Ground Control to Major Tom

Gidday my groupies,

Here is a picture of me designing a new mask for trips into outer space. I was asked to do this by Mr Richard Branson esq. He is a man that I have a great deal of respect for as he has flown in a balloon.

Anyway dad wouldn't buy me all of the equipment that I require so what you see in the picture has been fashioned from a burger rings bag, 6 match sticks, saliva from mongi's tongue and mum's sock. The parental units were amazed at what I did although dad did put a bit of a damper on it all when he suggested that I could just use the tupperware bowl from the cupboard. Well fudge him, doesn't he know that tupperware is affected by minute solar particles that are especially prevelant near Alpha Centuri.

I have been having lots of fun recently. The idea of walking has been a real winner. I love going out to malls now as I can get out of my stroller and chase pretty ladies. I am very good in stores and don't touch anything that I am not allowed to. My favourite store is Whitcoulls at Botany Downs shopping centre. They have got a little play area especially designed for me.

I have also included the following picture to prove that I do not have ginger hair.

As you can all tell, my hair is a fine blonde. The blonde hair of an angel...... at times a misguided angel but an angel none the less. I reckon I look like James Dean here.

The one thing that I long for in this world is a little brother or sister............

J.E.T

I am a dream boat

Hello everybody,

Here I am on a cold winter's day dressed in colour co-ordinated leiderhosen from Gucci kids wear. As you can see I am an absolute dream boat. I am facing some fairly serious issues when we go out now. The female species find me irresistable. They want to shower me with gifts, they swoon, they want to kiss me, they want me to sire their children and quite often they just simply want to get close enough to sniff "eau de Jude". Quite frankly I am sick of it, I just want to hang out with the boys, have a nice quiet ribena and watch the Wiggles.

I have been a very good boy recently. I have found where mummy keeps the tissues so I help her out by grabbing a couple, spitting on them and rubbing dirty surfaces. I do this to keep away the germs. They seem to lurk everywhere. Mum always points out where they are when I go to touch certain things. For example, did you know the toilet has germs, the rubbish bin has germs, girls have germs, Arnold Schwarzenegger has germs and Mr Winky has germs?

Tomorrow I have a busy day planned. I am going to rid the world of "funny" people.

Bye
J.E.T

King of the Dwarves

I noticed that Mummy said that Daddy will probably post a stupid blog. Well I am insulted by this so called mother of mine. It is I who place the good posts on this blog, not some half wit ghost writer answering to the name of Dad. I mean what sort of imbecile has a one syllable name (and before you ask my name is pronounced Jew - Dae, two syllables).

Anyway now onto more serious matters. Many of you would not know this but I am in fact Jude - King of the Dwarves. This photo proves it. Every morning I get a special telecast of my minions sent into me so that I can overview their daily activities. This picture gives you an understanding of my life. I get up and view what the crazy little buggers have been up to. Most days it is normal dwarvish behaviour - being shot from cannons, tossed by Eastern European women and being used as weird footstools. There is only the odd occasion when I have to weild my power due to poor behaviour. I will not stand for dwarves carrying hammers or chasing cars that is just not on.

I have to get off here now as Daddy wants to play games. A small update on my life.... I have successfully grown a rash, no mean feat I tell you. I bet you can't, but that is just because you suck and I rule..... the dwarves.

By all and long live the little people.

J.E.T

Do you like my pozzie?

Here is Jude getting as close as he is allowed to the TV and the heater. No doubt his balloon would have "found" its way between the two forbidden items and so Jude would have just been reclaiming it... yeah right. He also dies his hair ginger for the ladies.

Jude has had tonsillitis for the last week and has been on antibiotics which have resulted in a nasty rash on his upper carcass. The poor little boy is probably teething as well, so was possibly in a fair amount of discomfort. Luckily he is on the mend now and gets to go to daycare again tomorrow for "The Big Play-Time".

Jude has been working hard for the last 14 months and was just able to save enough money for a card featuring an orangutan (why I ask you why?) and a box of Roses chocolates for Mothers Day. He brought them in to Mummy's bedroom himself but refused to hand over the goods.

