May I introduce my grand daughter ...

Juliet was born on Wednesday 2nd October at 5:32pm at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick. Juliet Paige LYNN. She and her Mama come home tomorrow, Saturday. The hospital has kept a watching brief over Mama, but she is fine, albeit a bit sore in spots. Juliet weighed 3.4kgs and is 51cms long (cf Alannah at 3.1kgs and 49cms).

Alannah is out of her tree with excitement, and trepidation. Dada ran her ragged in the park this arvo, which only partially helped. They chased and kicked a ball. They climbed the pyramid. They pushed and chased the roundabout. She is a handful ... but Mama will know how to resolve all that.

Recharging the batteries

Here are my lovelies. I thought you might like to see them. I took these photos on Saturday at our Christmas lunch.

They then went down the South Coast to spend a few days with Darren's family. Guess what Alannah got for Christmas?

Colouring my world

Summer and the new normal

Gradually, we return to the new normal. Last summer, Kirsten and Darren took Alannah to swimming lessons, water-awareness lessons, more accurately. This morning (yes, Sunday at 8am) they regrouped, and off she went again. The pool this group uses is in the basement of a large block of apartments on New South Head Road. It could even be the pool for owners which was under-used, and so the body corporate is employing it usefully. Would like to think so!

Alannah was not all that keen to begin with, there were some tears but not really sustained. In this series of photos you can see her relaxing as the half-hour session progressed. They even have homework, which mainly involves getting her head/face in water, blowing bubbles, and the like.

The Reading Nook

When Kirsten was young she was read to a lot, although I don't remember reading to her before she was about one. This was the time of the Little Golden Book called 'Baby's First Birthday' and the book of nursery rhymes that she in turn reads to Alannah. The LGB proudly proclaims on its cover that it cost 39c. It was back in 1980.

In addition to reading, I would play card games with her, mainly using a pack of 'UNO'. We would sort them into colours. We would sort them into numbers. We would sort them into 'specials'. Then we would play 'Snap'. There were other packs of cards, like the one that took Grandma to market and we had to memorise the things she bought. These were played on a small set of table and chairs, after the lunch had be squared away.

Later, when Alastair was incorporated into the routine, the reading and the games went to after dinner. They could each choose a game and the four of us would play on the living-room floor. It might be Snakes & Ladders or Fiddle-Sticks or Who or eventually Monopoly and Scrabble. After the game, they were allowed two books each and they would sit on the sofa with the choices alternating. Parents alternated night about: reading, or washing up.

Eventually, the games became replaced by homework (at the tender ages of 5 or 6, yes) and the reading altered but continued until they completed primary school (aged 12). Each parent would alternate about children, but with continuity of book. This is where Kirsten became addicted to 'The Pastures of the Blue Crane' and Alastair to 'Goodnight Mister Tom'. From memory these were read whilst lying down on their beds. Then they could have private reading time. Then, lights out!

The books involved in this session between Kirsten and Alannah were: the LGB called 'The Fire Engine Book'; 'Go, dog. Go!' again; and, a board version of the nursery rhyme 'The Owl and the Pussycat' which must be sung. I forgot to tell you that Miss Molly got to listen, too.