X-mas is over time to excercise

Thank you everybody for all of my x-mas presents. I have had a lot of fun playing with them already. My favourites at the moment are my balloons, caterpillar, lego blocks and deedle dudes. I am a very spoilt little boy with all of my gifts (am still waiting for one from you Mr Hawking). I have also been spoilt with all the new food I have tried. Dad has said that I have to now go out and excercise to get rid of the weight that I have put on.
As you can see I have decided to take up soccer as my chosen sport/excercise and Everton have already signed me to a contract bsaed solely on how cute I look in this oufit. Apparently Wayne Rooney used to wear this exact same shirt until he turned into a traitorous pig.

The only problem with how spoilt I have been is that now I am a little out of my routines, 4am seems like a totally appropriate time to wake up. Mum and Dad are using the Furber method on me which is starting to work..... damn them and their mind bending powers. Mummy can bend spoons with the power of her mind.

I have also realised that Mum and Dad sometimes eat in front of me. This is totally unfair so I asked TUFOB (the union for oppressed babies) what I should do about it. They suggested that if they are eating and I am not then I should yell loudly at them until they give me some food. I have taken up their suggestion and it seems to be working a treat.

Anyway I need to go and have a sleep to dream about all the places I have been in the last week (Hamilton, Rotorua, the Lake, th zoo, the botannical gardens).

Love Jude

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

As requested, here is the last blog before Christmas... Jude and Daddy are posing for the camera as usual. Note the matching stances and smiles upon their faces? Also, they both have the same amount of hair. (Sorry, there is no santa hat, as Daddy took it to work with promises that he would bring it home and failed to do so).

Jude ate dirt out of a pot plant the day before yesterday. I was out of the room for 1 minute and "sensed" something was not quite right - sure enough there was Master Jude with dirt smeared all around his mouth, a handful of dirt still in his little paw and happily munching away on some brown crunchy substance.

He also has ANOTHER tooth now - that's 6 in case you had lost count. He gets to brush his teeth every night with his very own miniature tooth brush before bed time.

Oh by the way - Nana & Poppa D - good luck bathing the boy when he's at your place. I'll let you discover the "joys" of Jude in the Bath for yourselves. Hint - you might want to invest in some PVC wet-weather gear and a back brace.

And look out Nana & Poppa T - Jude STILL has his eye on those Toby Jugs... but this time he might actually succeed in getting to them - he's very very wily.

OK, that's about it for now - so wishing everyone who reads this blog a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Lots of love from
"Team Thomas"
xxx

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree...

Please let there be an end to all this talk about Stephen Hawking. The mere thought of him gives me the trots.

Here is a photo of Jude basking in the delights of the Christmas Tree. He absolutely loves it and I have to sing him "oh Christmas Tree oh Christmas Tree" everytime we pass it. He is looking forward to ripping into those presents (even if they are for other people)!!!

Last Sunday we took Jude to the Zoo. He loved the fish (Koi?) in the pond and the tropical coloured fish in the aquarium. Everything else could have been a large plate of cooked brussel sprouts, because he couldn't have cared less. Even the Howler Monkeys didn't phase him - he just looked at them as if they were idiots for making so much noise. I think we'll have to wait until he's a little bit older before taking him again.

Jude had his friend from playgroup over again this morning. Needless to say the bullying continues. It is actually quite embarrassing to be the mother of the child who is always stealing toys off other children. Perhaps that "white haired old man" won't be coming to visit Jude after all?

Jude just wanted me to tell you all (he can't type this himself as he was up all night penning replies to his fanmail and has writers' cramp) that he is looking forward to seeing all you Nanas & Poppas, Great Nanas & Poppas, Aunties and Uncles at Christmas and would also like to remind you all that he likes chocolate...

Who's a cheeky monkey then...

Don't ask me why every photo taken of Jude lately has his eyes shut. Obviously the flash is too much for our little monkey's sensitive retinas.

Here is Jude drinking from his sippy cup - he thinks he's pretty cool to be able to do it himself now - it is negligible how much water actually makes it into his mouth.

