Apologies for the delay

But we're back now. Beloved has gone to the US again to work and bring back his mum for another visit. They'll be back just in time for Erik's birthday, which is planned to be a fairly small event thus far.

In developmental news - I have been using a few modified AusLAN signs with Erik, and he's just started using one himself, which is pretty exciting. He now tells us he's 'finished' with everything - food, nappy changes, sleeping, being held...It's become slightly confused in the last day or so though, as he's also started clapping, which for a few hours was the sign for 'more', but now tends to be tacked on to the end of a 'finished' sign for amusement. Anyway, here's a post-breakfast video, showing these skills.



And while we're at it, here's another one showing another skill, which made me laugh a lot the first time I saw it. I'm trying to find a nice block trolley for his birthday, as he seems to be ready for it. He will stand on his own for a few seconds at a time, but doesn't seem to be very happy about it, and is still a way off walking I think. I hope.



D'Arcy is still Bakugan obsessed, but the school just banned them, so his opportunities for playing/swapping/obsessing have been curtailed now. I remember at school it was always this way, each new fad was banned and replaced by another equally inane thing, but with less marketing than these days. And the benign things like jacks or elastics were pretty safe. In fact, looking back, it was the "games that the boys played" that got banned more, and being "one of the boys" I was affected by this on many occasions. Yo-yos. Marbles. Trading cards. Things that could cause arguments or disfigurement. Interesting, and I don't think it's changed much. All his Bakugan mates are boys, but he is 8 after all, and right now girls are just weird.