This week

David playing peek a boo using the big pram hood, yesterday. It is interesting to see him taking more control of his environment - not just letting us pull the hood down to shade him from the sun. He interacts with us and almost everyone he sees - a real people person!

Well, David (and Dad) survived my going on a residential course this week, and spending two nights away. Not just survived but coped swimmingly. I don't think that David even skipped a beat. He was really excited to see me on Friday evening, but clearly he is quite secure enough to be without me. After all, he had Dad and Erin. Good to know.

Last weekend we all went to David's first party - that is, the first party where David is invited, and we are just add-ons (rather than the other way around). It was Finn's first birthday party. A few things became clear. The logistics are probably tougher than for adult social occasions - because it was from the middle of the day, scheduling David's nap was really important. And, traffic, summer weather and crowds for school holidays were also challenging. We also mastered fancy dress. It was a cowboys and indians party. I got some sheriff gear for David, which he wore with his new checked shirt and trousers. Sarah (Finn's mother) had made lots of preparation - great food, salads, balloons, bubble blowing, cowboy hats, plates & cups and a special cake. In some ways the roughest part was that the toddlers/babies didn't seem to have any sense of occasion - they treated it as just another playgroup session, in a different location. It just confirmed with us that there is no concept of birthday yet. Maybe next year!!

I don't have much to report from this week - because of aforementioned course and working to get all done to get out of the office/house for a couple of days. However, David has become a bit of a clothes horse. I bought him a new polo top and hoody jacket with a zip, to try for sizes. Well, I put the new top (size 2) on him when I got home on Tuesday - over his pjs and he just took off and strutted around the lounge room! Just like a model, thoroughly thrilled. I took it off after about 10 minutes and he cried! So I gave it back to him, and then he strutted around with it in his hand. The only thing that distracted him was trying on the new jacket (size 1) for a while before bed. He had a new outfit on Friday that he was thrilled about (a present from Auntie Louise) and strutted about in. (By the way, you can see the new shirt in the photos above - a green leaf pattern) On Saturday, he picked up my casual (round the house) skirt and strutted around with that, using it like a cape, or a hood. We were trying to make sure he didn't cannon into things! I may have to make him a little cape. For a little while now, we have seen David take thinks - toys, cords cloth, clothes, and put them on the back of his neck or head. Now he seems to be doing it with lots of cloth - like a cape.

Other than that, lots of the same - watching everything and copying. While he hasn't shown much interest in the shape sorting toys, he is showing a lot of interest in opening/closing or taking out/putting back of taking off the top/putting it back on. He is really getting good at working out how things work. He loves taking out the bath plug and putting it back in. A bit scary too, when he gets fascinated with trying to turn locks etc.

Anyway, that is all for now folks!

A whole number, not a fraction!

Well, probably time to recap a little on David's birthday etc. We didn't really plan much for his actual birthday. Paul had been in Melbourne, but managed to catch an earlier flight, so he was home around 5pm. I was at work, and David spent the day with Erin & Katie. He had a nice day. We all sat around and opened his presents and cards, including the ones from Melbourne & Perth. David enjoyed his presents, but didn't really understand the significance. We all sang Happy birthday to him (several times during the day).

He had a special afternoon tea with Erin and Katie, and had apple bread to celebrate. He liked all his presents - he always does! Briefly, he got a toy fire engine, some little cars, bathers (a rash top with the Wiggles Wags the Dog) some clothes ( a lovely red checked shirt and a hand knitted jumper) a big fleecy striped blanket, some books and the xylophone/piano from Dad & me. He had already been enjoying his big truck and trailer for almost two weeks. I have also now enrolled him in swimming classes from early November.

On the weekend we went and saw the Haselhursts for the Grand Final (separate blog), and on the holiday Monday we took David out for breakfast and then to the pool for a swim in the wading pool and then a small dip in the big pool. Very exciting!! Dad walked David too and from the pool, and he fell asleep on the way home. It was a beautiful day, like early summer, warm, clear with a bit of breeze and no humidity. So, lots of excitement for his almost birthday. We also caught up with the Del Mastros for brunch the weekend before, so David is well aware of his roots.

For his birthday he also cut another two teeth. That explained the disturbed nights. He has been sleeping much better now since about 4 October, and either waking early in the evening or sleeping through until around 5.30 or 6am.

And what has David been doing? Climbing! He climbs onto the couch, the tables, chairs, anything! He gets his left leg up and digs in his toes and he is up! He tries to climb everything - his high chair, into the bath, out of the bath.... The scariest thing so far is that, when the cot side is down, he can get his leg over the top of the side! He just wants to travel. He goes in and out doors - both here and at Nada & Richards. He is getting very very good at getting down, always getting down backwards. But, with all the travelling, he is falling over more. He has the little bruises to prove it too.

He is also "talking" more - lots more words that we understand. David manages the first sound and we know what he means. He is saying Da for David, Da for Dad, Mem for mum, Ga for garage, ca for car, dow for when he wants to get down, b / bo for lots of things, including book, bird and bottle, mi for milk, p or pl for plane, and plug, d for duck and so on. His best sounds are probably still bye bye, Ta (for thank you) and koo ka for kookaburra. Last night he managed go awa for gone away when the plug came out of the bath and the water goes away.

He is really funny in the bath. He really likes the plug and wants to pull it out and then put it back. He understands now that he has to sit down in the bath, and that if he pulls out the plug the bath is over, so he waits until he has had some time in the bath before he does either. Once it is over and he wants out he signals it by the plug, standing up and showing he is finished, or by trying to get his leg up to get out. Of course, when the bath is running firstly throws in his ducks and then he tries to climb in, and after he is dressed, he wants to go back into the bathroom and climb back in again.

The great things is that he does understand a lot, and does listen. He is getting more frustrated now when he doesn't get his own way (remote controls, mobile phones, keys, into the garage etc) and cries real tears. But, he does seem to accept (eventually) that he doesn't get everything he wants!
Well, I haven't been able to load photos on this one, so youll have to wait until next time!

Last Saturday in September.

Well, this is a photo of David watching the Grand Final with all the other Haselhurst cousins, on the last Saturday in September. It is his first Grand Final, because he wasn't born for the last one (a Swans' Victory). however, he has had the great good fortune to see an Eagles victory!!! He was wearing my Eagles scarf earlier, but not in this photo. He also took his Eagles teddy along to the afternoon soiree, again not in the photo. The Swans scarf stayed on the pram (in the background). An excellent ocasion, with Howard, Annie, David, Patrick and Nada together with us making eight Haselhursts in all together with the patners (Richard, actually a husband and Rebecca). Nada was particularly interested in David as she has just announced that she is pregnant, with a baby due next year.

It is probably a good time to mention that (apparent;y) 32,000 people watched Fox Footy for the Grand Final - which is fine, but Channel 10 was carrying the 2006 Grand Final live. Fox Footy was broadcasting the 2005 (last year's) GF, with the 2005 GF following at 6.30pm. Basically, 32,000 couldn't tell the difference. Due to many factors, such as people being on thebalcony and my having to watch David, we didn't work out for 10-15 minutes that we hadn't turned over.... The penny finally dropped with Paul after I saw Michael Gardiner playing in the ruck for the Eagles (Paul had already explained away Nikovsky and Sampi). When we turned over, there was only 1 point the difference in the scores between the two matches. Patrick was happier - he had been thinking the umpires were biased (undoubtedly based on squaring it up for the previous year??). David couldn't tell the difference - after all, he hadn't seen the 2005 GF. Howard had a great time trying to provoke the Swans supporters, and not really succeeding.