Jude went to his first Christmas Party yesterday. He got to feed a baby goat and a piglet. He got to pat a calf and see a pony (he is still a bit little to have a ride but don't tell him I said that). He was VERY VERY excited about the baby goat - he yelled and flapped his arms a lot.

Jude had another tooth pop through mysteriously - I am not sure when it broke through as I only noticed it yesterday and it was already quite big. He now has 5 teeth and will soon look like that grinning fool from Sesame Street.

I love chocolate

Hello to all my adoring fans.

I have been very busy answering all of my fan mail recently. Many people have been reading my website and then writing to me to tell me how gorgeous I am. Of course I am vey good looking but I get much more satisfaction from the fan mail I receive from people who have read and enjoyed my book on quantum astro phyiscs. For those who have not read it I suggest you do, it is entitled "Stephen Hawking is an idiot, I have proof". It focuses on the singularity theory as the basis for the creation of the universe and its interactions with the chandrasekhar limit.
For those of you who are a little more simple than me ...... this means I have an irrefutable theory for creation and I also prove that Stephen Hawking is no match for my intellectual ability.

Anyway, now onto the real topic of today. I really do love chocolate. Please don't let the picture fool you, I do get most of the chocolate into my gob. I love the sugary rush it gives me after I have shovelled it in. This then gives me the energy to crawl madly around the house seeking out all cords and doors. This has lead me to my new mantra. Say it after me now.......

Close all doors!!! Close all doors!!! Close all doors!!! Close all dorrs!!!

Mum and Dad have said that if I am really good then a white haired old man will come and give me presents in about a week. I don't really understand this because I was naughty and Poppa Art gave me presents anyway. Parents, can't live with them, can't crawl away from them.

Nothing much else has happened in my world recently, just the same old stuff. I crawl, I talk, I smile, I try to rid the world of comic book super heroes..... same old, same old.

Anyway by for now. I hope to see you all real soon.......... except for you Stephen.

Love Jude

Caught on camera

...and here is our little escapee caught in the act trying to get out of his cot. It's a pity he fell asleep before he made it to freedom.

Jude had his 9 month check on Tuesday and now weighs 9.5kg (a hefty wee laddie) and measured 75cm long (the same as last time - we reckon the nurse got the measurement wrong). But the nurse reckons that he is probably due for another growth spurt so that could all change soon.

Jude has just been participating in some rather rough "play" with Mongie the cat. Mongie made the fatal mistake of getting too close and Jude grabbed aforementioned Mongie's tail from which his little fingers had to be prised loose and then proceeded to man-handle her and grab great hunks of fur from her poor little body. The funny thing is he starts off patting nicely and then gets overwhelmed with excitement and just goes too far. She's just paid us back by bringing a still-living bird into the house.


I put the Christmas Tree up today (which I was a bit loathe to do as I knew it would involve lots of "no Jude don't touch that") but I decided to anyway and he absolutely loves it - all those shiny baubles no doubt!! I will have my work cut out for me keeping him away, but it IS his first Christmas and I want him to enjoy it. I think he is going to be VERY VERY spoilt this year.

Dad: you will see in the above photo that Jude has a blue patterned quilt at the end of his cot - that is the one that Grandma Johnson made for him (not that you can see much of it - but it's really cute).

A Mouthful of Chompers

Jude has now got 4 teeth to brush!!!

As you can see from the photo, he thinks that the toothpaste should be milk flavoured and not pepperminty. I think he looks a bit like a dehydrated Mongie. But don't his jimmy jams look so very very cute?

Jude saw the Ocean for the first time in the weekend. We took him up to Orewa on Saturday morning and to our surprise he cried. We don't think he liked the sound of the waves crashing (not that there was much surf). But he didn't like it. We'll just have to take him back another time when the tide is not so high and try again.

Jude has got his 9 month Plunket check tomorrow so we will see how much weight he has put on and how tall he is going to be (I estimate a veritable giant at 5.10"). But seriously, it will be interesting to see if he has put on any weight at all due to the amount of crawling and other activity he has been up to lately - he must pretty much burn off everything that is going in to him at the moment. He only ever stops moving to sleep.

