Emily getting bigger and better

Back home from Cumbria and how good it is to see that Emily is losing her spots and her nappy rash is very slowly improving. Helen has been on the web and thinks it may linked to lactose intolerance. This is rare and we don't think that Emily has it ... but reading up articles from The lancet on the web it looks like some babies can't cope with the first milk from the breast and need the richer milk that comes later in the feed. They have small tummies and fill up on this "fore" milk before getting to the creamy stuff. So Helen has been following the instructions and so far so good!

Road trip to Cumbria

Had a great trip up to the lake district over the last couple of days. I rarely go off the M6 or out of Carlisle when I am up this way so it was brilliant to be re-aquanted with the lakes. This is Windermere from the conference hotel. Although I have to say I do miss the girls and Helen - when I am on the road, so the enjoyment is a little limited!

Rosie and Dolly

It's 3.00 p.m. and Rosie has just got up from her daily nap. As you can see she is being a little grumpy - what is she going to be like at 14, a real grump? This is one of her two knitted dollies that she got when she was born. Not sure who gave them to her but she is always talking to the pair of them. Today dolly is honoured to be in the chair watch 64 Zoo Lane.

Emily drops off

Ahhh ... isn't Emily cute when she is asleep? This picture is the result of me trying to get her to smile. She lay there looking at me for a while, then gave the biggest yawn and promptly went to sleep. Seems like the story of my life really.

Gap Kids

Oh my god the kids are shopping in Gap. Here's Rosie running out with her new Wellies - although to be honest I don't really think she knew what was in the bag it was just a good chance to be independent. That is the theme with Rosie at the moment - an independent Miss. Poor little Emily just lays there and takes it all in (unless she is asleep or feeding) mind you she slept for 10 hours last night - can't believe it!

Mum and dad

Heres one I prepared earlier! Actually I found it on my phone today - it's one that Helen took of Rosie and her Granny at tumble tots. I took Rosie to my mum and dads grave today and when I said the words Granny and Grandad to Rosie she immediately started to runa round and look for them! I am sure she misses them after having seen them for so long during the summer. As for my mum and dad I know they would have adored Rosie and Emily - just like all their other grandchildren. I noticed their old house on Barry Drive was up for sale today as I drove past ..... tempted to have a look ....all those memories.

Emily .... growing like mad

Here are a couple of new shots of Emily. She seems to be growing like mad. But sh is also really suffering from a serious nappy rash condition. Helen has tried cream from the doctor for two different problems - niether of which have worked, but she thinks she may have cracked it with a new cream for a fungal infection. I have to say if my bottom was so sore I'd be sooo miserable, but Emily is a little star. Doesn't she look cute? She is feeding at the moment, and what a sleeper ... already up to 8 hours in the night, which is great (although I have to say I stay in bed while Helen gets up - so breast really is best!)

Letter from America

I thought you'd like to see a picture from Michael who has flown the nest - big time - and is spending a year at Oklahoma University. You can catch up on Mike's exploits by clicking on the link to his blog on the right hand side of this page. Wow - I am used to being at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester to watch the City play in front of maybe 19-20,000 people. Here Mike has a picture of the first college football game of the season and it looks like the must be around 75,000 people there. Very impressive!

Back at Work

So here we are back at work and trying to get into the swing of things. The sun is still shining but it's time to break out the fleeces in England. Was it just a week ago that we Rosie was in the pool with her grandparents? It seems like an age. But then anything seems like an age after a 750 mile drive from Bergerac to Leicester via Paris! I'm off to Liverpool tonight for a conference - but I am going to stay here late and help Helen put Rosie to bed. Tomorrow she'll be a full time mum with two babies and I think she is nervous - I would be.

Dancing Shoes

More new shoes for Rosie! She can walk very well in these big whopping 3.5's. And I think she is only a week or so away from discovering that she can run. I'll never catch her in our corridors at home so we also got a new stairgate for the top floor. What a performance at the fitting though - tears, tantrums and then a smile and a goodbye wave for the salesgirl. £26! £26! Still you've got to get the right fitting shoes ... can't wait till Emily starts needing shoes as well. At 4 pairs each a year that's around £200 - or £4 a week! And do you know what ... they are both worth every penny and more!

Reflective girls!