Jude visited with his Nana & Poppa Dromgool in the weekend and although it was Mummy's birthday, he still managed to steal her thunder and score himself a few pressies. He received some buzzy bee gumboots (perfect for stomping around outside), a beautiful knitted jumper and some other clothing items and a penguin finger puppet.


Uncle Jeremy & Aunty Debs sent Mummy a Little Britain birthday card that "talks". Here is a photo of Jude enjoying the aforementioned card. He will sit there for ages opening and closing it - all Mummy hears is "yeah but no, but yeah but no". He thinks it's wonderful (and Mummy thought it was pretty funny too).

Well that's all for now. No doubt Daddy will be along soon to put some more ridiculous clap-trap on Jude's blog. Please forgive him in advance.

You make me feel like dancin'...

...gonna dance the night away.

Boy that kid sure can trot out some garbage. Can't even talk yet but can type the hind leg off a donkey.

Here is Jude dancing with Great-Nana Baron in the background just enjoying the show. Jude has just learned how to "krump". It's all the rage in the US and I must admit he's pretty good at it. He gets that little booty shakin'!!!

I love Stools

I love my Mummy a lot. I love her because she bought me this table and stool set. As you can see from it's chic lines and kitsch paint work, it is the top of the range K3000 table and stool set. This baby has all the bells and whistles. Daddy doesn't buy me much as he is tighter than a snapper's ....... Daddy just told me that I can't use that word. He is an ..... Daddy just told me that I am not allowed to use that word again.

This table is such fun. I can sit here and draw pictures, play with play doh and just think about how great life is. Like everything though there is a dark side to this deluxe table and stool set. As the hunkahunka burning lurve Margaret Perrin once said "I don't like dark-sided things". From time to time the stool turns on me and the following happens:-

At these times it turns from a wonderful piece of engineering into something spawned from Satan's ......... Daddy reminded me that I am not allowed to say that word again. I had to put $1 in the swear-jar.

Today Mum and Dad took me to see some animals at Butterfly Creek. It was pretty cool. I patted some rabbits, saw some ducks, an alpaca, some Kunekune pigs and some guinea pigs.

I bid you adieu again.

Jude

I like to point

Lets get to the point..... I like to point.

The correct technique for getting the perfect point is shown above. It has taken me several months to get this right but the technique is as follows.... you must raise the thumb, straighten the index finger and make a loose fist with the remaining three fingers. At the same time you have to make a crazy exclaimation such as "aaaahhhhiiiiiaaaaa".
Now you try it.

Nana Thomas you don't quite have it right. Extend the thumb (think about how Hamish Carter would do it)...... there we go, perfect.
Nana Dromgool you are close but you are using the right hand, try again. You are still using the right hand. That's better - pointing is best done with the left hand only.
Great-Poppa Baron you are my idol but really that is a pretty poor attempt. The exclaimation has to be "aaaahhhhiiiiiaaaaa" not "piffle, piffle, piffle".
Uncle Jeremy, let's not even try, you will probably break something!!

Onto another subject now. I have given up crawling, I think that it is a complete waste of my time and energy. My main mode of transport is now something commonly known as "the walk". It is a very efficient and a quick way to get around. I use it to catch the cat unawares, creep up on Mummy and Daddy, fetch the mail in the mornings and mine coal from the tunnel in the back yard.

I am enjoying my daycare on Wednesdays. They feed me lots of food and I get a break from the olds. They can be so overbearing sometimes - don't touch this, stay away from that. Who do they think they are? it's not like I ever asked to be born.

Enough from me, I am going to bed.

JET

Two TV Addicts

Here's Jude and his friend Cameron watching The Muppet Show.

Jude's walking has been really good today - he has pretty much tottered around on his pins all day and is getting steadier and steadier.

He has had a cold every week since starting daycare and now Mummy has caught it too - the joys of public childcare I guess.

Anyway, not much else to report - Jude has been drawing pictures with his new crayons and fell over holding his sippy cup yesterday and cut his eyelid with his fingernail and it's a bit puffy and bruised-looking. I should have taken him to the Ascot Hospital just up the road and maybe we would have seen Keith Richards...

