Sorry for the hiatus!

“Someone” lost our camera – and that someone who is notorious for their lack of systems + organizational ability will remain nameless. But we’ve replaced ours now (and will keep looking for the other one!)

So Charlotte had her two month check up yesterday (a little late – but better late than never). She was very brave with her shots – but has been fussy since then – and was up twice last night – VERY unusual for her!

She’s up to 10.5 lbs and she’s now 22.5 inches long. She’s still on the smaller side, but she’s doing great and jumping up the percentiles all the time!

She’s very chatty + smiley and generally great fun!

Luke’s doing well – suffering from the constant rain + wind … figures the never-ending gales would start as soon as the gazebo went up! He’s currently sitting on his dump truck watching Postman Pat

Here’s are the latest shots from our new camera! It does go right to youtube but I have to figure out that feature!

She’s really tired and not in the mood for a photo shoot:

If you want to see our photos from Mother’s Day see here

And last but not least, check out “Luke’s Fave 5″ – made via my latest computer addiction!

Things you discover when you have sons …

My mom sent this to me today. Now I’m very worried!

you also find out interesting things when you have sons, like…

1.) A king size waterbed

holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.

2.) If you spray hair spray

on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.

3.) A 3-year old boy’s voice

is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.

4.) If you hook a dog leash

over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound

boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough,

however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a

20 x 20 ft. room.

5.) You should not throw

baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a

bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A

ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.

6.) The glass in windows

(even double-pane) doesn’t stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.

7.) When you hear the toilet

flush and the words ‘uh oh’, it’s already too late.

8.) Brake fluid mixed with

Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.

9.) A six-year old boy can

start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man says they

can only do it in the movies.

10.) Certain Legos will

pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old boy.

11.) Play dough and microwave

should not be used in the same sentence.

12.) Super glue is forever.

13.) No matter how much Jell-O

you put in a swimming pool,you

still can’t walk on water.

14.) Pool filters do not

like Jell-O.

15.) VCRs do not eject ‘PB & J’ sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.

16.) Garbage bags do not

make good parachutes.

17.) Marbles in gas tanks

make lots of noise when driving.

18.) You probably DO NOT

want to know what that odor is.

19.) Always look in the oven

before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.

20.) The fire department

in Austin,TX has a 5-minute response time.

21.) The spin cycle on the

washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.

22.) It will, however, make

cats dizzy.

23.) Cats throw up twice

their body weight when dizzy.

24.) 80% of women will pass

this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.

25.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.

When will people ever learn?

Don’t read on if you’re prone to getting really emotional, have a dislike for stupidity and anything that in any way harms a child.

I belong to a message board and read about this absolute tragedy.

A three-month-old child is dead after being left unattended in a vehicle parked at Dodge’s Store and the Yes Deer Lounge in Clarksville yesterday, July 8.  as police responding to a report of an “unresponsive” child found the infant, Faith Nichols, dead.

At approximately 4:52 pm, officers responded to a call from Dodge’s Chicken Store at 1504 Fort Campbell Boulevard in reference to an “unresponsive” child.They determined that the infant Faith Nichols, three months of age, was left unattended in a vehicle that had been parked on the lot, while the child’s mother, Courtni Lee Nichols, 24, of  3060 Harris Circle, Palmyra, went next door to the Yes Deer Lounge at 1506 Fort Campbell Boulevard.

The child was transported to Gateway Hospital by Montgomery County EMS and was subsequently pronounced dead. Courtni Nichols has been taken into custody and is being charged with first degree murder, according to a statement by Sergeant Cheryl Anderson of the Clarksville Police Department. Detective Tim Anderson is the lead investigator.

Now I try to think when I hear something like this – what lead this woman to leave her baby in her car, in this heat while she went to a bar? Is there any excuse? I can’t think of one. No matter where I go with Luke, I would never ever ever ever leave him in our car. When I’m grocery shopping and have to return a cart after unloading the groceries, he stays with me in the buggy and then I carry him back to the car. I would never ever leave him – not even for a second.

I’m sure Courtni Lee Nichols feels terrible. I have no doubt about that. I commend the police on charging her with murder. Too often people leave babies in their cars.

Babies are little. They cannot handle being left in cars – hot, cold, or even just on their own. There are helpless and utterly dependent on their parents for everything. There are tragic stories about babies and young children being left in cars and forgotten and their parents were busy and “genuinely forgot”. But this woman seems to have intentionally left her while she went to a bar.

When Luke starts to cry it strikes me that I cannot fathom how a person could actually intentionally harm a child. When he had his vaccinations (a good and healthy event), he screeched, and at this stage (being older than a newborn) – a baby looks pleadingly into whoever’s eyes are closest with a look that says – “why am I being hurt?”. It broke my heart. A baby who is being harmed would do the same thing.

I hope this story becomes huge news – this needs to stop.

America`s got talent….hmmmmmm

What a rip off!!!!

Romanian Twins hmmmmm wasn`t that done before – It was called the Cheeky Girls

Little 4 year old sings cute song

17 year old twirls batons – he got bullied – yip done in Britain

To cap it all off fat shop sales person from poor background sings opera! If you want to see the original then youtube Paul Potts. The script for his audition was even the same script! The Hoff did the Simon Cowell part, Sharon was word for word Amanda, but at least Piers could play himself!