And lastly, a big shout-out to Uncle Jez and Aunty Debs in the UK - we got Jude's wee package in the post on Saturday and I just had to have a quick peek before wrapping it back up and putting it away for his Christmas stocking. VERY VERY cool. I can't wait to see him in his very own mini Welsh rugby jersey. I wonder how many people will ask me if Jude's name is actually "Brains"?

Put the baby in the basket or else he gets the hose again...

I guess it's update time again... here's Jude playing in his toy basket (note the little friend popping his head out to say "hello").

Jude will be 9 months old tomorrow - I hope everyone who views this blog wishes him a "Happy 9 Month Birthday" and sends him lots of gifts.

Jude enjoyed his stay last weekend with Nana & Poppa Thomas. The Toby Jugs survived (which is a shame 'cause they are pretty scary looking critters). Jude was spoilt rotten and got to spend time in Nana & Poppa's big bed in the morning.

Jude has been a bit of a bully today - he visited his friend from Playgroup this morning and when the Mummy's weren't looking, he was busy pulling a big fistful of hair from his little friend's noggin!!! I hope he doesn't turn out to the be the child who dishes out beatings and takes toys off all the other kids. I guess he must get his fiery temper from his Dad.

Cruisin'

Good Evening fellow Jude-lovers,

Here is yet another photo of Jude with food around his mosh - that boy sure does love to eat!!! (Please note: there is not a hat in sight).

Tomorrow we are off to visit Jude's other Grandparents in Rotorua - he is very excited and told me that he is heading straight for Nana's toby jugs when he gets there. We thought we could go and feed the ducks down at one of the lakes while we are there - I am sure Jude will be willing to part with some of his own food to give to the ducks. On second thoughts, perhaps not.

I am the coolest

Hello everybody out there,

I have managed to get mum and dad off the computer and have decided to have my second go at writing a blog.

As you can see from this picture I have been spending some time in the sun. As you can also see I have trouble eating every last bit of the biscuts mum and dad are giving me. They tend to break up into teeney weeney pieces and I can't fit them all in my gob.

I woke up a few mornings ago and noticed something funny popping out of the top of my gum. Mum and dad said that it was a tooth, I reckon that is pretty cool. I asked them if I would now be hunted like the African elephants for my precious ivory. They said that I wouldn't as there were other members of my family that looked more like an elephant than I do. Apparently Uncle Jason must have more ivory than me.

I am planning to go and visit Nanna & Poppa Thomas this weekend. I have a little surprise for them...... I have now figured out, that if I push my legs and arms against the ground, I can move around the house. Look out Nanna and Poppa I am going to go straight for your Toby Jugs. Toby Jugs must be really powerful because when Daddy gets home and I jump up and down on him mummy says "be careful of daddys toby jugs, we don't want to hurt him and you will want a sister one day".

Anyway thats about it from little old me, I am going to totter off and kick the crap out of my cot.

Love Jude

All Blacks Baby

OK all you England fans - oh there's only one of you? Well, listen up - Jude's got something to tell you...

"Yeah Mum, I am a very cute All Blacks Baby and Daddy tells me that the All Blacks are playing England this weekend and NZ is gonna win!! The mighty Kiwi will trample the Rose beneath his sharp claws."

So there.

The Little Angel

Just by luck I managed to take this rather gorgeous (if I do say so myself) photo of Jude having just discovered the joys of playing with a ball. Note the delectable fat rolls on his arm and the chubby little cheeks ... this photo is truely drool-worthy don't you think Nanas & Poppas???

Anyway, Jude is a little adventurer at the moment - he rolls all over the lounge discovering new delights - such as plants, the TV (and how am I going to get into the video cabinet???) and how to just about pull a table onto himself. He has also discovered how to select his own toys from the toy basket. Balloons are a hot favourite - I've never seen him go as mental as when he has a balloon - it's true that the cheapest of toys are the best.

