Tooth

Just the other day Jenna cut her first tooth. This is exciting - I love being a Dad !

What if The Lord of the Rings was written by ...

I stumbled across this site which includes a comic based on the LOTR movies, it is titled the The DM of the Rings.
I just wanted to blog about it so that if I am ever bored I can find it again. Needless to say it appears to have been a work of many months - and I've only read bits, but it has made me smile.

"Imagine a gaggle of modern hack-n-slash roleplayers who had somehow never been exposed to the original Tolkien mythos, and then imagine taking those players and trying to introduce them to Tolkien via a D&D campaign."

My Wife

I have not written about my wife very much, and wanted to take a few minutes to say how much I love her.
It seems strange how over a long period of time your children grow up day by day, and you don't notice; and then one day you realise just how much they have changed. Well I think the same applies is marriage. Looking back over the last 7 years since we met it is amazing to think how much closer we are, how much we have invested in each other, and how much we have collectively gained.
In the Bible it talks about cleaving unto one another - becoming one. I feel that Katie is just another part of me. I always look forward to sharing my life with her, time together, or shared experiences when we are apart.
I found this quote which I have modified:
"A [Spouse] is one who knows who you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still gently [encourages] you to grow."
- William Shakespeare [+ Alan]

Durdle Door

I was looking for pictures of places I spent my youth and found this of Durdle Door which I think is just great. To be honest I've only been down to the spot where the photographer took this shot... and there ain't much of a beach.

I'm getting a SINKing feeling...

During our Holiday, space in the car was at a premium, so the baby bath stayed at home (however we seemed to have brought everything else). Jenna was the only one who got a bath during the week, and that was in the sink. This is what memories are made of.

(Please note that the bathroom was not steamy, but that I have added the 'soft focus' which provides lots of privacy)

There it is!

Katie did seem to snap a picture of a real smile, But I'm thinking... that Jenna is thinking of something else? (wind)

Smile but wind

Today Jenna has tried smiling with no assistance from the wind.

This was not it, but she's only learning and I'm sure we'll catch it on film soon.

Who do we look like ?

The Snowball Effect

Life used to be quite laid back. Now things are moving ever faster and faster. The world is changing and although we should keep up to speed, I am a little worried that we (personally, as a nation and global culture) may be racing to a destination not of our choosing.

My thought for the day.

Quotes from my family

Leah
On the way to school the other day Leah waved and said thanks to the car driver that stopped as we crossed the road, and then shouted up at a guy painting a house "Good Job, Good painting!"

Jenna
We have been using the Supper Nanny naughty step approach to discipline. This involves a time out for 1 minute for each Year of your Age. I noted that for Jenna, excessive crying will mean approx. 5 seconds in the naughty cot.

Amber
Today Amber has done loads of jobs around the house. I told her that a job that really needed doing was to sweep under the table. She said "Mum's going to give me two stickers for this". She is so motivated by stickers - but I think that is a front, she just wants to be useful.

We love them all.

Moving Pictures

Jenna on my Lap, in the hospital about 30 minuites old.

Where it all began.

I found this picture looking at a group of photos about Bournemouth
This is the location in the lower Bournemouth gardens just outside the pavillion, where on the 15th December 2000, I got down on one knee, asked Katie to marry me and serenaded her.
Garden River

What a lovely picture. Not sure why I can't link it to the blog!

Jenna Louise Cottrell

Born at 1:12pm , Monday 21st May 2007. Weight 7lbs 3oz (33cm head!), length unknown.



I have posted some photos to my flickr site, here is one of them.
This is her first pose, and she has not made much noise, she fed straight away, even before the cord was cut (by me) and she looks like she will be a good sleeper.
We have fallen in love with her already - just like her older sisters.

5 Days late

We think the baby is comming. Mum is on the way to take the kids to school, and then I'll take Katie to the Hospital.

10 Days Later

It has been 10 Days since the last baby update, Katie had written a long email about our recent trip to the hospital... and I have decided to start my Parernity Leave from tommorrow anyway.
We are still waiting, but to be honest the due date is not until the 16th - so it's not like it's late is it.

