Supersize Me

Here is the new Tottenham Hotspur strip for the 2007/2008 season. This is the Coby size infant kit that Uncle Mark and I will be shopping for within the next few weeks. And as a member of the Dribbler's club, I do believe Coby is due a tour of the stadium with an accompanying adult - ho hum!

Who Gets to Drive?

Coby was here, there and everywhere today. We started off at Michaela's catching up with Lola, Alicia and....five week old Samuel. The kids played in the garden and Coby enjoyed plodding around and throwing himself in the ball pool. Then we headed over to Maddy's house to see Louis. Yet again, the boys argued over who got to drive Louis' car, but the argument was resolved when it started raining and both boys, kicking and crying, were dragged back indoors from the garden.

Not Nice 'N' Spicy

Today, Coby and I met up with great auntie Toni, who is visiting from Canada. She treated us to lunch at Nando's in the O2 Centre on Finchley Road. We tempted fate by ordering Coby some spicy chicken strips with spicy rice. His meal deal included yogurt and we couldn't help giggle when we noticed Coby's unique way to cool the chicken, by dipping it in the yogurt - butterscotch flavour too - mmmmm!

Afterwards, the three of us drove to the hospital to visit grandma Wendy. She has been on the high dependency unit in intensive care since Saturday, but is improving each day and will be moved to a regular ward very soon. Unfortunately, Coby is unable to go on to the ward to see her, so we took it in 5 minute shifts while the other sat with Coby in the relatives room. He seemed to enjoy cleaning his hands with the gel provided outside the ward and reached up for more on the way out.

A Little Appreciation...

I just wanted to say thank you to some people who have been very good to us recently, particularly in view of events regarding Al's mum, Wendy.

First of all thank you to everyone who made mine and Maddy's birthday night out so enjoyable, in spite of our 'walk out' from the restaurant in protest - in hindsight, quite amusing.

Anthony, David, Leon, Maddy, Mark, Martin, Purdy, Simone, Sophie, Tanya - I had a lovely time and thank you for my cards and presents.

And on Sunday we had to rush around to prepare for Lipa's memorial which went ahead without Wendy in the end. We could not have done it without Emma and Sonia who organised the refreshments for the many people who came back to the house. And finally thanks to Shoshana who looked after Coby while we were at the burial ground, in addition to looking after her own two children and being 29 weeks pregnant!

Thanks everybody!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY

Mummy is celebrating her birthday today. Unfortunately grandma Wendy was taken to hospital last night and is quite poorly. Me and mummy are sad for her and wish her a speedy recovery.

It is also Maddy's birthday today and she and mummy are going into London tonight to celebrate with some friends. And tomorrow is auntie June's birthday - Happy Birthday everyone!

Happy Birthday Mummy!

Grandma We Love You

Coby and I have spent the last couple of days with nanna Ann and grandad Les in Lincolnshire. We went along to give nanna some moral support through yet another hospital appointment. She is due to start some chemotherapy treatment within the next couple of weeks, but is tackling the prospect with real guts and determination - we're so proud of her.

She was delighted when, in the queue at Tesco yesterday, Coby shouted "nanny" from across the checkout. This is the first time that Coby has addressed her in such a way and she had the biggest smile on her face for the rest of the day.

Nanny entertained us with her fabulous impression of Catherine Tate's grandmother character - hilarious!

Get Well Soon Jack

Coby's cousin Jack is very poorly at the moment with chickenpox - boo hiss boo to those evil spots!
We wish him a speedy recovery and send lots of love and hugs - always an important factor in making someone better.....

TOYS 'R' GREAT

On an outing to Toys 'R' Us in Scunthorpe yesterday, Coby was clearly delighted to have free reign of the store. He didn't know which toys to look at first. He was instantly drawn to Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder and Great Uncle Tony had fun chasing after him as he disappeared down another aisle...

"Nah - they're girls toys"

"This is more my thing"

"Wow! Cool"

Coby in toy heaven

"Oh mum"

"Now we're talking"

"All aboard!"

Bye Bye Baby (1975)

Ever so slightly cheesy, but Coby dances his little heart out to this and can say "bye bye baby" - his first proper sentance - officially!

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else---the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked."

The coffee just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

So true...

More from the Zoo

Well it is rare that I post on this blog but just got some more pics from Bobbi, Courtney's Ma, from our trip to the zoo on the weekend.

Check 'em out:

Hee hee look at me...bet you can't catch me...

Ah...look at the pretty flowers...

Toucan play at that game eh? (See what I did there?)


Where'd the Toucan go?

Bunking off in Bath

Over the weekend, Coby's grandad Les and nanna Ann came to look after him. Al and I were in Bath for a summer party courtesy of Natural Collection.

