Bad, Bad up-to-dater

I just re-read my last post. 20 May. That's almost 2 montsh ago. And I "owe" Evelynne a 5 month update, AND a 6 month update, and photos. I wanted to type them up, because, you know, I've forgotten stuff already. Slap over the wrist for my lack of updating - if not for anyone else, at least for Evelynne, who might like to read it one day (FYI: Also, not so good at keeping the baby book up to date).

So, in a nutshell..............

May (5 months) Evelynne rolled when she was 4 1/2 months, from back to tummy. She's still rolling - and normally only from back to tummy.

In May, we vistied Kukenhof with Grandma and Grandpa

In May, Evelynne was happily eating a variety of mushie foods - all except Banana, which gave her belly pains (and still does). I think she was still sleeping through the night (that's an on again off again relationship now!)

Specific likes and dislikes

Likes: Grandma and Grandpa, "Baby Loves Peekaboo" Book, putting everything in her mouth, rolling, swimming, the Jolly Jumper.

Dislikes: ????? (note to self... see why you should try and update this at least monthly!!)

Photos are from May (around 5 months old)

MIA

Nice long post to come...

• Visitors
• 5 months old
• Rolling over
• Laughing
• Kuekenhof
• Play group
• More vistors

List for for now is good

And a photo

A bit of travelling with our visitors

Ieper, and Brugge (again!). Can't get sick of Brugge though :)

I am really so impressed with Evelynne's 'travelability' (made up word). She is quite happy to be in the car going places with us, and adapted easily to staying in a hotel overnight - she only woke up once during the night, and was perfectly happy most of the day being strapped in the pram as we walked around Brugge.


I guess when I look back at it, she did manage to do a major road-trip at just 10 days old. I just have to get used to the absolute MOUNTAIN of stuff I have to pack each time. How does one little person require so much stuff? And it's not like I can leave anything at home, either.


Grandma and Grandpa seem to be enjoying their time here - they've certainly taken full advantage of Belgium's better known assets (chocolate and beer), and Evelynne is loving the grandparental company!




And big news at this house this week - as of Friday, Evelynne has mastered rolling from back-to-tummy!... And now we are safely home again, I have to take Eveynne for her needles tomorrow (sob!).

More Visitors!

On Tuesday, Evelynne's Grandma and Grandpa arrived from Australia. None worse for wear after a looooong flight, they slipped straight into the excited grandparents-meeting-their-newest-grandchild-role very well.

Evelynne, naturally, loved the attention!

We've been a busy bunch of people since! Hockey (and more hockey), a trip to the botanic gardens, long walks, a planned trip to Brugge and Ieper, Kuekenhof, and more hockey. We are all taking advantage of this fantastic spring weather we are having!

Love my new fancy-pants camera

And just have the *best* subject to photograph!

Even if she isn't so cooperative at times!

My Little Water Baby

LOVED the swimming pool. Even though the water was only about 27 degrees.

And how cool is this? (verrry)

It's a travel bed (both Evelynne and I are in it. yes. it was a tight squeeze for me), no set-up required, you quite literally take it out of the bag, and it pops up like that, complete with self-inflatable matress. It even has netting to keep the mozzies at bay, and when all packed into its bag, weighs about 2 kilograms, and is about the size of a large dinner plate. Evelynne has just about out-grown the bassinet component to her pram, which is what we were using for her to sleep in when we travelled previously, so it was time to get a travel cot. I like this one, I can take it on the plane to Australia later this year and she can snooze at the airport while we wait around for the connection in Singapore. Plus it takes up only a smidge of car boot room, which is more than I can say for the pram!

1/3 of a year

Evelynne turned 4 months on Friday. And such a busy little 4 month old she has been! This month was highlighted (in flashing neon lights) by a visit from her cousins, which she just loved, followed by a visit to her cousins. With 3 kids at her beck and call, she really started to vocalise her wants! One of my favourite memories of the time we spent with them in Switzerland, was when we arrived after a long drive, and we went and said hello to everyone, and the noise level rose a fair bit - Evelynne was right into telling everyone about her looooong, boooooring car ride!

