Back to normal

After two courses of antibiotics, and a tough four weeks of coughing, including two days when there was no smiles at all, Zach is back! Laughing and smiling, it is so good to have our little boy again.

apple-icious

The next taste test - apple. Nearly half a teaspoon eaten. And a number of smiles - I think we are onto something.

Though the bouncy toy is still the preferred option

Hoodle

Hoodles are what boys have - as Bronte tells us

HIgh chair

Zach can now sit in the high chair! He is a little wobbly, and you have to make sure you strap him in, but he is growing up so fast

Friday = mummy day

Suprisingly, many things are actually easier when both kids are around, as Bronte is a very good entertainer of Zach. The problem though is when things go bad, they go double bad... After being sick for 5 weeks now, this Friday was a tough one.

Walking

Brisbane is turning on the beautiful weather, so we have made Thursdays "fitness day" - with a long walk around the river, and the back into shape exercise class.

New tastes

Zach has been loving his rusks, so thought I would try some "real" food - a banana. We might need to wait a bit longer...

Bed time

Note Bronte has given Zach teddy and ducky blanket - her sleeping companions. She is a very good big sister, and she can't wait till she shares the room with him.

Park play

With Nat up from Melbourne, Lisa organised a park play for all the old school friends. There were lots of photos, but below are some favourites. Ava and Bronte had a great time - running races, soccer, playground, milkshakes, balancing - what an afternoon!

Home!

Dad and big sister were pretty excited to see Zach - and Zach was VERY happy to see them. Bronte was super good with mum and Zach away - helping Dad to be brave and not sad.

The best roommate

Not everyone would volunteer to share a room with a baby. Even fewer would be such good entertainers!

Touring the sights

Unlike at home - where he had been doing some nice long sleeping stretches - Zach did not want to sleep at the conference. Instead, he tried to chat during the presentations - a tad distracting. So, I took him on a walk to see the sights along Southbank. We managed to snag an hour of blue sky in between rain squall periods.

The convention centre & blue sky!


The aquarium in the background

Yellow

There were these funky big yellow seats at the convention centre - perfect for looking cute on

Cold

It was actually colder in Brisbane, but the wind chill made it FEEL colder

Melbourne - day 1

Straight from the airplane to meetings, but then we got to have a tram ride back.


Followed by a stroll along the Yarra

Flying!

Mum had a conference in Melbourne so her and Zach flew down while Dad and Bronte remained home. The camera went with mum - so the next few days are Zach-focussed. Zach was fantastic on the plane - both ways it was a drink, then a play, then asleep until landing. Easy!

4 months

4 months old - the age when they wake up. True to form, the night sleeping has gotten worse, and the day sleeping a lot shorter, but! lots of chuckles, toe touching, interest in toys and putting everything in the mouth, and lots and lots of dribbling. Zach tried his first "food" a few days ago - a rusk. He loves the "grand old duke of york" song, and when people jump in front of him, but most of all, he loves his sister. He has had his first course of antibiotics this month - for the cold we have all had - but though his cough sounds like a barking dog, the smiles keep coming.

Eating...

Zach tried his first bit of food - a crust of bread. He loved it, but we are not planning to start solids just yet.

exchanging words

Zach and friends

Family getting together for Al's birthday made for a lovely family morning

Gang of 3

The childcare crew met up at the park for a public holiday play. Bronte was a little sensitive, but overall had a good time.

3 years, 1 month

This month - success! putting herself to sleep and sleeping through the night is the norm rather than the exception now. She has been very cute, and very funny, though "Can I get a treat about that?" is the favourite catch phrase at the moment. Bronte is very into jumping this month - jumping off progressively higher things, and climbing trees and rock walls. She has been useful at home - helping to both brew beer, and express milk.

Photos from Meg - Bronte & Zach

Cousin Meg came over and took a set of beautiful photos of the two kids. Here is a small selection.

Photos from Meg - Zach

Photos from Meg - Bronte

I think this was Bronte's favourite


My favourite


Angry face

Shopping town

Zach needed some warmer clothes for his upcoming Melbourne trip so we headed to Indro. Thank goodness for Christiana and Nanna, without whom this shopping trip would have been very tricky.

Touching toes!

Zach got very excited by the new toy at the end of his foot.

Neve

We got to meet the very stunning Neve today (11 weeks) - she makes Zach look very bald. All bubs (including Finn) had a sleep so we got to catch up.

Rings

Rings - such a simple toy, but easy to hold, and impossible to swallow (not matter how hard you try)

Brother and sister

Can anyone tell these two are related?

Bronte in the garden

Tony set up the picnic blanket in the front garden, and we all enjoyed the glorious winters day.




Bronte is now very into climbing and jumping - mum encourages, dad puts on the safety hat

Al and Zach

Just hanging in the garden on a beautiful Winter's day.

The Family

With a huge thanks to Al for taking this photo of the family

Back into shape

Zach and mum have been doing an exercise class targeted at new mums. it is great - they even have an assistant to help with any uncooperative babies! Here are some of the other babies in the class - including 1 born on the same day.