three months already? go on, pick your favourites

Gherkin is three months old already (those of you who are sticklers for the details, yes I know I am nearly a fortnight behind with this post!). To celebrate, I am planning to do something VERY SPECIAL.... a secret something, but I need happy participants to get it to work.

What I need from you is to go to my flickr, and go to the gherkin's very own tag set (you can just click here to make things easier). Then, select your ten favourite photos by clicking "a fave" above the photo (you can only do this on the actual photo page). Other people can be in these photos... the only rule is the gherkin must be in the photo. Those of you sharing a flickr username can click "a fave" and then note in the comments who voted for that favourite. If both of you have the same favourite, then you would note that both of you voted for that photo.

If one of your favourite photos was actually taken by someone else and is on someone else's flickr account, please send me a flickr mail with the address of the photo. I will then get in contact with that photographer and ask if I might be able to do something VERY SPECIAL with that shot.

Sounds relatively straightforward? Then get to it! All photos need to be marked as favourite by 16th November at the very latest. Then, we will have the big reveal of the something very special in December.

Get fave-ing peoples!

xo

baby love

I have been running out of song lyrics. As we know from an earlier post, the gherkin loves to be sung to. And recently I have been singing a song known to me as "Baby Love" and known to others as the Carlton FC themesong. But I couldn't even remember all of the lyrics to the chorus. This is all I could remember...

Who's my babylove?
Who is my one and only baby love?
Who's the little cutie I adore?
Who's the little one who yells for more?
Who says she loves me, she says she loves me
(blah blah blah blah blah - mssing lyric)
She is my one and only baby love,
She is my sweetheart and my love...

Now, imagine my surprise this week when I discovered that these were not the real words of the song but were an amended version sung to me by my dad. Mum and Dad couldn't remember the original lyrics either.

So I googled baby love, got bundles of completely irrelevant links, and eventually went to the Carlton FC website, which let me know the song was called Lily of Laguna (the plot thickens!). And here are the original lyrics according to wikipaedia...

She's my lady love,
She is my dove, my baby love.
She's no girl for sitting down to dream,
She's the only queen Laguna knows.
I know she likes me, I know she likes me,
Because she said so,
She is the Lily of Laguna,
She is my Lily and my Rose.

Think my dad did a great job... I like his lyrics better. (By the way, I am taking suggestions for the sixth line..)

we've had visitors

gran and pa visit2
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

And what a lovely time we had!

I think gran & pa may think that The Gherkin is alright, so that's lucky (I'm not sending him back to where he came from).

The Gherk' impresed with his talking, mouthing of toys, hands, everything, his strong legs, and yes, even a little bit of tummy time (thanks Gill for the handy tips on how to get a bub who hates tummy time, doing tummy time).

It was lovely to have you down to visit Dill Pickles - thanks for travelling all this way to see us. Oh, and for the washing, the reassurance, the baking, the cuddles xo

the most wonderful view

the most wonderful view
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

After a rather unhappy afternoon, after the gherkin was robbed of his cot at after-lunch-nap time for the second day in a row (!), nothing beats the view of the little man fast asleep in his pram (sneaking a peek through the mesh so as not to disturb)....

the last time

feeding
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Well, it has arrived... the day we accept that the gherkin has officially declined his invitation to the boob party (this lovely metaphor given to us by the gherkin's very gorgeous paediatrician), and we pack up all the gear and go home.

Six midwives, one electric breastpump, four maternity bras, three lactation consultants, five hundred and sixty expressed feeds (about 56 litres of pumped breastmilk!), one maternal and child health nurse, three rounds of mastitis, two breastfeeding clinics, countless tears, one GP, australian breastfeeding association support and a paediatrician later, without any breakthrough, little gherkin's paediatrician has convinced us that no matter how much I may want to breastfeed, the gherkin is not going to meet me half way.

So in spite of all of our best efforts, the little gherkin has opted out. And whilst he looks contented enough in this photo (and yes, he does attach well), sadly he doesn't suck, but instead promptly falls asleep. Little rascal. (Part of me wonders if this is going to be a continuing pattern - Gherkin 1, Mum 0).

So, being me, of course I had to take photos... and yes there is a breast in this picture (one of mine, actually), but that is really the point, isn't it?

it's all in the mouth, baby

Pick the speech pathologist.

I was so incredibly excited today when Liam was mouthing his toys... just had to catch it on video and share it here.



What a clever little chicken... think he is going to enjoy those solids!
xo

man club meeting

man club meeting
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Our home was witness to many man club meetings over the weekend, thanks to a visit from our dear friend Tyges.

What is man club? Well, apparently it's when all the boys get together and chat, have laughs, and I am on the outer (because, yes, I am a girl). Mr Pickles tells me that there are many man club meetings to look forward to. Have to say I am not too distressed by this... they can have the man club, I will have the mummy cuddles - perfect!

Thanks Tyges for coming down to visit, especially since you missed out on the warm sunshine back home! It was sooo lovely to see you and fantastic for the little guy to meet one of his future lifelong friends and heroes. Can't wait to see you again in a few weeks!

Oh, and a couple of notes about the photo...
1. no there is no editing or photoshopping... this is the natural light in The Gherkin's bedroom... isn't it gorgeous?
2. the beautiful oobee blinkie on the right is The Gherkin's beby swap gift from the very lovely Leslie. You can go shopping for Leslie's beautiful creations here . We love all of Leslie's creations in this house, and are now lucky enough to have Billee the oobee and the oobee blankie in our home xo

Chat soon xo