April 2012 at FTC

I've actually been fairly on top of things this month, and there isn't the usual mass dump of photos and videos needed to catch up with things.

So here goes, just a few photos and videos to illustrate what we've been up to.  More a visual representation of the daily madness at FTC.

I haven't managed to get in loads of cycling this month.  Largely due to me losing my waterproof jacket at the Start of Summer Specials ride I did, and this April then being - as Michael McIntyre would say - the wettest since records began!

As a result the skies have, at best, looked like this!

But in the middle of the month we did all manage to get over to Chicksands.  I spent a few hours hitting the XC trails whilst Tash, Alfie and Esme went for a lovely walk.  Even though this was before the weather really turned, we still got caught in an enormous hail storm! 

Incidentally, you can see the quality of the photo isn't that great?  The Canon Powershot A1200 had got a little worse over recent weeks until last weekend I decided to return it to Currys.  I think it had bounced once too often!  They happily replaced it for me and so I'm pleased to say the point and click photos which now seem to make up the bulk of the images on this blog are back to a quality I'm happy with.

Other than that, Esme has continued to pile on the pounds and now with full head/hand control is loving her Bumbo!

Following on from this, Esme has even taken her first steps to eating real hooman food!

And she's now graduated from being sat on the table like a Christmas centre piece to having the joys of being seated next to Alfie in the Me Too.

And finally, April was the month Alfie really showed an interest in speech.  Amongst a few alternatives, he mostly likes discussing underpants and beer.

February @ FTC

I was just looking back through my recent photos and realised how much I need to blog.  Kinda conveniently its about a monthly worth so I reckon its worth just doing a bulk upload/catch up.

At the end of January I saw the film 127 Hours after my mate Judgie told me it was on telly and gave me a brief synopsis of what it was about.  The film reminded me I needed to get a camera to take on the Gibraltar Cycle, a camera I could take out with me and not really worry about what happened to it.  I was actually researching with the laptop on my lap whilst the film was on!  I settled on a Canon A1200 - it had good reviews, would also shoot HD video, and I found it for just £60 ...the exact amount I had sitting on the bookcase! 

The following photo's and video were all taken with the A1200 as I've messed about with it over the past few weeks.  We took a few testers at home, so here's some of the rugrats to please the rellies who keep moaning I don't post enough photos of them!  In case you have forgotten what they look like Alfie looks like this;

 

And Esme has spent a lot of the month wrapped up like this.  Her beady eyes peaking out from either her snuggle bag (that our friend Cat kindly made for her) or the sling.

At the start of the February it snowed. 

And so I (foolishly) assumed Alfie would be overjoyed, and with that in mind dragged out Tash's old sledge from the barn.  The initial trial up the road was a huge success too.

 

 

 

And so we got Esme into her best 'Maggie' outfit and decided to take Harry out for a walk.

 

 

 But when your son starts doing 'superman' on the sledge, and then kicking his wellies off, you get a suspicion you might be in for a task!

And so we headed off into the fields, but kept the walk short so as not to turn out first born into an ice statue of doom, woes and terror.

Why do I say 'doom, woes and terror'?  Cos this is how much fun he had!

Once the snow had thawed Alfie had his first experience of mainsteam breakfast cereal.  And what better than Coco Pops?

Alfie has already become a wonderful big brother.  Whilst still his usual 'bull in a china shop' self, he is full of cuddles and kisses for his new little sister.

And when not with Esme he's liking nothing more than to turn every item into his latest play object.  Abel & Cole boxes included.

 

As for Esme, she's had ALL the new knitted clothes!

 

As the weather warmed (by the end of the month its even hit 14/15 degrees!) we've spent more and more time outside and Alfie seems to have developed something of a fascination with the chicken run.  At times, like when he drinks the chickens water, it can be frustrating.  But on other occasions, like when you wish you could just cage him up, its nice to know that you can!

 

We also got the (somewhat expected) news that Tash is to be made redundant.  We knew that if it were to happen we'd try and take the positives from it.  With her not having a job it means we have no ties to our current location, and so we're spreading the search for her next role far and wide - and that has meant applying for jobs within the UK, in Gibraltar, and even further afield.