I rule

As I rule and Mummy does not I command you to ignore her comment that instructed you to ignore my last blog.

Power to the gings!!!!

Thomas had been shunting all day

Please disregard the previous post. Jude's father is being a moron.

Here is Jude enjoying his first ride on Thomas the Tank Engine. He had a huge smile on his face the whole time and enjoyed pointing with his finger.

Not much else to report except the walking is coming along nicely - he teeters and totters all over the place. We had a big play-time with Playdoh yesterday - I think Mummy & Daddy had more fun than Jude. We had to fish small pieces of Playdoh from his mouth every now and then, but no casualties were reported.

Jude is off to day-care again today - no doubt there will be finger painting, sandpit playing and NO SLEEPING.

TTFN

Mere Mortals

Hello Mere Mortals,

I have snuck into the computer room whilst mummy and daddy are watching televsion downstairs. I don't know what they are watching, probably something that I am not interested in that appeals to the intellect of a poorly educated snail from Reading.

Anyway I am going to take the oppurtunity to say what I really think. As you can see from this picture I am having a few issues with that stupid table in the middle of our lounge. I am cruising along on my trusty shanks and this thing always gets in the way. I am planning to put all the love letters that mum has written to dad (and there are lots of them) under this cursed hunk of wood and put a flame to it. Today I managed to rub some playdoh into its surface and I smashed the remote control into the top a few times. I think it knows whose bee-atch it is!!

I have had a lot of visitors recently which is good because, quite frankly, my parents are morons. Just this morning Dad asked Mum if she would like a cup of tea. Mum said "yes"...... moron. If you don't understand then you are a Moron too.

I have got a few more words now (I write much better than I speak). Just yesterday I was waving goodbye to cars in a carpark and saying "bye" to all those inside the vehicles. You may wonder why? Well it is all part of my cunning plan to lure Stephen Hawking and Bono into the same room. I am then going to bring one of my big plans to fruition. That is a role swap between the two clowns. Bono will end up as a wisened spectacled fool in an electronic cart and Stephen Hawking will become the preaching front man of a washed up rock band. He will certainly attract the ladies.

Tomorrow I am off to daycare. This is an oppurtunity that I have to grow and develop into an upstanding member of our community. It is really like parliament, I get to scream at other people, get feed four big meals during the day and I get to finger paint. You may question whether they finger paint in parliament...... well next time you see Helen Clark on tele have a look at those claws she calls fingers. Under the nails you will see little bits of play doh and over 14 different shades of water based finger paint.

I am going to sneak back into bed now. It looks like the fools have finished watching tele. Dad will do his usual pre-bed activity of coming to check on me and then tucking me in. Well I better go and pretend I am asleep.

Good bye Mortals.

"Give Me Chocolate or Give Me Death"

Mmmmmm chocolate...

Jude likes Easter. Easter means chocolate and chocolate is gooooood. The photos do not fully illustrate the shaking little hands as he attempted to unwrap the Easter Egg though. Very Uncle Jeremyesque!!

The walking is still happening. It hasn't got any better or more frequent sadly. Who told me that once they took their first steps then it was all go? Well whoever it was - you were wrong.

Jude has had another pre-molar come through - that makes 10 teeth in total now. After all, he needed some extra help to chew up all that chocolate....

Well, we hope you all had a nice Easter break and ate plenty of fattening goodies (for the record - only ONE set of Nanas & Poppas provided an Easter Egg for Jude this year - in fact, ONE set of Nanas & Poppas only bought Jude tomatoes - I mean, what's with that? TOMATOES?????!!!honestly who eats tomatoes??? they are the devil's own food....).

An evil presence lurks...

............................. who is this moustachioed man in the white shirt?

Anyway, enough of that - Jude has been a very naughty boy and has been caught putting weird blogs on this website again. He has forthwith been banned from touching the computer. He has also been sentenced to 9 strokes of the rattan cane.

Right - back to reality. Jude enjoyed his first day of daycare on Wednesday. He came home covered in blue paint and sand. He had had an absolute ball apparently and the ladies all said that he could stay on full-time as he was such an easy-going child. Yeah right. He was so tired (after refusing to have his afternoon nap) that he fell asleep while drinking his milk.