Rolling has become her new favourite 'game' however, she is quite content to only roll onto her side, and lie there and play with whatever is in reach. She hasn't quite grasped rolling all the way over yet. Tummy time is now alot more tolerable. Her tongue is less interested in the taste of the rug she's lying on, so less time is spent being face-planted, and far more time is spent with her head up, looking around. Most times she's managed to wriggle her way a quarter turn to be face-on with whatever toy was placed at her side (the aim of the toy being to encourage her to roll towards it, but whatever, she's moving somehow)

Her hands have become very, very busy this past few weeks. She loves to hold on to absolutely everything.... toys, her clothes, my hair, fluff (which is always blue.... why is that?), and shove it into her mouth. It's very amusing to watch her try and fit a toy, her clothes, and fist into one mouthful. Mmmmm. yum!

The weather has been absolutely beautiful this week. Sunny and warm - warm enough to ditch the coat, and even take Evelynne for a walk with the pram sans her blankets, beanie and socks. Bare feet and sunshine are pretty exciting to this 4 month old. I think she like to feel the wind in her toes (more so than in her hair, seeing as she seems to be losing it all).

I bought a high-chair this week, and she's had a few turns in that. Little Miss Queen bee perched up there, she thinks she's pretty clever!! She's also discovered "the baby" in the mirror - and could smile and chat at her all day long.

Grandma and Grandpa arrive in just over a week. She can't wait to meet them. Such a lucky little girl to have so much family come visit.. and it's only April!

Current Likes: Monkey Island play gym, Octopus Toy, having a shower with Mum or Dad, people singing to her (she'll join in - don't worry!), sitting in the high chair, lying in the nuddy in the sun after her bath/shower.

Current dislikes: Daytime Nap (not on your life mum! isn't +/- 12 hours at night enough?), wearing her sun hat, getting dressed after the bath.

Bone of contention: None this month. I've given up on the bottle, so she won that round! Don't know what I'm going to do later in the summer when it gets really hot (for example, when we go to Spain) and she's old enough to drink something other than b00b-juice. Hopefully she'll drink from a cup?

Happy Easter

We spent a wonderful few days in Switzerland this week with family. Evelynne got to spend some time with her cousins and Aunty and Uncle, and this Mum and Dad got a bit of a break.... its always great when someone else wants to entertain a very alert almost-4 month old!!

The trip to Switzerland was a good 6 hour drive, including a few quick feeding stops. Evelynne is a great little traveller, doesn't seem to mind her car-seat too much, and slept probably 80% of the way. The trip home, on the other hand was verrrry looooong (10 hours - the traffic was pretty bad) and Evelynne had.had.enough by the time we walked in our front door.

On Good Friday, we headed for the mountains (OK, hills, but to our used-to-the-flat-Belgium-landscape-eyes, they were mountains!) to BBQ Swiss-style. This involved trekking through the Forrest to find a nice long stick, whittling said stick, so it had a good "pointy bit", spearing a sausage, and cooking over an open fire. Yum!

The Easter Bunny visited the good girls and boy at our house too. This is what he left me:

I'm sure there is a pun about milk factories here. Can't think of it. The Easter Bunny has a strange sense of humour.

Aunty Shell, what were you thinking?!! I DON'T look like Chad Morgan in my hat!

It's a beautiful day today - the sun is actually out, and it's kinda warm. It was like this a week ago, then it got really cold again, and now I have that scratchy throat, stuffy nose, a cold is on its way kind of feeling. I'm sure it has everything to do with the weather.

On a brighter note, we had a visit from these gorgeous kids over the weekend.

Oh yeah, and their Mum and Dad too!

We spent a great day in Brugge on Monday.

Evelynne has LOVED the attention of her cousins. She especially liked Luca - who was just so cute with her. He would often just come over and hold and stroke her hand. So sweet.Evelynne reserved these smiles 'specially for Luca!

Due to a fantastic hockey result on the weekend (Russ' team won, which means they are being promoted into the top division, without having to rely on the results of any remaining matches) we are free to travel next week.. and will hopefully join Evelynne's cousins in Switzerland for a few days.

And Russ and I had a night out on Sunday!! Woot. Well, by night out, I mean we went to the hockey club to celebrate the team promotion, and I was home in bed by 11.30pm, but thanks to Aunty Shell & Uncle "Evelynne you made my day by smiling at me and crying for Michelle" Marcel for baby sitting!!