Leo, 8 Months

Supported tentative wobbly standing boy, 8 months old

First things first: Just for the record, Leo, here's what I tell you daily: Goodness, I adore you! And then I sigh in general, to no audience in particular: Goodness me, how much I love this boy!

Now that that's off my chest and on record, black on white, and for future reference if ever there was any doubt, on to some facts about Leo at 8 months.

A piece of technology? GIMME THAT!

8 months, 4 teeth and a fifth showing. Two stubborn little legs that will refuse to bend when I want them to, so I continually find myself fighting with the little things sticking feet first in the pushchair, refusing to sit down and crying bitterly when I finally manage to wedge him in, heqad first, anyway. The same applies to the kitchen seat, the changing table and any other surface that I require him to sit on. Bribery with food works, and apples are particular popular. Or hot cross buns (Rosinenbrötchen) - he gets positively high on them (even though sugar is only listed as the 15th or so ingredient).
He still won't roll either way, continues to hate tummy time unless he's lying on my tummy, but sits long and stably when sat down although he still hasn't worked out how to sit up himself and is going about trying all the wrong way like a bug on his back.
In terms of weight and length: Weight just under average for his age, length some 10 weeks above average. Long and lean as ever.
Gone his great fascination with his mobile (of the bird variety, above his changing table); it has been replaced with an equally intense fascination with my mobile (of the electronic variety, insurance claim pending. The birds handled baby slobber better.)
Also, he is very enthusiastic about: cables, phones, plastic-button/sound/light toys, Tara's big doll Sophia (whom Tara does not like to share), balls and his weekly music class. All in all rather boy-like favourites, although Tara occasionally likes to pretend that he's a girl called "Leah" or "Lucy".
Sweet, ey?

If Leo was a girl (THANKS, Tara!)

But really, he's a BOY, going gaga over balls

Wait - really really he's His Mamma's BABY

Beautiful and Handsome

Below, a bed-time conference. What are they talking about? I don't know - future bedroom designs, perhaps, and the amount of pink that would be acceptable? Tara does most of the talking, for sure, and Leo loves being spoken to. Boy, is he happy to be spending some extra time with Big Adorable Sister!
Equally better fun together: watching Peppa Pig, or having a picnic in the garden: Leo healthy peaches, Tara tasty ice cream (what else).

Kiddie Conference

From left to right: Little Brother, Big Sister, Peppa Pig (not pictured but VERY present)

Picnic for Two, peaches and ice cream

I love seeing the two of them together! Especially when one is all dressed in pink and the other all dressed in blue. My blue baby and my pink baby, I call them. But we like them in any colour.
"AAaaah! My two beautiful things!" I say.
"One is beautiful..." says Tara, "And one is gorgeous?" I chip in, wondering who she thinks is the beautiful one, but wanting to make sure they both get praised if only one is 'beautiful' in her opinion.
"... And one is handsome!" Tara completes her sentence.
But of course. I remember learning that in school. Girl are beautiful, boys are handsome. And here's one they don't teach you in school:
Mine are especially beautiful/handsome!

Ahem, what can I say... Maybe: Above, a lot of waffle about how much I like seeing my kids interact in a positive manner. I can't quite find the right words, but I really do like it... *sigh*

House Hunting: Offer Accepted

Saturday morning. Pancakes with nutella for mum and dad, pancakes with sugar for Tara, and pancakes plain for Leo who wipes his face with them in an attempt at getting as much as possible into his mounth.
Also, one phone call from the agency to tell us that our offer has been accepted and that we are on our way to owning a house. YAY!


Well, YAY, says Jose. Tara seems to be saying OUCH, although why, we do not know. (Yes, Leo is wearing pink hand-me-down bibs from his sister. Ho doesn't mind, and now that we are looking forward to buying a new kitchen and a new bath along with the house I'm certainly not shopping around for blue. All Leo cares for is pancake.)

I've spent a week stressing over the great choice of solicitors (online somewhere in England, cheaper vs. local, more expensive but more direct and possibly faster), then agonised some more over mortgages (fixed rate? 5 years? 3 years? which provider?), and I've also made it back to the house to take detailed photos of every piece of furniture, floor, wall, and other pieces of equipment. I can't possibly post any of those interior pictures. They would give my father a heart attack. So here are just a few: Front room (note: 'SOLD' sign outside), back of house, and garden - currently lawnless, but that represents a huge improvement over the child-swallowing jungle of weeds it still was a week ago.

"SOLD" (subject to contract and excluding curtains and that arm chair!)

Bedroom, bedroom, (tiny) lean-to 'conservatory' , kitchen (left to right, top to bottom)

Garden: South-West facing. Aaaah, sunny!

We're about to grow roots in England, and this of all places. I'm thinking: My kids will possibly look back at this house later as the house they grew up in. They won't have any memories of living in any of the other houses, and living in England will be normal to them, 'home' and all they know. For me, it's totally weird. Possibly in a nice kind of way, but mostly bewildering and baffling.

All going well, we're on a 4-8 week countdown to getting the keys. It's weird.