling some of the costumes in the Wearable Art Show. http://www.worldofwearableart.co.nz/
While Danielle was getting ready we caught up with Amy Roberta and Graeme for brunch at Lyall Bay. As you can see from Guy's hat, there was a good spring Nor'wester blowing, and Guy had great fun with Graeme on the slide. While someone else was holding the baby, I took the oppurtunity to try out the pocket kite that I bought at Marks & Spencers in London. After seeing Jospehine and Jed's one in action I decided these were just the thing, $6 and it folds up into the pocket in my cargo pants, cool!