Today was my first Melbourne Cup day, and it was a beauty. It was a sunny, hot day, and in the afternoon we went to visit Nanna and Asher, and lots of family were there. We all got together and watched the race on TV, and it all seemed very exciting. Apparently it was The Greatest cup ever. Of course, I had nothing to compare it to, but everyone did seem extremely happy. My ears did prick up just after the race, when the winner’s trainer said:

“Find the smallest child at the course, because that child might be the only one who lives long enough to ever see anything like this again.”

So maybe I’ll see something like this again?

After the race I did something even more exciting - I went for my first swim in a big pool. It wasn’t exactly the best experience I’ve ever had: it was not as warm as my bath, the water smelt a bit funny, and I kept getting splashed by my cousins. But next time it will definitely be more fun. After the swim I felt great, and certainly had a ravenous hunger.

I learnt a new trick this week.
Yum!

Another day, another milestone …

My mum noticed it today: two hard, white protusions on my lower gum. They are only just starting to come through, but they are definitely the real thing - my first teeth! I guess from now on I’ll have to be a bit more careful when munching down on my dad, like I did in this picture from Cup Day last week.

My new sleeping bag finally arrived this week. I really love being zipped up before going to bed. It is so much more comfortable to sleep in than all those sheets and blankets, that always mysteriously got kicked off whenever I woke up. The only problem is that I can’t suck my feet in bed anymore (although that is so last week).

Today was another beautiful day, and we all went for late afternoon lunch at Nanna and Asher’s place. They are going away tomorrow, and I won’t see them until I am almost 6 months old.

Soon after we got there my great-grandparents arrived, and I had a great play with them. It was the first time I had met my great grandfather Chaim (Zady), and he was very excited to meet me: “Jeremy’s daughter!” he said with delight.

I also had fun with Asher: we played with a little music box and some strange fruit or seeds (I’m not sure what they were).

After lunch I got together with all my cousins, and all us girls posed for a photo. I love being with all my cousins (except when they splash me).

With all of my grandparents out of town, I haven’t been out much in the past week - apart from the usual cafe outings. Nanna and Asher, and Grandpa and Bianca will all be away for another month, and my other grandparents live far away across the sea (in Tasmania). So I’m looking forward to Nanna Sandra’s visit (and I also heard a rumour that I’m going to meet another cousin very soon!)

In the last week I had a great new experience. Banana!

My mum was planning to only give me breast milk until I was 6 months old, but this week she decided to see if I’d like some other food. Since I’d been reading about it in one of my favourite books, I was really looking forward to it. Unlike the book I began with something sweet, and I absolutely loved my first taste of banana. I wasn’t as keen on the stewed apples I had a couple of days later, but I loved the yummy rice cereal my dad fed me (with a silver spoon, of course - thanks Jill), although it did get a little messy.

I know I’m not going to get a lot of solid food for at least another few weeks (and I still probably prefer my mum’s boobie), but I look forward to all those yummy solid taste experiences I’m going to have very soon: pumpkin, avocado, dahl, salsa … yum!

Today was a lot of fun. Angelique, Mila, Rex, and Daniel came to visit with their mums, and we all had a garden party together. It was such a beautiful day, and we all stretched out on a big rug outside and played while our mums enjoyed a great spread of food and drink.

Here we are on the rug playing. Angelique is collecting all the toys for herself, and Rex is flirting outrageously with me.

Celebrating with some toothy grins.

It has been such a busy, social, and fun weekend. Now I’m VERY tired.

On Saturday morning we went down to the St Kilda Farmer’s Market, and met with lots of friends and bought lots of yummy food. Then after lunch Arushan and Jak came to visit, and we started to eat some of the yummy food (well, I didn’t eat any, although later on I had some more delicious banana).

Then things got even more exciting when more people arrived. In came Uncle Glenn (who I met when I was really little), along with Auntie Catie and my fun cousin Minnie (or Wilhelmina, if you want to be formal). I hadn’t met Minnie before, although I’d heard so much about her. So it was great to finally meet her. To cap it all off Auntie Mel also came over, and she and Minnie stayed with us - a little slumber party.

This morning we all went down to Babble for breakfast and met up with Glenn. We then said goodbye to Minnie and Glenn, and went home and posed for a family photo or two. Then we went to another party, this one a barbecue lunch with Stephen and Brigitte, who are going to have a baby boy very soon. The we came home, I played with my toys for a while, and now I’m totally exhausted!

I first met Jida more than 3½ months ago when he was still a really little baby (and I wasn’t a lot bigger). So it was great to meet him and his parents Jamie and Shelley again tonight. Although I think I may have been a bit too forward to Jida when he first arrived - sucking his toes as a greeting is probably a bit too flirtatious. Debora and Geoff also came to visit, and we had yet another little party. I reckon I’m going to sleep really well tonight.