Back in the swing of things

I slept a lot better last night.

Had a good swimming lesson. I'm getting a lot more confident in the water, but I still don't crawl on the floating mat. All the other kids do. But I don't. I crawl on dry land just fine. And when we went visiting today I had no problems with internal stairs either.

I've added pasta to my menu. Mum reckons we'll be able to share meals soon. I have been having some weetbix for brekky this week. Mixed with warm water. And some fruit. Yesterday mum forgot to add the fruit and I screwed up my face with every bite. You try eating weetbix with just a bit of warm water. Eeewww.

The record breaking sleeping run is over

I slept through the night, not once, not twice, but seven nights in a row! Mum and dad have been very proud, and relieved. It's always a little annoying for us three to hear people say 'oh, my baby took three weeks to sleep through the night - those three weeks were terrible'. Three weeks? Try nine months, and then come and talk to us!

But the record run finished last night.

I went to bed a little late and woke woke up crying soon after. Dad instinctively got out of bed, got me out of my grobag, handed me to mum for my first-breakfast feed, and looked at the clock to find it was only half past twelve! I didn't settle down at all, I squirmed for an hour or two, and so after my feed dad and I went back to our old couch-sitting ways until daybreak.

I ended up having a really good day. Swimming was fantastic. And I practiced my 'waving'. And played with my tennis ball. And had a two-and-a-half hour daytime sleep.

Dad's hoping tonight I'll start another record sleeping run...

Waves

I started waving today. Sure, I've been waving my arms around a lot for the past few months, but it was today when mum noticed me purposefully waving. I'm still a bit wobbly with my waves, they're big huge movements that don't look a lot like a traditional wave, but I'm getting there.

Dad and I played the rolling ball game again this afternoon. I love it. And Andy and Wendy came around for tea, and I was only too happy to show them my new ball rolling and waving skills.

Mum and dad are amazed at how quickly I am picking up new skills. I'm not a little baby anymore...

Ball boy

I spent a lot of time with grandad today. He's a lot better now (thank you to all those people who've asked about him), and helped teach me to do stuff. Like playing with pots and pans. He's a psychologist, so he knows what he's doing. I was given a small pot and a large pot and they both had lids. And the plan was for me to put the right lid on the right pot. And bang them.

And then he showed me how to roll a ball.

When dad found out about the ball he was very excited.

He went straight to the sports shop and bought me my own pack of tennis balls. Official Wimbledon championship balls. Of course. And when he got home we set ourselves down in the hallway and rolled the ball to each other. It was great fun. I squealed with delight each time dad clapped my ball letting-go skills. We played and played. We both had a lot of fun.

Giggling kids and freezers

I kept my eye on a couple of kids playing at church this morning. They were laughing and giggling and I was mesmerised. Just like the time I saw a kid with a ball in the pizza shop we went to. She was bouncing the ball up and down and I stared at the ball the whole time. I like watching people.

I also seem to like freezers more than air conditioners. That's dad's opinion after a trip to the electrical store this afternoon. We were there to buy an oven and dishwasher, and while we were waiting dad took me on a tour of the shop - we peered into deep freezers and microwaves and air conditioners. But it was the freezer and the big door that was more interesting than the relatively boring air conditioner.

Dad looked after me later on when mum had to go out, and I was supposed to have a sleep. But I couldn't settle and cried and wailed and screamed for about an hour. I eventually went to sleep. In my rocking chair. I sniffled the whole time I slept (proof you can be sad and asleep at the same time) and I woke up the same way I went down; crying. I eventually settled down, and after some tea was back to my normal happy, albeit tired, self.

Me and dad

Dad and I have been spending more time together lately. Yesterday he took me swimming, because mum was at work. We had a great time in the pool, even if I was a little quiet - no splashing or other wild moves today - just a lot of concentrating.

Today we went to a bookfair at the showgrounds. Mum stayed at home, so dad donned the baby carrier and we had a great time wandering through the aisiles of books. It was the first time he's worn the baby carrier, but he got into the swing of things pretty quickly, and chatted to me the whole time, asking me my opinion on which books to get! He got lots of looks from passers-by. One lady told him it was a very special thing for father and son to be out and about like us. It made him proud.

We bought a few books, got home, had a feed, and then went and visited our new house. It doesn't have a bathroom or kitchen at the moment. I had the giggles while we were out, laughing lots and lots.

Learning to love trains

I got a big train for Christmas. It makes all sorts of noises, lights up, and even propels itself forwards.

Today I learned how to appreciate it. You see, a few weeks ago mum got it off the shelf plonked it and me on the floor and pressed the 'go' button. My reaction was not what she hoped. I bawled, and got the shakes. It freaked me out!

So the train went back on the shelf for a week or so. I'll happily play with the train when the power's not turned on, but as soon as the lights flash and the 'woot woot' sound of the train fills the air, I became railophobic (is that what you call the fear of trains?)

This afternoon dad decided it was time to conquer my fear. I was in the kitchen and he sat the train down next to me and explained that it was 'live' - that is, he had turned the power on, and if I banged my hand on the chinmey, the train would light up.

When it fired up, I stared, but didn't cry. I even crawled after it after a few goes. I then spent the rest of the afternoon with the train in my lap, pressing the light and sound buttons.

Job done!