Jude took 4-5 steps yesterday while Mummy was talking on the phone. We have been trying to get him to do it again but alas, he will only do 2-3 steps before tottering over. Still, I am sure he is on the veritable verge of walking and it will only be a matter of days (I realise I have been saying this for the last 6 weeks, but this time I am SURE I am right). Maybe one day he will even walk better than wobbly Nana Robyn?

My humble servants

My humble servants, I am preaching to you today on the subject of poverty in third world countries. Listen carefully as the words that will come from my mouth will provide you with the guidence and knowledge to help you live a fulfilling life.

I have a dream, a dream that one day there will be no poverty in this world, a dream that one day the world will live in peaceful harmony, a dream that........ wait a second Dad has told me to get off my damn soap box. He has also told me that I am starting to sound like Bono from U2 which scares me a little as Bono is really just a long haired freak with a microphone.

Dad has told me that I can save my ravings on world poverty for another time and that I should really tell you about stuff that I have been up to.

Well I haven't been up to anything this week.

Good bye.

Jude "The Transgressor" Thomas

Respect my authority

Yes that is right, I have become a sworn officer of the law. Have you seen the motto "To serve and Protect"?
Well I have given this motto some thought and quite frankly if you think I am here to serve or protect you then you can kiss my little pink butt. I will say this once only and you had better listen up...... You WILL respect my authority. You will give me what I want when I want it or there will be trouble.

I have just returned from taking Mum and Dad on a one week holiday to Taupo, Rotorua and Hamilton. When my Mum and Dad went out I stayed at home and looked after my Nanas and Poppas. They are getting old you know and they need someone to stay with them to make sure they are fed, diapered and put to bed at a reasonable hour.

Some interesting things have been happening in my life recently. I have worked out how to stand unaided and that I can take a few little steps to move myself along - but enough of that rubbish. The most important thing that I have learnt recently is that it is really funny to smash stuff into Daddy until he cries. There is nothing better than seeing a grown man brought to tears by a 2 foot creature weilding a plastic walking frame.

This coming week will see me go into daycare for one day. I am really looking forward to it. I will be taking my mini-handcuffs, wearing full police uniform and of course I will be taking my baton. Those other little kids will fell the full force of "Jude The Merciless".

Anyway my dad said that I should say something nice about other people on here, but why the hell should I listen to him? He needs to listen to me and respect my authority. I am going to go and find the cat and teach her a lesson - now where's my baton.....

Jude

Achtung all Nanas & Poppas!!!

Look out you Nanas & Poppas - I'm coming!!!!

Yep, that's right, Team Thomas are heading your way. Put all your breakables away and even the stuff you would never dream could be broken... Jude will get it.

We are off to Hamilton tonight and then Rotorua the next day for Daddy to do a bike ride to Taupo. Then it's a few days leisure (yeah right) in Rotorua before heading back to Hamilton.

Jude enjoyed his day with Great Nana & Poppa Baron yesterday - as you can see from the photo, Jude thought he was a little tiny baby again and demanded to be bottle fed on Great Poppa Dick's lap. Poppa Dick didn't seem to mind too much. But look at those loooooong legs - do they go all the way up? (Jude not Poppa Dick).

Adios amigos (for now).
Team Thomas

Please lift your Kaftan

Well hello everybody,

Here I am outside at my new house. I quite often come out here to inspect the rocks. I pick them up, check them to ensure they are the type of rock that is worthy of being in my garden and then I throw them away. You may ask why I do this, well the answer is obvious and if you can't figure it out without me telling you then you are obviously an idiot.

I am getting pretty adventurous with standing by myself. I can now stand unaided for about 30 seconds. The problem is that when I realise that I am standing it becomes very hard and I fall over. You may think that this is a strange phenomena coming from a person as bright as what I am but I bet that you have never tried standing and thinking at the same time. Give it a go sometime and see how long you last!!

