Monday, January 22, 2007

Ways To Keep Mum Busy - No 76

Here's a story for you...this afternoon while the stair gate was open, Coby snuck out with his bouncy ball in tow and started to climb the stairs with it. I followed behind quietly to see how he would fair in his mission. He patiently took his time, pushing the ball up to the step above him, making sure it was balanced before letting go to haul himself up. He continued right to the top and pushed it into the bathroom. The toilet seat was up (Al?) and before I could do anything to stop the inevitable, in went the ball! I took it out and washed it under the shower before returning it to Coby so he could have another go...

How's Coby Doing?

Well, he is now 14 months old, weighs 24lbs 14oz, measures 75.5cm long and his shoe size is 3 and a half! He can do some sign language including "all gone", "milk" and "more". He likes to clap, wave, play peek-a-boo and points at absolutely everything. He can also climb the stairs (not good), open the oven (definately not good), switch the TV on and off (blow the tube why don't you) and brush his teeth, of which he now has 10!!!

His favourite toys are his fire engine, stacking cups and Peppa Pig ball and he absolutely LOVES books. his favourite at the moment is 'Thats Not My Puppy' with the touch and feel textures.

He is progressing well with his food and enjoys porridge for breakfast. He adores Innocent Smoothies and drinks them without pausing for breath. Today he had cous cous and salmon for lunch and ate the lot.

He really enjoys his one afternoon a week at nursery and is continuing to enjoy Tumble Tots, Music Train and Sing & Sign. We're trying out a new class next week - Sticky Mitts, bet you can't guess what happens there?

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A.......

Fireman?

Architect?

Coby loves his new fire engine from the Early Learning Centre. It has nine different sounds, complete with a volume - phew! Flashing lights and three little firemen. Coby has not stopped playing with it all morning - result!

Share & Share Alike

How quickly babies grow out of things eh? I remember when Coby was close to sitting up on his own so we bought him a play ring to help support him while he played with his toys. Not required any more! So we've passed it on to Coby's little pal, Anya.

Four month old Anya - she's a cutie pie!

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA!

Grandma Ann is celebrating her birthday today - hooray! We are visiting at the moment so that she and grandpa can catch up with Coby. Grandma has started art classes and for her birthday we bought her some new watercolour paints. We're going to commission her to paint Coby when she's fully confident!

Coby is also 14 months old today...here he is going for a spin in grandma's laundry basket

Mental Note: No paint near the boy

Guess what happens when you leave a tin of paint lying around for wee ones to find. I particularly like what they did with the TV...an abstract representation of man's struggle to purify and block out the harsh brutality of the media? Nope...just white paint thrown at a TV. Check out the top of the couch on the left...the creme leather couch...awesome brush work hahaha...

Friday, January 12, 2007

Its Good To Be Back

As much as we love Christmas, it has been a relief this week to get back to Coby's classes which we missed over the holiday season. First it was back to Gymbabes, oops sorry, Tumble Tots, which Coby has now graduated to. At the class on Wednesday, Coby received his certificate to confirm he had completed his Gymbabes course and we were also joined by lots of new faces, including Louis and his mum, Maddy.

On Thursday we went back to Music Train and saw the lovely Ros and even more new faces. For me, it was a time to reflect because when Coby first started in April last year, he was one of the youngest babies and was barely even sitting up. The friends he made have now graduated to another stage and Coby is the oldest. The new babies are Alisha, Alfred, Max, Alex, Amelie and two Ella's!

Our favourite class of all though is Sing and Sign and we started the new term this morning with Caroline. You may recall just before Christmas, that Sing and Sign entered a tree for the local Christmas Tree Festival decorated with all of the babies hand prints. The public could vote for their favourite tree of the 50 on display and Caroline announced this morning that Sing and Sign came 3rd!!!! The church reverend came 1st.............hmmmmmmmmm. Well done to Caroline for organising everything and making the tree look like a winner!

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Climb Every Staircase

Coby starts his ascent

Making progress

Nearly there

Ta Dah! Daddy greets Coby at the top

The Babies Are Back!

