Friday, 25 January 2008

It's a Steep Learning Curve

Well, no major developments this week - just George's first bad cold, poor thing. But I am noticing some little indications of how much he is learning about all sorts of different things.

He can now walk holding on to his trolley of bricks, without any additional support - so long as someone is on standby to turn it around at the end of the room, and to readjust the trajectory when he goes slightly astray and wedges himself against the furniture.

Today he brought me one of his shoes, which had come off (nothing new there) and I said "if you want me to put it back on, you will have to give me your foot" - in response to which he lifted up his foot - and it was even the right foot, the one with no shoe on.

Yesterday I swear he was trying to say "duck" when he was in the bath - it was a sort of "da du" - which would make sense because I normally say "duck duck" for some reason!

I am really working on his first word being "book" - and I think he is almost there with that too; he certainly has the "b" and has on occasion used it appropriately. But possibly just coincidentally.

In his favourite bedtime book, when I say "meow" he points to the picture of the cat.

Since he seems to hate me doing the washing up, and stands pulling on my trouser leg and moaning at me - which is very wearing - I have started putting him up on a chair next to me (tied on to it) so that he can see what I am doing. This makes him much less moany, and he has been helping me by putting things from the side into the water.

He is now strong enough to push the button on the "Wheels on the Bus" book which makes the tune play - and he recognises the tune when it plays elsewhere, or when someone sings it, and he looks around for the book.

And, as well as learning how to clap, he now recognises the word "clap" and will do it on demand. At last, my baby can do a trick!

Saturday, 19 January 2008

Day Out with Mummy

It was my turn to keep George out of the house for a while, so that David could do some tidying and cleaning. I'm not sure who got the best deal, because George was in a pretty grumpy mood all day - he has a bit of a cough and cold so isn't at his best.

We went to the Museum in Docklands - which just happens to be close to the shops at Canary Wharf (yummy Waitrose food and Krispy Kremes to boot).

Luckily the museum was pretty empty, so I let him crawl around some of the exhibits. And we did quite a bit of walking practice as well, with me holding only one of his hands - great progress.



















Friday, 18 January 2008

Day Out with Daddy

Today I had a deadline for some work so David took George out for the day - the details are slightly sketchy but there was mention of the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, and more trouble for the poor souls at David's workplace.
















Building bricks up within reach of George...








...is just asking for trouble!









(And yes, I'm afraid that is a Wrexham football shirt he is wearing - as it was Daddy's day I let him choose what George would wear!)

Wednesday, 16 January 2008

If You're Happy and You Know It...

George has finally learned to clap - about 8 months after we started trying to teach him.

He woke in the early hours of this morning and I went in to settle him back to sleep. Just after I had laid him back in the cot I noticed that he seemed to be clapping his hands - in his sleep. I checked with David, and sure enough he said he had been "practising" clapping with George yesterday evening just before bathtime.

Today George has been a clapping fool - he hasn't stopped clapping, and he is mighty pleased with himself!

Tuesday, 15 January 2008

My Son the Thief

Today George spent the afternoon at work with David. During the course of a few hours he apparently pinched a Ferrero Rocher, a muffin and a banana. And he also seems to have acquired a big green soft toy, which David thinks is a frog but I am calling a lizard - either way it doesn't belong to George!

Saturday, 12 January 2008

Down on the Farm

This morning we took George to Horton Park Children's Farm - not too far from us but proper countryside nonetheless. We saw lots of sheep, some pigs and boars, goats (including very cute baby ones), ducks, and we even got in with the rabbits. There were also some more exotic creatures like alpacas and a llama.

After getting muddy outside we warmed up inside with a jacket potato (George shared bits of both parents' lunches) and then enjoyed the "playbarn" with ball pool for babies and big jungly stuff for older children.

We also managed to fit in some shopping in Kingston, which George wasn't quite so excited about. And now we are all worn out from the fresh country air, and hoping for decent amounts of sleep tonight.





Friday, 11 January 2008

How can you do this to me?

My parents came to visit today, with the result that we finally have a stairgate fitted! We only did the one at the bottom because so far that's where George has been most troublesome - he hasn't yet tried to go down from the top.

Suffice to say he wasn't impressed!