No, I hadn't forgotten the blog :-)

Sorry about the unreasonable delay! Between a very active young man and the many client demands (being this time of year), when I did have a spare moment I spent it collapsing on the couch like some wilting 18th century heroine.

So much has happened in the interim! As I said to a friend the other day with a younger baby, "You will get a nanosecond's break between when they can self-amuse and when they are off and about. Enjoy it while you can!"

At his last weigh in, Master Braeden tipped the scales at an impressive 11.48kgs, and is now 74cm in length. Whooohaaa! No wonder my arms want to drop off, some days!

Up until four days ago he was still a two-toofer (two teeth) but on Friday he popped through another bottom tooth, and after a dreadful night last night, Wayne was the first to spot that both top teeth have cut through at once. We had an idea he might be close, as he did the same thing with the other bottom tooth (can't sleep, too sore, can I get in bed with you?). No one slept properly last night, but the baby didn't cry if he was snuggled between us, and who's counting if I was driven mad by baby hair under my nose, or that I was woken at 4.33am by the sensation of staring up into the nappy that was sitting on my face?

Braeden just that day got to use the smaller of his toddler table & chairs and must have decided to put that into practice on his mother's head in the "wee" hours (ie, time to change the nappy, Mum!)

On the development front, Boyo continues to rocket along. He botty-hopped his way around the lounge & play room until one night about two weeks ago he unceremoniously pulled himself to his feet while we weren't looking. Since then he's progressed rather quickly into furniture navigation, and can now get almost anywhere he wants to.

As his destination of choice is the television cabinet, we spend a goodly part of each day retrieving a naughty child who thinks it's all a terrific game, thank you very much. We put on TERRIBLE SCOLDY FACES AND VOICES (so much so that the dog runs off and hides under the desk) but the baby just laughs in our faces, which makes it very hard to not collapse under the strain and grin back.

So I started putting big cushions & other obstructions between the child and his desire.

That worked. For about an hour.

Then the little sod decided he could learn to crawl after all, and now can choose the ambulation of his choice: botty hop, furniture shuffle, or crawl.

Blast! (but I'm actually rapt he learned to crawl in the end.. essential in right/left brain interaction)

He teases us about sleeping through. Just when we think we've cracked it, he throws the game plan out the window and we have to start again. He's most determined to disrupt his parents when the timing is right to try for a little brother or sister. Now I believe I know what my mother meant when I asked her why I didn't have a little brother or sister and she replied "Well you seemed quite certain you didn't want us to have one!" To my five year old self this seemed a dreadful lie, and I got quite pissy about it, but now I get the joke.

Mum & Baby group continues to go extremely well. Some of the mums in our group have what most parents call "Other people's babies". One girl was in labour for all of two hours, needed nothing more than a cool flannel, and her baby has never been the slightest bit troublesome and slept through pretty much from the moment she came home from the hospital.

No we did not gang up on her and shove her in a nappy bucket.

And guess whose child is the naughtiest of the playgroup babies? Yep. Last time he became totally enamoured of a pretty toddler of about 4, and followed her everywhere. If she became engrossed with something, he would sneak up behind her (mysteriously able to restrain from babbling or other giveaways), then launch himself up and at her head, holding on furiously to her long blonde hair and giggling with delight as she tried to get free.

Horrible child. He must have a very bad mother ;-)

I did not dare let him play with the other babies his age - he's too rough. For the most part they are at exactly the right stage for their development and a hell of a lot less boisterous & bolshy than my boy, so putting him with the no-nonsense toddlers is much more appropriate for the moment. The other mothers might get upset if my big son swings their lovely children around by their noses.. just because he can.

Btw, I don't hate Mums with easy babies. I've adopted the philosophy that it's 50% genetics, 50% luck of the draw. Better to pat them on the back and hope that some of their good luck rubs off on me for next time.

Child is also outrageously good looking, and can ride a scoot-along motor bike (teaching himself how in less than an hour).

Yep, leader of the (nappy) pack :-) Will post more updates and some delicious photos when I get a chance but for now, this'll hold ya!