Cuddles

Cuddle time...

After a tumultuous time that included Chris and Luka having to leave Dili early with a bout of bronchiolitis and a chest infection, leaving mommy behind to work on the parliamentary elections in Timor-Leste - we are finally reunited in Scarborough.  Admittedly it was rough going for a few days as Luka got reacquainted with mommy - and we've been dealing with some separation anxiety every since...however, things are on the mend and we are finally settling in and slowing down.  Here is Luka enjoying his latest scheme: wake up at 05h30 and cry until one of my parents lets me sleep on their chest until 08h00 :)  Bad parenting?  Be my guest, try and resist this....

Much better way to wake up

hi mamma!

Shop'a Thon

Here's a thought - don't take a 4/6 month old shopping in a huge mall for eight hours for pre-departure necessities like work clothes that actually fit and bottles he actually likes.  Alas, this is only one of potentially dozens of life's little lessons that we will still come to learn and accept as we stumble along the way.  I think partly it is our affinity for doing all things together that has us struggle with parting ways to get things done.  Perhaps it has something to do with getting married so young that we never really had separate adult lives, or just the fact that we love each others' company, but yes - we do shop, cook, eat, read, work out and pretty much do everything else together - so it was only natural for us to head off to the mall.  Well, Luka had other plans when he decided that Monday this week would come on Tuesday (we had a fabulous Monday with him btw), and he let the entire Canal Walk Mall in Milnerton north of Cape Town (mind you, a 40+km drive for us rural dwellers).

After throwing a number of tantrums and wanting to feed pretty much non-stop (making trying on nursing bras particularly challenging), we got home and the little dude actually gave us a good nights' rest - Chris put him down with a bottle while I made dinner and said Luka was actually staring at his cot at the end of his feed.  Poor little dude, maybe we'll take turns at the mall next time.

Saturday in Scarbs - RWC and a trip to Cape Point

Another rough day in paradise.  Woke up to watch the Springboks pummel Fiji 49-3 in their Rugby World Cup pool match in the Scarborough Community Hall.  Thanks to the folks who ingeniously set up a projector and sound system we can now walk to our rugby matches and no longer have to drive 8km to Kommetjie (we will miss the pub though).

After the match we hosted a brunch at our place, followed by a visit to Cape Point Nature Reserve where we walked down Olifantsbos to watch the cool kids surf.

Bottle Battle Round #6 - Game, Set and MATCH

Okay, perhaps it is not entirely a fair fight, and yes, it might to a large extent be due only to the fact that we still have a longer attention span than Luka - but, dare I say - we WON one!

Luka and Daddy settling in for a sundowner

On Friday the 16th of September, Luka the Legend and Daddy the Darraigner stepped onto Central Court at 84 Hilltop, Scarborough - for the final match of the Bottle Battle tournament.  Armed with a few solid wins under his belt, Luka may have underestimated the resolve of a father under strict instructions from his beloved wife to 'do or die' (well, it wasn't that dramatic, but not like breastfeeding Luka while I am at work is an option for Chris, so pretty much).

After the initial warm-up shots were tossed around while standing and bouncing in the position most likely to through Luka for a loop - it finally happened - he latched onto that Latex nipple like there was no tomorrow and gulped down the entire feed in what seemed to be a single shot (what came back up from his persistent reflux problem is another problem, and not one only related to this form of feeding).

One cannot but congratulate the challenger for the courage, determination and skill to finally take the title in the Bottle Battle Cup 2011!  (Let's hope mommy fairs equally well in the 'Solids Invitational'.

"See, it's not that bad!"

Glorious Scarborough

Enjoying Mate's on the beach with Elena and Co.

Luka with Auntie Elena

I've written about our amazing seaside village before.  For those of you not familiar with it, Scarborough is situated about 40mins drive south of Cape Town.  As a conservation village we try our best to co-exist with the native Chachma Baboon population, and enjoy gorgeous days on the beach and on the mountainside behind our home.

But it is the people of this place that make it so special.  From the old timers who still live in beach shacks they occupied back in the 1960s and 1970s before there was electricity or roads, to the couple of regularly cook and entertain locals with catering and take out meals, to the South American couple who are like a young set of parents to us all, complete with oversight of the neighborhood watch and most social gatherings.  It is, to put it mildly, a spectacular place.  Here kids still run in the street, skateboard to the beach, dogs run and play off-leash, people warm their homes with wood-fired stoves, neighbors know each other, and television takes a backseat to hikes, beach walks, surfing, and biking.

Our new friends here will be sorely missed when we return to Timor, where our other friends from our other life await us, and whom we are extremely excited to see.

Kids with surfboards.

Local hiking and activities

Everyone who know us know that we love the outdoors.  We love to hike, mountain bike, scuba dive, camp, and pretty much everything else we can do that requires a helmet and a waiver.  Of course, things like mountain biking have taken a momentary backseat with the arrival of Luka, but we are already in the market for a bike trailer for when he finally sorts out this head control business.  Luka has in no way slowed us down considerably though as we have taken him on pretty much daily hikes down to the beach, up the mountain and in our local reserves of Cape Point and Silvermine.  Last weekend we went up into Silvermine to scout out future rock-climbing locales figuring that there is hardly anything better and more wholesome for a little bugger to do than climb rocks with his parents suspended from a harness.  Yes, yes - we realize he has to learn a lot more than simply head control before he can traverse a boulder, but hey - no harm in looking right?

Come on K-T and Jdawg - bring Harper so we can go climbing!

We're Back!

Birds' eye view of Luka in his Ergo Baby on his daily
hike Scarborough beach - 2 August 2011

Well, to say that we have been *busy* might be the understatement of the century!  Since writing last, Luka has jetted off to the UK to attend his mommy's graduation from Oxford, followed by a fabulous trip to gorgeous Edinburgh with uncle Jason and aunt Sarah before they head back to Washington DC.  One of the questions that everyone asks is 'how is Luka with flying' and I am happy to report - he is an expert flyer  - which is a good thing, since we calculated by the time he reaches Timor-Leste in September, he will have flown 70+ hours (too bad he is not eligible for frequent flyer miles yet :)

I will endeavor to update the blog over the next few days with photos (which I will post on the date with which they correspond, so please scroll down to see new photos).

The most important thing is that Luka was at his pediatrician yesterday who is just amazed at his progress and development.
Currents Stats:
5.10kg, or nearly 11lbs4oz.
59cm or 23inches

The doctor was especially surprised at how much he not only smiles, but audibly laughs.  He is also a pretty avid 'talker' now with loads of "cooohs" "Eeeeeew"'s! and some other fabulous shrieks.  Of course, all this voice training has also led to a much more convincing cry!

Please bear with me as I update the photos, and most importantly, enjoy these new precious images of our little man!

Hat's off!

Sporting our cool beach hat on a recent walk on Scarborough's gorgeous beach...