5 days old and being 'cared' for by his doting sister.

Precarious.

Four days in and The Snooze Button experiences his second weigh in. He's chuffed about it, as you can see.

I'm behind the camera hoping he doesn't wee on the clean towel.

Here's a dodgy a photo of Theodore Edward Roskill. Born just a few hours earlier on 23rd August 2012.

The chinese acupuncturist...

...has declared that due to my 'strong pulse,' I'm having a boy.

And the corner shop man thinks it's a boy too.

Two compelling predictions to add to the mix.

And the predications are in

Jane Roberts: Girl. August 16th. 6lb.

Dave Roberts: Boy. August 11th. 9lb

Jools: Girl. August 19th. 6lb 6oz

Catherine: Girl. 19th August. 6lb 4oz

Matt: Boy. August 18th. 6lb 2oz

Kate: Girl. August 17th. 6lb 3oz

Phil: Girl. August 19th. 6lb 2oz

Big Jen: Boy. August 12th. 6lb 30z
Olly: Boy. August 21st. 71b 1oz

35 weeks and I'm

11 stone, 1 pound. That's either a lot of baby or a lot to lose.

32 weeks...

...and still smiling (well, for the cameras at least).

Picky eater

Just in case there comes a time when Maddy's turning her nose up at anything but chicken McNuggets, here's a list of things she's eaten whilst in France:

Mussels (reluctantly)
Gherkins
Sardines
Foie Gras Pate (a girl of refined tastes)
Brie, Comte, Roquefort
Anchovies
Crab (rejected)
Olives
Beef Carpaccio
Steak Tartare

Oh, and this other French delicacy called Petit Filous...

Career planning

Maddy's vocabulary development is progressing at pace. She's currently mastering with some aplomb language (and in fact, behaviour) that will be required if she were ever in a position to be a dictator.

Her are some examples:

'Don't do that!' Said repeatedly and with increasing force. Importantly, there's no consistent pattern in which we might be able to understand the catalyst to such provocation.

'Come up, come up!' Ever slightly irritated at the world not existing at precisely the correct height for her to see and hear everything, she consistently protests loudly to be elevated to the appropriate level (accompanied by indignant jumping).

'I need, I need.' Pretty much prefixes everything.

'Let my do it.' Perceptively, she already considers her parents to be dim-witted dribbling retards, so follows us around demanding that her way is the best way. 

Other than that, she's a complete angel.

Are you happy?

The aforementioned title to this post is the question that Maddy asks at the tipping point to us boiling over with anger or at the crucial telling off moment. Let me expand:

Me: 'I'm really cross with you, you are without doubt the most dreadful little 2-year old on the face of this earth. You should never ever EVER do...'

Maddy: 'Mummy, are you happy?'

Our daughter learning early that timing is EVERYTHING. So proud.