Up north!

 We went to Grandma's house for the weekend. We chose the worst day ever to drive up - first day of school holidays and the golf open was at St Annes (apparently George Clooney was spotted on the beach but we didn't see him!)

We did see and (the smaller people anyway) ride some donkeys on the beach though (George would have been a better sight!)

Grandpa met Sam over lunch

and Uncle Bryan....

and Aunt Rachael (whoops I did this as a film instead of a picture). Sam also met all his cousins who agreed he was very cute (but they couldn't say anything else!)

Sam decided to roll (but not on camera) - it's not a very convincing roll as he goes on his side and then stretches/straightens himself and falls onto his front (he has only done it 3 times all on the same day so I'm thinking he's forgotten this milestone!).

Driving

 Tristan discovered the joys of the pier and loved the dodgem driving (much better than the 2p slots - after 50p he still hadn't won anything!)

He had to concentrate quite a lot as he couldn't actually reach the pedals unless he was stood up!

... and what was Sam doing - sleeping next to a bizarre crocodile!

Olympic torch

 The torch came to Newbury and I thought that I ought to go and see it even knowing that with the crowds, waiting time and two children it would be pretty hellish (it was!). I took loads of photos wildly waving my hand in the air, these ones seem ok...

I cracked under pressure and bought a flag (but not a horn or inflatable torch!) - off screen - the bmx display was the bit Tristan enjoyed.

Tristan perched on my shoulders (poor Sam didn't see anything - he celebrated by filling his nappy!).

10 weeks today

Sam is 10 weeks old now so is doing a lot more stuff (or I am getting braver about doing more stuff with him!).

Samuel went on his first train journey (he cried, perhaps he knew it was for shopping in Reading!) 

 ....then he fell asleep and snored

Sam also got photographed for his first passport - I think he looks a bit like a young Patrick Moore (perhaps the planet theme of his room is having an effect) - he just needs the monicle!

Here he is watching his mobile - I love the way his head rotates too!

He has had his first lot of jabs - they didn't go down well, and had his (possibly unrelated) first lot of calpol 3 days later.  NB he's now 12lbs 9oz /5.7 kilos.

Sam also slept through on Saturday night - the irony was I'd expressed milk so that Manu could do the dreaded 3am feed for the first time - and he didn't wake up (I did though a lot and was like Pamela Anderson by the morning)! This hasn't been repeated though so we are back to the 3am  then 6am ish feeds.

Spiderman

Perhaps its the Olympics (we have tickets for the para Olympics, a strange sounding sport called 'goalball') but Tristan has been showing his sporting prowess and knows no fear in scaling things - I was a bit worried he'd fall and I'd be berated for filming rather than being in catching distance!

All sporting heros have tattoos and Tris had his first one (albeit a glitter one) - he's not yet familiar with Star Wars, he just think it's a knight (his current favourite re-enactment subject)

Our 1st July

Some various photos of the day (since we had our camera with us!)

We made a den in the garden (it's amazing how versatile clothes pegs are!)

It all seemed a good idea and very Enid Blytonish until I realised that I was expected to go in it - this is the view from within!

Sam went in the sitting up bit of the pushchair for the first time (we'd forgotten the cocoon part plus he is a bit long now for it).

We went to a place aptly named 'crocodiles of the world' where we saw lots of erm crocodiles

...and Tristan got to hold a boa constrictor, his only comment was "it's a bit heavy"