Era
Picture
What was he doing?
Selected highlights
(April 2014)
Being a couple of weeks late like his big sister
Getting in the wrong position in the womb
Born at 12.15am weighing 8lb 5oz
Looking at his dad rather suspiciously
Not keeping his hat on
Being introduced to Daisy and Hello Kitty
"We were soon told that it was a boy, which took Lynne aback a little, convinced as she was that the baby was a girl (on no evidence whatsoever)."
"His hat didn't stay on easily and, in the end, we took it off as it seemed to be causing him discomfort. Not surprisingly really, given that he had had a ruddy great pair of forceps gripping his head just two hours earlier."
"This was Daisy's first glimpse of her brother - she duly introduced him to her Hello Kitty toy."
(April 2014)
Being visited by Avis & Graham
Getting held by Daisy
Hosting the Allens
Receiving flowers the next day from Louise
Curling up into a ball
Hating his first bath
Sleeping a lot
"The next morning, proud sister Daisy was very keen to hold her baby brother, and who were we to deny her?"
"And this is after this first bath. He hated it as much as he suspected he would. Don't ever do that again, he might have thought. Ok, we won't, except for pretty much every other night for the next decade, we might have replied."
"Changing his nappy is fraught with danger due to the unpredictable timing of ill-directed wee."
(April/May 2014)
Trying out the auto-rocking chair
Chilling in the garden
Wearing a silly hat
Lying on the jungle mat
Maybe doing a quarter roll
Almost smiling
"He remains able to sleep in amusing poses, here looking rather like he has had a moment of mid-dream despair: "I can't believe I said that"."
"When holding Gregory, in which ever contorted form he desires, Daisy often shuffles in close."
"Pray silence please for the auto-rocking chair (see also above), featuring much earlier in Gregory's life than it did for Daisy (due to not-having-it issues with Daisy)."
"Despite the sunny weather, it remained fresh in the mornings, hence the silly hat that Lynne has insisted bedecking him with."
(May 2014)
Going on his first shopping trip
Being passed around friends and family alike
Getting to like baths
Being quite chilled
Regurgitating milk
Trying out the jungle mat
Going to the swimming baths
"Here is the little monkey on his own, in a very yellow outfit, looking alert as he passes four weeks old."
"We have had one "arc of piss" moment, when I was surprised to see his stream of yellow clear the side of the sink and splatter on the leg of my jeans."
"He seems quite an active baby, kicking his legs a lot, which often leaves him sliding down his chair, a little like this."
"On National Dress Your Baby Like A Leprechaun day, Gregory looks primed and ready for action."
(June 2014)
Smiling quite a lot
Being fed by Aunty Katie
Spending a lot of time in the comfy chair
Moving into the cot in his bedroom
Sleeping ten ruddy hours a night
Rolling onto his side
Watching the World Cup
Attending his first Kids' Day at the Barlows
"The usual items are present - bib, muslin and blanket. He's not sick as much these days but it does still come out occasionally."
"We changed strategy slightly once he was in his own room, and he soon started sleeping from 9pm to 7am. We're very happy with this."
"He's the little cheeky charmer smiling again. Always a twinkle in those eyes. Methinks he will go far on that alone. I don't think he has got this from his parents, though."
"Meanwhile Gregory stares as if he has seen some kind of apparition, which he is threatening with his right hand. "You're going down, apparition.""
(July/August 2014)
Being unhappy with tummy time
Lying on his side for a different vantage point
Rotating in the cot overnight
Spending warm summer days semi-naked
Laughing
Rolling onto his front then back again
Almost crawling
Trying out the Jumparoo
"Gregory displayed (or possibly repeated, I don't remember exactly) a new tactic, rolling on to his side, which gave him a whole new vantage point."
"He fixes the camera with a doe-eyed stare, with the mildest hint of "if you don't put that camera down and entertain me properly in five seconds I'll be very cross"."
"Before long, he had manoeuvred himself into a crawling position; he just lacked the ability to crawl. The legs did broadly the right sort of movements, but his arms didn't really co-operate."
"Yes! Jumparoo action! Always a highlight, not least for the good tunes. Gregory has got the hang of this a bit quicker than Daisy although, given his legs NEVER, EVER STOP, that's probably not that surprising."
(September/October 2014)
Having no respect for Uncle Matt's camera
Getting used to the Tummy Tub
Eating fruit purée
Giggling
Sitting in an inflatable donut
Smacking over a stack of cups
Upgrading to the duck bath
Sitting up unaided
"Sometimes he just looks at you in that way that means you have to reach for the camera. This is one of those times."
"He can sit in it unsupported, although an eye needs to be kept on him since he has a tendency to lean forward and try to drink the water."
"Here is a close-up of the little cherub on the same day. He has a part-combover, part-spiky haircut look going on."
"Now that is good technique. Swing your hand through, keeping your eyes close in case of any loose cups flying through the area."
(November 2014)
Being fascinated with scratch and feel books
Playing with a rattle ball
Rotating whilst in the sitting position
Munching on mini pitta breads
Escaping from the donut
Teething
"In fact, he seems to determine the nature of everything with a little scratch of his finger. It's like it gives him all the vital information he needs."
"It might have been this time when he - twice - managed to drag himself completely out of the donut - it's no longer functioning as a containment device."
"From mini-rice cakes and vegetable-type crisps, to breadsticks and, here, a mini pitta bread, which he chomps with his hardened gums (no teeth have yet emerged)."
""Game of football, Nana?" he seems to be asking with the powers of suggestion and some thought-waves."
(Christmas 2014)
Attending an Xmas meal at Ringway Golf Club
Hanging with the Englands and Smiths
Being upset by an entertainer
And by Father Christmas
Opening presents (not yet featured)
"So I am left holding the babies. Well, Rick is holding Gregory for the time being, helping me out while I sort stuff out. And Daisy is not a baby any more. But otherwise: accurate."
"Unfortunately, the entertainer did not impress Gregory one little bit. It might have been the volume of his voice being amplified but it had Gregory bursting into tears."
"He was also not happy to see Father Christmas, who was dishing out presents, but nor was Daisy (who is upset in this picture). Thus I had to carry two crying children up to Father Christmas."
(December 2014 to January 2015)
Twisting and shuffling around
Playing with his first tablet
Trying out everything in sight
Munching on naan bread, rice cake, sandwich
Crawling
Watching TV with his legs crossed
Moving into the main bath
Starting to pull himself up
Teething
"Gregory is fascinated with most things, and Daisy presenting some blocks in a cup is no exception."
"He doesn't crawl yet, but he does manoeuvre himself around with twisting round, shuffling and general shifting."
"He has an unquenchable curiosity to try out everything in the room, which is gradually causing us some logistical difficulties and so we slowly make the room baby-friendly again."
"Another momentous occasion: Gregory's first sandwich! Dairylea on white bread - a classic."
" Look how red his cheeks are, a product of his teething. He has three front teeth properly through and a fourth is well on its way to being fully formed."
(February to April 2015)
Discovering the stairs
Standing with support
Knocking balls around the kitchen
Not quite enjoying ice cream
Crawling round the back garden
Tentatively trying out the trampoline
Loving bread
Shuffling backwards in his high chair
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(April 2015)
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(April to July 2015)
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(July to October 2015)
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(October 2015 to January 2016)
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(February 2016 to April 2016)
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(April 2016)
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(April to October 2016)
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(October 2016 to April 2017)
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(April 2017)
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(April to July 2017)
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(July to October 2017)
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(October 2017 to January 2018)
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(January 2018 to April 2018)
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(April 2018)
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