Live instablog from the park

Let the festivities commence

Cake!

Bluet's first birthday cake is here! Emily just brought it home.

Let's shake hands

After the haircut we headed over to the park. As Bluet and Della rode side by side in their prams, they would often look at each other. On one street we discovered a TV show being made (White Collar, yes, me neither. Although we did spot a guy we'd seen in House the previous night). As we stopped to watch the creative process, Bluet and Della shook hands, as captured in this video. Indeed, they seem to be very interested in each other.

We carried on walking, and headed down through the park, stopping for a coffee and walking practice.

OK, We will have to pause here due to a Bluet distraction

Visting Relations

This weekend, Bluet's family from England descended upon us. This included my brothers, Angela, Della and Gran Helen. They were here to sample the delights of New York and celebrate Bluet's first birthday.

First thing Thursday morning, the Collins brothers were reunited on the football pitch for the first time in probably 15 years, since the heady days of 3 and in in our garden in Newmachar. I believe our team won, no doubt thanks to the hand-embroidered shirts provided by Nick. I have no photos of this, but Simon and Nick do. Don't know if they will share, though.

Things really got moving today as Emily and I had both gone to work yesterday, but took today off. Still, the day was not without some controversy, on which you may yourselves have an opinion.

Picture this: a court room, somewhere far far away. You join us as a rather fine and upstanding lawyer is presenting his case to the court.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, being fine upstanding citizens, and sound in body and mind, please consider the case I put before you. A simple case where no crime has been committed. A case revolving around the hair on the head of a beautiful young girl (the plaintiff, "Bluet"). You see, your honour, if I may call you that, it turns out on this beautiful sunny day, the mother of the plaintiff "Emily" had decided was the day for Bluet's first haircut. But "why?" I hear you all cry. I hear your gnashing and wailing of teeth. Because, as I present to the jury now, here is said plaintiff on the morning of said "haircut".

What's that. Oh, I see. Yes, well if your honour insists. Yes, I will withdraw my case in light of this evidence.

With no case, the haircut went ahead. And the plantiff Bluet was wonderfully behaved. This was in part because she got to watch Elmo and play with toys during the whole process, watched by her parents, and Simon and Angela. But not Della because she was sleeping.

After her haircut, Bluet got a balloon and a certificate

OK, we will have to break there. More about the visit, with, you know, some stuff actually about the visitors tomorrow.

Sounds of April

Bluet can kind of say 'baby'. She can kind of say 'bye'. She can kind of say 'banana'. Baby is the one she is best at - she seems to know what it means, as she says it when she sees a photo of a baby on her shampoo bottle (although she may equally think it means 'shampoo'. She also squeals high pitchedly when she sees dogs. These are all impossible to capture audioally. Here are some noises I have recorded over the last few days.

At weekends

When we go to the park we like to make sure Bluet is camouflaged. You know, just in case

We all went to the zoo today

We made it as far as the petting zoo in central park. Bluer was rather taken with the goats, as you can see. She squealed with laughter every time one brushed past her hand. Maybe we will have to fulfil her British grandfather's dream and get one for home