Helen's Big Three-Oh!

We now have a bed time routine with Emma between 6 & 7pm which normally guarantees sleep before 7.30pm. An important part is "In The Night Garden" on CBeebies. Emma occasionally stands on her bus to watch it. Helen and I are both addicts too. Emma particularly enjoys the Titifer's song.

We've seemed to be so busy of late! August was a wonderful month when we got a bit of sun and were invited to three wonderful weddings. The last, Holly and Olly's wedding fell on Helen's 30th birthday. We started the day with some present opening.

Here's Helen mystified at what could be inside the layers of wrapping. Turned out to be some very attractive silver earrings from Lin and Mike. Thank you!

I managed to get rid of Helen's first present of the morning before she even saw it. Tigger had very thoughtfully disembowelled a mouse on our living room carpet. Luckily I (David) was on breakfast duty with Emma so managed to scrape up the mess before the birthday girl bounced down the stairs!

Leila, Rob, Becky and Rob came for a brunch at 11. I'd cooked a full English breakfast which was eaten up to the last black pudding! Emma engaged in some car surfing afterwards. Leila & Rob babysat for us while we went to the wedding in Tetbury. It was Emma's first ever night away from home and no problems were reported.

The hotel in Tetbury was beautiful and Holly and Olly made a handsome couple. The management of the wedding was first class too with lots of entertainments laid on including dance instruction in the evening.



We sat on a table comprising of lots of my old friends from Nottingham Uni. I hadn't seen Lydia & Andrew for about 8 years. So lovely to meet their little son Isaac who was 3 months old.

The next day we hosted a party to celebrate Helen's birthday properly! There was a mixture of our new Clevedon friends (mostly with babies), family and it was great to see Mike, John, Rowan and Maddie coming a long way to join in too. With so many babies coming, Emma thought the party was for her! She had lots of fun showing off her slide and dashing about.

John and Rowan's Maddie is just on the verge of walking now. She showed off her strength and balance by pushing Emma around the garden on her bus. They had some excellent games of peek-a-boo upstairs, and a rather unsuccessful bath. Emma enjoys her water a little hotter than Maddie is used to!