I travelled down to Bath with Tanya, whose partner Leon, works with Al and, strangely enough, used to be my 'work husband' at Caspian. After checking in at the rather charming Apsley House Hotel we headed into Bath for some refreshments. We found a cosy bar with a cocktail lounge vibe called Las Iguanas and relaxed with passion fruit and red cherry and almond caprinias - yummo!

We were picked up from the hotel by coach and driven to The Mill at Rode where we were greeted with glasses of Pimms and a gorgeous outdoor barbeque. Thank you Natural Collection.

Our hotel in Bath - Apsley House

Tanya and Leon

The end of the night looms

Nineteen

Coby is 19 months old now! According to our regular newsletter from Baby Centre, here is an idea of what we can expect from him....

"This month, you'll notice that your toddler's powers of observation are getting sharper. He'll laugh at something that's obviously wrong — like calling a giraffe a zebra or calling a brother a sister. And he'll notice when a favourite toy is missing an eye or has lost a patch of fur. His language skills are maturing, too. Although you may understand less than half of what your toddler says, he understands most of the words you use around him. He may also put together pairs of words, like "Me go" or "You put". The best way to encourage his budding speech? Talk to him."

Coby does pay close attention when we speak and tries to mimic us most of the time. The latest addition to his vocabulary is "Simpsons" although his version sounds more like "sinsins". Tonight, however, we had a breakthrough when he very clearly and very precisely said "Bye bye baby" which I was teaching him for no more than 10 minutes. Oh the fun begins!

Paradise Wildlife Park

To celebrate Father's Day, Al spent the day with Coby at Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne. Grandma Wendy joined them along with Bobbi, Scott and Courtney and Rob, Dee and Alyssa.

You looking at me?

Someone is watching!

Coby makes a dash for freedom

A mildly subdued Coby

Mummy is loving...

...my new Sunday job working in Waterstones. I've been taking lots of pre-orders for Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows. The store opens at midnight on the 21st of July for the many fans who just can't wait to get their hands on it.

Today we had a sweet old lady in the store for at least an hour quietly reading at the table. Her choice of reading material? 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. The list ranges from A Trip to the Moon (1902) through to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). Check out the list for some inspiration.

Travelling T

N.B. Not to be confused with Travelling Matt from Fraggle Rock
(private joke purely for Teresa's benefit)

Coby's auntie Tee Tee is having a glorious time on her travels so far. She has been to Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Adelaide and Sydney. She is off to Cairns tomorrow before beginning a two week tour of the east coast. Her itinerary looks amazing and includes a visit to Johnstone River Crocodile Farm, Whitsunday Islands, Carnarvon Gorge and National Park, Kroombit Cattle Station where she'll participate in a 'muster' on horseback and try her skills at trap-shooting!! And then its off to Rainbow Beach, Brisbane and Byron Bay and back to Sydney. Phew!

Teresa on her way to Robben Island with Table Mountain in the background

Nelson Mandela's cell on Robben Island

Enjoying the sights of Sydney Harbour Bridge

Here are some extracts from Teresa's last e-mail:

"When we arrived we dropped off our bags and headed down to the harbour. Wow. The weather was beautiful and the bridge and Opera House looked amazing. We walked through the Rocks and headed towards Darling Harbour. Here you have the Aquarium, Wildlife park, cafes, bars, restaurants, Museums etc. Some of the boat tours depart from there also. In the evening Mel and I went for dinner in China Town and then headed into Kings Cross where we met up with her cousin and his girlfriend. Most of the streets/areas are named the same as London. Eg Liverpool Street, Oxford Street, Paddington...We hit a few bars and I decided to introduce to the group Jagerbombs. Oh dear. After playing up for a bit in Kings Cross we headed down to Darling Harbour to a club"

"I decided to book a whale watching trip. Luckily they had space for that day so we headed out of harbour bay and it wasn't long until we spotted a pod of whales. They were humpbacks heading North to give birth. We were lucky as they came up quite close to the boat. We followed them for a few hours. Well I never even thought about getting sea sick until the crew on the boat kept going on about taking tablets if we have them, throwing up in the paper bags provided and not in the toilets or over the boat etc etc...STOP GOING ON ABOUT IT!!! It wasn't long until I started turning green myself. The trip was terrific though and it was such a privilege to see the whales in their natural environment. Wasn't that successful capturing pictures of them though. Have a few more days in Sydney and then heading to Cairns on Monday. Wednesday I start my trip along the East Coast. You will be pleased to know the trip is true backpacker style. Shared accommodation the lot. Gulp! Will princess T survive..."

CAPTION COMPETITION WINNER!

