New Best Friend....

Darling Kay, every day I look at you you seem to be a little older, a little bigger, and a little more independent. You are chattering away, toddling about and trying to climb the stairs. You can open the doors now and regularly disappear up the hall towards the front door, which you just can't quite reach... yet! You totter off to the laundry room, where you will load up the washing machine or the tumble drier with the dirty clothes from the basket, and happily push buttons and turn knobs until you are spotted and carried away. Usually protesting!

We have also bought you your own little pair of sunglasses which make you look very sweet but a little too grown up for my liking, as you have re-discovered your fascination with people's glasses (including Mummy and Daddy's!) and in an attempt to de-mystify them we got you a pair for yourself. You were interested in grabbing glasses when you were very tiny, but seemed to grow out of it. When you got your Mr Potato Head (with his own removable glasses!) it rekindled your interest, and you started carrying them about and offering them to people to try on themselves. And then getting very agitated when people weren't as generous at letting you try their glasses on yourself, or Mr Potato Head for that matter!!

Every day you learn more words and ideas. You can say 'shoes' and 'arrow' as plainly as a grown up, and regularly have little conversations with yourself and whoever you are with. You know what noises all your little farm animals make, and even recognise some of your letters - A for Ah-mah, M for Mama, Sssss for S, and you make a loud smacking noise with your mouth for kiss when you see the letter X. You new word is Cap-pah-pah - which is what you call your new best friend. Nanna saw him when we were out for lunch on Friday, and when she showed you what she had found your face lit up and you showered him with hugs and kisses in the shop.

You couldn't quite believe that your favourite friend from your books was right there in the shop. There was no question of not bringing him home with us, so now you have your very own Hungry Caterpillar, or Cap-pah-pah - who you carry around cuddled up to you face and pet him and pat him like he was a real little animal. Hopefully he will do you for a very long time before you decide you want a real little pet!! When we read the story now you wave him about frantically every time we read 'but he was still hungry!' and then go back to tucking him under your chin for a cuddle. Just as well Moo is not the jealous type or He might be having his nose pushed out of joint at the moment!

Tomorrow after Jo Jingles we are heading up to Carrick to see Nanna and Granda - and leave Granda's birthday present for him - some US dollars and a guide book for Texas! This time next week they will both be in Nashville at the Grand Old Opry for his 65th birthday, and then on to Texas for a 4 week road trip! It will be funny for you to not see them for such a long time, but at least you have your cap-pah-pah to take your mind of it!

For Lisa x

A little photo of Baby Kay taken last week, modelling the lovely bolero cardigan her Auntie C knitted for her. Just to confirm that I am still alive and will get back to blogging properly this week!

Here comes the weekend!!!

My darling daughter, today we have had a busy day out and about. We went up to say goodbye to T&G and their gorgeous boys. It was sad to see them off for the last time, but they made me promise that we will come to Baltimore soon to see them. G wants to take Daddy to play golf at Rendition - and Mummy just wants to spend some time with T and her babies!! We had some of G's birthday cake from yesterday, and you were able to play with S&L and also Benjy the dog! Mummy also had to spend a lot of time reminding you that ornaments were not for babies!!! While they were here both S&L got their first tooth - and as if you were out in sympathy we spotted tooth #16 this morning too!! It definitely explains why Mummy had to get up 3 times the night before last and twice last night, because you were not a happy bunny!

To cheer ourselves up after saying goodbye we went to meet Nanny and Granda at M&S for lunch. We had some lovely tapas together, and then when Nanny saw you eyeing up a little set of farm animals she decided that you had to have them, together with a little red barn to keep them in. She assures me that it is a Nanny's prerogative to spoil her grand-daughter!! You are delighted with the little set, especially since the little chicken inside the barn makes a 'cock-a-doodle doo' noise, just like Granda Billy's cockrel!!

And Mummy was spoiled today too - by lovely T - who gave me a going away present - a gorgeous bag which just about sums me up. I am so touched and pleased with it, and will definitely be using it. It is so thoughtful when someone you know and love manages to show you that they know you even better than you know yourself! I just can't decide which is my favourite side!!

Friends from afar!

Darling Baby Kay, this week we have been lucky to be able to spend some time with our wonderful friends T&G - who have come home from Baltimore for a few days to show off their gorgeous little twin boys - S&L. They are just the most adorable little boys going - they are non-identical twins, and very different, in looks and personality! Little S got his first tooth this week here in Northern Ireland - and they have coped very well with all the different faces and voices.

Daddy and G played golf on Sunday, and T and I had a great afternoon with the 3 of you. You were very taken with the babies and were doing a lot of patting and 'kind hands' on their heads and faces (this is what we tell you to remind you to not be rough when you are touching people's faces and getting over-enthusiastic!!) Yesterday we met G and the boys for a coffee at M&S while T did some shopping, and tomorrow we are heading up to see them before they head back to the US. It has been fabulous having them so close by - it reminds me how much I miss them and how great it would be if we lived closer.

You are still walking very happily and gaining confidence every day - you spend almost every waking moment toddling about, fetching things back and forward, moving things around, and then moving them right back again! You have been a bit unsettled the last few nights in bed, and we think that maybe you have another tooth on the way. You are also becoming more attached to your 'babies' - 2 or 3 little dolls that you have - over your other toys. You make them walk along, and clap hands, and kiss one another, and occasionally cuddle them in to yourself and kiss them. It is the sweetest thing I have ever seen you do my darling. Every day you grow a little bigger and a little more like a wee girl - and we love you more and more x

Who needs Kerry Katona.... Auntie Linda's gone to Iceland!!!

Darling Baby Kay - you got mail this week!! Mail from the most wonderful lady who I hope you get to meet before you get too much bigger. The mail was a gorgeous pastel, fleecy hat, with 'Iceland' and a little row of snowflakes embroidered in beautiful silver writing on the front. It was bought for you by an amazing lady - who has been in my life for a very, very long time, and now she is a part of your life too.

My 'Auntie Linda' was actually the girlfriend of one of your Nanna's brothers - at least 30 years ago! I was only about 7 or 8, but she made me and your Uncle Ricky feel so special. She used to babysit for us, and do treasure hunts around the house; she sent us a set of the Royal Stamps issued for the marriage of Lady Diana and Prince Charles; she even brought me a Spanish Barbie doll back from her holidays. And Baby Kay, I still have the stamps and the Barbie which will be coming to you when you are bigger.

Auntie Linda moved away, married a gorgeous man and had the most wonderful babies. One of her babies is just about to go to university after getting fantastic A level grades! We managed to find each other a few years ago via the Internet and it was like nothing had ever changed! She is the most lovely lady, so beautiful and kind, with the most amazing heart and soul - and I can't wait for her to see you, so she can be your Auntie Linda too. When they were away on their holiday to Iceland a few weeks ago these fabulous people were thinking of you all those miles away - and then the little hat arrived for you.

Auntie Linda - thank you for everything - we are blessed to have you in our lives x

Birdy, birdy.....

Now I am big enough to feed Granda Billy's hens myself!!

Would I be a little rascal??

I have 2 more teeth coming through.....

I think that 5.00am is a perfect time to waken up in the morning......

I think it is just fine to only want to eat salmon and broccoli pasta (pah-tah) for every meal.....

I reckon that the only kind of fun is the kind that involves Mummy walking around holding my hand....

I can't wait to have my Daddy home tomorrow! Me and Mummy have missed him so much x x