Busy bank holidaying

Bit of a ram jammed holiday weekend, shame about the weather, looks like the end of our sunbathing for a while! Typically the sun is shining today now that everyone has gone back to work.
Went to Rawalpindi in Twickenham for a very posh curry with the ladies. Disappointingly none of them got pissed enough to entertain we pregnant ladies but a good time was had by all. Anna had her very first curry at the grand old age of 32!
On Saturday we picked up a load of boxes so that the packing can begin in time for B-Day 4th June. The house is full of boxes and tape but it has to be done, don't know when though, Joe is more of an unpacker than a packer! We also put our deposit down on a double buggy, ouch, no bargains to be had there, unlike last time! My eyes glazed over as they did the demo for us but I'm sure we'll manage. We also had fun buying summer clothes for Joe for our trip to France which is a week on Friday, can't wait. He toddled round Mothercare pushing pushchairs, followed by me and assistants trying to measure his feet etc! As usual he'll be better dressed than us that's for sure.
Chloe's christening was on the Sunday so we did our bit there. She managed to hold back the tears while the vicar flamboyantly threw water everywhere, anoyone who wasn't baptised already certainly was after that display. The catering will certainly put that offered at Joe's christening next Saturday to shame. Joe also managed to fend off a few spiteful toddlers at the party afterwards, our hearts swelled with pride - go Joe! We both could have done with a stiff drink to cope with the toddler induced migraines!

Dad-post!

A rare Dad-post. It is 36 days since my last confession. Highlights have inclued spending a bit more time at home (some sort of a reprieve from Amsterdam), taking Joe to nursery, my mum and dad have come to stay, we've sold the flat in the Old Kent Road, we've rented a flat in Teddington while the building work is happening (as Niamh has written about), we went out to lunch at Chez Gerard to celebrate Mum's birthday, Niamh went to the Elemis spa today for a pre-natal pamper session - a small pressie from me - well-deserved and long overdue. I'll upload some random pictures now. Seeya!

Sophie Joe and Chloe on Joe's birthday

Paul, Siun, Niamh, Joe and me in local Jordaan in Amsterdam

Joe enjoying his birthday present

All go on the building front...

We have put a deposit down today on a short term let in Hampton Wick. As it was the only short term let in the entire area we thought we'd better take it! Joe will still be able to go to nursery and we're still a short bus ride from Teddington but much nearer to Kingston. The flat is being refurbished at the moment so as soon as it's ready we're going to be moving in, chaos will undoubtedly ensue! So we'll let Malcolm know and hopefully we can finally get started. Frankly I can't believe it's ever going to be finished.
The trickle of kitchen designers started today with a mercifully short visit from the kitchen place round the corner. I think Simon and I have vastly differing ideas of what our budget is!! Garden designer is coming next week so I'm madly collecting pictures of things that I like so that we don't end up with a gazebo and crazy paving! I have been trying to source flooring etc and seem to be on the phone all the time.
Phyllis and Gordon arrive back from their cruise today. Phyllis was 65 yesterday so we're taking them out for lunch if they're still standing after the flight. They're going to be staying for a few days before they visit the Grogans in Newbury.
Not long now till our jaunt to the south of France, we're really looking forward to having a break. I'll be hiding Simon's Blackberry. We bought Joe his sunsuit and hat at the Mother and Baby fair in Teddington. I'll allow you to imagine for yourselves what kind of bunfight that was in a nappy valley like here! Joe was offered a job advertising as he marauded around in his sunsuit, hat and one sock (torrential rain outside) trying out all the toys on the stalls! Joe had at least four more teeth come through at the weekend, hopefully he'll have a wee break now before the next lot to give his poor gums a break.
P&G just arrived, must go.

Building blocks

Joe did his first full week in nursery this week. He's been having a whale of a time and seems to have settled in very well. While he's there I have been continuing Mum's good work with the decorating, am consequently covered in three different colours of gloss and now we're just waiting for the wardrobe doors to arrive and be painted.
The surveyor came this morning to check on which walls we're going to be knocking down and all seems fine so once his drawings arrive next week Malcolm and the builders can get smashing, making our downstairs more open plan. Malcolm is quite a character. He was a boxer when he was young and sparred with Lenny Maclean 'The Guv'nor' so we'll have to pay him on time! (that reminds me, Andy can we have our book back please?) We're going to see a flat on Saturday that we can rent for a couple of months while the builders are in, save Joe eating cement! So the Family Ibbs may have to squeeze in there with us when they come over for Joe's christening - sorry!
We have booked our Guilfest tickets for the Sunday, mid July I think it is - looking forward to that, Madness are topping the bill. Joe can have his first festival pie there. Simon and I are also going to see Jo Brand at the Wimbledon Festival on the common and Conor has kindly said that he'll babysit. We may be in for a hard time as we're on the front row and I will be massively pregnant, so fading into the background may be difficult!

Bank Holiday Blogging

We've had a great bank holiday it has to be said! On Saturday we took the paddleboat from Teddington Lock and went to Richmond for a great lunch at Gourmet Burger Kitchen and visited the farmers market there . We took the boat home again and had a good nose in the rich people's gardens! While we were waiting to pick up the boat we had fun watching four quite tipsy males trying to cope with a tiny boat. On Sunday we visited Bockett's Farm, a city farm with loads of animals, large and small, geared up for families with young children. Joe raced around the place with us in hot pursuit. He only stopped to admire tractor wheels or try to push the food and bedding carts! His favourite animals had to be the hen and rooster, closely followed by sheep, chipmunks and chicks but nowhere near as much fun as the tractor wheels! We had lunch there too, I say we, Joe ate most of our lunch and we had the crumbs! On our way home we stopped by Conor's to watch Chelsea again almost snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Today we've been following the great British bank holiday tradition of going to Homebase and Costa Coffee! Highlight of the weekend was bumping into Brian May on Friday on Teddington high street in a dreadful beige pinstripe suit, teamed with white socks and white leather clogs! Hopefully he thought I was smiling at him and not laughing at his footwear.

We've also arranged Joe's christening, finally! Saturday 2nd June so if you fancy meeting us for a drink after you're very welcome. Not sure where we'll be living as we're hoping the builders will have moved in by then so we're hoping to rent somewhere nearby.

Campervan is booked for next summer in Austria and Switzerland too, Simon's ticking those jobs off the list!

Joe's all grown up!

Joe has started his settling in period at nursery this week. Needless to say after all my worrying he barely gave me a backward glance as he went in and has settled in very well so far. Tomorrow he'll have his nap there for the first time so fingers crossed that all runs smoothly. For the first time in ages I was able to have a coffee and read the paper uninterrupted. He had another jab on Monday Hib/Men C, once the health visitor actually got her act together and gave him the flippin thing he was fine, it was the endless faffing that drove both of us to tears! MMR and Pneumococcal are next, in about four weeks time, I think I'll go along with Gill and Finn for moral support again as it was nice to have someone to make nervous conversation with to drown out the screaming babies!

Mum has been working hard, helping Conor decorate Joe's room. They're nearly finished now and we're looking forward to getting it all ready for him.

Esther came on a flying visit from Oz on Friday. It was lovely to see her and catch up with what's going on. Conor and Liz came over later on too after battling their way through horrendous traffic and we had a lot of empties for the recycling bin the next morning!