Ham House

Not only did Aunty Tiss pretty much double Lucy's library of books, but she also got her loads of new clothes. Getting stripey tops with grinning tigers on shows that Aunty Tiss really understands what her little niece likes.

Sunday was the hottest day of the year and babies aren't great with heat. So when we went for a day trip to Ham House we augmented Muji Rabbit, Plopp Bear and new friend Mujiphant with a fan.

Of course when you look this cute you find that you have lots of fans.

Aunty Tiss is starting to look almost comfortable with the Sprocket.

In fact they are starting to look mighty cute together.

Of course we haven't forgotten Aunty Pink. She looks after Plopp.

You're Booked

Yeah! My prodigal sister Tiss is the last member of my immediate family to travel down to see Lucy. I say prodigal. She is some sort of Vicar* thing so I suppose it is excusable that her weekends aren't normally free. (*Lay reader). She normally evangelises lives in Birmingham. So it was nice for her to see some green.

It is difficult to go to Barnes pond without bumping into Aunty Pink.

Ali, Pink, Sprock and Aunty Tiss enjoy Barnes Pond. Judging by the fact that Aunty Tiss is holding two pints of Hoegarden, can we assume that her Vicar* days are over? (*No).

Daddy has yet to graduate from the playground. In fact he hasn't bothered to apply.

Later on we move the the The Coach and Horses. Lucy displays her new gift from Aunty Tiss. Remember that Tissy is famous as the giver of Muji Rabbit? Well to give Muji's ears a rest he has been augmented by Mujiphant! Clever Aunty Tissy.

Aunty Tiss is seldom seen holding babies. This may go a long way to explaining why.

Daddy and baby. It's a beautiful thing.

In her day job Tiss doesn't just bring sinners to Christ. Saving people is just her hobby. She looks after books for a living* in a collage in Birmingham. "The UK's top rated Higher Education Collage" apparently. (*Head of Library and Learning Services).

Tiss has incredibly generously enhanced Lucy's Library with the following tomes;
My First Animal Numbers - learn to count by counting animals
First Picture Action Rhymes - learn the actions to I'm a little tea pot etc.
Smart Aunties - A some what self serving book
Just Like My Dad - Funny Lions
Say Hello to the Baby Animals - Zebras and Hippos for beginners
We love bunk beds - Shirley and Doris Elephant share a bed
Delilah Darling is in the Library - Tiss (BA. MLIB MCLIP) tries to influence Lucy's career.
Baby Bible - ha ha, Nice try.

If you want to get ahead, get a hat

Mummy tells me that she didn't pose this scene. Somehow the Sprock managed to get the Rabbit in a Ball that her Grandad gave her on her head!

It does look a bit like a stag night prop! But it really is a rabbit in a ball.

Wear the ball and suck the rabbit. It appears to be a genius gift!

Lucy Meets Nana

Lucy and her Mum went down to the coast to see her Great (in both senses) Nana.

Grandad went with them

As well as Nana Aunty Joy and Aunty Jill were there are well.

Everyone had a lovely time.

Ali thinks she looks like her Aunty Jill. And it isn't just the matching frocks.

Lucy Loves Daddy

Lucy is growing fast so she has moved into a new batch of clothes. I particularly approve of this new top.

Daddy loves you too little one. She also has an "I love Mummy" top.

Lucy and Daddy playing

Lucy flying.

Je t'aime

One of Lucy's best friends apart from Muji Rabbit is Jerome. He's half French and half English. Hang on - holding hands! Is he using his Gallic charms on Lucy?

Fortunately Solene is there to throw a bucket of cold water over the amorous little Frenchman. Wait till you can afford to buy her dinner young man.

Coffee in Cafe Nero

Mummy was regularly competing in 10k runs and half marathons before Lucy popped along. So she has been itching to get going again. But it is quite hard logistically when you have a little Sprock. So Ali's running buddy Lisa popped over to say hello and to go for a good brisk walk together to shake the cobwebs out at bit. Unfortunately the rain came down and kyboshed the walk. So they had to go to Cafe Nero for a coffee and a good ol' gossip instead. They seem to be making the best of it!