Some other exciting news...... I have learnt a few new words. That four legged grey and white beast that taunts me is called a tat, the plastic thing full of water that Mum and Dad throw me in is a bar and those crazy dudes in the glass box that talk to me are the gggggg's.

I guess I had better go now as Mum wants to get on the computer. She always wants the things that I have, for example, I can't go for two hours without her stealing my nappy.

Anyway, I am going to go and sleep now, you bore me.

J.E.T

I am not an animal...

...I'm a human being.

This lovely photo was taken of Jude yesterday while he was having a right old good-time playing peek-a-boo with Mummy and the security gate at the top of our stairs. I think he thought he was pretty clever in "locking" Mummy out.

Well, Jude is now finally over his gastro bug (which incidentally took about a week to clear up totally and was kindly passed on to both Mummy and Daddy - Daddy actually said the words "I think I'm dying"). Jude decided that he didn't want his tea at all last night, which is completely unheard of for our little piggie. Needless to say, he awoke at the ungodly hour of 5.57am this morning screaming for milk and his weetbix.

Jude loves the new house. He loves climbing the stairs, playing in all the kitchen drawers and chasing the cat (who, for some reason, has got quite brave around him and will tolerate being in the same room as long as her tail is left alone - highly unlikely!!).

Jude has a new passion in his life - BATHS!!! No longer will Mummy & Daddy be allowed to get away with "oh, he won't need a bath tonight" - oh no - Mr Jude MUST have his bath every night and every chance he gets, he's in the bathroom throwing his toys into the bath in the hopes that Mummy or Daddy might just give in and run one for him...

Jude also has 9 teeth now - the latest being a bottom molar. Still no signs of walking yet - well, that's a lie - there ARE signs of walking, he just doesn't want to do it yet. He will stand for seconds not holding on to anything until he realises and then promptly sits down with a bump.

Well, that's all for now folks. Here's another photo of our cutie for your viewing pleasure.

Absolute Rot

After some of the previous blogs that I have posted, Mum said that I wasn't allowed to write anything that was absolute rot. Everything that I have to write has to be informative and factual so as to give my fans something interesting to read.

Well just like most days, I am going to defy my mother. Today I will write about my perfect world.

In my perfect world Mongie would stay still long enough for me to "pat" her, I would be able to throw my food wherever I liked, all of my food would be made of chocolate, I would be allowed into whichever drawer I wanted, no-one would ever be allowed to eat in front of me, Stephen Hawking would choke on a mushroom and die, Cameron and I would take over the world, it would be legal to beat the crap out of my parents, the Wiggles would be real people not just strange pictures stuck in a glass cage, I would never have to go to bed, Daddy would let me drive the car, people would stop sticking plastic boxes that flash in my face in front of me and Nathan from hi-5 would stop taking himself so seriously.

Anyway I am going to go off and squeeze off a length in my nap.

J.E.T

PS. I am not well today - I spewed twice in my bed last night and have a tummy-bug according to the doctor.

It's my Birthday

This is me on my Birthday proper. For those of you that don't remember, this is me after I came out of Mummy's tummy.

As you can see I am a very smart little boy as I have been able to get really big in a short period of time. No one else can do that (apart from Uncle Jason).

I enjoyed my birthday a lot, I had all of my friends and family around on Saturday and on my birthday proper Mummy and Daddy took me to the beach. I crawled around the whole beach, found lots of shells, studied them and then threw away the ones that didn't meet my standards.

I was very impressed by the fish cake that mummy made me, it looked like a real fish. I was also really impressed by the presents I got. I got lots of clothes, lots of toys and lots of money.

Now to more important things. I am planning my year ahead, this year I will do some magic tricks for you. I will walk on two legs, I will use some real words, I will grow loads of blonde hair, I will write a three thousand word novel and I will probably be signed up as a young professional at Everton Football club.

Anyway, everyone can buy me lots of things...... its all about me me and more me.

Jude

Mr Independent

Here is Jude at Orewa Beach - he is wearing speedos.

Jude went to his friend Cameron's birthday yesterday and was far more interested in the helium filled balloons and stuffing whole marmite sandwiches into his mouth than he was in playing with Cameron.

