old news

Well, it's taken a while, but here is the exclusive vid of Bluet on her 2 month birthday. Which the more observant amongst you may realise was a couple of weeks ago. When we were in Missouri. Still, better late than never, eh? Many apols, and enjoy.

New York Botanical Gardens

Today, we went with Steve, Dorthea and Caroline to the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. This is already pretty exciting, as you have to take the proper train (not just the subway) to get there. So remote is it, that trains run only once an hour.

I was hoping that there would be Bluet (flowers) in the garden, as I have yet to see them. However, we didn't see any - maybe they don't grow well in New York? We did see some chipmunks (which are like small stripy squirrels), a very tame rabbit (probably gone rogue from some nearby houses), and heard lots of frogs. Bluet was alert, then tired, then asleep in her carrier but hopefully all these experiences sink in somewhere.

For our picnic, we packed fine cheeses, bread, kippers, crackers and some peas - Bluet got milk. Again. Unfortunately, due to bizarre New York laws, presumably a hangover from prohibition, drinking of wine with your picnic is forbidden in the gardens, and indeed in all New York parks.

Then we went round the glasshouses - we've been to the orchid show there before, and it was very similar to that, but without the orchids. Still, I enjoy the smell as it reminds me of the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge, which we used to go visit every time anyone came to visit us in Cambridge when we were kids - from what I recall, my Dad had his own key, and there was a donkey.There are also lots of awesome cacti.

(an old picture of the glasshouse)

Once we got home, Bluet was exhausted after such exertion (she slept on the train too), and after eating some more, she had a good long nap, whilst Emily went to yoga and I read my book.

Right now she is awake again, and Emily is teaching her to shake her head.

2020 Visitors = Bluet Classics

So we made it to 2,000 views, so I guess I owe you all a picture from the vaults. Lets see what I can find.......
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OK, I'm back from the vaults (they are quite spacious). Here is what I found:

 

Bluet is in the vault (back around xmas)

Maybe that wasn't quite what you were hoping for........

How about this one, some time around 2.45 on the 17th of April. Wow, she looks so small. And a little like Mother Theresa.



In more contemporary news, Bluet is all grown up by comparison. Yesterday she was 11 pounds 5 oz (5.1 kg) and 23 1/2 inches (60cm) tall. This is exactly average. Which is a surprise as we thought she was probably exceptionally long, and she certainly eats enough. Oh well.

She also got some vaccinations, which she didn't enjoy too much, but hopefully she is recovered. 

Just now she was playing on the floor happily, and I wondered off to get coffee or something else adult and important, and she did some cries until I came back, and then she was happy again. So she is clearly learning to manipulate, which right now is very sweet and wonderful, but will probably grow tired around age 15. She also is able to grasp her rattle in her hand, and if you put it in her mouth it makes her look like a door knocker, but also, she smiles with glee.

Here she is holding her rattle (a new trick), earlier today:

Note blur due to excessive speed of rattling

Note big belly due to excessive eating

Intermission

BTW we are nearly at 2,000 visitors - once we get there, I'll post some lost photos of Bluet from the archives and her latest measurements from her doctor's visit this morning. Until then, here are some photos of some cats. They are 3 months old and live at Emily's parents farm - it's remarkable how much more capable a kitten is of looking after itself compared to a human baby. And almost as cute, too.

Ideal Travelling Companion

I don't know if you are interested in finding a new travel companion to join you on your voyages, but if you are, from experience I can recommend Bluet.* Want proof? Here are some pics from our recent trip to Missouri.

*that is, if you want a travel companion who sleeps, wakes up, eats, then sleeps again, rather than one who talks to you and carries your bags. Also, I was hoping that we would get to be the 'families with small children can board the plane now' (one of the big perks of having children, I'd always assumed) but apparently Mr A. Airlines doesn't do this. They didn't offer to show us the cockpit either, which was also a bit disappointing, for me if not for her. 
 
On the way out:

baby's first cab ride, 4.30AM; asleep

Checking in at the airport; asleep

On the way home:

Up, up in the air; asleep

At the end of the flight, the lady behind us got up to get her bag from the overhead locker, looked over and exclaimed, quite surprisedly, 'Oh, I didn't even realise there was a baby travelling in front of me' which just goes to show how good (i.e. quiet) Bluet was the whole way.

