Toys, toys, toys

Eliza's new favourite - blocks in a box.

7th mirthday

Eliza having dinner on her 7th mirthday.

What's for dinner ? Looks like carrot, peas and mint with some mashed potato.

Standing up all by myself !

A picture of concentration as Eliza stands by herself supported by her new activity table

Rhyme time at Haberfield

Eliza and her friend Florence having just experienced Rhyme Time at the Haberfield library

Florence and her gorgeous mum, Leonie

Ring a ring a rosie

Our mother's group meets at Centennial Park on Tuesdays. While the mother's drink coffee, the littles ones check each other out.

Max, Eliza, Jessica, Lily and George

Max having a munch on Sophie (Eliza's giraffe) with Eliza


The girls - Eliza, Jess and Lily


Eliza seems to have figured out that someone has stollen her giraffe !

Triple the fun

We spent last Monday at the park with our favourite triplets .... and their amazing mum !

Lily (in red), Harper (in stripes) and Beatrix (in pink)

The girls love "baby Liza"

Peta - the girls' amazing mum !

A big week

It's been a big week this week. Eliza learned to sit on her own on Wednesday (14th July - Bastille Day) and on Saturday, she started saying "dadadadadda". She also started lifting up her arms to be picked up which is very sweet. Saddly, there is no sign of "mumumumum"...

My new winter hat

It must be winter - Mum's knitting !

Visits and visitors

We've been busy catching up with family and friends since we arrived home from Europe

Upstairs grandma (Ruth) and upstairs grandpa (Tom) came across the hall for dinner the other night. This photo shows Ruth and Eliza were having a quick chat before bed.

Denis and Jenny also came to visit. Eliza was very comfortable with Jenny ...

... and had a big chat with Denis - a friend of Brian's since he was 6 years old.

We also went to Canberra to visit our real Grandpa and Jane-ma. Grandpa took great delight in giving Eliza her first piano lesson ...

... and Jane-ma was very happy entertaining Eliza on the couch.

Sixth mirthday

On June 26 Eliza was 6 months old. How time flies !

We celebrated the occasion with morning tea with Eliza's downstairs grandma (Shirley) and downstairs grandpa (Jerold). Jerold is Eliza's biggest fan. He memorably said to me one day (in his South African accent) "I get a pain in my heart when I see that child."

Needless to say, Jerold is one of our favourites too !

Shirley and Eliza

The lovely, doting Jerold

Decent food at last !

Brian giving Eliza her first tastes of real food. Favourites are pumpkin, broccoli or avocado mixed with ricotta, and the best breakfast of all - banana with Farex !

Home sweet home

On the plane on our way home

After about 40 hours on the go, our little girl, like her parents, was very happy to sleep in her own little bed.

Last day

Our last day in Paris was freezing ! We stumbled across an exhibition commemorating 75 years since Charles de Gaulle called on all Frenchman to resist the Germans during WW2.

The picture of de Gaulle on the Hotel de Ville is made up of photos of resistance fighters who were awarded special honours by de Gaulle. A very moving exhibition (and thankfully heated)!

Eliza rugged up

Angela Smith came to Paris a day early to see us before we left. Ange was in France to conduct innovation workshops at a fancy chateau about an hour from Paris. It was wonderful to see her, but one afternoon is simply not long enough. Thankfully she is moving back to Australia soon !

Eliza and her newest friend Ange

A home away from home

We were delighted to make contact with Chris and Lyn Conybeare who were in Paris while we were there (just two blocks away). Chris and Lyn met us for coffee and then invited us to lunch in their lovely apartment.

Chris and Lyn very generously offered to babysit our little treasure (Eliza) for an evening so B and I could have a night out. We couldn't resist the opportunity, and as you can see, Eliza was very happy with their company.

Paris

Catherine and Eliza at Notre Dame

Brian and Eliza relaxing in a cafe in St Germaine

The two of us at the Louvre

Place de la Concorde

A magic moment at Musee L'Orangerie

Farewell Orvillier

We were sad to leave the Bouvier's, but Paris was calling.

Eliza and Claude who became firm friends.

Claude and the girls - Catherine, Eliza and Monique

Thank you Monique and Claude for a wonderful visit. We are looking forward to seeing you in Sydney in the summertime.

Giverny

I had always wanted to visit Monet's garden at Giverny and Monique and Claude kindly volunteered to take us, just as they had taken my mum and dad some 16 years ago. It was a very special place for my mum, and it was very special to me to visit the place she loved with the same friends.

Monique, Eliza, Catherine and Brian