Jude now has 8 teeth - they just keep popping up!! He can also stand for a couple of seconds without holding on to anything. I think that walking is still a few weeks away yet, so sadly I don't think he will be toddling around for his 1st birthday.

Jude likes to feed himself now. He MUST have a spoon in his hand at all times, which sometimes gets dipped in the bowl of food or sometimes it is just rubbed through his hair or flicked onto Mummy. Feeding time is soooo much fun now.

Oh-o!!!

Jude just couldn't resist getting his little paws on a shiny can - shiny cans that Mummy and Daddy drink out of all the time, so I guess he's wondering why can't he? Probably because he needs to wait another 17 years before he is allowed to have a shiny can of his own... and don't worry Nana Vic - the can IS empty!!

Well, update time - Jude has had a 7th tooth come through with minimal fuss. His 1st birthday is now only 19 sleeps away. But the birthday PARTY itself won't be held until the following Saturday 4th March. He is going to his Little Friend from Playgroup's 1st birthday party on 19th February to get him "in the mood".

Jude likes to "feed" Mummy and Daddy stuff - like blocks, pieces of his own munched up and spat out food and his feet. Of course Mummy and Daddy refuse all offered items (although the little chubby feet are pretty tempting...). He has also become increasingly violent - if you happen to be lying on the floor, he will come along and sit on your head while pulling your hair and giving out "love pats", which in fact, are incredibly painful.

He absolutely LOVES his Wiggles DVD and we watch it about 20 times a day... Mummy knows all the songs by heart now. Very sad. In the morning Hi-5 is very popular. He especially likes to dance and I believe Nana & Poppa Dromgool have video footage of this dancing. I think we have a rock star in the making.

I took him swimming at the local pool yesterday. He absolutely loved it. He was kicking and splashing like a pro and laughing and yelling for all to look at him. I will try and take him once a week from now on and perhaps do some swimming lessons with him at some point.

Cutie-pie

Here is Jude at his cutest. He's hiding down behind the sofa trying to play peek-a-boo with Mummy and her camera.

I found Jude "head down, tail up" with legs waving in the air in his toy box yesterday - unfortunately I had to rush to help him to avoid permanent abdominal injury, so sadly no photo was taken. It was pretty funny though.

Not much else to report other than that he is definitely getting more and more confident on his feet and I don't think it'll be too long before he is actually walking (if he isn't too lazy). I've been encouraging the use of his walker, which he does manage to push along the ground - but only on his knees.

Also, some more teeth could be making an appearance soon and we think he also says "Dada" relatively often.

The countdown is on to his 1st birthday - only 28 more days to go...

Relaxin' in the Park

This photo was taken the other day when Jude and his Little Friend from playgroup went to Cornwall Park. Jude decided that chasing pigeons and trying to eat someone's old chewing gum was VERY tiring and "took five" to recharge his batteries.

Look Uncle Jez & Aunty Debs - he is wearing the Welsh rugby jersey that he got for Christmas from you. Doesn't he look so cute in it?

The latest on Jude's development is that he can stand quite steadily against stuff, cruise furniture, stand in his cot (and get himself down again - thank goodness) and he loves to stand at the french doors looking out at Mongie the cat and anything else of interest outside.

Also, the posting of stuff through the cat flap has reached an all time high - he has learnt how to unlock the front cat flap and post his toys through. He still prefers the recycling to go through the back catflap and an empty milk powder container was rolling around the backyard for about 2 days before I discovered it.

I am a Giant Ratbag

Here is me with my Pop Art. He will not like me very much after putting his photo all over the internet. I'm willing to take that risk.

My Mummy says that I have turned into a giant ratbag. I am not sure what she means as I believe I am a very helpful little boy. I tidy up by putting all the recycling through the cat flap - this means Mummy doesn't have to take it out to the rubbish bin. This is helping.

I must admit that do I get myself into terrible predicaments though - like the other day when I wanted to watch a DVD - well, I went to the cubbyhole to get one down and then my head got stuck. I yelled and yelled for help and all I could hear was laughter... when Mummy finally rescued me, I decided I didn't want to watch a DVD anymore. Then there was the time I was in my cot and I decided I needed to stand up and sing for a few minutes. Then I forgot how to sit down again. Quite the kefuffle!!

