Holy Batwings Bat-People - another huge lapse in Aengus blogging!

Sorry about that ....

So ... what's been going on? Woooo ...lots!

First off .. Paul and I had our birthdays - humph yes another year, but with his on the Friday, Mine on the Saturday and Fathers Day on the Sunday we had to DO SOMETHING!

Pauls Dad was staying with us so we actually managed to go out on the Saturday - woo hoo - we took the village by storm - even the young goths that hang out in the graveyard made a run for it! On the Sunday I had a bit of a surprise planned and Paul, my Dad and Pauls Dad were handed a helicopter and pilot at their disposal (for Pauls, he'll kill me for telling - 40th birthday and 1st Fathers Day, of course)!

What else? Well David - Pauls Dad spent 3 weeks in hospital with Diabetes problems before he came to us, which was pretty worrying. So we suggested that he moves nearer to us. He has been based in Norfolk but spends a lot of time abroad, so he may as well be near us when he's at home right? After checking out all the options and learning more than I ever needed to know about retirement flats/mobile homes/caravans we are happy to report that he has purchased an amazing brand new home a few miles from us! It's very cool and located on a lovely park called Willows - we are sure he will be very happy there and it's rather nearer to Gatwick for him for those essential escapes!

I have finally traded in the trusty Merc and we will be getting the new car next week - ha ha - going to keep you guessing on that one - I've been saving up!

Aengus completed his 'Little Dippers' swimming course today - he so loves it - he's the pool hooligan though! Splashes all the other babies (and me) but he's so blimmin' strong and determined that he can't wait to get under that water for some kicking and nosing around action! We are in a great group and hopefully we will stick together going into the next stage of the course. Aengus has two best friends there - Tommy and Sebastian.

Big Woo Hoos to some new babies out there too - baby Joe - chuffed parents Sam & Paul in London and down-under - Jo & Neil with baby Harrison. Welcome to the world kiddoes!

I have to have surgery on my gammy left foot - I've got two Mortons Neuromas - yeah Google it if you're interested! Specialist said he doesn't know how I walk with them. I said it's like walking with pebbles in your shoe - all the time, even when you're not wearing shoes!

Also, now Aengus is 7 months - have checked myself into a dtet and exercise program to fight the flab. Diet OK but am having to make some adjustments to go to the health club - which is lovely and totally excellent - should be able to fit a session in around 5am! YEAH RIGHT!

Oh well here's a load of silly old snaps from us .... xxxx


ACTIVITY BOY!
DA CAT IN DA HAT MAN
JELLIWOPTER!
FEELIN' LUCKY PUNK?< SITTING ON MY OWN - BIG NEWS AT MY AGE!

The Little Dribbler!

One for the 'Boro fans out there (yes there are some around - ha ha)!

Aengus was very kindly given this suit as a gift, and now it fits him at the most appropriate time as he certainly is a 'little dribbler'! A happy one though!

Aengus & Captain Biggles Bear

Now Aengus has a high-flying job in technical support (see below) he has been in discussions with Captain Biggles Bear about the joys of flying.

Cpt Biggles has come to live with us after he was found in the babyseat of Grandads new car!!

Call Aengus for Technical Support!



Aengus got ahold of the laptop this week and has setup his own baby technical support desk - here's some pictures of him in action!





Ahh ... a new call coming in ... "how may I help you today? Dribble dribble gurgle"?






"Yes I can help you with that - just hit one of the plastic square things and drool into the keyboard. Now restart your PC whilst throwing it out of the window and all your problems will be solved."






Ahh - so satisfying .... a job well done!

Hard Work!

Aengus has been putting some extreme efforts into crawling - he's not there quite yet but as he is getting really close to being 'off' I thought it only right to show some pictures of him doing his hard work!

Typical Male Shopping!

Aengus and I went to find a new sofa - as you can see he wasn't particularly interested in hunting around and just chose this one!

As it happened, we liked it too so that's the one we've ordered!

Caught out!

Is Aengus hiding something behind one of his beloved cloth books? Looks like I've caught him out, especially as he is reading it upside down!

First Food!

Had to just add this pic quickly - I took it on my phone camera and have only just got around uploading the pics from it.

Aengus's first experience with solid(ish) food - he loves it now but when he first started he didn't really know what to do with it!

Oh dear, 1st May and more blogger neglect! As you can probably tell from my extended lapse in blogging - we've been very busy!


Aengus is now 21 weeks young and still a little superstar despite teething and throwing himself around!


He's been into his proper cot for a couple of months now and actually seems to like it in there, if you can find him amongst all the toys. He is particularly partial to cloth books with crinkling bits and usually ends up asleep with them on his head - bit like me really! He is very strong and loves anything he can pull into his mouth for a good gummy chew.



He also now rolls over and is very determined about the crawling business - he puts in a lot of effort everyday into getting on the move and can usually be found grunting at the floor like a soldier crawling under a camo net on his elbows. He also loves the door bouncer his cousin Dolly has lent him but we are limiting time in that because he just goes bouncing mad and is going to end up doing himself an injury.



