[Image of Humuhumu looking over her shoulder in a white sun hat and green top, a curled-up Telstar and the bloke, all lounging on a red blanket in our back garden.]

This photo gives an entirely false impression of what the last week has largely been like. I've been chronically short on sleep and generally quite stressed. I have to force myself to pick up my camera, but it's worth it to capture these rare relaxed moments so that I can revisit them instead of the others.

( +2 )

First day at nursery



[Image of Humuhumu in khaki trousers and a stripey jumper, being held by a pretty blonde nursery staff member in a red t-shirt.]

On her first day at nursery, Humuhumu had a fabulous time. She’s quite sociable, plays on her own for long stretches of time and will happily eat most things. The big culinary discovery this week was custard. I think she’s wondering why we’d never given it to her previously. She’s even managed to pick up a new trick over the course of her first three days. She now knows how to throw a toy out of her reach and then wait for us to pick it up. It is even more tedious than I had previously imagined.

On Humuhumu’s first day at nursery, her mummy went to the campus cafe to hide behind dark glasses and a large cappucino and pretend not to be crying. She did manage to do a bit of work and to have a long walk, but she went to pick up Humuhumu fifteen minutes early because she couldn’t stand it any longer.

First day at work



[Image of me with shiny salon hair and dark sunglasses in front of the Floozie in the Jacuzzi, central Birmingham.]

My first day back at work was last Friday. On Thursday, I got my first non-self-inflicted haircut in 18 months, pictured above. On Friday, I got up at 5:30 am to breastfeed Humuhumu and was out the door by 6. I ended up missing the 18:15 on the way back and had to take a later, slower train, so I didn’t get home until 10 pm. However, I had good briefings with colleagues and a tasty pub lunch and I moved my desk to a new office.

Additionally, I took part in the following exchange.

Me, re an ex-colleague: He’s gone to work on software interfaces for a Russian moon lander.
Labmate: In Soviet Russia, moon lands on you!

This is why I missed my work.

Viennese shop windows

I've been going through the photos I took in Vienna and these made a little series.



Image of a little stone angel with her tilted head resting on her hands.

( +3 )

And in conclusion, BABY.


[Image of a shirtless Humuhumu laughing at her daddy, reflected in the mirror of the wardrobe behind her.]

I’m sorry, but I just can’t wait until Caturday to share these. Internet, are you ready for this? I don’t think you are. This kind of cute should have an LD50.



[Image of Humuhumu in a stripey dress and pink bib, looking up at Telstar sitting in front of her.]

Humuhumu has been experimenting with solid food. She enjoys holding a stick of steamed carrot or broccoli and gnawing on the ends. Most of it comes right back out, gets flung on the floor or passes straight through her. The leftovers are artistically arranged on the placemat, with assistance from Telstar.

( Two More )

[Two images of Humuhumu cautiously patting Telstar as he hoovers up the remaining broccoli. Because the ratio of Orange to Green things on the placemat was wrong.]



[48-second YouTube video of Humuhumu and Telstar in action. The only sound is me saying, “Ooh, don’t pull his whiskers...not that he seems to care.”]

Telstar and Humuhumu have begun to interact. He rubs her while she’s sitting propped up on the floor and she tentatively grips his fur in her hands. He’s also discovered that her hands are often delicious, especially after she’s been having a baby-led weaning session involving yoghurt. He now makes a habit of sniffing her hands to check for tasty treats.


[Image of Humuhumu lying on the bed in her “There’s a nap for that” onesie, being checked for lickability by Telstar.]

Humuhumu is working very hard on trying to crawl now, although her progress has been stymied due to a bad head cold and teething misery.


[Image of Humuhumu on her tummy in a new 6-9 month dress (growing so fast, sniff) with her head raised, looking intently at the camera.]

She has been discovering new flavours daily. Last Thursday, for instance, she found out that she likes lemon slices. Also, when you stick them in your eye, you force your parents to beat a hasty retreat from the public venue in which you were consuming them. Last Friday, she found out that cheese on toast is wonderful, especially when you steal it from an inattentive Daddy.


[Image of Humuhumu in her high chair wearing a red apple bib and snarfing down a stolen sliver of cheese on toast.]

[Image of Humuhumu in her black n00b onesie, holding the toes of her left foot in her hand.]

Hello, Mummy's flist/dwircle.
You'll be glad to know that I'm now half American!

After my first nursery visit on Thursday morning, which I enjoyed immensely, Mummy & I walked around the Winterbourne Botanic Gardens near the university while Daddy worked. It was cold but lovely and the tea room was full of ladies who thought I was the cutest thing ever, which is of course correct.

Then we all traveled down to London by train. I enjoyed the train ride but the tube journey was not so fun during rush hour. We had to get off one tube because I started howling. Daddy walked up and down the platform and I calmed down a bit but then we got on another tube train to continue so I had a chance to annoy a whole new set of commuters until I gave up abruptly and went to sleep. We met dizzykj in the lift at Elephant & Castle tube station and traveled to her house by bus while I cried. Mummy fed me for a while and I went back to sleep.

The next morning we all got up early and prepared for the trip to the American embassy. Unfortunately, Daddy's trousers ripped from about halfway down his thigh to the crotch. We didn't have time to buy him a new pair so Mummy had him tie a jumper round his waist & we all hoped no one would notice. (They didn't.) We stopped off at Mummy's work to drop off our suitcase and their phones because those aren't allowed in the embassy. But when we got to the embassy we discovered that Daddy still had his remote-control car key on him. Those are also not allowed. There was some disagreement about whether or not Mummy had informed Daddy of this stipulation. It was not resolved, but the nice security man stepped in before the "discussion" could get any warmer and told them that there was a storage facility down the street. Mummy took the car key there and Daddy & I went in to start the waiting process.

It took a total of 2.5 hours to get all the paperwork processed and Mummy & Daddy interviewed to ensure that they told the truth on my forms. The consular officers were kind to us and the waiting room was full of other babies and their parents, so it was a pleasant, if long, experience. At the end of it, the consular officer (who liked my cupcake outfit very much) said, "Congratulations, Humuhumu! You are now an American citizen," as I was being held by my British Daddy in his torn trousers.

The rest of the weekend is something of a blur but I know we saw Mummy's work colleagues, including flexagain. I met purplecthulhu and he gave me a present from Mauna Kea observatory, which was so thoughtful. I tried guacamole, lime and black beans. I attempted to nab sushi but Mummy was boring and wouldn't let me eat raw salmon. I went on many forms of transport including:

• Car (Mummy & Daddy's)
  
• Tube (Bakerloo line, District line, Victoria line, Central line)
  
• Bus (2, 10, 168)
  
• Train (London Midlands, Chiltern Railways)
  
• Taxi (The famous London black cab!)

We saw brother & sister-out-law as well as my cousin before we got on a train to come home yesterday. I slept a lot today.

Mummy sends her apologies to the Londoners we didn't have a chance to see, especially imyril. It's snowy and icy and cold here. Mummy says it's spring, but as I have yet to experience the warmth she claims that season brings, I shall reserve judgment. Good night.