Today we went to Swallowfield; late birthday celebration for me (mmm, roast chicken and berry-lemon pudding) and a chance for grandparental and avuncular/auntular fun. Dad took this photo...
 

Now, this is John and his red taxi (the only one on the rank - we've been looking out for him for three months and only just caught him). John drove us to the birth centre a couple of hours before P was born, and was commendably unflappable, took it nice and slow over the speed bumps, and didn't worry about the perilous combination of my waters and his seats. He also took the trouble to bring my mobile phone, which I'd dropped without realizing it, to the hospital the next day. Hooray for London cabbies.

 

A busy week; these photos to be going on with...

Peter's seen a lot of family and friends this week, from visits and get-togethers in Ealing to a joint birthday party for M and my dad at which all four of his grandparents were present. We also went to my Aunty Gil's funeral. I was glad that we had managed to visit her at home a couple of weeks ago and she could meet her great-nephew.

 

More books came in the post yesterday, from Uncle AJ. This one has a mirror on the front and crinkly pages, which he is enjoying, and the other is a Scarry.
In the sic transit gloria mundi department, I went into the Early Learning Centre yesterday to ask if they had any mobiles, and was proudly directed to a plastic toy phone. As for contraptions with dangling toys to suspend over a cot, nope.

A suspenseful one-minute campanological film - can he ring the bell? Sorry about the camerawork.

Plenty of Canadian content yesterday (that's KON-tent, not kuhn-TENT, though we were pretty pleased too). Peter and I went to the I Knit Day in the Horticultural Halls, and heard Stephanie the Yarn Harlot and author of Canada's best blog speak (more details and a photo over on the knitty-themed blog), then when we got home a package from cousin Joan in Ontario had arrived, containing a sizeable babygro (they make 'em tall over there) and two books for Peter, now added to the bookshelf.
Today we are just recovering. Had planned a swimming trip with Ry, but sleeping and feeding times conspired against it. Marc has gone to a local literary festival, but I didn't fancy breastfeeding in a damp tent, so we stayed home, though P has yelled continuously since he left, just dropping off now after a feed. Major achievement of the last couple of hours: making and consuming a BLT with one hand. The B was cold, the L was unwashed and of course I didn't have the T (tomatoes, yeuch) - and the bread was still kind of frozen - but still.

As requested, Peter's bookshelf has been added (right). He enjoyed a double-bill of Hungry Caterpillar and Each Peach the other night - thank you Nana - and has had an exciting week of massages, trips to the BBC, and many walks in the rain. Coming soon, maybe, once I can figure out the video blog function... PeterCam. And for those not fascinated by small people, I promise to blog about something else soon, it's just he is rather all-encompassing at the moment. My proudest achievement of the day is finagling an hour to get my hair cut.