I like my aeroplane...
It's all fun and games until you get some baby rice in your eye!...

I've just finished my first meal of solid food!...

What's this mummy?...

Borrowing mummy's hat to keep me in the shade...

I know I say this often but it's been another week of firsts for me. After a couple of weeks of giving them hints, mummy & daddy decided it was finally time for me to start eating solid food. While mummy's milk is delicious and still my favourite meal, I'm such an active boy that I now need a bit more sustenance. Apart from a few initial accidents, I've done very well and even manage to eat the vast majority of my meals! Mummy as also informed me that I'll be trying vegetable puree soon - I'll let you know how that one goes in my next posting.

I'm also getting much better at rolling although I still get my arm caught from time to time. However, mummy & daddy are very good to me and come and free me every time. I'm also expanding my repertoire to include sitting up unaided. Admittedly I can't sit up unaided for too long but I am getting better.

Also, now that I'm such a big boy, I've graduated to having my baths in the big bath. This is very exciting as I know have much more room to kick in and daddy even helps me to do laps of the bath for exercise.

Until next time.

Love Oliver

Snuggles with Grandma...

Talking with Pops...

Going boating with Pops (Good thing my sea legs are okay)...

What happens if I pull this?...

While it was very sad to say goodbye to Mormor and Morfar, Auntie Sue, Uncle Barny and cousin Jasper, I was very excited to see Grandma & Poppa for the second time. I know that I had seen them just after I was born in NZ but I had so many more things to show them!

For starters after visting Ha Long Bay with cousin Jasper, I knew my way around so I took Grandma & Pops out for an overnight trip. During this trip, I decided that I was bored of lying on my back so I decided to roll over. Mummy and daddy were very excited as this was the first time that I have had done it. However, I couldn't see the big deal - Mr Crocodile was just out of reach and I wanted to play with him.

Grandma was very good at reading me stories and like Morfar, Pops let me help him with his Sudoku puzzles so my education is continuing. I think it was the schoolteacher in Pops coming out as I do know my numbers quite well now.

While Grandma and Pops were here, I was pleased to hear that Auntie Sue, Uncle Barny and cousin Jasper had safely arrived in Riga. I was worried about Jasper travelling aimlessly around the world so it's good to know that he's found a home again.

Hey da sa lange (that's "goodbye for now" in Swedish)

Love Oliver

Meeting cousin Jasper

Team uniform...

Playing with Uncle Barny...


Auntie Sue with me and cousin Jasper...

Two little bowling balls playing on a mat...

Togetherness...

Here's lookin at you kid...

It was all very exciting when Auntie Sue, Uncle Barny & cousin Jasper came to stay for 5 days. Jasper and I had seen each other before - but only over the computer when we skype each other - so it was lovely to be able to play together, talk to each other and compare hair growth - I think I'm winning that one. I am also as tall as Jasper even though I gave him a 2 month head start! However Jasper's beating me on the weight side so I have a bit of work to do over the next couple of months until I see him in July.

Apparently Jasper came to see us on the way to Latvia - his daddy's new posting. It all sounds very exotic but mummy informs me that it's quite cold in Latvia so I think I'm better off here!

Uncle Barny was a little scary when I first saw him but I soon got used to his funny accent and we had a great ol time. He and Auntie Sue were very good to me - they spoiled me with lots of cuddles and playtime - after all everybody knows how much I like my cuddles.

Well that's about it for now so I hope you enjoy the photos.

Love Oliver

It was also wonderful playing with cousin Jasper. I think we make a great pair if I do say so myself, and I know that we will have lots of fun times together over the coming years. I was also pleased to hear that Jasper has promised to support the All Blacks.

Reading with Mormor...

Being led astray by Morfar...

Me and Sophie the Giraffe on Mormor's Lap...

Mormor with me and cousin Jasper...

Mummy, mormor and me at the Imperial City in Hue...

Mummy and I pose at Tu Duc's tomb in Hue...

Mummy and I relax in the shade at Tu Duc's tomb...

Hi,

Sorry it's been a while since my last blog but I have been busy over the last few weeks entertaining lots of family members who have come to see me lately.

As I informed you all in my last blog, my mormor and morfar (mummy's mum & dad) came to see me. We had such fun together although I think mummy was a bit concerned that morfar might lead me astray but I was very good and resisted all his charms.

Mormor and I had such wonderful chats while sitting on her knee. I also enjoyed the wonderful stories that she used to tell me. I think my Swedish has come on wonderfully well over the last few weeks.

We didn't do a lot while mormor and morfar where here as I think they just enjoyed hanging out with me. However, one weekend mummy, daddy and I along with mormor and morfar went down to Hue. I found things a bit hot so I didn't get to see too much this trip. However mummy and daddy said that we would come back to Hue so maybe I'll see more next time.

As a special request, we went to the water puppets here in Hanoi. Auntie Sue, Uncle Barny and cousin Jasper were also there but I'll tell you more about them in my next blog. I thought the puppets were excellent and very exciting although I wasn't so fond of the music - even when mummy tried to block it out by putting her hands over my ears. Oh well, I guess you can't win them all...

Before we all knew it, mormor and morfar's time in Hanoi came to an end and it was time for them to go home. It was very sad but I know that I will seem them soon in July so there's not too long to wait.

Until then...

Oliver