After a few weeks absent from the other babies, we were delighted to all meet up again today and remind ourselves of the chaos that ensues when Coby, Louis, Lola, Alicia, Jasmine and Olly are together. To be fair, they are all delightful and play together tremendously well. It is very entertaining to watch them interact and see any trends or familiar behaviour develop. Coby and Louis always seem to wrestle, Jasmine always seems to observe quietly, Alicia happily plays away the time on her own, Lola crawls to each of them in turn to see who is more exciting to hang out with while Olly just seems happy to be among his buddies and sup contentedly on his bottle. Paula was the lovely hostess today, on hand with carrot cake, ginger cake and healthy cereal bars, which were hardly any calories you know!


"I'll pop some highlights in here for you Ms Morton"


"Don't look now Cobes, but I think we've been caught"

Coby is delighted with the singing reindeer

And so is Jasmine

Hey, its Olly!

Happy to be back with his chums




Somebody is Walking...

One of the babies is walking! But alas, it's not Coby.

See if you can guess. Is it Alicia? Jasmine? Lola? Louis? or Olly?




Its one of the girls!











IT'S ALICIA!
Well done Alicia! Who'll be next?

Are you watching this Coby?

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Bad Blogger

Sorry folks for the lack of Coby pics and updates! All sorts of excuses, one of which is that I've just been plain lazy, and forgetful. The camera, which usually goes everywhere with me, has been 'lost' on a few occasions and when I do get a chance to snap Coby in various degrees of cuteness - he turns his head at the last minute or dashes off in pursuit of the stairs (I 'forget' to close the door gate, Coby has figured out how to climb the stairs, need I say more?).

Anyway, I promise, as of tomorrow, I'll be bringing you some up to date photos and regailing you with funny tales of Coby's adventures in baby world, like peeing through the fire guard onto the pot pourri and throwing the potatoes from the vegetable rack all over the kitchen floor. Tired from the constant tidying? No way..................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZ

I've also broken my toe and since the 'incident' Coby has stood on it twice, thrown a potato on it and slapped it with his hand, you know, the one that looks so small, light and harmless. I also have January Blues, so I'm depressed, need to lose weight, need to hand in my reflexology coursework STILL and need a day at a health spa, well, perhaps a week, or a month. Any how, what I'm trying to say is that while I'm constantly inspired by Coby to blog about him and keep you all ticking over with photos of His Cuteness, I'm flagging a little and feel the need to justify my poor record for blogging over the last couple of weeks.

From tomorrow though, its back to Gymbabes, Music Train, Sing & Sign and, more importantly, our weekly get together with Lola, Louis, Alicia, Jasmine and Olly. I think thats why I've been feeling a little unmotivated - I need our routine and Christmas and New Year had thrown me off course - thanks Santa!!

Friday, January 05, 2007

Little Drummer Boy

Coby has several drums and is often seen making a racket...perhaps this awesome display by Phil Collins, Chester Thompson and Luis Conte will inspire him. Trust me, watch all six minutes until they're all playing together.

Monday, January 01, 2007

Welcome 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF OUR FAMILY & FRIENDS

WE HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC YEAR AHEAD
FILLED WITH JOY & HAPPINESS

ALL OF OUR LOVE & BEST WISHES

SARAH, AL & THE COBSTER


Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Coby Schumacher

Coby received some fabulous presents for Christmas, the majority of which have turned our lounge into a car park. This amazing quad bike moves when Coby activates a button and it didn't take him long to figure it out either.

Monday, December 25, 2006

It's Chrissssssssssmassssssssss!

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL

WITH LOVE FROM COBY


Sunday, December 24, 2006

Coby of Sherwood

We went to visit friends up in Nottingham yesterday for the night and had a superb time. Coby came with us and made some new friends. Here he is hanging out with Jasmine (the second one he knows but this one is Jazzy P) - they are discussing who should have the yellow block.


That pic is a blurry action shot so here is one of Jazzy P showing her cheeky little chops in all their glory


And here is Coby with the wonderful Alfie...Alfie is about 2 and a hint at what lies ahead for us in about a year with the Cobester...Mission 1: Lose the dummy he he he.


We went for a stroll today and visited the river...the ducks and the swans went nuts for the bread we took...Jasmine and her dad, Gil, are sat dispensing bread, bloody brave if you ask me...


Then we visited a playground and here is Coby having fun on the swings...


And here he is on the roundabout holding onto Mum for dear life...


Well Crimbo is nearly here and Coby is well up for it...ripping paper is his fave hobby at the mo.

Ho Ho Ho!

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Christmas Tree Festival

On Sunday afternoon we decided to check out the Christmas Tree Festival near to where we live. You may recall Coby did some hand prints at Sing & Sign a couple of weeks ago. Well Caroline, who runs the class, cut them all out and entered a tree into the festival with the tiny hands hanging on each branch...