My what a change a couple of weeks can bring. When we came to France Rosie was very unsteady on her feet - now she is running around all the time and not bumping into things. She ends each day absolutely knackered. I can't wait until she is at home and can play with her toys and have the run of the house - it is going to be a whole new world for her.
As for Emily - she is five weeks old today and has spent nearly half her life in France. I think she is going to notice the change when she gets home. Here she is in just a nappy most of the time because it is so hot. In Leicester she'll be wrapped up and have a blanket on at night and when she goes out.

Our French holiday is over, back to reality now - chilly weather and for Helen the need to cope with two babies on her own while I am at work. It's going to be tough.

Out for lunch

Another chance to get out on our own - with Emily of course - for lunch. We went to Sante Foy le Grande for lunch in the square. With it being Monday we got a parking space alongside the River Dordogne.
Then it was back to Eymet via the scenic route and a chance find of a very oopmarket golfing chateau / holiday complex ... and a great opportunity to have a drink by the practice putting green. Lovely!

September Swim

Bearing in mind that if we hd been in England we would probably have had the heating on - this isn't bad at 4 in the afternoon on Sunday 10th September! It's me and Helen enjoying a splash in the outdoor pool of Janet and Victor - friend's of Helen's mum. Lovely!

Missile anyone?

It is absolutely amazing the things you see floating around Frenck back gardens. I saw this while out walking, it was just tucked at the bcak of someones garden. It's the case for a Magic 550 Air to Air missile as supllied to the French Airforce and Navy (I can't bring myself to believe that there is a real missile in here!)According to wikipedia the thing is now obsolete and was only used in a real war by that well known freind of the West - Saddam Hussein. I'm sure he had US and British weapons too. This is probably being kept by the householder to repel the current re-invasion of South-West France by the English Daily Telegraph readers..... or it's currently on e-bay!

The Nappy Rash Princess

This Emily doing her second favourite thing - sleeping. She has been suffering from acute nappy rash whilst she has been over in France, but thanks to regular sunshine and nappy rash cream from the doctor she is over the worst. The chance to lie naked in the warm shade has allowed to do her most favourite thing - projectile pooing!

British / French Festival

Went to Sante Foy Le Grande to take a tour of this beautiful bastide town during a week of British / French festival. The pictures show the mile or so of decorations over the road - must have taken hours and hours to make, never mind put up. Star attraction seemed to be chips, fish AND mushy peas. But we had a pizza from the van down the road instead. I can't believe how good it was - knocks Leicester restaurants into a cocked hat and all from the back of a Transit van!

Rosie gets trolleyed

I love going French supermarkets. They are just so different from tesco. Most of the stuff is very local and just look at the baby trolleys! I guess Rosie WILL get trolleyed when she is a teenager and this picture will horrify her ... but thats a long time off yet!

100th Post

Welcome to the 100th post on the blog. Looking back it seems just 5 minutes since I started the blog - now Rosie is walking and Emily is here! Here we are in Miramont market, you can just see Pat in the blue shirt at the hot poulet man getting lunch in the photo. The weather is fantastic and was up to 36 degrees today - and the shoppers were out in force! Helen is doing the baby routine big time - with great effect. Hats off all round.

Home grown grapes

A nice quiet Sunday in Cogulot. Rosie has been in her little pool - and sandpit - making sure that when she came in she was straight in the bath! Here she is tucking into some of the grapes which grow behind the garage at chez Hampson. Emily still has nappy rash, but has been lying out in the garden airing her bottom to the world. Just like her mum when we get a lawn at home I suppose!

Freedom!

It may not seem a lot but to have some freedom from Rosie and Emily for just 45 minutes was brilliant today. We stopped off at the Marie in Cogulot to drop off the litter on the way to Eymet. Here is helen "sans" garbage. We strolled around the town, brought some bread and had a hot chocolate and a diet coke in one of the many bars. This is Helen with her back to the town square of Eymet.

Tea Time en Francais

Here we are having tea at chez Hampson in Cogulot - a little hamlet in the Dordogne. Been a beautiful day with the weather sunny and 29 degrees. Rosie is absolutely shattered. She slept for 13 hours last night and went down like an Angel just now. Emily meanwhile is struggling to get herself to sleep, once she is off she's fine ... it's getting her to that state. Crying doesn't help it seems!