mel & ruffy

the crowd

snap

mel & me

mum

brupa's shed

brupa's steam engine

mum and finn

mill valley ranch

There certainly is a lot for a boy to do out at Tynong Nth, Mill Valley Ranch being one of them. Mum and I took Nate for a walk over to the ranch yesterday where he spent hours running around exploring all the cars, trains and animals there. Tynong Nth put on a spectacular day of warmth for us too.

making friends

happy grandparents

nana, uncle matty, nate and pop

"look!" meer cats

verity, uncle benny, nate and a touch of autumn

neigh roar squawk

Nate has become interested in animals recently and particularly those he can mimic the noises of, so we thought a trip to the zoo was in order and the whole family came along (well most of them anyway). As it was Matt and Ben's birthday they both decided to take the day off from work and study, Ben's girlfriend Verity also joined us, as did Ron & Fiona and Mum & Dad. It was great to have everyone there and we had a great day wandering around and quite funny to see seven adults walking through the zoo for the benefit of just one little boy.

up up and away

After just a week home in London Nate and I checked into the airport again for a long haul flight, this time to Australia, and for the first time by myself with Nate in tow.

The trip was a complete surprise to everyone but a small handful of friends in London who were sworn to secrecy and to Auntie Sheena and Uncle Brian who helped me execute the surprise by organising to meet up with Woz's parents on the day I flew in. Ron and Fiona then helped me surprise Mum, Mum surprise Dad, and so on.

This photo was taken at our gate at Heathrow just minutes before I finally confiscated the apple in Nate's hand which had dropped to the ground and returned to his mouth too many times for me to handle. As I'd kept him up all morning to make sure he had a nap on the flight he was suitably tired and so he then threw a tantrum which lasted for at least half an hour before we boarded the plane and continued well after take-off. Not exactly the start to the 24 hour journey I had hoped.

We had three legs, London to Dubai, then to Singapore, then to Melbourne, with each flight being about six and a half hours long. All manageable flights but not one after the other. As it turned out it was okay and we got through it ... just. All though I have to say that long haul flights are very much like childbirth, hell when you're going through it but when it's all said and done you are very quickly planning your next trip.

richmond on a warm saturday afternoon