Kate and Andrew Scott

2008 – What a Year!

Tongue out? Check!

Originally uploaded by Kate Scott

So January 1st saw the beginning of 2009, and a chance to reflect on what an amazing year 2008 had been for us. Certainly the biggest change has been the arrivial of the gorgeous Harriet in our lives (and the build up to her arrival) and how that has cascaded through our professional and personal lives. Our amazing little girl has certainly changed our lives for ever, and mainly for the better (we do occasionally miss weekend lie-ins and spur-of-the-moment dinners out).

December was a pretty busy month, with the lead up the Christmas the usual mix of fun and furious shopping. It was lovely to have Harriet to buy gifts for (and gifts from!) although she did add an element of danger to shopping excursions (will she wake up now? will she crack it while we’re in yet another cash register queue?). We had a real Christmas tree in her honour, and enjoyed the scent of the tree and it lit up with lights all through December. We also also bought a somewhat larger than expected Christmas ham from our local butcher (OK this was more for Kate than for Harriet, although because she’s breastfeed Harriet did benefit!). Yes, it was odd writing ‘love from Mum and Dad’ on the Christmas present tags and Harriet really had no idea of what to make of Christmas morning, but we loved having her with us on the big day, and we’re already looking forward to next year when she’s actually aware of what’s going on!

Christmas day was spent with Kate’s family this year, with her aunt and cousins coming down from Sydney to join in the festivities. Harriet was the star attraction and bore up to the cuddles very well, even managing to sleep through Christmas lunch so that Kate and Andrew could enjoy the meal together. Boxing Day saw the whole group at Kate’s brothers’ house for the traditional ham brunch fry-up and we had a lovely day sitting in their backyard and admiring their vegetable garden.

December also saw the expats return to Oz for Christmas and we were lucky enough to catch up with Tall Paul and Cathy while they popped through Melbourne. We also head up to Ballarat for Oliver Hearshaw’s 3rd birthday party, and had our first dinner out without Harriet to attend Elizabeth’s 30th birthday. It was a fantastic night and Harriet was very well behaved for her Grampsand Gran, so much so that they might be talked into sitting for us again :). NYE saw us all up at Elizabeth and Bram’s place where Harriet slept in the bathroom while we BBQ’ed and laughed at the Edinburgh Tattoo; anyone else see the New Zealand marching band and think ‘there really isn’t much to do in NZ is there?”.

For those who would like to know Harriet’s December milestones include:

• Learning to giggle, particularly when Daddy ‘disappears’ or when Mummy kisses her tummy during nappy changes (usually without a nappy in place which has yet to be a problem but will one day have bad repercussions, especially with all that giggling going on).
• Has formed a strong bond with ‘Mr Bird’; her hanging toy.
• Has figured out that she doesn’t have to move her feet to get her hands to move (the existence of her feet remains a total mystery, she has no idea that they are hers so it is may just be that the link has been broken).
• Loves to stick her tongue out and make ‘h’ sounds
• Is getting very vocal in general and loves to ‘talk’, if in the right mood
• Rolls back and forth on her mat
• Loves to play with her rings, although often forgets that she’s holding them
• Loves to eat her hands, preferrably both at once
• Doles out big smiles to her growing fan base.

Our best wishes for 2009 from our family to you and yours!