Talking about injuries, his right arm seems almost bionic and Paul and I (and even Harry on one occasion) have both been bodily assulted by the long and strong arm of the baby whilst he tries to get it under control.



So why so busy? Well I have finally come around to the fact that I am not going to zip off and get a full time contract or job - bringing up Aengus is what I want to do. It was very hard turning down interviews - especially one which was for a super web managers job but I had made the decision and so it had to be. I have also found renewed enthusiasm for the business and the two seem to go together pretty well - even if it means we have less dosh and I am having to run to a routine (what me, routine? Yes me!). The fact that Paul is now working fulltime also takes the pressure off and it's all coming together.



On top of that, we have taken on the mad plan of 'doing' our garden ourselves - as someone once said - the only problem with doing it yourself is that sometimes it does it back! Well what a job it has turned out to be - a rather bigger project than either of us had anticipated! I'm not going to bore you with all the details here but I have been blogging the progress at the garden chaos blog which you can see by clicking on the link on the right of this page, if you are interested!



I have booked Aengus and myself on a swimming course starting in June which I am really looking forward to and we go every week to a mother and baby group and baby massage class. There are so many small children in our road and local area - all around Aengus's age or on the way so there's a bit of a Mummy gang and lots of friends for the kids.



So I had better get on with some work before I am required by his babyship for mid morning playing and feeding. Here's some latest Aengus pics in no particular order!

Aengus is 3 months and 3 days old! That means that, yet again, I haven't updated the blog for a month (I see a trend forming here - alert the media!) - bad bad Mummy.



But hey, maybe not so bad mummy as I have been very busy - only today I completely butchered the front garden with a master plan of greatness which is only currently being held back by 1) muscle fatigue in places where I am sure you are not supposed to have muscles - fat fatigue maybe? 2) the stench of the neighbouring cats wee - I am not a cat person at the best of times and 3) the total disappearing act of the bloke in a village near Northampton who was going to sell me two old millstones from his 18th century converted windmill as a garden feature (Windmill House - get it?). Yes well, he probably cottoned on to what they were actually worth - more than I was going to pay him obviously!



Well this is The Sprog Blog - so more about Aengus ....



He's just topped 14lbs - that's the same as the heaviest bowling balls that only giants can get their fingers in down at your local AMP Bowling joint. Mind you - he was 2 pounds heavier than the smallest bowling balls (they're 6Lbs - he was 8Lbs) when he was born. I am sure I said I felt like I was carrying a bowling ball around when I was pregnant - midwives takes note - could be a training aid!



Now I know I am biased here ... but he really is a superstar of a baby! He sleeps - well - like a baby, he only really cries when he wants his food, whinges when his nappy needs a change and is otherwise very jolly and funny and sweet. He watches EVERYTHING and is very nosey - so we know we've got the hassle coming when he can get about - he's going to be into it all.



I've been thinking about this and I'm going to say something about - PARENTS! Many of you reading this will have heard me waffling on about my parents - the encouragement and guidance they gave us (Clare and I) and the freedom to make our own mistakes (and still do) etc. etc., about how my Dad said to me 'I don't mind what you and your sister choose to do workwise so long as you don't become a computer engineer or an artist'. Oh dear - murphys law!!! Anyway, what I want to say is .... I never, ever expected it all to kick in again for their grandson ... but there they are, loving him, doing anything for him, putting themselves out and just being wonderful. I hope we can do the same for Aengus. Hopefully in 20 years time he will feel the same. To all parents out there - don't think your kids won't notice - they will!



That's it - better go to bed - here's some pics!

The Star of the Blog -



With Daddy, re-fueling whilst watching the motorbike racing


Aengus with Mummy's Friend Nicky


Nighty night! xxxx

A Lovely Day Out!


Aengus and I had a lovely day out when we went to visit his Nanna & Grandad at their pad in Brighton. My Sister Clare and her daughter Dolly came too and we all went out and about. We all then went back to the usually tidy flat and messed it up with all our baby stuff!


Here's the photo evidence!

Cripes! Aengus is 2 months old already and I haven't updated this blog since Christmas - naughty Mummy!


Of course there's been rather a lot to do instead of blogging, but we're pretty settled into having our little bundle of joy around now. Aengus is so well behaved and really not much trouble at all, perhaps we have it all to come yet!


We've been catching up with family and friends and even had Helen visit all the way from Australia whilst she was over here at Christmas. Still plenty of you to catch up with though and it's been a great a excuse to get in touch with folks we have lost touch with recently.


Anyway, my office is a mess and as Paul is on Aengus duty this afternoon (in other words watching the Rugby), I am supposed to be up here having a clearing up session (could take all week)!

So, here are some of the latest pics and we hope to hear from you soon. By the way, for those of you who tried to leave blog comments and couldn't they should have been added now, I had to update the blogger software :-)