Currently, I can hear him singing to himself in his cot - he has been fighting sleep for the last hour - but Mummy WILL win this battle as he is actually tired.

Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

Here I am playing with my fishbowl - what you can't tell is that a piranha with razor sharp teeth just bit my finger. I think that is funny. It is quite ironic that this very same fish was plucked from an Amazonian river with my bare hands. I am quite the conservationist, just ask Mongie.

Check out my "man-breasts". I am a very happy little baby. I love my Mummy and Daddy very much - they buy me lots of toys and allow me to bite their ears and pull on their facial protuberances.

I am NOT ginger and if any of my so-called self-styled uncles refer to me as such I will be forced to sic my pet piranha on his fat ass.

From Jude

St Jude the Energetic

I thought it was time for another update on Mr Jude as he has now reached the 8 month mark.

He is becoming quite mischevious and cheeky lately not to mention energetic. Rolling is a way to get from his toys to any reflective surface. The above photo shows Jude trying to roll under the dining room table.

Jude's favourite toy at the moment is a purple dinosaur just about as long as Jude is tall. He likes to body-slam Dino and clip him around the ear a fair bit. He is a proper little boy in that anything he touches MUST be whacked and thrown around or smashed together to make maximum noise.

Jude had a visit from his Nana V today - he had lots of fun showing her how well he can move around and how much he can eat (and then poop out again). He thought her necklace was pretty neat and her earrings were excellent because he could see himself reflected therein. Are we raising a narcissist?

Jude has been enjoying a smorgasboard of different foods at present - he especially likes cheese, luncheon and snax water crackers. He pretty much eats anything given to him but prefers sweet stuff - he has a real sweet tooth and enjoys icecream (thanks Nana T!!!), chocolate and marshmellow.

Jude has visitors

Jude has had lots of visitors over the past week - he's had his Nana & Poppa D come on Sunday, he's had his friend from Playgroup come to play twice this week (Jude poked him in the eye and stole his toys the big bully!!!) and he's also had his great grandparents come to visit yesterday.

The above photo was taken after Great Poppa Dick attempted to give Jude water out of a cup - the resulting wet clothing meant the necessity for an outfit change to this bright orange number. Jude looks quite fetching in the colour orange - we think it brings out the natural orange highlights in his hair and the red undertones to his complexion... Just kidding Uncle Jason!!

We're going to have to "Jude Proof" the house soon - or at least the lounge - as Jude was recently caught trying to roll out of the living room and into the hallway - he likes the french doors which enable him to admire his reflection and we think this is why he makes his way towards the doors rather than any serious attempt to escape.

A day in the sun

On Sunday, Jude's Nana & Poppa D came to visit him - it was a beautiful sunny day and we all sat outside and enjoyed the sun - Jude especially as can be seen by this photo.

Jude is cutting another tooth at the top of his mouth at the moment - it hasn't quite broken through but it won't be far away. Hopefully he won't suffer like he did when the first 2 teeth came through. He seems happy enough at present.

I took him to the Plunket nurse yesterday and had him weighed and measured - he now weighs a hefty 8.8kg and is 75cm long (which is in the 75th percentile apparently) and his weight is nearly in the 97th percentile - so on both counts he is doing really well.

One of the ladies at playgroup said that Jude looked like a "bruiser" (in the nicest possible way) so I think he is going to be a big boy. At least he won't be getting the beats from the other kids - he might be the one dishing it out. This thought is confirmed judging by his recent rage issues.

The post holiday fall-out continues...

Today Jude decided that he didn't want to take his morning nap - he thought it would be funny to lie in his cot making quite a kefuffle for 2 hours. Then when Mummy and Daddy had finally had enough and decide that maybe a bottle will help the wilful-one go to sleep, Mr Jude decides that the bottle teat is for chewing on and mashed banana is for spitting all over Daddy's face.

Having said that though - Jude slept pretty well last night - only waking up once to be comforted and then straight back to sleep. He then proceeded to sleep right through until 5.45am whereupon he drank a WHOLE bottle of milk (almost unheard of) and go straight back to sleep until 8.30am, giving his parents a bit of a much needed sleep in.