Coby's handprint adorns the tree in the church

The tree in its full glory includes
handprints by Coby and Lola and all
of their Sing & Sign friends

There were around 50 trees all decorated by locals with the opportunity to vote for your favourite tree - guess which one mummy voted for? Here are a few others with the names as entered by their creators...

Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh AND...

Pink - our favourite colour

Baby's 1st Christmas

Tree of Toys

Mrs Tiggy Winkles Christmas Tree

Christmas Feast for all Gods Beasts


Saturday, December 16, 2006

The Fellowship of the Doughnut Ring

Frodo, Merry & Pippin, sorry Coby, Louis and Lola tuck in - again

A day in the life of Coby, and most of his friends too I dare say, consists mainly of food. His diet is not dissimilar to that of a hobbit - breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, supper and finally - food induced sleep.

The Little Norfolk Explorer

We've just returned from a chilly, but sunny holiday in Cromer, Norfolk with Coby and his grandparents. We explored as much as we could and introduced Coby to lots of exciting new things - reptiles, sharks, cockroaches and fossils! The best thing about Norfolk in December, is that everyone else is sensible enough to stay in the warm, so the sea front at Great Yarmouth was ours and ours alone. On Tuesday we visited a beautiful, picturesque town in the Glaven Valley called Holt. With its quaint little shops lit up for Christmas, it was like something from a Dickens novel. We found a fabulous delicatessen who were offering a free mince pie and a cup of hot mulled wine - so tasty, we purchased a bottle along with some boozy mincemeat and a christmas pud.

In Yarmouth we had an amazing time at the Sea Life Centre and watched the sharks and rays being fed, we had a close inspection of a rock pool with its anemones, starfish and crabs, saw teenie tiny sea horses and an octopus that likes to play with lego blocks! We also went on an adventure to Amazonia - World of Reptiles. We saw Goliath, a 13ft American alligator, although he was fast asleep under the water, languishing in the mud. We also got quite close to caimen, snakes, gheckos and turtles and a rather large cockroach roaming outside the glass - yikes! It didn't put us off our appetites though and we rounded up the day with fish and chips at the great Harry Ramsdens. Daddy and grandad decided to take Harry's Challenge - a whole giant prime of cod with tons of chips and not one, but TWO pots of mushy peas. Daddy condeded half way through, but grandad battled on. He didin't quite finish, but both of them suffered for it the next day - silly boys.

What's lurking around the corner?

Goliath, the alligator from Florida was fast asleep
"Thank Goodness" thinks Coby

Just watching the world go by

"Hey, pop a 20p in and make it snappy"

You can't come to the seaside
without having fish and chips!

Friday, December 15, 2006

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

Mummy and daddy are celebrating their 4th wedding anniversary today!

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Bah Humbug!

Coby's nursery had a Xmas Open Day on Saturday, so the three of us went along for some festive fun. We guessed the weight of the Christmas Cake, ranging from 2lbs to 7lbs, we went for the top answer based on Coby's weight at birth. Then we entered the messy room and painted some tree decorations, a star and a reindeer with a red nose. Finally, we made our way upstairs to Santa's grotto, however, Coby wasn't happy to see Father Christmas and shed quite a few tears. As we left, he did manage a small wave goodbye and than promptly fell asleep in the car. Over-tired!

Coby and mummy get messy

Coby was sensible enough to wear an apron

Bah humbug! Coby wasn't impressed with Santa Claus

A Curly Souvenir

Notice Coby's curl in this picture? Well, it's gone!
Snipped off, tied with ribbon and saved in a special
time capsule for posperity!


Saturday, December 02, 2006

What?

Pasta with mascarpone cheese and tomato sauce -
Coby tipped it out onto his lap, threw the bowl on the floor
and flicked it everywhere!

Friday, December 01, 2006

Friday Fun

At Sing & Sign this morning, Coby did a hand print painting to enter into the local Christmas Tree Festival. We used yellow paint and blue and gold sparkles to brighten it up. Coby and I were covered in glitter afterwards - it's so much fun getting messy.

And then at nursery, Coby sponge painted a bell, finger painted a reindeer and brush painted a snowman. When I collected him, they were proudly displayed on the wall with all the others.

Coby chooses some glitter

The finished masterpiece!