Is that dress getting smaller?

It is Eleanor's second birthday today. I will write about that later (her big parties are going to be on the weekend). It's difficult to notice your child is getting older. On her first birthday Eleanor debuted this pretty dress.

She was wearing it again last week.

Chinese

In order to teach Eleanor about being frustrated we took her to a Chinese restaurant ordered her some delcious food and gave her chop sticks.

After spending a few minutes chasing food around the plate Eleanor remembered she had hands.

Riversdale

We went to the beach for the weekend. Peter and Eleanor ran gamely across the hard flat sand toward the sea, and the sea ran at them. Once a wave flops over there is that surge of water that flows out swiftly across the sand. If you walk away from it when it is sucking back it is quite disorientating. Once the water had rushed up under Peter and Eleanor's feet they described a quick arc and began their rapid jolting run back towards land. Peter fell over into the soggy sand and howled, Eleanor kept her feet, stopped, and noting Peter's displeasure began to cry too. Back on dry sand they played in a hole. Peter tossing himself into it chest first, Eleanor more circumspectly flopping onto her bottom.

The place we stayed was very nice: a flash bach. There were stylish knick-knacks that had to be removed to safe heights, and a battery of remote controls that needed to be shifted to higher ground. The toilet facilities were slightly inadequate for those of us who like a bath. Eleanor was untroubled by using the wash basin, but I am not as limber as I once was and found it difficult to lever myself in and out while maintaining dignity. Eleanor didn't say anything but I could tell she wanted to laugh.

It rained on the last day so Nina read Eleanor a book. This developed into a photo shoot. Nina has mastered the art of looking at the camera AND organising her face; Eleanor is still inconsistent. Our child rearing and pruning guide says this is quite normal but if the child has not mastered this skill by the age of three along with a fierce walk for the catwalk there may be something wrong with the child and perhaps they can only be considered for the dismal occupations of architect, doctor or CEO.

Sauce is the new make up

A little rouge all over the face is the key to a healthy appearance. Also, when you're peckish later in the day you can just lick your cheeks.

18 (months)

Eleanor was 18 months old on the 20th of May. We bought a cake for her from New World. She was appreciative.

One day sugar will be illegal and this picture will be used to induce horror in the minds of expectant mothers.

I was never a fan of having children. In fact I sort of sneered at it, and used the word "breed" in a suitably disparaging tone. I was dead wrong. Eleanor is wonderful.

Completely wonderful.

Happy birthday, Eleanor.

Bubble

Jelly = bubble

When Eleanor says "bubble" she wants jelly.

It's difficult to refuse her because a baby saying "bubble" is cute.

Much cuter than a 35 year old bald guy saying "bubble".

Or "teddy".

Anyway, I wouldn't look this happy if you gave me jelly.

Imelda Marcos' Shoes

The Marikina City Footwear Museum in Manila contains hundreds of pairs of shoes, many of them found in the presidential palace when Imelda and her husband, President Ferdinand Marcos, fled the Philippines in 1986.


"This museum is making a subject of notoriety into an object of beauty," Mrs Marcos told reporters.

"They went into my closets looking for skeletons, but thank God, all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes," a smiling Mrs Marcos said, wearing a pair of locally made silver shoes for the day.

BBC News, 16 Feb, 2001