Thursday 31st July 2008

Another busy week. We started it off with coffee and cakes with the WAG's that are in town on Friday. It was nice to see Luise again and see Becca before she heads off to the UK to become Mrs Stokes. We went to Cova and had blueberry cheesecake for old times sake!! It was also daddy's last official day in the office today, I am looking forward to spending lots of time with him over the next few weeks.

On Saturday daddy finally got a chance to use his barbeque again, when Vicky and Rob came to visit. I was very excited too and decided not to go to bed at night until they had left - very naughty, but did have a lie in the next day. We had a very chilled Sunday - we went to the clubhouse for coffee and took the Sunday papers with us - mummy says this is how every Sunday should be!! The picture at the top is of me and daddy reading a magazine over coffee in the clubhouse.

We have spent most of the week trying to complete jobs and sort things out for Singapore. We went into Central on Tuesday and daddy picked up his new glasses - he looks very good. I also managed to embarrass mummy by vomiting carrot sick on her - she had to go to M&S to buy some more trousers as we were on our way to the bank to set up a Singapore account. Hee hee - add to this the fact that she has a bruise on her cheek, where I went to kiss her and sucked really hard instead!!! And the fact that she thinks she is beginning to get bald patches as I keep pulling her hair at every opportunity. 

I have had a fabulous eating week! I am now on 2 meals a day and get very excited when I am put in my high chair. I still have not moved on from the staples of sweet potato, carrots, apples and pears, but am having a lot more food and mummy is mixing it with rice to make sure my tummy is filled. I am really very good and getting the spoon in my mouth now, although I occasionally end up with some on my forehead, ears, hair and eyes - oops! The picture at the top shows clearly how good my table manners are. I am also starting to drink from my cup, but much prefer it when mummy takes the top off and lets me drink it like a grown up or if we are out and about and I am allowed it straight from the bottle!! Generally do not drink much (if any) but enjoy pretending.

I have also found a new toy to play with. I have my own games on the computer, now when I hit mummy's keyboard creatures pop up saying "Peakaboo" or my favourite is the "All aboard" game where I can move the train and tractor across the screen by hitting buttons. These get mummy very confused as sometimes I hit buttons that make her screen go bigger or changes the layout and she cannot work out how I did it!! How embarrassing at 6 months old I am more computer literate than my mummy!

Well it is still very hot here (good practice for Singapore) so am going to go and chill in my nice air conditioned bedroom. Speak soon

Eleanor x 

1/2 year birthday

Thursday 24th July 2008

On Friday we were busy catching up with a few people. We had coffee with Sarah & Oshie in the morning, then in the afternoon we visited daddy at work and went to see Andy and Ling. We then went for a drink with Steve, so were quite busy.

We had a peaceful weekend. Daddy had a football tournament in the afternoon, so I went to watch, it was so hot though, we left before the end. On Sunday we had a lazy day in DB. We went swimming again during the week and I am enjoying it more and more, especially when we are in the outdoor pool. If mummy and daddy remember the camera I will try to post some pics next week.

It is my 6 month birthday today (gosh how time flies). Yesterday I had to go for my check up with the doctor and more jabs (sad face), however, I am now 16lbs in weight (on the 50th centile, which is up a little bit from before) and I am 69cms tall (on the 97th centile), so the doctor was very pleased with me. Now I have turned 6 months, we are starting solid foods in style, am still not overly keen on anything except baby rice, mummy even tried tempting me with some apple puree, but it was very sweet and made me pull funny faces. Well we will see what happens next week, think we are moving on to having lunch and dinner - yeah lots more messiness!

Daddy has his last day in the office tomorrow, so will be at home more for the next few weeks until we move to Singapore. I tend to eat more when daddy feeds me, so we might do better, although he is a lot bossier than mummy, he does make me giggle lots though!

Speak soon

Ellie x

Pandas & Bumps

Thursday 17th July 2008

We had a nice weekend with Umesh and Lisa. For some reason, daddy and Umesh had slightly sore heads on Friday morning, but we got up and headed off to Ocean Park for the day. We went to see the very cute baby pandas, who were lovely and as we came out people were wanting to take my picture too (apparently I am very cute!!) We also saw the jellyfish, seals and dolphins - it was a very nice sunny day too so that was fun. We had a very chilled out weekend after Umesh and Lisa headed off on their travels.

It was another quiet week as well as everybody seems to be back in the UK. The sun has come out though and it is really really hot and sunny again. On Tuesday, me and mummy went swimming, we went in the outdoor pool and I loved it today. We walked under the seals that squirt water and played with the bubbles in the pool too. I did however scream when we had to get out, but that was just because I wanted to keep playing.