Mummy has won the battle of wills this time round - Jude is currently sound asleep in his little cot - UNDER the covers.

Jude is looking forward to his Nana & Poppa Dromgool coming to visit tomorrow - he told me that he hopes they will bring him a present and if they don't he will "blank" them. Jude also tells me that he wants Poppa Dromgool to change his nappy tomorrow - I hope he doesn't cook up any nasty surprises as pay-back for the Princess Liar & Mr Puniverse slurs.

Jude on Holiday

Well Hello our fellow Jude lovers.

Well we are back from holiday now and are all relaxed and refreshed..... well kind of. The day we arrived in Christchurch Jude came down with a cold and a bad cough which lasted until yesterday. Poor little bugger was coughing and spluttering all over the place.

He travelled really well on the flights both to and from Christchurch. On the way down he slept for about three quarters of an hour firstly in mums arms and then we laid him down on the spare seat between us. On the way back he stayed awake right until our descent. He kept himself entertained by talking to himself and other passengers until finally crashing out just before landing.

We hired a car for a couple of days and went for day trips to Akaroa and Hanmer Springs. Once again he travelled really well and turned on the charm for all the locals. Weather was fantastic in Akaroa and average in Hanmer Springs but at least we weren't rained on.

Yesterday we took him to an aquarium, he seems to love fish...... maybe a loving in-law will buy him an exotic fish tank with filters, temperature control and 7 different types of exotic fish. We will supply the water and the baby!!!

The people of Christchurch all love our boy now after he cruised the main in his pimped out ride! They didn't get his sense of humour when he talked smack to them though and he just about got the beats from a boy racer baby who was in a lowered moutain buggy with blow out valves.

Anyway bye for now.

I am going on holiday

Mum and Dad have both written blogs and have now said that I can have a turn.

Tomorrow mum and dad have said that they are going to go on holiday, they will be flying in a big aero-buzzer. They said the only way I could go is if I paid my own way. That is a bit mean I reckon because I am only 7 1/2 months old and don't even have a job yet. I am quite clever though and realised that if I packed myself neaty into a suitcase then I could travel free. I have attached the photo to prove that I fit neatly in.
Mum and Dad said that we are going to stay in a flash hotel where I get my own bed, I have promised them that I won't roll onto my tummy and kick my legs between the slats ....... but I probably will.
As we are going overseas I asked Daddy if they speak a foreign language in the south island he said "no". I believe everything that daddy and mummy say. Did you know that Mummy was Princess Leia in Star Wars and Daddy has won three Mr Universe titles....

Anyway I have to go now. I am a very busy baby and have fan mail to return.

Goodbye

Jude

My cot is STILL a plaything

As you can see from this photo Jude STILL thinks that his cot is a place of play rather than sleep and thinks it is quite funny to get into outlandish positions, yell for his parents and then laugh uproariously when they discover him lying like this...

Not much else to report today, so I'll keep it brief... bye for now.

Another update...

Hello all those adoring family and friends who are interested in this website.

Here is a photo of Jude playing with his toys

Jude really enjoyed the two birthday parties he attended over the weekend - yesterday's was a 4th birthday party at McDonalds. He happily sucked on a balloon and ate McDonald's french fries - I think we have a junk food addict on our hands - just like his Mama.

Jude slept through the night last night for the first time in about 2 weeks - thank goodness for that or Mummy would have been a complete right-off today. He slept from 6.30pm to 5.40am - there was NO 1.00am wake-up call for us last night.... we think this could have been because Jude had 5 bottles of milk throughout the day and drank them all right to the very last drop!!!

We also think Jude is sitting up properly by himself now - I got him up this morning and put him on his blanket and he happily sat there playing with his toys - he went to tip backwards once but managed to right himself, so I think we can safely say that he has reached another milestone. I am sure it will take a while for him to get really good at sitting and then it'll be crawling... then walking... then playing soccer with his Daddy no doubt.