Countdown to Birth

We have been on alert Since Sunday Morning, because Katie thought the labour was starting. At about 4am she was woken with some very strong and long contractions - and she had several over a 2 hour period - so she woke me up to put me on stand-by, but then it all stopped. That was 5 days ago.
On Tuesday afternoon Katie called me to say that she wasn't having contractions but she felt very much how she felt immediately prior to the Labour with Leah. That was 3 days ago.
Every afternoon and morning Katie has been having a series of contractions - but still no Labour and no Baby. The due day is still 12 days to go.
Leah has her Bouncy Castle Birthday party tomorrow - so Let's hope the baby doesn't crash the party - but I would be great to have our new arrival this weekend.

These Pictures were taken on Sunday the 24th April at a Country Park - Katie is even bigger now but still as much fun.
I Love her very much and I'm getting really excited about the new baby - and I've almost caught up with Katie on the preparation.

Tooth 2

Oh... and shortly after my last 'tooth' blog, Leah managed to loose tooth number two. She now has two bottom teeth missing, and the teeth either side are also wobbly.
She is not the only one in her class to have lost a tooth, but I think she is ahead of the game with the size of her Gap.

Improve your public speaking

At lunchtime today I went to the Chaseside speakers club, part of Toastmasters International
It was good to be able to see others deliver 'talks/speeches' for the purpose of practice, critique & improvement.
I may very well join the luchtime club which meets every couple of weeks during a lunch hour.

Wave towards Hengistbury Head

At work there was a Photography competition
The winner was 'Michael Pechey' and the photograph was posted with this narrative "...photograph taken in January, of a wave breaking on the beach with a view towards Hengistbury Head and on to the Isle of Wight."


I love living in Bournemouth and near the Sea. Roll on the Summer, and going to the beach, forest and Camping. We Love Camping. Do you Like Camping?

Smile...

Smile...
Originally uploaded by adcottrellski.

Leah has lost a tooth.
Yes - today Leah was in tears because her tooth was hurting, it was wobbly. She is not yet 5. This evening, her tooth fell out.

I found the following on the internet: "At between six and ten months of age, most infants begin to get their baby teeth. The central Incisors (front middle teeth)usually come in first, and then teeth begin appearing on either side and work their way back to the second molars. By the time a child has reached three years old, most of the baby teeth should be present. The process begins to repeat itself when the child is about seven years old." [emphysis added]

Smile...
Originally uploaded by adcottrellski.

Some other sites gave more encouraging advice (It also looks like the new teeth are just below the surface.), but Leah may be without some teeth for the next few years... she's so grown up :o)

NB: This is the first picture I got when I asked Leah to pose for a photo of her missing tooth.

Hilton, Frankfurt

The hotel was very nice. This is the view from inside the hotel entrance looking up at the lifts. These are cool because you can see where they are, and when you are in them you can see down into the entrance hall.
Last night a piano player near the bar could be heard from inside my room on the 2nd floor.

Freecycle & Deutchland

I have been busy connecting with lots of people in our local community of freecyclers.

This was my post last night - and now it's all gone or going to a new home :o)

To: poole-freecycle@yahoogroups.com
Date: 12-Mar-2007 20:33
subject:OFFER (BH10): Shed, Blinds, plus more...

All ready and waiting in Ensbury Park (BH10 4HG)

[1] Shed 4'x6' dismantled shed.
[2] Blinds - wood effect, 2 x 2' wide & 1 x 6' wide
[3] PC Monitor (works, but going a bit dim)
[4] TV Unit, space for DVD/Video, a draw underneath and shelves to the side - needs a clean up.
[5] All-in-one Scanner/photocopier/printer
(a DELL A920, but is basically a Lexmark x1270 - you will need a USB cable, but I've got all the drivers and even a thick help manual.(It wasn't working with my own refilled Tesco cartridges, but even assuming that you can't fix the printing, this unit can still be used as a very good scanner (including text recognition, and even a fax machine I believe.)
[6] Cannon Star Writer (This is a a word processor with built in printer - includes manuals)

Regards,
Alan

And I'm off at 5:45 in the morning to Germany for a couple of days hard work (or at least lots of travel). I'm glad that I live close to work, and even work from home sometimes. When I was single I saught oppertunitiers to travel as part of my Job, but I am glad that travel is now limited. I will miss my family, but look forward to a long telephone call from Katie all free of charge due to our TalkTalk Talk3 International & Free broadband deal.

