Merry Christmas everyone - you should get cards sometime in March at this rate. Marcus has been a bit crook, with throat and ear infections, but he's going along very nicely now. Since being sick he's lost interest in his dummy, but his sleeping has gone backwards a bit too and we're now expecting him to wake up at about 11 and sometimes 2, and then for good about 5.30.
On the plus side he's developing really well, hair coming along quite nicely, thickening up. Its a little bit, just a tiny bit, sandy - might be Auntie Sally's colour. He is scrambling around with tremendous confidence, but he seems to have a very sensible attitude to his adventures. He is pulling himself up and standing very well, and when he's feeling wobbly or uncertain he kneels back down again, rather than clutch-and-cry or let-go-and-hope which are two other common techniques I have observed.
Grandma Ruth and Grandad John came to visit and looked after a sometimes noisy Marcus while Elf and I went out to dinner with Simon & Mary (whose mum was looking after Miranda). It was terrific to have a grown up evening - we went to the Tandoori house. Its the last time we'll see the grandparents before Christmas because they're off to Sydney for a while. Grandma came with us to the pool and we all had a great time. I have been back since with Marcus and he seems so happy there that we've bought him a wading pool for Christmas.
We have bought a new car, a 97 lantra sportswagon. Its got a/c to keep the little man nice and cool. Anyone who hasnt sat in a car in Hobart on a sunny day, even in midwinter, won't appreciate how hot you can get. I think its the hole in the ozone layer maybe - it certainly didnt seem like this when I was a kid.
Elf went over to Marcus O and Kelly's wedding in Melbourne, leaving Marcus R and I to fend for ourselves. Fend. Its a strange expression isnt it?
The cats are doing a lot of fending at the moment, fending off a small baby who wants to put parts of them in his mouth. Ears and tails mostly. As Hat is always preying on Gizmo as well he is feeling quite put upon and finds new and ingenious ways to avoid all the attention - sleeping on the change mat for instance.
I've just finished and delivered a commissioned drawing. I'm really pleased with the result and pleased to have actually got back to the drawing table. I tried out a few new things like stitching collage to the paper. I can't show the drawing here because its a Christmas present.
We three are off to Canberra for a week over Christmas, to stay with Marki Felicity and Grandad Bill, and catch up with all the other Fullagars, Imp and Ed and Karri who are in Canberra (in Swinger Hill in fact), Fred who's coming back from Brisbane and Chonk who is coming back from Switzerland. It should be a good break, but hopefully not too hot.
Happy holidays all.