I think I am finally over my jetlag, although mummy is still trying to convince herself that I am not, as my new get up and stay up time is now between 8 and 9, rather than 10 or 11!! I am sometimes kind and sleep for an hour or two at lunchtime, but this is still a bit hit and miss. I like to try and keep mummy on her toes.

On Wednesday mummy took me to the doctors as we were playing on the bed and I managed to fall off when I was trying to reach for Jeremy Bear. I landed face down on the wooden floor and cried lots, mummy gave me a huge cuddle and that made me feel better, but we still went to the doctor's as my forehead was a little bit sore and puffy. The doctor checked my eyes, ears and throat and said that I was obviously keen to get moving and mummy would have to keep a tighter hold on me. I am nearly sitting up on my own though and daddy was laughing at me the other day as I was laid in my cot sticking my bottom up in the air and trying to wriggle forwards. I will keep you informed on my future moving adventures - hopefully none will result in another trip to the doctors!

Finally, on the food front - I am still loving baby rice and really enjoying feeding myself. I had a bit of an upset tummy at the weekend, so mummy just gave me milk, but this week as well as my rice I have had some more carrot a bit more watered down - still not impressed and some sweet potato that mummy mixed with some milk and this was far better, although she did trick me as I saw the milk and opened wide ready for rice and got a bit of a shock when I realised it was something different! Mummy is trying to hold off on the sweeter things for a while until I like the veggies, as she thinks I might develop her sweet tooth, however I think she will back down before I do, so watch this space for some lovely apples and pears!!

Well, will speak again next week. I have now caught up with my weekly blogs now we are back in Hong Kong and the internet is working, sorry for the delay in the last few posts.

Love Eleanor x

When in China ...

Thursday 10th July

Well the weaning began this weekend. I had baby rice twice (mummy thought that this was a good idea as we are in China and it is their staple food). I really enjoyed it as long as I was allowed to hold the spoon - it is great to finally be able to put things in my mouth without mummy and daddy saying "Oh Eleanor!" However, mummy went and spoilt it on Tuesday by giving me cold orange goo (aka carrot), I was not taken with it at all and pulled a face before it even went in my mouth. It was a bit too lumpy, so mummy said she will add more water/milk before we try it again - so back to the baby rice on Weds again - mmm yummy!! The only good thing about the carrot was that as it is bright orange it made loads and loads of mess - especially when I dropped my spoon on the floor!!

On Saturday we had a HOT day with NO rain - finally!! So after lunch in the plaza we headed off to the swimming pool. As it was so hot we went in the indoor pool and I got to use my rubber ring seat which was nice with daddy whizzing me around the pool. I am still not certain that I like the water but I am beginning to be a bit less worried about sinking!!

On Tuesday we went for lunch with WAG Jan. She came over to DB to visit us which was very nice. It is still very rainy though so we had to sit indoors, but we had a nice Italian and then showed Jan around the Plaza. She is heading back to the UK for a couple of weeks, so we are hoping that she takes all this rain with her!!

Finally today we had some visitors. Umesh and Lisa arrived on the train from China. We went to meet them in Kowloon and had to get a bus to Sunny Bay, then the MTR to Kowloon Station - which was exciting as neither of these journeys we had done before. However, when we got to Kowloon we discovered that when the website says Kowloon it actually meant one of the many stations in Kowloon, so we had to get a taxi out to Hung Hom!! It was really nice to see them though and they are staying with us until Saturday when they jet off to Kuala Lumpur - I will let you know what we get up to in next weeks blog.

Bye for now

Ellie x

Rain, rain go away!!

Thursday 3rd July 2008

We have arrived back in Hong Kong now and despite the whole of June being very very wet here, it appears the rain is going to continue into July. It is very wet!!! We had a relaxing weekend around the house and went out for dinner in the plaza as well, whilst we readjusted to the jet lag. It was not too bad, although I have been waking up in the night, I am usually quite good at going back to sleep again.

I have also moved into my proper pushchair now. I was a bit too big for my carrycot, but did not like the pushchair before so have been whizzing around in the car seat. However, now I am bigger I like the pushchair as I can see where we are going - it is very fancy and I can sit up or recline in it and choose whether to face mummy or look out at the rest of the world!! The picture shows me and George getting ready to go out to play.