The mind of a four year old - Pregnancy

The following conversation happened at the dinner table on Monday.

LEAH: Mum, when you eat your food I can see your tummy get fatter.
KATIE: (chuckles) Really?!
ALAN: Leah, what happens when you eat your food?
[Leah gives Alan a steady look... Alan continues]
Does your tummy get fatter?
LEAH: Of course not.
ALAN: Why not?
[Leah gives Alan a look, while raising her eyebrow which says "don't you know anything?"]
LEAH: I haven't got a baby in my tummy!

This also reminded me of the day I told the girls that Katie was expecting - and that she was feeling quite ill. I said that when we got home Katie might be asleep, and that they could talk to her in the morning.
Well Katie was awake - and Leah wanted to see the baby right now... or in the morning.

It is slowly getting nearing to having a new baby with us... all we see at the moment is feet and elbows sticking out of Katie's sides.

The pregnancy is not very much fun - Katie even said she is looking forward to the Labour!

Amber's Baptism

Amber had been looking forward to her Baptism for quite a long time, but as the day came nearer she was concerned about all the invitations that had been sent out. She can be very shy at times, and the Baptism was no exception. She did not want any photos, but we did manage to get a few.

The talks were great - Amber listened to her Granny, Nan & Aunt Jenny as they were talking to her. When she came down into the font, and it was just Amber and I with Mummy on the steps , all the nervousness seemed to have gone. She was wearing the same dress that her cousins wore when they were baptised, she also wore a calm smile (not the giggly/cheeky smile that makes you smile right back, but the kind of smile that tells you she is thinking, a smile that makes her look older than her years).
I have baptised quite a few people, but this was only the second time I had performed the ordinance for an eight year old. My bother Matthew was waiting for me to baptise him when I returned from California after serving as a missionary. But this was a first... my own daughter, now a baptised member of the church. I'm so proud of her, and the example she is to her younger sister. Leah wants to be just like Amber, and do all the things that she does.
Leah is now eager to countdown until her 8th Birthday (less than 3 Years and 3 months to go).

Journals

Last Monday Night we had a lesson about Journals during our family home evening. We talked about writing things that showed the real you - and to focus on the positive things. As this Blog is like a journal I thought I'd flick through some old journals and add some bits to this blog. I will be adding them on the date they happened.
One of my journal entries that I read just made Katie & I laugh so much... and when you are 28 weeks pregnant laughing can be serious business.

Craft work clear out

A few weeks ago we did some serious clearing out of Junk. I have tried to freecycle a lot of stuff, we have moved a massive box of clothes into the loft and donated a bib bag full of clothes to charity and thrown away loads that were just too worn out to even give away.

HPIM1516
Originally uploaded by adcottrellski.

Another area to make huge gains on is the category of arts and craft.
After just a few short years of school our girls have amassed a huge volume of stuff - and that is just the best bits.
Well I thought that we could take pictures and then chuck it all :o)
And here is the picture that gave me the idea in the first place.

School Governor

In a recent letter from the school to parents, we were informed that there was a vacancy as a school governor. So a week ago on Friday after discussion with Katie I dropped into the school office with my form and a short written 'factual statement' about me.
The expectation was that the statement would be published as part of the election for the new governor.
Well there has been no election - and I have been appointed as a governor! The first meeting is tommorow so I'll find out more.
When we moved house last year and came to the new school we talked about how we could become more involved in the community. We discussed that it would be good to get involved with the PFTA, for Katie to volenteer at school, and perhaps I could become a parent governor... well here we are.

Blah! Grandpi

Blah! Grandpi
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

This is the photo (Four months ago) that started me off on Flickr and Blogger. I guess you could say that it inspired me. That's my Grampi.

60th vs 6th Anniversary

Alan and Family
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

While attending Nan & Grampi's Diamond wedding anniversary I contemplated the current duration of our marriage. We are approaching 6 years in Febuary, and our 60ths will be in 2061 !

Now the last six years have flown by, and 2061 seems a looooong way away, but time keep accelatating (from my perspective) then I'm be a grandda pretty soon and a great grandad getting ready for my Diaond anniversay in no time at all.

Looking forward to the next 54 years.

Face Painting by Amber

Face Painting by Amber
Originally uploaded by Munzerr.

Amber did her own face painting on New Years Day while Katie & I slept in.