would you trust this face?

As we are travelling to Australia in a few months we are in the process of applying for an Australian passport for Nate. (It would be a shame to make him line up by himself with all the foreigners at Customs). We have been taking every opportunity to take a passport photo, a process which is very tedious as the guidelines are incredibly strict; the photo must show the child or baby awake, looking straight at the camera with mouth closed, without any hair across the eyes, without any shadows behind their head or parent's hands visible.

While he can now stand against the wall of his own accord, I have to hold him to stop him from walking away, towards the coveted camera. The hardest part however is to get him to look straight at the camera with mouth closed as the minute he sees it he starts to giggle and reach towards it.

This photo was taken last night while he was in his pajamas. We didn't really think about it at the time but looking at the photo now all he needs is some arrows on his pajamas and some leg irons and he will look like a regular little convict. You never know, it might improve his chances of getting in, because everyone knows Australia is entirely populated by criminals.

candid camera

le tour de france

Today Woz and I walked to Hyde Park to see the Tour de France Prologue.

After close to six weeks of rain and overcast days, today was a welcome change with the sun gracing us for the majority of the day. Londoners far and wide flocked to the city's parks to celebrate and bask in the sun after such a long wait and the added entertainment factor brought the crowds streaming in.

The route began at Whitehall and cut through St. James's Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, finishing up at The Mall. We camped at different points along the way, moseying our way around the circut and soaking up the atmosphere.

The European Summer is so different to the Australian one, and to be honest it doesn't even need to be sunny in order to enjoy the long light evenings and early mornings, rich, green trees transforming the landscape and pubs with colourful flower laden baskets hanging from their eaves whose patrons spill out onto the street. When it is sunny, the parks are the place to be, all of which are beautifully green spaces scattered with deck chairs and bikini clad or shirtless sun revellers.

Having said that I'm extremely grateful that we have been given a momentary glimpse of the sun and hope and pray that it wont be long before it pays us a visit again.

the green green grass

hyde park