Grandparental tour … first pictures

Benedict sees the sea for the first time

It's cold on the beach

A cuddle with mama is perfect after a swim

The Great Grandparental Tour

Robert and I have no family in Canberra. Indeed all our family is scattered like confetti in three Australian states and two continents. Tomorrow we leave Canberra for a tour of the grandparents. First to the Blue Mountains to see Robert’s parents and then north to Coffs Harbour to see my mother. My sister is bringing her kids (who will be having a day off school – woo hoo) to see their little cousin. I can only imagine the wild excitement in their house when that is announced.

Here is my first go at packing for Benedict.

How many clothes could one small child need

Somehow this pile seems at once too much and not enough!

At least, I console myself, there are shops and washing machines in both places so we should be ok. I didn’t take a photo of the nappies and the food, rusks, baby cereal because it was too appalling!

Early adopter

People say that our children will save the world and un-do or at least work out how to survive the mess created by the baby boomers. Well Benedict is showing early promise with a love of the recycling. Here he is sorting paper from plastic!

(Note the very earnest packet of organic baby cereal!)

Recycling early adopter

Lunch with my friends

Benedict is slowly getting the hang of eating from a spoon. While he has always liked going out for lunch, at first he found it all a bit exhausting and slept through many fine lunch dates with our friends.

Yesterday he started to become involved. He sat at the table and had some puree chicken from a spoon while we waited for our dates. But the highlight of the lunch was when Sam turned up. He turned to her, opened his arms and leapt forward. Benedict now recognises familiar people and even ones he hasn’t seen for a while. Beaming smiles all round.

Dear Daddy

19/07/2010 12:08pm

Dear daddy. I have TWO teeth. Love Benedict.

19/07/2010 1:24pm

Dear Benedict. You are a very clever little boy.
Daddy is very proud of you.

19/07/2010 1:25pm

Dear Daddy.
I am chewing on the activity cube mummy gave me to celebrate.
Mummy keeps clicking her tongue at me. I just smile.
Love Benedict

19/07/2010 1:27pm

Dear Benedict. Mummy can’t help clicking her tongue, just keep smiling.

19/07/2010 1:36

Dear Daddy.
I thought maybe she was cross but she’s laughing.
I will be pleased when you can help me work it out.
My mummy I mean.

19/07/2010 1:45pm

Dear Benedict, your mummy is a woman, I’ll tell you about them later.
You mustn’t try to work her out, it will just make your head hurt.
Do you want to watch the rugby this Saturday?

19/07/2010 1:48pm

Dear Daddy. What’s rugby?

19/07/2010 1:56pm

Dear Benedict, rugby is what we do when mummy is not around.

First mothers’ day

My first mothers’ day was one of the happiest and most lovely days since Benedict was born.

It started well with a sleep in – til 07-30 – well done Benedict.

I had tea in bed. Lovely breakfast, got to watch most of insiders – without too many interruptions which was a real treat!

Robert collected some lovely relaxing things into a fabulous red box for me. A book, Ian McEwan’s Solar, a Miles Davis CD, lovely L’Occitane candle. He also went to Aesop and asked them to look me up on the database so he could buy the thing I was about to run out of. Gorgeous. He said he tried to get all the things so I could relax and use them all at the same time.

The rest of the day was relaxing and peaceful spent with my two best boys.

A quiet sunny moment