Calum's nine years old tomorrow, so the usual band gathered together in the Ping On in Stockbridge (birthday boy's choice) for a nice meal. Holly was a wee star and tried prawn crackers, spring roll, crispy duck in pancakes, special fried rice and chicken satay. Her fortune cookie advised that, having two ears and one mouth, she should listen twice as much as she speaks...
Monday, April 30, 2007
A Sunny Day in Porty
On Saturday morning, we went down to Portobello for an NCT nearly new sale - mainly to look for a double buggy but also just for a wee jolly. Holly, Louis and I got to go to the beach while Helen did the queueing. It was rather chilly though, so we soon retreated to the safety of an ice cream shop on Porty High Street. After the sale, we wandered round a bit, gawping at the highly desirable (but still unaffordable) properties in the Brighton Park area then headed home for lunch.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
And relax...
A picture left over from last weekend - Helen and Louis enjoy an early evening chill out after a busy day at the castle.
Cramond and Dave
Dave was in town for a gig this weekend, so he popped in on Saturday to hang out. We tootled down to Cramond, where a fearsome east wind was scouring the promenade and the beach. Round the corner at the wee harbour, it was like a different day. We had an ice cream, and walked up the River Almond path, pausing to scramble up the embankment among the exposed tree roots. Back home, Dave treated Holly to a pre-bath reading of her current Kipper book.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Helen's first week
A few pictures of Helen's week now that I'm back at work. A visit from auntie Kate (I was still around then), a visit from Rowena, pottering around on the baby gym and an Olivia Newton John moment...
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Belated Update
So I'm back at work now, and the frequency of blog entries has dropped somewhat. However, I've got a spiffy nearly new phone which is *much* higher resolution than the old one. Here are a few pictures taken with my phone over the last few days, beginning with one of Helen enjoying a much deserved glass of red.
Big Louis on Google Maps
Astonishing new satellite imagery from Google shows the remarkable extent to which Louis has grown over the last couple of weeks. Here he is enjoying the sunshine in Victoria Park with Helen. He was weighed this morning and is now 9lbs 11.5oz, a gain of nealy a pound and a half since he was born!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
A Freebie
This weekend, Historic Scotland opens its properties to the great unwashed for zero entry free. This is an opportunity not to be missed for a Scotsman, so we went to Edinburgh Castle. Holly sat on a gun and looked out over the city. I think the highlight was the ice cream though. Louis slept through it all. Afterwards we sat in the bushes in Princes Street Gardens and watched the trains go by.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Baking Scones
The early promise of a warm, sunny spring in Scotland has faded, and we're left with chilly, dreich Saturday afternoons in which to do a spot of baking. From raw ingredients to final product, Holly follows the recipe from the River Cottage Family Cookbook and happily consumes the end result with raspberry jam.
Friday, April 20, 2007
A Spot of Light Dandling
Friday evening, and we're all hanging about before dinner time, chatting away, shooting the breeze, and having a wee cuddle. Holly, whose maternal instincts are coming to the fore, even wanted to try breastfeeding Louis...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Louis is growing...
It's only been a fortnight, but the little fellow is getting longer, chubbier and less yellow every day! He's eating well, and (in general) only wakes up for a feed twice in the night. How long can this last?
The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers...
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Time for a Nappy Change
Holly's a very helpful big sister. Here she is, helping to change Louis' nappy at Grandma's.
Monday, April 16, 2007
The Lap of Luxury?
We worked out today that Louis had been to the Botanics more often than he'd had a bath in his 10 short days on this planet. So we redressed the balance with another bath and a bit of dandling.
Down On The Farm
By a strange anomaly in the Scottish weather, this afternoon was the same as the morning - glorious and sunny. So we had a quick jaunt over to Gorgie City Farm to meet Grandma & Papa and birl round the farm before they chucked us out. I even had time to try a new angle on the classic Red Tractor shot.