My cot is a play thing

Well it's Daddys turn to post today. The boy has still not fallen back into his proper sleep pattern since going onto his bottle. Kerri claims she had to get up at 1am to feed him but I am not too sure as I didn't hear a thing (I gave her the sympathy she was looking for though).

Todays photo is especially for all of those people out there that think he is the most perfect baby in the world. This photo depicts bedtime. What normally happens is that he gets really tired so we put him to bed, we tuck him in nice and tight so that he can have a comfortable sleep. Then we hear the normal grunting and groaning, maybe a little singing. After about 5 minutes we will go and check on him, often we find him in the position detailed above. That is lying across his bed playing with anything he can find and smiling at us.

Today he is off to his cousin's birthday party by Eden Park, might see how he likes it out on the main field. He's going to have to get used to playing on it at some stage. In fact when he makes the Auckland team his Poppa Noel will be so proud he will wear an Auckland rugby jersey, cap and scarf. He will probably also have I love Auckland tatooed on his forehead.

Adios

Better late than never

Here's the latest photo of the boy in motion. Dig the t-shirt????

We are going to be taking Jude on his first "aerobuzzer" trip next Saturday - we are going on a wee holiday to Christchurch for 5 nights and staying in a swanky hotel. I hope it's not too cold way down in the deep south for him (and us!!).

He had quite an unsettled night last night - it must be this daylight savings thing as well as the weaning. He did very well with his bottle drinking today and seems a lot happier for it. Apparently, it's all down to the temperature of the milk - he likes it quite warm.

Jude had his friend Cameron come over today and they played together - so cute - well they drooled and spewed all over their toys anyway. Cameron is only 8 days older than Jude but is sitting up by himself now and holding his own bottle. I hope Jude catches up soon as we don't want another "doongie" on our hands like his father.

MORE they cried...

Ok Ok - I admit it - I've been slack, the reason I haven't updated here lately is because it takes sooooo long to upload the photos... BUT I have been busy taking more photos for your viewing pleasure.

Here is Jude enjoying a marmite toast finger - what a grub!! At one stage the toast was just sticking out of his mouth and he was sucking on it without using his hands. Very funny.

Well, it's official - we may as well say he is weaned as of today. My milk supply has dropped off and so it looks like Jude is going to have to have formula all the way now... I don't think he really likes this prospect, but that's life unfortunately. Can't have a 5 year old still wanting "bitty" now can we?

We are working on the sitting up thing and although he doesn't really sit for very long unassisted - as long as he has a really interesting toy to play with he can be upright for about 1 min. Then he'll just fling himself backwards - I put a tri-pillow behind him for safety. So thanks Nana & Pop Thomas for the UFO toy - he LOVES it!!!

Good Morning

Good morning all - hope you have had a chance to take a look at all the photos of the boy by now. Let me know if there are any photos you want to see and I'll see what I can do (ie: newborn photos etc).

Jude is in the process of being weaned onto a bottle at the moment - not having much luck unfortunately - he takes the bottle but doesn't really drink enough for a full feed. We will just have to persevere.

He has got so energetic now - he rolls, twists and turns in his cot - it's like a 3 ring circus trying to get him to take a nap at the moment - he'll roll onto his tummy, then yell for someone to come and turn him back over (as if he can't roll back himself). Then sometimes we'll go in and he'll be lying sideways at the top of his cot and laughing and kicking the slats. No one warned me that babies did this!!!!

Anyway, here's a photo of Jude in his Tigger sleeping bag - we bought it in desperation as he kept kicking all his blankets off. This was a successful moment where he actually SLEPT.

Now it's Mummy's turn...

This is GI Jude and Daddy - I managed to get a smile out of Jude this time (he is notorious for not smiling whenever the camera is around). It's a pity the same could not be said for Daddy - his smile is a bit woeful.

told you this is a good thing

Kerri suggested that this was dumb and we couldn't load other photo's. She was wrong, but by god she is a good mum.

Just got started

Hello,

I have obviously started a site where we can all enjoy our beautiful son. We will hopefully update the site regularly enough with what the boy has been up to, photos and gossip from Thomasland.

Anyway here is a photo to get you started.