Congratulations to......



Great Uncle Tony for his winning entry...

"Daddy, does my head look big in these?"

A wee, small thank you gift is on its way to you, Tony. Well done!

Short and Stocky

At the health centre recently, Coby was weighed and measured for the first time in quite a while. The good news is that his weight and height have maintained an even line since his birth. He is now 26lbs 9oz (12kg) which puts him just below the 75th centile (50th centile being the average range) and his height is 79..5cm (2ft, 7) which puts him just below the 25th centile. The conclusion is that while Coby is within normal range, he is a little on the short and stocky side for now. Not sure where he gets that from....the picture below is an old one, taken last February, but I thought it best epitomised Coby's physique as we know and love it

"Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough"

Tweenies to Tiggy's

This week Coby is moving up at nursery from the Tweenies class to Tiggy's which is from 18 months to 2 years. Each week Coby's key worker fills out details of Coby's day in his little red book. He has been looked after since last October by Sam and Leanne and here are some of their entries, picked at random, that made me smile...

1st December 2006

Today I have played with the teddy links, pop-up toys and stacking bricks. I have also sponge painted a bell, finger painted a reindeer and brush painted a snowman.

Coby refused to have his 3pm sleep and got a bit upset when the other children were having their tea.

19 January 2007

Today I have had lots of fun playing in the big tent with the lego bricks. I was climbing in and out and shouted "boo" when Nathan opened the window. I also said "Tigger" to Leanne.

Tea: Coby ate all his crumpets and yogurt

2nd February 2007

Today I have played with the pop up toys, stacking bricks in the castle, the gloves and musical instruments. I have also been playing in the cooked spaghetti, rubbing it on my tummy.

Tea: Coby ate most of his pitta bread with cheese and all of his greek yogurt

13 April 2007

Today I have had lots of fun playing in the ball pool. I kept throwing the ball to Leanne and then chasing after it when she threw it for me. I have also been giving one our new babies, Isabel, lots of cuddles and saying "aww". I have also played with the duplo, sensory bottles, musical instruments and had lots of fun crawling in and out of the play tunnel.

Tea: ate all of his crumpets and yogurt

20 April 2007

Today I had lots of fun playing in the garden. I went on the see-saw and played with a ball. I had big cuddles with Leanne and Hayley and looked at some story books.

Tea: Coby ate all his macoroni cheese and most of his banana

The girls also make a note of nap times and 'soiled and dirty' nappies, but I thought these were details you didn't really need to know!

Orange & White Don't Mix

I have a real problem with two things:

a) why is most baby food orange?
b) why are most baby grows/vests white?

These two deadly combinations have been known to make wash day pretty frustrating. As part of our efforts to be energy efficient, we always wash at 30 degrees, but those white washes just don't benefit. Take this picture of Coby....


Everything looks white and fresh as a daisy, right?

Wrong! You can't see the stubborn stains created by Coby on the occasions when he eats the following foods:

Spaghetti, baked beans, blueberries, strawberries, pureed carrot and our old favourite, tomato soup.

My point is don't dress your baby in white vests and don't give them orange food!

Wonderful weekend

Some pics for you and.....Coby's video debut!

In reverse order, starting with today...we (Coby & I without mum as she was at work) spent a few hours with Louis and his folks...lovely sunshine...

Ahh...so angelic...until you notice the horns of hair on the left...hahaha

What you looking at? Damn paparazzi...

OK so now dad has put the sun cream on
I can cover myself in sand...whoopee...

Louis in his paddling pool...

I don't wanna wear a hat daddy, and Louis is trying
to carjack me...although it is his car...

And yesterday we went to Anya's mum and dad for a birthday BBQ for her dad, Paul, who is 93

Sarah with Rob who is off to Chicago this week
to work on the new hush hush Batman movie
...he has a very cool job making animatronics

Ah...nothing like a bbq to confirm that summer has arrived..
pictured are (L-R) Paul the birthday boy,
Snoop Doggy Bellchambers and Gooner Jon

What a great scene...

I love to see Coby asleep in his car seat...very sweet

And the only thing nicer than seeing Coby in his car seat
is seeing Sarah driving...much better driver than me...

And now, presenting Coby's video debut...

Lovely Day for a Barbie

Jumping jellybeans! Its June already! Today we whiled away the afternoon at Paul's Birthday BBQ. Paul is Anya's daddy and he was celebrating being...cough, cough...years old. Coby was a little shy to begin with, but was soon gatecrashing the little groups forming in the garden and tearing around with Anya's toys.

Coby hiding behind the gazebo

Auntie Jo feeds Coby his yogurt

Coby's pal Courtney poses for the camera