Paris Riots

Just got back from a couple of days in Paris for work to discover that Elias has a new car (dboard box) . There's nothing he likes better than zooming round the flat in it - it runs on parent power though which is a finite power source.

Paris was great as it always is. I was next to a couple of ITN journos on the Eurostar who were over to cover "the riots" - no mention of strikes or demonstrations! All around the Sorbonne streets were barricaded by police.

Anyway, back to the UK. Stefanie's mother went back to South Africa on Monday so with me in Paris too it's been a tough couple of days for Stefanie. I was on the nightshift last night - soothing Elias when he wakes and managing to get him to go from half past midnight until almost 7am without feeds.

We went out!!!!

It's 10:30pm - Stefanie and I just got in. Read that again - "Stefanie and I just got in". No typos. You read right. Elias wasn't with us. He's been sound asleep at home with Stefanie's mother. We've been not much further than Kalendar down the hill for food and a drink. It's a first. We haven't been out together (alone) since before Elias was born. It was great.

Hey! Paul et moi sommes sorti ce soir pour la 1ere (oui la 1ere) fois depuis la naissance d'Elias!!!! en bas de la rue!!! mais...sorti!...ourrraaahhhhh!!!!...Mama Zulu (ma maman!) a fait du baby sitting!! tout c'est bien passe!

Puis...Elias a dit "Dye dye" avec un signe de la main aujourd'hui!! alors je crois que "bye bye" a ete son premier mot!!!

Elias a 4 dents du haut qui sont entrain de pousser! le pauvre! il a des joues rouges tomate, puis il se crisse les dents comme un fou! alors aujourd'hui pour la premiere fois on a fait recours a la medecine avec un genre d'aspirin....puis la il dort pesiblement depuis quelques heures!

...et...mama Zulu est d'une grande aide! quel pied! aujourd'hui elle a aussi fait du baby sitting pendant que je suis allee chez ma pedicure!

Je vais me coucher! JE , mais JE reve d'une vraie nuit de sommeil!

Granny in town

Stefanie's mother is staying with us for a few days. She came in from South Africa on Thursday morning. Our first proper guest we finally can host properly in a flat that is big enough and with a room for her. We're all pleased to see her. Elias is getting quality granny time and Stefanie some much needed help.

Today Stefanie, Elias and I went to my Grandmother's 90th birthday get together and Elias and she met for the first time. Lots of Gathercole family there from all around - up north, London town and Miami.

Dracula

two new teeth comin' !

Boys Boys Boys

They're positively bursting out for Spring... Mike the Chef and Emma had a boy last week. And Clare and Dave also had a boy with the (inter)stellar Greek name, Cosmo. Congratulations to all.

Ben and Sophie, who came over for dinner on Friday, are heading for an April girl - which is just as well really as it was beginning to look like the future would be a world populated only by men. Oh, Elias slept all evening whilst they were here and it felt like life "before".

Other news. He stood yesterday! Holding on to Stefanie, it's true, but with no support. Interesting times ahead.

Welcome Home!

Tonight I came through the door and Stefanie was at the end of the hall with no Elias in sight. It transpired he was round the corner in his room so I called to him, and Stefanie encouraged him, and he crawled out of his room and round the corner to where I was. Writing this now kinda trivialises it, and indeed maybe it is trivial, but it was a genuine thrill to have him hear my voice (with me out of sight and out of the flat all day) and come crawling to find me.

Other things:
Two not bad nights of sleep - so it keeps changing.
For the first time got him back to sleep lying in his cot not in my arms - it doesn't work every time but there's some progress.
His fave things to go to in the living room - the light power cable, the end of the radiators, his fish balloon, my ancient kimono case, his high chair, the washing basket and the huge wooden door stop.

Big Fish

This sleep lark has gone to pieces - waking every 90 mins. Aaaaaaaaagh!

On a lighter note - check out the fish balloon Stefanie bought on Saturday.

Out the window

I love it that this is what Elias gets to see out of the window. I may go on about it but I cannot get bored of this. Stefanie now feeds Elias in his room with a chair facing out of the window - at night you just watch the twinkling lights and the mind wanders...



The dark pic here is 5am. The day light one is from the City on the left past St Paul's in the middle to probably somewhere around Fleet Street (which you can't see) on the right.

Oh no!

Last night Elias woke every hour. Torture.