Infestation of Squirrel

While I was sitting in our front room a couple of days ago, I heard what sunded like something scraping at the front door. On further investigation I discovered it was coming from inside the drywall next to the front door.

Always ones for prompt action, we left it for a day to see if it went away but no, it continued. As we were concerned that something may have got stuck and would die there, Richard drilled a couple of holes in the wall and then set his cunning rodent trap - a laundry basket. Lo and behold, we caught a young squirrel, which wasn't quite intelligent enough to go back through the holes in the drywall.


We released it back into the wild but of course a couple of hours later we heard the scratching again. The squirrel, or possibly another one, was back, and this time it managed to evade Richard's trap and came wandering into the front room. We managed to corral it out the front door where it promptly vanished down a hole in the ground under the porch. Now we know where it's getting in. So we're now on a mission to squirrel proof our house before they take over completely.

Swinging

We have a little play park at the end of the road and so, now spring is finally here, we took Dan there for his first taster. He quite enjoyed the swing...

...but the slide was met with some scepticism...

...until he went down it.

A pox on you...

...or on Dan to be more accurate. A couple of weeks ago Dan went down with chicken pox. We had a few days of itchy misery, but fortunately all that remains now are a few scabs on his scalp and a couple of battle-scars on his face. At least that's one less jab he'll need at 12 months.




A spotty Dan with my German friend Tanja who came over for a couple of weeks.

Beware the devourer!

This lunchtime we made a large step for this family and gave Daniel his first taste of genuine pureed organic mush. The old staple carrots were chosen for the process and after only three attempts the correct tool for pureeing was found. The bright, bright orange mixture was then transferred into the little tubs purchased for the use of, and we got ready for the fun and games. It was decided that I would feed him and Jacqui would record the event, probably a smart move on her part.

The munchkin was then attired in his new bib and strapped down next to the table. This is the before picture.

So a spoonful of mush was liberally smeared over his mouth and he was not convinced of the value of this new idea.


So we added some more to rapturous ambivalence.


The next spoonful was also not an instant hit.

Although he was generally enjoying the process.

I said generally

But in conclusion none of the food that went in was actually spat out and there was no crying from anyone involved so a success was declared. This is just the tasting part of the process we've decided to choose so he's just getting a different taste every day as well as getting used to the spoon and food.

Tomorrow we think we'll feed him during our dinner time so he feels more part of it and also warm the food slightly so it foes not feel so strange for him.

Out for nearly four hours, without a baby, someone call child services!

Yeah we managed a whole evening out while young Daniel languished in the grasp of his new German aunty Tanja. This could mean the return of our social lives to some modest extent.

Now we just need to work out how to keep Tanja here for 18 years.

How to get your baby to sleep in his Cot or Crib

The lesson has three major parts.

1: Take one child who has been sleeping with his mother for about six months.
2: Place child in cot one night after about six months, including a couple of months trying to get him to sleep alone.
3: Child sleeps for ten hours, mum wakes in a panic, both parents in shock.

And that's how it happened this week. It's not always that good, but last night Jacqui put him down at 22:30 for the second time and he stayed there until 06:30 which is cool.

He also talks to himself when he wakes up in the early mornings, it's still cute hearing him warbling away in the early hours ;). And he has learned the skill of drifting off to sleep when he wakes, excellent.

So this has gone from a concern about how we were going to make it happen to something else that is just working for us. We really have been so lucky with him

And a note to Gene, you said Sasha just made the change at about six months. It appears great babies think alike.

Jumping EEdiot Boy ;)

That boy he looooooves the bouncing. Unfortunatley I did not get him doing the full psycho bounce but this is pretty cool. He can almost reach the floor now but something is still required for a proper contact.

I took two short videos on two days and I apologise for my breathing, the cold has still not left me.