Smile.

While this photo was being taken, Andrew was saying:

"Smile Rachel! Smile Mummy! Smile at the camera."
Afterwards when Andrew was looking at the camera, he said "Andrew sitting on the couch."
"It is a camera."


Alternatively you could use it to water the plants or fill the paddling pool, but hoses are not allowed inside and mummy wont let Andrew play outside today as it is windy.

9 months today

It has been a big month for Rachel.

The day before she was eight months she worked out the crawling thing. This was while we were in Christchurch for Christmas. I think the initial motivation was Andrew's wooden blocks. We kept moving them out of her way but she kept moving across the floor after them. She is quite determined when she is after something. She was fascinated with her cousin Joseph. Poor Joseph (2 months) couldn't move out of her way. She enjoyed having time with her cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents while we were in Christchurch.

In the past month she has acquired four teeth. She hasn't been too bad but we have had some days of grizzling and dribbling.

She has worked out that being able to crawl opens up lots of possibilities for fun including teasing big brother. We sort of divide our lounge into Rachel's play space and Andrew's play space. Andrew's space normally has trains and/or blocks. Rachel can be happily playing with her own toys while mummy keeps an eye on things. Then suddenly she will take off across the lounge. Andrew will start saying "stop", and "no, Rachel" at any indication she may be heading to his toys. Rachel thinks it is quite funny. I am not sure why, but this afternoon Andrew wanted to put Rachel in the hall for time out. He had even closed the doors and turned the light on.

She is starting to pull herself up on things but so far she needs to strengthen her leg muscles. She has made it up our two steps between the lounge and dining room once but mostly is content to stay on one level. She has tumbled down those steps too.

She went to Plunket on Tuesday. She is 8.16 kg and 69 cms tall. This is about average for her age.

She loves her food. She has three meals a day plus about 5-6 milk feeds most days. She is just starting to have some snacks as well. To date she eats anything that is on offer.

She is still not sleeping as mummy would desire but now normally goes back to sleep after a little crying but without a visit from mummy or daddy. It seems she cries louder if we go in than if we leave her to settle herself back to sleep.

Below are some photos I took today. I couldn't manage to capture any teeth.

Heading for the trains

Checking to see if big brother is going to react.

Block play

Today Andrew spent about an hour playing with his blocks. It was fascinating to watch, listen and wonder what he was thinking. I thought I'd share some of it with you.

He started with a simple line of blocks. He was saying "Train track, big train track. That one joined together"  (as he was putting the carriages together).

"More train" (disappearing off to his room to get an engine). He then spent ages straightening up the blocks.

Every time he moved the trains the blocks moved. He was getting a little frustrated but not upset. Mummy suggested putting some train tracks on the blocks. Andrew's idea was to try longer blocks, which didn't really work. He then told me he needed "a long bit as track too short" The result is below. I am not sure what was happening with the smaller construction beside the main one.

Then it was dismantled.

Then he started again. He told me "Andrew build big tower, a long tower."

Below is how it was when he went to bed for his afternoon sleep.

Our Christmas tree

Yesterday afternoon we put up our Christmas tree. Andrew enjoyed helping with this activity. Rachel was more interested in the taste of the decoration rather than seeing if she could hang them up.

Andrew needs daddy's help to put the star at the top of the tree.

The tree is now safely on top of the fire, out of reach.

Two and half update

Andrew is now two and half.

Andrew still likes reading, and the other day when we went to the library he wanted to get a book on Trucks out of the library.

We sometimes look at a couple of books on people in the bible, and we find the entry on Rachel, Joseph (there are two different ones) and the disciples. The page on the disciples has a picture of the twelve. We have to identify which one is Andrew and which one is Tom. Today we got a bible out to read about Stephen and Paul.

Andrew's language is improving. He is putting together 4-5 word sentences at times. Some of Andrew's words:

Huggle - is Andrew's word for a cuddle
oki days - somethings not quite right (oopsy-daisy)

He must take after his dad, who likes to make up words too.

When it is dinner time he will go and tell daddy and Rachel that dinner is ready.

Andrew still sleeps most afternoons. Some days it is a battle of wills between mummy and Andrew, that mummy normally wins. He doesn't necessarily sleep in his bed. Yesterday afternoon he slept on the floor.

He recently started getting up and either playing in the lounge or coming up to mummy and daddy very early in the morning. On Monday he and mummy and Rachel went on the train because Andrew had got 7 stickers on his chart for staying in his room until a light on a timer came on at 7am.

Here he is asleep across his bed

Playing with his concrete truck

Andrew is telling me "The concrete is in fire station"

He and Rachel are quite interactive with one another now and Andrew will lie down and play with Rachel. However if Rachel manages to reach one of his toys, he will say "Naughty" and take the toy off her.