At last, Della gets to visit B&Q

Before Della arrived we spent a significant amount of time at B&Q. I decided that now the sun is here I might be able to paint the garage doors while Della is napping on a morning so after dinner the other night we decided to go look at paint colours so i could crack on with it.

This meant that Della had her first experience of B&Q. She seemed to enjoy herself, However she mainly enjoyed being pushed very fast up and down the long aisles.

On your marks...

The speed is demonstrated by blurriness

This is one of my favourite photos at the minute

Happy girl, in her New York buggy

Della enjoys her food

Here are a couple of snaps of Della enjoying her food.

Umm... Is there any salmon on my face?

Mmm... Chocolate 

I like to lick the jar out 

In order to clean this mess up, Della needs a game. This week it is tug of war with a stretched out babywipe...



Then last night Simon slapped his head to get the giggles. It's amazing how much a baby can change the way you behave. in wht other world would Simon spend five minutes slapping himself just for giggles...

Fun in the sun with Grandad Andrew and Uncle Nick

While Grandad Andrew was here we spent some time down the allotment. The men mainly dug soil, planted potatoes and replanted strawberries, allowing space for more potatoes.

The women (Me and Della) stock to our stereotypes and made sandwiches and played in the sun while the men got manual.

Daddy plants strawberries while Della tried to eat grass

More attempts at grass eating 

It's very hot and sunny 

A quick snuggle over lunch 

Uncle Nick helps Della walk on the lumpy grass

Della at the playground by Grandad Andrew

Here are some lovely pics of  Della enjoying the swings and slide taken by Grandad Andrew during his visit this weekend.

 And here's a little video of her swinging too 

And just because I've not got round to it yet, here's one of Della laughing at 'Boo's' from a few weeks ago...

A week in the life of Della

We took a visit up north this weekend. Simon played daddy daycare with Neve (my cousins daughter) and Della for a while. they both seemed to have a fun time.

Then on Mothers day Della made me an amazing card. I'll pop it up on here soon. We went out for lunch with my brother and his family. Trying to seat nine adults and two babies isn't easy but we managed and had a lovely time, here are the highlights...

Della decided to play on a child's bench. This was fine until I lost my balance and managed to knock over all the card wracks you can see behind me, only just missing a woman sat on a sofa behind them!

We went back for a coffee at my brothers house and both Della and Ethan needed feeding. My ultra competitive brother decided the race was on. Della won finishing all 8 onces in record time!

A couple of days later Della got a grizzly cold and although she normally isn't a fan of snuggling in or sleeping on people her Granda managed to get her to sleep on his lap, calming her down and soothing her sniffles.

The following day when Della was feeling a little better we went out to the shops and passed a pet shop. Della has met quite a few dogs and quite frankly she isn't impressed with them. However, these guinea pigs had her cracking up. They kept running around making her laugh then occasionally they would come close to her through the glass and she would try and touch them. She also found the fish quite exciting, shame ours died just before she was born! Although she can always go and look at the big fish in Granda's pond. 

The trials and tribulations of learning to walk

Della is quite taken with her walker. Here she is bobbing around...



However, playing in the walker does have it's problems. Firstly, I am on high security alert for little hands in drawers, cupboards and mainly on hot radiators. Also this happens to socks (I had cleaned thefloor that morning so I have no idea how she managed to get them this dirty)

Then once we popped her socks off we discovered that she had given herself her first ever blister. She was a brave girl and we popped a little vaseline on it, the skin flapped around and she had a good look at it. I can't believe she can't even walk yet has managed to be so vigorous with her walking that she gets a blister.

Then, she was pooped and ready for bed

Della goes South

This weekend we all bundled in the car and took a trip to see Gran Helen. Before we went Della insisted she sat in a fruit bowl. This made me laugh.

Then it was off in the car. She was very well behaved on the journey there and did quite a bit of sleeping, playing with toys and then enjoyed dinner at a moto service station while I enjoyed a Burger King.

While in cambridge Della did lots of playing, mainly on swings, and spent a lot of time walking (with help obviously!) and enjoyed going to the bootsale and an NCT sale in the hope of finding a new lightweight buggy to take to NY.

Bouncing fun, what you can't see is me and Gran Helen bouncing too!! 

Della still loves her backpack

Gran Helen took this lovely photo of Della playing in the dining room. Cow's and the MOO noise will always entertain Della I think. In green Della is also encouraging Spring to keep coming and for the sun to keep shining.

Our journey home wasn't quite as much fun. Cambridge's first half marathon meant there were roads closed and we had a little diversion. Then heading towards the motorway we hit another diversion meaning that our journey took five hours. Della slept most of the way though so that was a relief.

We called at an ok diner and I took some lovely photo's there but I have a new phone and I can't get my email set up, neither can I take the back off the phone to get the SD card out so they will have to go up on the blog another time. This is another sign that i am not cool and cannot keep up with the cool kids. I will have to go to the shop and ask them to show me how to do it.

When we got home though the sun was shining and we played in the garden

Tummy bugs, teeth and giggles

So Della has her first tooth. It arrived the day before her 9 month birthday. Can't believe it has taken so long - although this is about the same time as her cousin Bluet got her tooth, perhaps it is a Collins trait. Trying to get a photo of it is impossible.

in other news she has another tummy bug, the second in as many weeks. This exhibits itself in quite disgusting vomiting. poor little thing has no idea what is going on though and seems to be dealing with it well. The one thing giving her comfort are her soft toys, right now this is how she is sleeping:

Cosy

Her Dolly, a lovely present from my friend Alice, seems to keep her amused too. For some reason she finds it hilarious when Dolly hides and pops out or when she gives her a little kiss:

We have a tooth

Yey!! Della has at last pushed a tooth up through her gums!

Pictures to follow - if she will stay still and let us take a picture of it!

Spring has sprung

Which means we are out and about a lot more enjoying snowdrops, daffodils and at last some sunshine (even if it is still a bit chilly). We have spent lots of time at the park recently...

Mainly swinging - Della isn't impressed by the slide

Della has also started dressing up. She likes her Dad's clothes most...

I promise I will blog...

...tomorrow

In the meantime here Della is eating toast. If you look carefully you can see where she bumped her eye being a little too adventurous.