First train trip

Andrew went on his first train trip today. We caught the Johnsonville train into town and back again. On the way into town he sat on my knee and looked at the window. We saw another train going the other way and went through at least two tunnels. The train went clickty-clack. After having lunch some people I used to work with and wandering around town we got the train home. Andrew slept all the way home in the buggy. The train staff were very helpful with the buggy.

No pictures today. We didn't take the camera as we were minimising on baggage.

Eight months old

Andrew was 8 months old last week. Where did the time go. As it has holidays it has been a little quieter than normal. What is a normal day?

Andrew normally wakes around 6am. He sleeps all night about 80% of the time. He sometimes go back to sleep for an hour so after a feed and a nappy change. Then he has breakfast with mummy and dad. Andrew has baby cereal and fruit for breakfast. Then we have another feed.

Sometimes he will go straight back to sleep after this. If not he will play on floor for a while and then have a sleep. He can sit really well now. He isn't crawling yet but manages to move on his tummy around in circles. He is gets stuck in corners as he can go backwards. Then he lets mummy and/or daddy know so that they can rescue him.

Andrew has three meals a day. He likes most food. Vegetables, meat and fruit. Last night he had coscous for the first time. He also likes cruskits. He still has five or six milk feeds a day. As well as this he likes paper. Last week he ate mummy shopping list at the supermarket.

He is still have at least two sleeps during the day of at least a hour and half if not more. Since we came back from Christchurch mummy and daddy have been trying to get him to sleep from between 7-8 at night until at least 6am. We are having some success with this. He normally goes to sleep okay but may wake up again before mummy and dad go to sleep.

Below are a selection of mummy's favourite photos.

AWAKE

ASLEEP

In his cot

In the car after a trip to the park.

Starting young

Andrew enjoys sitting on the couch with Daddy while he is using the computer. Here Andrew is pointing out the problem with his programming.

Our adventure

On saturday afternoon we went on an adventure (sorry no photos we forgot the camera).

We went to Otari-Wilton bush. This is about 5 mins drive from our place and has original native bush. We took Andrew for his first bush walk. Hopefully the first of many.

Andrew went on Daddy's back in a backpack, this meant we could go where buggies can't go, up and down steps and on narrow tracks. Andrew seemed to enjoy the experience. We saw a few birds and heard a few more. There was a nice burbling stream and it was shelter from the wind.

Andrew’s first Christmas

We spent Andrew’s first Christmas in Christchurch with Mummy’s family. We stayed at Aunty Margaret’s house initially, then after Christmas we stayed at Aunty Carolyn’s house while they were in the North Island on holiday.

Here is some photos of Andrew opening his presents.

And with all his presents once we came home.

Me and my Aunty

Andrews Aunty Margaret gave him a cool T'shirt for Christmas that says "I love my Aunty". He had to wear it while we were staying with her.

Six and a half month update

This was meant to be the Andrew's six month update but he is now 6 1/2 months. Last week when he was weighed at Plunket he was 7.5kgs.

Here is a nice photo with Mummy and Daddy.


Andrew can now sit by himself. Although we make sure he has something behind him as he when he has had enough he will just fall down. He can also roll from his tummy to back and from his back to his tummy. However he hasn't learn that when he rolls on to his tummy he can roll back on to his back. He just cries until Mummy or Daddy comes and helps him out.



Andrew is now eating two meals of solid food as well as six milk feeds. He has solid food after his milk at lunch and dinner. Andrew loves solid food, although it is really mushy he still has no teeth. He has tried pear, apple, potato, kumara, banana, chicken, beans, avocado and broccoli.

He has at least two sleeps during the day of at least 1 1/2 hours. Most days he will have another sleep. He normally goes to down between 6-7 pm and will mostly sleep until I wake him before another feed before I go to bed. He sleeps all night. 

Finally!!!!!

After nearly six months of watching mummy and daddy eat, and even mummy feed Aleshia Young the other day, yesterday Andrew finally got to eat something other than mummy's milk.

Here he is trying his first taste of pear. Most of it went in. We think he enjoyed it. He will get some more later today.
Yesterday was a day for first as it was also the first time he went in the car in the big carseat and the first time he went to straight to sleep without complaining in the porta cot. This meant mummy and daddy could enjoy a lovely evening with the Davies. 

Grandad and Andrew

Andrew and Grandad had lots of fun together.


 

Andrew's trip to Blenheim

Mummy and Andrew have just come back from Blenheim. We went to lend Grandma and Granddad Harris a hand as Grandma has had an operation on her knee.


Here is Andrew on his first ferry trip. He was a good sailor.


Grandma and Grandad have different toys to play with.


Andrew and Grandma, who is making good recovery from her surgery. She could get Andrew off the floor.

We are pleased to be home now as we both missed Daddy/Stephen. 

Andrew and his tongue

Here is a photo for Andrew when he was in his tongue poking out phase a few weeks ago.

Thanks Grandad Harris for the photo. 

Reflections

Andrew likes smiling at people, and holding hands with other babies. Here he is practising. 

Mischief

Hello!

Andrew had a special visit from Mischief the Clown yesterday:

 

Five Months Old Today

Andrew is five months old today. So I thought I had better post an update.

The photo below is his happy face this afternoon.


His vital statistics as at his five month plunket check last Tuesday
Height: 64.4cm
Weight: 6.82kg
This puts him on the 50% percentile line for height and just below for weight.

Here is another photo taken last week of Andrew's happy face.


We have had a busy month.

Grandma and Grandad Harris came to stay for Great Aunty Mary's wedding. It was then that Andrew started to poke his tongue out when he smiled. He stopped after a week as he couldn't talk with his tongue poking out.

Andrew also got to meet his Great Uncle Alex, Great Uncle Les and Great Aunty Lyn and mummy's cousin Tim as they were all here for the wedding.

Then Mummy's cousin Alexia died. The extended family got together for this incredibly sad event. Grandma and Grandad came back and Aunty Margaret and Uncle David came up for the funeral.

This was the first time Uncle David and Andrew got to meet each other. Here they are deep in discussion. Uncle David is back staying with us at the moment.


Mummy got together with her old school friends Joanne, Nicola, Jenny and Bernie. Andrew got to tag along for part of the time. Andrew stayed home with Daddy when they went out for dinner.

We have also flown up to the Bay of Plenty via Auckland for Daddy's cousin April's wedding. Daddy posted some photos on this the other day.

That accounts for every weekend this month. During the week we still go to SPACE, antenatal coffee group, church mum's group, church, the library, walking etc...

When we aren't traveling around, Andrew is still a reasonable good sleeper during the day and mostly sleeps all night. He likes to lie on the floor and wriggle and squirm while laughing, giggling and gurgling.

He has become uncertain about his bath and sometime likes to see if he can deafen mummy with his screaming. 

Weta

When Andrew gets old enough to help with the firewood, he'll soon find some new friends to play with...
This is a male tree weta. 

April and Donovan's Wedding

Stephen's cousin April married on Saturday in Tauranga. It was the first time Andrew had been at a wedding so he didn't want to sleep in case he missed something, but he was very well behaved.


 

Andrew meets his great grandma

While we were in Whakatane we to Tauranga so Andrew could meet his Great Grandma Gillard, Stephen's mum's mum. This is Andrew's remaining great-grandma. Here are some photos of Andrew and his great-grandma. They are the ones I like.



 

Andrew's trip to Whakatane part two

Here are some photos of Andrew with his grandpa


and Granny
And daddy and mummy