It’s taking its time, but we’re settling in as a family of four. We’re getting there. While Aviya surprises me with her peacefulness, Ameli keeps surprising me, taking me by surprise and keeping every day interesting.
110-366 Hands
I love little hands. I love hands in hands. I love the feeling of intimacy, trust, and vulnerability that a small hand in a big hand portrays. I love my baby, I love my big girl. I get a thrill every time Ameli says ‘Hand, Mama’ and reaches for mine. I could keep pictures of my babies’ hands all around me 
111-366 Registration Day
We finally have a name for our little girl, so it’s time to make it official and register her. I just loved the registry office in Guildford – a converted house. For a ‘government building’, it’s so beautiful. Welcome to the system, baby Aviya. In the afternoon, Ameli, Aviya and I joined our friend and Doula, Rhiannon and her son Jasper for a coffee at a local pub. The sun was out while we were there and we had a play in the park – before it started pouring again.
112-366 Latent Longing
I try to tell myself that children think in the short term, the now. When Ameli climbs in a toy car and tells me she’s heading to the airport to pick up her aunt, my sister, I wonder though. I wonder if she has a latent longing that she just doesn’t know how to express.
113-366 Beautiful Girl
We had a lovely visit from a friend with his three sons this afternoon. The look on Aviya’s face pretty much shows how I felt after five children in the house – especially with four of them under three!
114-366 Finding Photos
Ameli’s started using my camera for taking photos. She has a way to go, but still… had to keep a memory of it!
115-366 Happy Birthday Daddy
It was Martin’s birthday and I was really happy that we’d been given a voucher for Frankie & Bennys Restaurant a few weeks earlier, and it had arrived in the post that day! We packed ourselves and the girls off to the restaurant in Guildford for our first dinner out as a family of four. Aviya was fine – she slept through most of the dinner, and when she wasn’t sleeping she had a relaxed feed. Ameli is a little harder to entertain in these circumstances – she won’t even sit in her chair at home – but on our arrival the waiter gave her a puzzle book and set. The book was too ‘old’ for her, but the puzzle was a hit!
Fortunately our meals came out pretty quickly, which is an up-side of a family friendly restaurant. They have a new menu out and while dinner for essentially the two of us (Ameli had a starter) and one drink each came to just over £50, the lunch menu has 25 options at £8.25 for 2 courses or £9.25 for 3.
While we were supposed to be reviewing the new menus, we eat out so rarely and I’m a bit of a sucker for the goat’s cheese and mushroom Calzone, so I had it again – it was good, but a bit shy on the goat’s cheese this time. The calamari starter, on the other hand, was fantastic – and I’m quite particular about calamari. We also had bacon and cheese stuffed potato skins, which was a rather large portion! My favourite starter, however, were the garlic dough balls. Yum, yum, yum.
Anyway, at the end of the meal we ordered a chocolate and honeycomb waffle to share. Ameli had told the waiter that it was daddy’s birthday, and two of them turned up at our table singing happy birthday to him. I giggled the whole way through, he wanted to curl up in embarrassment and Ameli was laughing … until she suddenly burst into tears half way through the song! I guess the pressure got to her! Poor thing. As soon as she saw the edible yum under the candle she was happy though, and when the waiter brought her a balloon, she had a friend for life. All in all we had a lovely evening, and when we got back in the car and headed home at 20:30 I couldn’t help but laugh: a dinner ending at 20:30? Oh, how life has changed!
Thank you Franky & Benny’s for our dinner voucher – it would’ve been pasta and cheese at home without you!
116-366 Marshmallow
We were sent this clothing set for me to review for work. It’s lovely and all, but oh boy – does she look like a marshmallow or what! Still, what a pretty thing.
Love the handseys.
I should say, I wrote a whole post about babies living in the Now (which I stand by) and see no contradiction with them having access to memories and feelings (in the Now) which need to be expressed. My little one, too, often brings up her grammy and asks me to tell stories about her (she lives an ocean away). I am actually reading ‘The Whole Brain Child’ right now and he confirms that in the first two to three years, the right brain dominates (which is the one ruled by emotion, autobiographical life-view and being in the Now). I guess that dwelling thing that adults do, dragging it out, that is the bit they do not yet do (mercifully).
Love that Ameli is taking photos, now, too. Nica is very interested, too. Almost included one she took at the farm, too… darn, now you are making me think I should have!!
Hugs and thanks for the inspiration and food for thought, as ever!!
Gauri
Babies hands are the best, I smile every time Jesse reaches for mine, or holds out his hand demanding for it to be held. So precious. I also love the budding photographer pics.
I was always so shy when the waiters came out singing, wanting to hide under the table, glad it was a great evening out!
There really is something special about little hands in big hands. I love those! I’m glad to hear you’re all settling into something of a groove, or at least getting close.
Great photos, as always! Little Aviya’s expressions are so adorable! Glad to hear you’re beginning to settle in as a family of four, and happy birthday to your husband–looks like you had a fun celebration together. =)
What a beautiful week!At our F&B, They play the birthday son on the sound system and EVERYONE stares at you!