On Monday Daddy went back to work and me and mummy went out in the rain, to meet Kirsty for coffee as she was visiting from Singapore. Afterwards we went out for lunch with the WAG's before they all head back to the UK for their summer holidays.

On Tuesday Daddy stayed at home as it was a bank holiday in Hong Kong. We went out shopping for things for me and came back with a lovely high chair. Mummy and daddy are going to start trying to give me mushed up food soon as they think that because I put everything in my mouth, it might be a good idea to start practicing with things that should go in my mouth!!

Our news of the week is that we are on the move again!!! We are heading to Singapore to live for a while as daddy has got a new job over there. This is very exciting as I liked Singapore when we went to visit, although it will be very sad to leave Hong Kong and our friends, we are sure that they will pop over and visit us once in a while and I am sure we will be back in Hong Kong at some point.

Well I am off to practice sitting in my highchair - I will fill you in next week on my food likes and dislikes.

Eleanor xx

One Wedding and a Christening

Thursday 26th June 2008

Another action packed week. We obviously started it off with a shopping trip - this time to York to buy daddy a new suit as his did not fly very well! Daddy is very good at this shopping thing though as he managed to get everything in one shop, unlike mummy who has spent the past 3 weeks shopping!! Although mummy did complete her outfit this week with the biggest blue hat ever!!!

On Saturday we went to Ripon, to see mummy's friend, Sarah, get married. I got bored waiting for the bride to arrive and started falling asleep, but just as I was dozing off the organist started the bridal march. I take after my mummy and do not like being woken up, so grandad had to take me outside as I was not a happy bunny. Mummy said the wedding was lovely though and enjoyed the singing especially (Come to the wedding to the tune of Morning has broken - very good!) I met the vicar and cried when he tried to hold me - daddy explained that this was because he was the wrong type - not entirely sure what he meant but he said I would find out on Wednesday. Mummy and daddy then went off to party and I got to stay with grandma and grandad. This was my first sleepover and I was on my best behaviour. I think mummy missed me though as I got loads more hugs than normal the next day (is that possible!!)

On Monday we went travelling again, this time back to the south to see my other grandparents. Then we went to Windsor and did some shopping and the northern part of the family turned up (mmm, thought I had got rid of them!) Then finally on Wednesday my big day arrived!! I got up in the morning and had breakfast and then mummy and daddy dressed me up in my party dress (the big white one great grandma bought me a few weeks ago), I then got laid on a white shawl (which was as old as mummy - blimey!) and daddy and grandad took loads of photos. I had white shoes put on, but managed to lose them both without anyone noticing before we left grandma's house (what is the point of shoes? where exactly did mummy and daddy think I was going??!)

Anyway, then we got to the church, not as fancy as the one on Saturday but according to daddy it was the right place. And everyone was there - all the northerners, southerners and some of mummy and daddy's friends. We met the priest and I tried my hardest not to, but burst into tears, then my Mummy, Daddy, Auntie Kate, Uncle Jonathan and Auntie Jo decided that as I was utterly distraught and sobbing my heart out they would make me go and stand at the front of the church with everyone looking at me!!! I cried the whole way through the service, through the exorcism and the blessing and then when the priest said that the service was over and welcomed me into the Catholic Church, I finally decided to stop crying. Obviously I was suffering from baby stress and was relieved that it was over. It was lovely when I stopped crying and looked around and saw everybody there. I think I shocked some of them though, as everybody said that I am such a happy baby and that they had never heard me cry - hee hee made up for it today!!!

Well after the service we went to Cookham for a lovely meal and some cake (the cake was part of my mummy and daddy's wedding cake - luckily though they had re-iced it). It was a gorgeous sunny day and so we headed outside after dinner to sit in the garden and chill out and open some of my presents. I got lots of lovely keepsake presents - so I will say a cyber thank you here to everybody who managed to make it to my big day. Thank you.

Thursday was a bit of a sad day. After a really lovely day with lots of my family around me on Wednesday, we had to say goodbye today as we were heading back to Hong Kong. Mummy and daddy managed to squeeze everything into the suitcases (we did go home with an extra bag!!) and after coffee (and tea!!) with the northerners and lunch with Grandma in Windsor we headed back to Terminal 5 and caught the plane home to Hong Kong. And that was the end of my first adventures in the UK - although I have a feeling there will be more to come. It was lovely to meet all those people we managed to catch up with and although there were lots we did not manage to see, mummy does point you all out to me in her photo albums and I am looking forward to catching up with you next time we are back in the UK or if any of you happen to drop by and see us in Hong Kong.

Love and kisses

Eleanor xx