Arab Lucy

Our intrepid mate Lisa is quite an amazing person. She sings Opera and Shirley Bassey with equal gusto. She speaks fluent Arabic. She has lived in some of the worlds most dangerous places like Beirut and Glasgow. And when we went on holiday with her to Cyprus she almost caused a diplomatic incident by criticising their strawberry dacaris. She now lives in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai) and was kind enough to present Lucy with her first genuine Arabic togs. How cute is that? She looks like she should be in a baby nativity play. Perhaps my Mum could write her one. Though not a speaking part yet!

Marcus admires her suave middle eastern look. He is lost for words.

Al and Lynne's Wedding

Lucy attended her first wedding today. Al and Lynne were the happy couple. You can read more about it here on Daddy's web log. Our friend Dawn took this picture of the three of us at the reception.

Lucy also got to meet Aunty Sally, the Mum of our God Daughter Millie. Sally loves kids but even she couldn't persuade the Sprock to look at the camera.

There were quite a few kids at the wedding but Lucy certainly attracted her fair share of attention, mainly from cooing ladies.

The original idea had been to leave early but the kind owners of the house where the reception was being held let us pop the Sprockmeister into a spare room so we could enjoy the festivities way beyond our normal bed times as she blissfully snoozed away (guarded by Muji Rabbit of course)!

Cute

Ah. Lucy is looking particularly cute today.

Bonzo Jon

I've known my mate Glastonbury Jon for almost exactly 20 years. We originally met when we both worked for the same company in Hull. I just call him Glastonbury Jon because that is where he lived when Ali first met him and I know loads of people called Jon. He actually lives with his Missus, Heather, in Devon. They are the front "men" in the legendary punk sensation The Reoffenders.

He was over in the big smoke because his lad Kie was acting as an extra in a film about the evils of landmines and Jon was giving him a lift. The filming was in Battersea Park which is just round the South Circular from chez Lucy so Jon popped in to say hello to the little fella.

A friend indeed

What about this for self sacrifice. Lucy fell to sleep while she was sucking on Muji Rabbits ear. Rather than wake her up, Muji just sat there until she awoke. What a selfless bunny. Fortunatly Charlott was there to witness his heroics with this picture.

Barnes Fair

Lucy had what we hope will be the first of many trips to Barnes Fair. It will probably be a couple of years before she has a go on the carousel.

Much to her amusement, Ali managed to trick Aunty Lorna into pushing the pram.

Aunty Pink decided to try and teach Lucy how to buy expensive jewellery.

But Daddy had trained her to resist such evil mind control and to respond by throwing up on her arm. No wonder Pink looks a little peeved!

Educating Lucy

Mummy has introduced a rather optimistic regime of education for the 15 week old spockmeister. First up she has to learn the alphabet.

Next she has to calculate the day of the week and assess the weather.

Then she has to work on her mathematical skillz.

If she does very well she gets to relax with a good book. Obviously she isn't really reading it but she does love looking at the colours,textures and pictures. And she can just about turn the pages by herself.

Mummy and Lucy's Richmond Adventure

Since the weather was still good, Mummy decided to take the Sprocket out for the day. A pretty good starting point is Richmond Park.

Obviously if you are going to be out in the bright sunlight then a smart pair of sunbins is mandatory.

If you leave Richmond Park at Richmond Gate it brings you out on Richmond Hill which I believe has one of the best views in London. You would hardly believe that you are still in the middle of such a big metropolis.

Ali let's Sprock appreciate the lovely view.

Next it's a trip down from the Hill to Richmond Riverside. A great place to watch the boats meandering down the Thames or just to appreciate the ducks.

And finally Lucy and Muji Rabbit end up playing on Richmond Green. Mummy had been pushing the Sprock around for six hours to do the full tour of Richmond. They took the bus home and missed the rain by five minutes. A grand day out.