Margot Brown

We went for a walk in the hills with Nadia, FX, Emmanuelle and PA today, and afterwards at the Fox House Papa offered Margot one of his dumplings. After she said "Margot like a dunklings" she then turned to Maman and said "how do you say dunklings en Français?". "Beignet" said Maman, and Margot then explained that "en Anglais, c'est dunklings."


All weekend Margot has been super-extra-hyperactive, and in any given 5 minute period will want to go upstairs, downstairs, go in the car, fall off something, demand that something be explained and ask ask the same question 8 times. Maman and Papa are quite tired.

Labels: excursions, First times

Margot is going to have a little brother in May 2010! She thinks it will be a little cousin called Jasper (again), and is still a bit uncertain about whose tummy it's in, exactly.

Labels: First times

Baby Jasper arrived on the 10th of September, making him Margot's first first cousin, and Papa and Maman have their first Neveu.

Kisses to Leo and Lisa, his tired Mum and Dad.

Labels: Family, First times

What Katell warned me about finally happened - Margot fell out of bed last night (bonk!).

Then she woke up wailing at 5am this morning, and despite Katell's feeble protestations, I took her into bed with us.

Labels: First times

Margot can count! Today she counted up to seven several times of her own accord; only problem : she starts at two - so remember to subtract one.

Right now it seems like Margot is learning several new words a day - it's always a lovely surprise when she says something new. It often seems that what Margot loves most is novelty - a new book, or a new toy excites and stimulates her. This would be an expensive process if it weren't for the Broomhill library, which is luckily only 5 minutes walk away.

Labels: First times

Papa was on noodle duty tonight, as Maman went out for a work dinner. Noodle duty included bo-tul and dodo, and dodo was preceded by the usual polite struggle with several last minute stories, including "My Pets" and "Not my monster" (I recommend this series).

Once I eventually got her into her cot, I think she said "Dadot go bed now". Or maybe it was just the wishful thinking of a proud father.

She did repeat "Thank you" last week. I'm pretty sure.

I know she's mastered no: in fact she said "Nnnon" to PF after dinner today, and then once she saw Maman's surprised expression, she chortled and ate it anyway. Perhaps her first joke?

Labels: First times

Margot went to Endcliffe Park today with Mum and Dad, and had a super time on the swings!

Next we walked along to the duck pond, where Margot had a shout at the ducks, and tried out her newly invented walking technique.

Labels: Adventures, First times

This week we had excellent and alarming news. Not only can margot climb, but she can also crawl!

Like most Tuesdays I worked from home today in order to experience delivering her to and picking her up from Nursery. When I arrived today she crawled over to me and grabbed my leg; the first time I've seen either thing happen.

It was quite endearing and meant I didn't much mind the following ten minute struggle (with an audience) to wedge her rigid banana-shaped body into the pushchair for the walk home.

Here's some terrifying footage of Margot from today. She's just spotted my unattended camera, and is quite literally singing with delight...

Labels: First times, Key moments

While at Ellie Byrne's house on the Wirral this weekend, Margot astonished her Dad by climbing up a chair to the standing position, and then walking herself along the furniture to a huge toy bucket.

I don't know whether she practises this stuff at night, or whether she just suddenly figures it out.

Labels: First times

Margot has made some startling advances this week since returning from France. She now knows to clap (she's quite good at it), she can sing EIEIO, and she gets quite excited about hand signs such as 'more' and 'all gone'.

We went to visit tatie Zoe in Leeds this weekend, where Margot was delighted to find that cats exist in England too. The cats were similarly excited.

Labels: First times

Margot was the Queen of Christmas, and presided with interest and smiles over a big traditional Christmas dinner at home, with turkey, Christmas pud with flaming brandy, and recycled Christmas cracker jokes (that uncle Lyndon always managed to spoil by knowing the answer too soon).

Unfortunately Mum had to work most of Christmas week, so Dad was given sole responsibility for the first time for more than a few hours. Dad was left with a new and enhanced appreciation for Mum.

Margot got lots of lovely presents, including toys and clothes, and didn't even complain when it was someone else's turn to open one!

Disappointingly, her Grandad decreed that stockings would no longer be supplied to his children, since a new generation of children had now arrived.

More pictures in the Christmas gallery.

Labels: Family, First times, Holidays, Special Occasions

While walking Margot around the big brand supermarket this Sunday, with her perched in her car seat on top of the trolley, we were playing the usual game of "entertain Margot and forget about the other pedestrians".

Dad was forced to debase himself as usual for her entertainment, but was rewarded with her first proper laugh (video).

Labels: First times