BABY PETER RETURNS

Hi folks . . . 

It has been a while since baby Peter blessed me with his presence.  Many of you will know he and the whole family have been sick with this horrible flu. I am pleased to say that the entire family have recovered and today I heard a little ring of the doorbell, by Peter himself, and my heart jumped to see his beaming face and outstretched arms.  Altogether . . . awww!

The first thing I noticed was that he seems to be lighter somehow which means he is, or I am much stronger.

Anyway it was not long before he saw his favourite biscuits in the jar and made very enthusiastic sounds that he wanted some.. So I got his high chair, he switched the radio on, Classic FM no less, and sat him down to give him some and his breakfast.

He seems quite a bit more patient these days waiting for his meals and it looks rather like he is practising his piano technique on this one . . . lol

Yum . . . . he did enjoy his Cornflakes followed by Marmite on toast and cheese cubes and a beaker of milk. . . . . . and afterwards we had a little play with his favourite toys.

It belonged to his father, all those years ago and he loves me helping him to post 6 animals into their holes.  If I position them right he 'clobbers' them and they go in.

I said to him, "Peter, put the animals into the house".
I could see his little gearwheels going round and he promptly opened the door and put them all in . . . . . then he  closed the door and started laughing.  Oh I did laugh.

We then got another puzzle which is a bit easier, also his dad's when he was a baby.

He can manage the cylinder shape and the square and sometimes the triangular shape . . . but not the others yet.

Then I got him out of his chair, checked his nappy, and had a little play with him.  He still shuffles but can take a few unaided steps and I notice each time a little triumphant look on his face.

He made a beeline to the Tower I built for him and swiped it so hard at the base the pieces went all over the kitchen and he got all the pieces together and gestured me to build it again and he gleefully demolished it again.  I was rather surprised that once or twice he arranged the pieces so all the yellows were together, all the reds and all the blues.

A great day of fun, and I am pleased to report he was not sick ~ thank goodness.  He came to me when he was tired and put his head on my shoulder and fell asleep, and so did I for a while.  It is very therapeutic holding a sleeping baby, but eventually I put him in his cot and covered him with a blanket.

He is back again tomorrow ~ I wonder what surprises that will bring ~ bless his cotton socks

TRICK OR TREAT?

Who's this little chap coming to stay with his Grandpa?

Why it's baby Peter, who's come to play trick or treat . . . 

Actually he doesn't know any tricks yet but give him time !! 

"Guess what I am wearing, Grandpa!"

"I am a Happy Little Pumpkin, and my Mummy dressed me up in my brand new outfit !

. . . . . read me a story from my book, please Grandpa!"

"Here, take a closer look at my Pumpkin outfit!"

Well Peter was indeed a very happy little pumpkin all morning until his Mummy picked him up.  This afternoon he is meeting some other babies and apparently he is quite a little charmer.  He waves to other babies and talks to them . . . .  he is quite the little socialiser. 

Back to this morning, he played and pulled himself onto his feet and practised soft landings before he finally takes the plunge and starts walking.  Currently he propels himself around shuffle-bottoming although I expect it won't be long before he walks.  I doubt whether he will bother with crawling.  He is one year old, plus one week.

"Hold on Grandpa, I'm coming to stand up!"

"Heave! . . . just a bit further!"

"There . . . easy peasy!! 
Now I'll shuffle across to my high chair . . and pull myself up  again there."

"Now Grandpa show me that silly banana outfit you wear sometimes!"

"OK if you promise you won't eat me . .   I know you like bananas."

"Oh you are such a card, Grandpa!  No wonder you get such funny comments . . . "

My fears of being eaten might have been justified because for lunch he ate cheese on toast, a whole banana, a whole satsuma and half an apple . . . and he drank a beaker full of milk.

. . . and then he was most interested in sound and echo technology and experimented for a while making noises into this bottle . . . he thought it was so funny . . . and it was.

"Listen to this, Grandpa!"

"Listen to this tune . . . you hum it and I'll play it . . . . ok!"

Just look at those big blue eyes!
How can anyone refuse him anything?

As usual it was delightful day and  it was such a treat to have him, and he was so happy and well behaved . . . . good boy!

________________

I've just remembered there is a rather peculiar nursery rhyme:

Peter, Peter,  pumpkin-eater
Had a wife and couldn't keep her.
He put her in a pumpkin shell
And there he kept her very well.

Very strange how these nursery rhymes originate.