America`s got talent……. more like Simon Cowell repackages his British show for America!

Next week we will have a Michael Jackson dancer (with a shock Indian cleaner) and a boy dancing to singing in the rain, mark my words!!

Pictures coming soon!

So we have now found our camera – it was lost in the move from Moffat to Georgetown. So some pictures and some new blog posts should be going up in the next few days.

If you want to start reading a new blog try this one. Its the thoughts of Scott who went to Regent with Jen and me (or should that be myself and Jen??).

Anyway stand bu for some pictures of Luke and our new house!

Slow Blogging!

So our house completed – yea! I (Tim) have been painting for the last week. We moved in last night and have now got connected to internet and cable so hopefully we can blog again soon with pics of the house etc. Its just been so made this past week or so we haven’t had time. Added to the move stress Luke has caught a cold so that is really keeping Jen occupied. At least the weather is getting good (although I see its been great in the UK recently as well).

If you are bored because we haven’t blogged much (ho hum) why not check out Julia’s European trip blog. It will be good for those of you in “Europe” to see a European trip through the eyes of an American – enjoy

stuff white people like

Thanks to Mac for this link. I have really enjoyed reading this blog on what white people like!

Being here in Ontario I often miss Vancouver – this blog has reminded me of quite a few white people on the left coast! My favourite posts are the ones on the NFL draft of friends (so that white people can feel the air of oppression on an afternoon) and the one on outdoor wear.

Labour Reading

Both myself and Jen love crime fiction. I understand that labour can last for at least 12 hours. That seems long enough to read a few books. So I have been trying to get my labour reading sorted. Over Christmas I read this book:

“Dead Simple” by Peter James is one of the best crime fiction books I have ever read! Not only is it outstandingly written, but the story is just gripping, I couldn’t put it down. The story is about a Police Detective Inspector called Roy Grace. The book works because the main detective is believable. You believe this guy could actually be a real detective working in Brighton. He is just an ordinary guy with a very sad past. If you want to be glued to your pool side chair over the summer get this book.

The next in the Roy Grace series is just as good!

Its called “Looking Good Dead” It is about a guy who opens a cd rom he finds on the train home and sets a whole set of problems in motion. I am off to the library to get the new Roy Grace tomorrow!

I also love Ben Elton’s books. I am saving this one for the delivery suite:

Ben Elton is a very funny writer indeed. He writes mystery books which are social comment. He writes about popular culture. Popcorn is about violent movies, Dead Famous is about murder during Big Brother the TV show and this one is a parody of Simon Cowell and reality TV. Looks good!

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I think you get the type of thing I am looking for – light reading! The complete works of Umberto Eco is not what I’m after! (That’s for the Alan Partridge fans)

If they come to Toronto….

Then I’m all for it! I have listened to lots of hot air from supporters groups on BBC’s 606. About 2 years back I said the NFL will go global and have teams in London, Toronto, Mexico, Munich and probably China. Proper football saw the cash cow and they want some of it too. The NFL sold out Wembly in seconds. David Beckham, an over the hill, over rated 30 something managed to cram 65,000 into Giants stadium when the LA Galaxy came. In Vancouver more people turned out to see Beckham than went to a CFL playoff game. Football/soccer, call it what you will, is the biggest sport in the world. It has the potential to be big (not the biggest, but big) in the USA. The problem is people will not be fobbed off with cheap imitations. Pre-season kick abouts are no good for the paying public, they want the real thing. That is why the Premier league wants to play a round of matches (their terminology, see how the North American language is creeping in) outside England. I think its a great idea (especially if they come to the Skydome!). The Premier league have witnessed the future. The success of the NFL in London and Beckham in America has opened their eyes to money and lots of it.

All week people have been lamenting the decision. It has been called outrageous, despicable, the soul of the game has been ripped out. Well wake up! The soul of the game was ripped out long ago, when Sky TV paid their millions little Englander gave away the football jewels to an Australian, things were never going to be the same. The reality is this, football is global. More people watch the game in China than the UK. People want to pay to see the top class product in a meaningful game. The NFL, NBA, even the NHL see it. Football has looked at the overseas opportunity and is not going to miss out.

Premier league matches will be played abroad. Maybe not within the time frame specified, but soon. By far the best article I’ve read on this is here. John Inverdale just about gets it right. With the advent of cheap flights, a game in New York is just about as accessible as a game in London.

Its going to happen. So get your Sky and Setanta subscriptions, football is truly going to go global. Just one final word – please come to Toronto – Man Utd v Man City at the Skydome, now that would be good

It never rains……..

I think the saying is “It never rains it pours!” meaning problems are never simple. In Ontario (well since I’ve got here anyway) it never rains it snows! The weather overnight went down below -20. I had planned to spend today in the library. I have an assignment that I really need to get done before the baby comes along and I had planed on one more library day to get it done. Anyway, I went out to start the car this morning and it won’t start. The battery seemed to be dead, so I charged it with a battery starter, the battery is now charged but the car still won’t start.

As I write I see it is -15 outside – it is cold! so I really do not know if it is the cold that is affecting it or what. We are waiting on the CAA coming to see what they can do – I hope its not a serious problem! I guess in Ontario we might say “it never rains……it just snows and gets really cold” I think I would rather it just poured!