My 33rd Birthday

We visited Rockport with Chris and Avril for my birthday. I love spending special occasions with family. Read the sign with pride (the blue one!)
Read the sign and giggle. Such cowardly Brits attacking at night, and such brave locals throwing rocks with their stockings. You couldn't make it up. It looks straight out of a Monty Python film.

I had such a lovely day with my girls, and that includes Shelley too. Shelley and I are also about 94% certain (just 1% from being statistically significant) that the bump is a girl. We have the name already and I consider it a great honor from God to be given 4 of his precious daughters to look after.

For those that have been to Rockport, you can imagine how cold this day was, despite the luscious blue sky.

My little explorer. Jess and I sat on rocks and watched the waves break at Halibut Point. It was a very special time for the both of us. I love her spirit so much, all the more so when she's feeling a little obedient.

The true professional. Modelling despite the weather.

If I were to choose a photo that best captured Jess's spirit and character, then this is it. I love it!

Early morning present opening. I got a baseball hat and sunglasses to fit in with the locals.

Sienna's first birthday

A subdued Sienna at the start of her Birthday. Here she is holding her 1st present, a set of keys, in lieu of ours which seem to be her equivalent of a comfort rag.
Ah, The Doyle appetite. Farewell faithful goldfish.

Waiting for her friends at Bonkers Playhouse.

Look at me mummy....

Whoa, I'm walking unaided.

CC with AJ (Sienna's Godfather-Dan's son, my Godson). Once removed.

Come on Alex. I'll catch you.

A forward American girl and a happy chappy.

Yay, my cake. We had to make do with a cupcake on the premises, as we weren't allowed to bring our cake, as Bonkers would rather we bought one of their own for $20. Sienna was satisfied.

The angelic pose.

I'll suck on my comfort keys whilst big sister Jess does the honours with the candle.

Hmm, I like this frosting.

Ooo, it feels good too.

Nice and squidgy.

Dad, do you want some?

Utter humiliation

Quite possibly the most humiliating video of me in existence, and that is saying something, and quite possibly the ultimate payback from Shelley for all the times I've pranked her.

Seeing the multitude of chins, I now realize that my recent high cholesterol results were perhaps not quite the surprise I thought them to be.

Booorrrrriiiiiinnnngggggg

I never thought I'd say it, but our family are officially bored of the snow, and we missed a month of it when we were in the UK. Here some pictures of the last month. Guess what? More snow is forecast for tomorrow. Super.

Jessie patiently waiting for her snap-happy mommy.

Anyone for a bagel and coffee?

I'm not sure what's under the mounds. Hopefully no children.

Some father made this igloo on campus. No doubt he was passing time whilst in the 'dog house'.

The view from our back window.

Sienna walking

Here she is 5 days before her 1st Birthday. Toddle....crash....

29 and 30th December

Nanna shows Jessica how to milk a TV.
How to make a meal of ham and peas more interesting.

As tempting as it is, I won't spoil these pictures with silly captions.

Nan and Pops

On the 28th we drove to Nan and Pop's in Loughor where we stayed at Hotel Patterson for a week, with incredibly reasonable rates. Full board, room service, and no cost.

Here's Avril looking very much like Shelley, or vice versa. Little did she know her beautiful lounge would soon resemble an earthquake site in the ensuing days.
Sienna has never been physically close to a TV before (we have ours on a high dresser) and so she spent many happy hours slapping all the characters on the screen with food encrusted fingers.

The first thing Chris did was to get Jess to check for mice in the attic. He had been hearing scratching the previous night, but didn't fancy going up himself having watched American Werewolf in London the week before. Fortunately it wasn't mice. It was just a family of rats who had made their home in one of Chris' moustache wigs.

Present opening time is always a blast with little ones and doting grandparents.

Chris eats the final rat to fall from the ceiling, in one. Avril imagines what it would be like to get a bigger present.

Ah, a musical toy. I was rather hoping for a hunting knife...

Pops looks with utter delight at the pattern he has just sneezed into his hanky.