Lovely Lavender Toddler

Emily in the lavender fields.

We went to the local lavender field today for a bike ride and to have a look.

While we were there we saw LOADS of Japanese people (either tourists or local students) taking LOADS of photos.

We let Emily run around the rows of lavender to get rid of some of her pent up toddler energy, and we were all having a good time.

One of the students, with a camera lense as long as Emily is tall, asked if he could take a picture of her. After about 10-15 pictures and letting me have a look he told me, in broken English, that she was a "very beautiful baby" - something we already know.

I can't help feeling, however, that Emily's photo is soon to grace the front of a box of toddler cereal in Japan.

Underwater photos

Today was end of term for Aqua Tots. Emily received a certificate saying she mastered the techniques of the Duckling level of the program - and we received the underwater photos taken the week before (the best of which you can see on this page).

I have to say, I'm quite dismayed by the photos, as they really only show that we've been able to forceably make our child submerge in a body of water. The look on her face alone is enough to call the RSPCA (please don't).

At today's final class, however, we were given goggles so we could dunk under with our child and actually see them in action. Sue and I both took turns and I have to say, Emily looked quite the pro, even opening her eyes - much better than the photos relay.

We're really looking forward to the next level in January now. Who knows, more of this type of thing - teaching kids skills from an early age - we might not have to worry about the future of British sport of Olympians after all.

Swim times

We finished our penultimate Aqua Tots session today and as such it was photo day!

I don't think Em has been underwater as many times as she was today. We took two photos - one of her alone, and one of me and her. We did them both twice. The one of me and her had Em under my chin.

I was worried the water pressure would crush her as we jumped under the water, but she survived and apparently even opened her eyes. Sometimes, I wonder who's child this is - I STILL have trouble opening my eyes under water.

We get the photos next week, and then start the second course of Aqua Tots in January.

New Camera!

Well, our new camera's arrived and as such I've been toying around with the settings, etc.

I expect that Sue and I will be filling up many more virtual shoe boxes with images of Emily doing all sorts of things that are only of remote interest to the two of us.

In the meantime, here's a snap I took on a setting called "self portrait". Emily, ever the scene stealer, just had to see what the big deal was about and steal my thunder!

Potential Loss

So Sue's in a bit of a tizz as she thinks she's lost the photos from the baby scan. She took them to work and may have recycled them by accident. I'd like to believe that's not true and am trying to convince her of this, but I think she sees it as part of something bigger - i.e. if she can't care for the photos, what will happen to the baby when it arrives?

Time will tell where the photos are, but I have every faith that she will be just a great mum, despite her current protestations that she isn't.