First of all, congratulations to Rachel, Martin and Izzy on their birth of their second child Summer.  It’s clearly been a very traumatic time for everybody.

Importantly though, it sounds like things are now improving despite a few hiccups/infections along the way.

Glad to see that Grandma Moom made it safely halfway across the world to help out, although by the look of some of the photos on the various blogs, sleep would appear to be a good idea!

A small parcel is on its way to say congratulations, which has been a long time coming, but I’m sure you’ve all had a few things on your mind.  I should also mention that Toby is very excited about seeing pictures of his new cousin.  Sadly the muffins we sent last time don’t deliver to NZ!

So, on to us and what we’ve been up to.  First of all there was the holiday to Somerset which we’ve been meaning to update you all on.

We all had a great time, seeing more endangered species in a week than Madagascar sees in a decade, what with all of the visits to zoos and such like.  Toby likes dinosaurs (quell surprise), tractors (where does he get this from I wonder?) and unfortunately now horses.  Anyhow I’ve linked to a few videos, which you may find vaguely interesting if for no other reason to see how he’s getting on.  I was going to edit them down so that they are not quite as tedious, but I reckoned that the 10 seconds it will take you to fast forward through them, comfortably offsets the 41/2 hours it would take me to faff on with them.  So sorry, but it was either that or no post at all.

Toby on a Horse

Toby on a Tractor

Noisy Monkeys

Dinosaur

OAP

Scary Mummy

Where we stayed

Memory Lane

View from Tig Hill

Events of course caught up with us just before we departed, which meant that the visit to Big Granny and Grandpa’s old house took on a different level of poignancy.  Naturally when I first took Toby to the bridge and the little bridge and ford, he was as good as gold.  Unfortunately when we went to say a little prayer at Grandpa’s ashes at the same time as Granny’s funeral, all hell broke loose.  But still, the joys of parenthood.

Oh and I nearly forgot.  Perhaps the most exciting development has been the ordering of a present for Toby.  Now not that I am one to revel in the poverty of my youth, but when I think back to the toys that never were – Tin Can Alley, Evil Knievel and Crossbows and Catapults, there is of course one toy that stands out that I actually received (and I actually remember getting it!!!) that is responsible for my reckless love of speed.  So after months of searching, I have finally found it!  here it is

Anyway, lots of love to everybody to all and I’m sure it will get a lot easier from here on in.

B, V & T

Lots of love Toby, M&D

xxx

We arrived at the seaside, unloaded everything from the car; lunch, travel rug, bucket and spade and descended onto the beach.  The dry sand was no problem but as soon as we got to the wet sand, that had very very shallow puddles, WeeMan decided to have a dicky fit.  He just stood and cried, snot running down the face.  Daddy therefore picked Toby up and took him down to the sea and left him standing in the water (which actually was quite warm - for the north sea) crying his eyes out.  He then wouldn’t move and screamed ‘darry, darry’ which was ignored - everyone was watching - v embarrassing.  We then dragged Toby out of the water and down to the dry sand - he wasn’t a very happy boy.  Hence the planned holiday to the beach may have to be cancelled !!

Not sure if Toby has been traumatised for life - he came home saying that he didn’t like the seaside, didn’t like the sea and didn’t like the sand.  However, he did say that he like the sea with his wellies on !!Hope everyone had a nice weekend and enjoyed the lovely weather.

Also – Happy Birthday Grandma – have a lovely day – Toby xxx

Lots of love
Toby xxxxx
and Mummy and Daddy

Now normally, my work is exceptionally tedious to everybody especially my beautiful wife, however today was a little different.   

Over the past few months we have been buying a load of property around the area.  These have been a mix of individual properties and larger portfolios from developers.   

Anyhow, I have been wanting to let these buildings out for artist studio spaces and there was one building in particular, a rather lonely dark and dank affair that was ideal.   

The problem was that the property was from a portfolio and the people we acquired it from had never bothered to look in it as there didn’t have any keys.    So, a quick look on t’internet identified a suitable locksmith and the next day (today) two hairy assed blokes turned up to break in.   

A couple of hours later, they returned to the office and suggested that they would do the job for free if they could keep the contents of the building.    ‘Why, what’s in the building?’ I replied.   

And then they told me.    And I didn’t believe me.   

So they told me again.    So I went to have a look.   

And this is what I found: 

here       

Whilst our son may indeed be an accident prone buffoon, it turns out he is also a little boy genius. Mummy’s boss’ wife, a paediatrician, needed a ‘test subject’ to try out some new fangled development assessment test.  Mummy, being the loving, caring type immediately signed up the nipper.  Daddy of course was a little more reticent – the idea of Toby being strapped into a chair with large needles/electrodes/things that peel your eyelids back, didn’t sound particularly enticing.  Still, mummy knows best.Anyhow, it turned out to be a rather sedate affair, with lots of brick stacking/book reading/talking/playing etc.So what was the conclusion?  Well he’s now 23 months old, and he has been assessed as being at the average 34 months level!!!