baby

We hit a milestone on saturday, Finley turned 1 year. Mandy started the build up with a blow by blow account starting on the 30 November (although, her dedication was not 100%, since she didn't wake me up at 1am). We threw a party out at Alex and Ed's (and Rupa and Jasmin) house, since it is a very beautiful, hand made, cob house, outside of town. Rupa and Finley missed sharing a birth day by a few hours, but Alex and Mandy did share a 1am water breaking (not sure of what the appropriate name is).

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Yesterday Amanda and Fin visited Auntie Leela, with Auntie Kiran, and the boy did his usual cute tricks. Mandy said there was a five minute period between when they arrived (and Fin was dressed in a cute button up top), and when he was drenched with water from the newly emptied bird bath, and subsequently naked. We now have a boy in our lives. He hits things with sticks, he loves playing with mud and sand, and expresses sheer delight when he makes a mess.

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I did muck around with the colours, some of me says it looks a bit weird, some of me not.

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I guess we are quite lucky that Finley wakes up some time between 6.30 and 7.00 in the morning. Sometimes he even sleeps in until 7.30. The other parents we know tell us that they get woken up between 5.00 and 6.00am, some even before that!

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Over the weekend we went to Lily Mae Bowker's Birthday party, on the family farm in Thornkloof (about 40 minutes outside of Grahamstown). It started out as a very nice day, blue sky, etc. At the party, among other things, was an inflatable, and brightly coloured, pool. Finley spent 60% of the party in the hand deep water, splashing, laughing, and attacking anyone trying to take photos of him. By the end of it he was freezing cold, but cried every time we took him out, or he caught a glimpse of the pool.

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We normally spend mornings in our courtyard having breakfast, taking in some vitamin D (when the weather permits, of course). This morning, Finley is especially cute with his Just Woken Up look, apple in hand, head resting on ball.

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The second in the series of Photo gluts, here are some lovely pictures of dear Finley round about the Bartholomew house (in nearly no particular order):

Finley points at a dandylion flower, fascinated by how it disappears when Amanda blows on it.

Mandy covers Finley's head with his t-shirt, rendering him into an auntie.

Finley spies out the camera as he plays his favourite game in the guest room - Opening and closing the door.

Finley puts on his best Granddad Richard face for the camera.

Amanda's activity at the washing machine outside distracts Finley from his smearing-kiwi-in-the-carpet game.

The aftermath of Finley's smearing-kiwi-in-the-carpet game.

Finley joins Bradley for his new favourite water sport - Showering.

Amanda pushes Finley's ample hair into a mowhawk during a shower.

After shower fuzz afflicts Finley's hair, as he plays naked in the courtyard at Bartholomew street.

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I present to you a glut of photos of Finley from our trip to Durban in September, 2007. Chronologically (roughly):

Finley yawning at us in Bailey Road, Durban.

Finley eating grass in front of a wall of Jasmin flowers, on the Freeman's farm near Melmouth.

Amanda and Finley enjoying a day at the beach near "Pebble Beach" cottage, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal.

Finley sits on Amanda's lap, bemused after playing with his cousin Maya, "Pebble Beach" cottage, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal.

Bathing Fin while he plays with his new lego blocks (courtesy of HBelle), "Pebble Beach" cottage, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal.

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Amanda is in Durban at the moment, visiting family (read showing off Finley). Just before we left for Durban on August 20th Finley had started get the hang of starting to crawl, well, he could "step" forward like three steps and then sit on his bum, while moaning and complaining continuously.

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I present to you Finley James Whittington in a cute state. Because I do not have a fancy digicam this photo was taken using a W850i cellphone, and retouched by the Gimp (by me).

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