Christmas 2013

Hazel was home from New Zealand and Martha was with us for the first time, so Christmas was a very happy occasion with the whole family

 Hazel spent hours on Christmas Eve constructing this gingerbread Christmas tree

 Martha had a sleep which allowed the rest of us to have most of our Christmas dinner together

 And then we gathered round the presents

 Martha was happy to be involved with the present unwrapping but her main aim seemed to be to try  and eat the wrapping paper

Four generations

Four generations Nana to Martha

Hazel arrives home (eventually)

We drove to Birmingham airport to pick up Hazel from her flight but just as we got to the terminal building we were gobsmacked to receive a text from Hazel saying she had just landed at Gatwick!

This youTube video tells the story of why her plane did not land at Birmingham.

[This is an alternative link for those with browsers for which the 1st does not work]

Later the winds abated and the same plane flew her back to Birmingham after refuelling - and this time it landed safely!

Much relief and happiness :-)

Hazel in Australia

Hazel is returning to the UK via Australia and is saying goodbye to the Southern Hemisphere

and is trying to earn her baby care badge before meeting Martha

Sunshine on a rainy day...

 I like a nice rocking chair for a few minutes after dinner, then I am ready for action...

Oooo....

 Yay!!!!

 Come a bit closer...

 Can you keep a secret?

Mummy & Daddy need an early night

See you again soon...!

The many faces of Martha

At one month one week we saw a bit more of Martha awake today

and she showed us  a range of expressions...

 I'm watching the birds outside

 That cat is going to get that bird

 Excitement over

 You needn't  think I am going to do that!

 You wouldn't dare!

Did someone mention feeding?

 Can I join the choir?

By my counting they have all had 2 cuddles each so I should be able to go home soon!

Its such hard work entertaining these folk?

Hobnobbing with the stars

Being a valued group booking customer, the mummy was invited to the press launch of the Hippodrome Pantomime

Having survived an encounter with a bull in the bullring...

...we we given a preview of the Snow White set and met the cast - there was the wicked queen (Stephanie Beacham)

Mirror, mirror on the wall (Gok Wan)

"Dame" Gary Wilmot

Oddjob (Matt Slack)

The Prince (Don Partridge)

Snow White (Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC talent contest Over The Rainbow)

and Muddles (Paul Zerdin, ventriloquist)

Three different butterflies in one shot

We have all been grumbling that winter has set in early and we have had to turn our heating on in September. Then we suddenly get a warm sunny day and the butterflies are back

 This comma butterfly was in the back garden

And here we have a red admiral, a painted lady and a tortoiseshell

all in the same shot at the front of the house!

And then the admiral posed on this apple in the sunlight

Stuart Townend @ Emmanuel

We bought tickets as soon as we saw the advert because we guessed it would be popular. We thought we would get there early to get a good seat, but so did everyone else so we ended up on the back row.

Just him and his son (percussion) and, for a couple of songs, his iPad

Oh and the piano

We didn't win his competition prize (one of his CDs), but I have since bought "The Journey"

A sound day

Martha Grace did not make a sound on our first visit - she was fast asleep

On this visit we got to hear her "voice" which was interpreted as "I am hungry"

and then in the evening the family band were booked as guest artists for Loughborough Folk Club

and someone who wasn't in the band snuck up on stage for a couple of songs

Martha - Day 1

Martha was born at 2:48am

weighing 7lb 10oz

and spent nearly all her first day sleeping

and having trouble with her hat.

She is long limbed

but perfectly formed.

Mum & Dad are tired but happy.