A Walk to the Botanics
Another sunny day, and we walked en famille along the cycle path to grab a bit of lunch at Lapeyre's (at least I think that's what it's called) on Inverleith Row, with Louis sporting his new babygro and hat from Kirsty and Peter. Alas, Lapeyre's was closed, so it was over to the Botanics for lunch in the Terrace Cafe, then home again for naps.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Saved by Technology
It's that tricky half hour between teatime and bathtime. Holly's happily amusing herself dressing up in the baby clothes. All at the same time. Meanwhile, Helen's chilling out in front of a new episode of some US import teen drama or other. Suddenly, Holly announces she'd like to watch a bit of Spot, as is common in the pre-bath slot. Conflict! Luckily, a pair of headphones and my PowerBook come to the rescue, and both girls can conclude their viewing in peace. Holly stood in this position, only her facial expression changing, for a good 15 minutes.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Escaping the haar at Fort Saughton
The trouble with living near the Firth of Forth is that, on an unseasonably warm and sunny day in April like today, the whole place gets enveloped in fog. Haar, they call it in these parts. So we headed inland to Saughton Park and the ice cream van nearby for a wee sit down in the rose garden and a potter in the sandpit. Very nice it was too, with blue skies, sunshine and the inevitable hordes of blue-skinned Scots exposing themselves to the strange shiny thing in the sky.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Baby Gym
Yesterday was a black day for Louis. Not only was his name mispronounced by some minor NHS functionary (not, I suspect, for the last time) but we took precisely NO pictures of him. At all. This is the stuff of second-child persecution complexes. Anyway, today we gave him another bath, dressed him up in his stripey blue babygro from Grandma Pat, and let him loose on his new baby gym from Grandma Sheila and Papa Gordon. Holly showed him the ropes.
Back to the Botanics
A wee Friday morning trip to the Botanics, and I got a wee taste of what life is like as a stay-at-home mommie. Turns out on today's evidence it consists mainly of strolling gently round the Botanics and catching up on chit-chat over a capuccino in the Terrace Cafe... :-) Here's Holly with Olivia and Oliver, looking out over the oriental pond.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Rites of Passage
There comes a time in every young man's life when he must go out into the world and visit the Botanics. And so it was that today, not yet five days old and wearing his new hoodie from Grandma Pat, Louis ventured forth to meet with the other mummies at Edinburgh's favourite arboreal destination. Here he is being dwarfed by his car seat.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Pizza for Dinner
Pat and John's last supper before they head home, and we went to Pizza Express, everyone's favourite family-friendly cheap'n'cheerful pizza place. Holly even had her own pizza, click pic for more...
Bathtime for Louis
Louis' second bath was much more relaxed than the first. He lay back and seemed to quite enjoy it. Still a wee bit yellow, the poor wee jaundiced mite...
Monday, April 09, 2007
Busy Monday
The weekend's over, but it's still Easter, so we headed off to see Julie and Derek in deepest East Lothian. Holly was rather taken by their trampoline. Then we came home for a much-needed nap, and Leo came round for a visit. Playing with baby clothes and the baby bath is very much the amusement of choice at the moment.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Sunday
A big day out for the whole family on Sunday. It's quite a task getting this lot mobilised! We decorated some eggs and headed up to the Lismore Millars' for a wee stroll up Arthur's Seat to roll the eggs back down again. It was quite a hike for Helen only two days after Louis popped out... Holly loved spending the day with favourite cousin Calum, and Louis was introduced to the rest of the clan.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Day Two for Number Two
Well, it's decided. "Untitled 2" has become Louis Craven Millar. It's got a nice ring to it, we think, and the "Craven" is a nod to Granddad John's family history. Day two saw Louis out in the cool April sunshine for the first time in his ridiculously oversized "little bear" suit. Dave and Paula also popped in for a wee visit on their World Tour of Scotland, and paused for a photo or two. Click the picture for more as always...
Proof
On the day of the Half Marathon, I didn't wear a watch because I was carrying my iPod. But then I forgot the transceiver for the Nike+ doodad, so ended up running naked, as it were. I couldn't believe my time, so was pleased to see the certificate...
Friday, April 06, 2007
It's a Boy!
At 3:05 this afternoon, on Helen's birthday, this young feller was born at home and under water. He weighed 8lb 5oz and we're not sure of a name yet so I'm calling him "Untitled 2". Mother and son are both doing well, and Holly is a very keen - and endearing - big sister. This picture shows him 6 minutes after emerging into the world of sound and light, and he doesn't seem too pleased about it. Click the picture for more. Since then, he's had a feed and a nap and a nappy change, and seems much more chilled out. Long may it continue, we're off to bed. It's been an eventful day.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
That Funny Little Park - Again
A rare treat this time - moving pictures of the big swing at the funny little park on what's become our normal Saturday morning visit. This one was with Grandma Pat, though she didn't make it into the video. Holly was in a bit of a huff to start with, didn't want to go to the park, didn't want an ice cream either. Hence the curled-up "I'm not enjoying this" pose in the first shot. As to whether all this swinging helps bring on Helen's labour, the jury is still out. And the baby is still in.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Visiting Leo - 1st April
A wee trip up to Leo's house in the April sunshine. By an odd coincidence, that very morning Fraser had run a personal best half marathon in 1:37:53, a fact of which he is inordinately proud. Sorry, couldn't help mentioning that.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Forthside Half
Fergus and I in the first mile of the Edinburgh Forthside Half Marathon. He ran the whole thing with his phone, for some reason. Do two half marathon men make one Marathon Man? There are "official" pictures of me here.
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