Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

This is near where we live. We walk down these narrow streets to the market.

We just got a tree! Renee likes the ornaments.

Its going to be a great holiday.

Now for two reading videos...

The Return of the Creature from the Blog in 3D!

Wow! After a long absence of internet we have returned to tell you a tale of horrifically beautiful views of the sea.

This is our bedroom window.

This is the view from our bedroom.  (The left window)

You can just see the sea.  We are 1/2 mile from the coast.

What does this have to do with Renee?  She lives here and here she is showing her appreciation:

  

Teatime

Speaking of drinking... being expats in England we are teaching our British born girl to drink tea. Very weak tea...so weak we call it water. Have you ever given caffeine to a soon to be toddler? I DO NOT recommend it.

Now for our feature:

M-O-O-O-O-R-E? Oh Renee, oh Renee never before has a girl asked for more!

The banging sound you hear is not the old heat-boiler on the blitz again, it's me making oatmeal. I do it by rapping the wooden spoon on the side of the pan. It just tastes better!

Free Beer for the Kids!

One of our fav things to do is to go for a walk and find a pub and have a beer as a reward for walking. It's like having a dog but tastes better. Anyhoo, we of course take Renee cuz we can't leave her at home when we go drinking or walking, and one pub we go to has what they call a garden out by the canal. This one has a slide, no not into the canal.

Now, I swear what you are about to see is a video of a not drunk but just cute kid. And you can't prove it anyway...

SHANNON DID IT! SHE'S THE ONE YOU SHOULD BE ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS TO...Oh, what does one little sip hurt.

A Big Day

OK we took Renee to Gambado's (a place where kids can be buried in multi-coloured plastic balls that were clean in the 80's) (Think McDonald's with a huge play area and better food)
AND because we are all under constant surveillance and suspicion I decided not to risk it and take a photo of my own child in a public place. But there are many other photos and videos coming up my lovelies!

Renee has decided to try pushing her Dolly around like she has been pushed all these many months.

AND NOW for pictures from the BATH and BED.

Renee is a scientist getting a sample ready.

She is currently studying fluid dynamics.

Ooooewe, Now that's good data!

Now it's time for bed! Brush your teeth...

"Read me a story!"



"I love that story!"

Now for the film...

Rocky 17: A little girl walks.

For those who never tire of seeing this little girl walk.

She walks again, this time without a walker but I think she's drunk!

Hell, it sounds like we are all a little tipsy. "Go get Daddy a beer."

2008: A Walkin' Odyssey

And now a short film about triumph.



In the immortal words of Stan Lee, nuff said.

Goo Gurrr

More talk from the prettiest girl in town. She gets it from her mother, her looks I mean.

England's green and pleasant land

Ahh England. This is a green-space near where we live.

I took Renee there the other day to show her the real sheep again, baaaa.

ABCs

Renee is learning her abcs in her toy deprived lab..



















NO!



YES!

Crazy Town

You've seen some earlier examples of our odd little town so here is a happy summer celebration we ran into.


















Who's That? Dr. Death? Whoever it is give him plenty of room.



















Men in skirts.



















And the drummers.


















Renee loves drums.







A lady gave Renee a little kitten and scared her. But she's better now. Eat the kitten, we don't know where it's been but go ahead put it in your mouth.

Back to you Dad

Renee's seems to be saying "Na na na ... back to you."

Gap the Mind

This is an example of the mind numbing Baby Einstein level reading we like to bombard Renee's rapidly expanding brain with...

Are you fond of nasty wet places? Are you a frog or a squirrel?

I suggest you click on the image and save it so you can make it your desktop background. DO IT! Or I'll post the rest of the book, oh you'd like that, wouldn't you!

Eat your fruit (tomatoes)!

You want more video OK.



Sometimes she means Yes when she nods NO.

Dancing dancing DANCING!

and now for some dinner music. How about some new Coldplay.

What are words for?

Poop, top and laellee (really) all words that we need to get ahead in life.

Climbing to the Top!

Renee now insists on taking the stairs.

She does this with no assistance from me. Well, I do lift the gate for her. Notice that our lower gate is an ironing board. Nice.

Brighton and Eating

For Shannon's Birthday we went to Brighton,

we enjoyed a walk on the pier,

and a visit to the Pavilion.


















Renee loved the beach.

Now for the eating.

Isn't she the best eater? I just set the broccoli and fish sticks in front of her and she does the rest.

Ahhh the life of Mr Mom with Renee as my charge.

Happy Birthday (re-cap)

We had beautiful warm weather for Renee's first birthday, and we had a great day. We had a little party with most of our guests attending via webcam. Renee enjoyed her presents and cake and the attention. After I put her to bed that night I unexpectedly burst into tears, probably for all sorts of reasons: memories of what was happening last year at this time, struggles with breastfeeding and lack of sleep, generally being scared and also overjoyed, and being lovingly tended and cared for by my mom (she took care of all of us for 6 weeks!! cooking, shopping, making my birthday cake. By the time she left Renee was only getting up one time in the night rather than two or more and I had been getting more sleep than most new moms). One year feels like such a milestone and its exciting, and also a little bitter-sweet, to think about how much and how quickly this little baby has grown.

waking up on the morning of her first birthday.

her first birthday present just after waking up.



later, we had cake and more presents.

ooo, fire

she got the hang of present opening very quickly : )

a sweet, soft bunny. i want one for myself

this cuddle made it all worth it 1000 x over (the clothespin keeps her dress up so she can crawl)

amazing! a photo where we are all smiling at the same time.

end of a yera

somebody is turning 1 year old tomorrow.
i can't believe it.
Happy Birthday Renee.
We love you.

and the duck goes QUACK!

fun in the sun

Renée LOOOOOVES to be outside, loves loves loves it. Thank goodness we finally got some sunshine!

a hitch

a modern long distance relationship
not so flattering a photo but cute anyway.

So the photo a day exercise went a bit wonky while I was in Boston, mostly because I FORGOT MY CAMERA all the time! I could have gotten photos of ghouls and gravestones in Boston (really cool photos) but NO, I forgot the camera. I could have gotten a photo of my mom and I going out at a super fancy restaurant, BUT NO, I forgot the camera. I did take a couple of not very good photos while there and I am trying to be more disciplined about taking the camera with me places. It has a belt loop on the camera case but I can't bring myself to be quite so dorky as to wear the camera on my belt, although that may be my punishment if I keep forgetting to bring the camera places. So, here are a few photos, not as many photos as days, but some interesting ones nonetheless.

BIG BABY little baby