Noddy is my new best friend. He gets kisses and cuddles from me all the time. My parents want me to kiss and cuddle THEM but I just remember all the times that I have heard laughter and I go and hide Daddy's remote just that little bit better.

Well, better go and create more mischief - I might go and pull the head off my "The Simpsons" Stephen Hawkings figurine...

Jude

Idle Youth?

I like to play Playstation with my Daddy - I wish he'd give me the controller. We like to play all sorts of games together. On playstation we play boxing, on the ground I use him as a jungle gym and with mummy my favourite game is peekaboo (not peeboos) and being swung around by my arms.

I also like to spread all of my toys around the lounge. For all of you babies out there wanting tips on how to go places you aren't allowed, here is my suggestion. Push your favourite toy towards the place you aren't allowed to go, do a pseudo uncontrolled swipe at the toy so that it goes into the area where you aren't allowed to go then just be a good baby and collect your toy. Simple.

I have figured out the debate about who ate the snail. It is obvious, there are only two real suspects..... the French and Stephen Hawking. Now I can't imagine Stevo (as I call him) hopping out of his electric carriage and using his little frail arms to pick up a snail. That leaves only one solution. Neither Kerri or Jeremy ate the snail...... the French did it, they do everything. I do believe that they also created the question mark.

I have had lots of visitors this week, Nanna & Poppa Thomas, Nanna & Poppa Baron, kind of Uncle Dean & Aunty Shona and my buddy from play group (Mr X). They all wanted my autograph but Mum hid all the pens which I thought was a bit cruel. Speaking of hiding things, I have done something really funny. I have hidden Daddies TV remote. He has been looking for it everywhere but he won't find it, I am far too clever for him. I find it quite amusing when he is searching high and low for it, he better think twice about taking things off me again.

I am going to go now as there is a smell wafting up for the depths of my nappy and whilst I would like to keep it there, I think that Mum wants to remove it.

Jude "The Animal" Thomas

And it's all go!!!

Whew, it looks like that Stephen bloke has finally gone... so now on to more important things...

Here is a photo of Cute Jude having just pulled himself on to the couch. There will be no stopping him now - he's all go and can pretty much cruise around at will. I caught him completely ripping apart my magazine yesterday (hadn't even read it yet).

Unfortunately he has also learnt how to pull himself to standing in his cot, but hasn't quite managed how to get down again. So he will just stand there clutching the sides of the cot and yelling for someone to come and help him. It would be pathetic if it weren't so funny.

We took him back to Orewa beach on Sunday and he actually went in the water with Daddy first and then Mummy - by the time Mummy took him into the water he was quite used to it and would sit down every time a little wave came. He even ate some sand - gotta be done I suppose but the worrying thing is that he actually seemed to like it.

Well that's all for now folks - I've had to put him in his exersaucer to keep him out of trouble - he's just discovered how to open kitchen drawers and how to kill ants. Lordy.

Surprise Surprise

Who is this Cute Jude anyway?

The 5-Trick Pony

Jude now has a few more tricks to add to his repetoire. He can now (on demand):-

1. Clap hands
2. Touch his nose when asked to
3. Pull himself up to standing on furniture/vaccum cleaner/mummy
4. Say "Mama"
5. Wave good-bye

Jude looks pretty pleased with himself in the above photo. He is having his first ever swing at Hamilton Lake and he even managed to get the swing going by himself. We think he looks like a little old man in his polo shirt, sandals and towelling sun-hat. He is the spitting image of Great Poppa Baron... well he looks like an old man anyway.

The Furber method is working for Jude after being spoilt rotten at his Nana & Poppas' houses over the Christmas break. We are happy to say that he is now back into his sleeping routines and does NOT require milk at 4.30am!!!

We took Jude for his first swim in his new paddling pool (thanks Nan & Pop Thomas) the other day. He didn't like being dunked under too much and it was a bit cold, but all in all he enjoyed it even though he had shrinkage.

We bid you adieu.

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.