PS she didn't quite sleep all the time - here is a vid of her playing on the floor at St Louis Airport whilst we waited to board our slightly delayed plane.

travel day

We came back to New York yesterday & Bluet
was an angel the entire day. Here she is
playing in the airport

Missives from Missouri

It's party time!

Well my first 5 days without seeing Bluet are now over, and we are happily reunited in Missouri (or, I am happily reunited, and whilst she smiled at me whilst having her nappy changed I'm not 100% sure this is evidence she remembers who I am). Obviously, with a New York apartment to myself over the weekend, I had a marvellous time, doing all the things I used to do before she arrived (e.g. reading, watching TV, going to some record shops and even going to see a gig at a hip lower east side venue).* But the apartment was unnaturally quiet, and a little sad without a small baby around. Fortunately I received daily missives from Missouri, pictures and films of my baby growing up, keeping me from missing her too much. Here they are for your enjoyment.

All dressed up with someplace to go (great great Aunt Mil's)

 

 

A video where she seems to be trying to talk. Warning: this video is so adorable, it may distract you from normal life - e.g. earlier Emily was feeding Bluet, but rather than look at her in real life, she preferred to watch this video. Again.

*Obviously, I can still do all these things when she is around, just not all at once.

Once I arrived, it was clear that she had changed even in such short a time. She is definitely a bit heavier (she does eat a lot), and her face to me looks longer (as I am sure it should). Perhaps she enjoys playing just a little bit more, and her big, toothless grin is a little more prevalent. All in all, it is lovely to see her again

And for all you skeptics out there, here is photographic proof of our reunitation (I believe this is a word, and if not, maybe you can all start using it so that it gets in the next OED?). Plus, Bluet looks non-plussed at meeting her first cat, Cindy.

We ain't in New York City anymore

Over the next few days, Bluet should get to meet her cousins again, go swimming (!), eat, sleep, sit outside and barbeque, ride around on a golf cart, and shoot some guns. One or more of these statements may not be factually correct. I'll post photos as we have them.

Bluet in MIssouri

We are having a great time visiting Bluet's Missouri family, and
looking forward to Ben's arrival today. Bluet likes the countryside -
she slept from 9 pm to 6 am last night! Here she is dressed up for
a visit from her great great Aunt Mil yesterday - in a brand new dress
from Sarah and Hamil.

Bluet, meet Della

Congratulations to Simon and Angela, the new parents of Bluet's latest cousin, Della McKenzie Collins. My initial plan was to put one photo of Bluet as a new born next to one of Della, so we can all see how similar (or not) they look next to each other. So I went back into the vaults looking for a previously unseen photo of Bluet, and found so many where she looked tiny and adorable and newborn, that I ended up with 4 of Bluet alongside 4 of her cousin - I hope no-one minds. And I think you can see some resemblance.

Waking up (and getting up) has never been easy

You join us here today for an exciting event. It is 7.00 in the morning, the sun is arisen, and there is no sound coming from the bedroom; Bluet is still asleep. However, we are awake, alert, caffeinated and ready to get her fed and ready for the day. There is no need for her to lie in bed all day, afterall - the early bird catches the worm, and all that. So, with trepidation we enter the bedroom. Please join me, as I identify the sleeping baby, wake her, admire her adorableness for a minute, then release her from the baby straight jacket:

There will now be a brief intermission whilst her nappy is changed. I am sure no-one wants to watch that....
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(it's gross)
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And we're back. We'll take a brief pause to look at the happy, clean baby.

Then, before she gets too hungry, and angry because she is hungry, it's off for breakfast. What a life, waking up and getting breakfast straight away. Amazing.

NB this is an example and may not actually be an accurate portrayal of an everyday morning. Sometimes she wakes us by crying for food (this is what happened today, the video is from yesterday; and this was actually the second time she woke up yesterday, but what can you do? The first time it was still too dark and pre-dawn like, and the cameraman was too still asleep to capture such top quality footage). What occurred during the intermission is not fit for human consumption. No animals were harmed in the making of these videos.

Bluet's new trick

All the books say that babies are supposed to have supervised 'tummy time' every day. Well, Bluet has not really been much interested thus far but today maybe realized that this could be useful in the future.

Good Saturday Morning to You

I am sleepy and ready to eat

Bluet in action

These photos are from last week - we have been out and about
so much that I haven't gotten any good ones from this week.
Bluet is smiling a lot, playing by herself on the jungle
play mat for 10-15 minutes at a time, and has slept 6 1/2
hour stretches in the night for the past 3 nights!