28th November 2007 - The Big Day - 1st attempt at food other than breastmilk. The second attempt today went better! She is just over 5 Months.
This was a sweet moment while sitting on Grannie's couch watching TV. Abigail is sitting with her big cousin Brennan (he is 18 months).
I never know what to say on this thing so I will jsut give you what you all want, which is more pictures of Abigail! I think all of these are from our trip back to the mainland during David's October break week.
Becoming a parent makes you think. For hundreds, if not thousands of years, physicists and scientists worked to unravel the mysteries of the universe; the ultimate goal was to understand how it all worked. Every bit of creation worked as though clockwork, and all that we required was to develop sufficiently rigorous theories and we would be able to understand every part and predict the future course of events with absolute accuracy.
Then came the advent of quantum phyics. Quantum mechanics tells us that when we look at the universe at a very small scale (i.e. the size of atoms and smaller) we are entirely unable to predict the behaviour of particles. It's not that we just haven't developed sufficiently powerful theories yet, but rather, if our current theories are correct, it absolutely impossible to predict what any particular atom, electron or proton will do.
So, I hear you ask, what does this have to do with parenthood? Well, this uncertainty, this "quantum wierdness" is not supposed to manifest itself at larger scales than the atomic realm. Hence we are able to build cars and bridges and computers, knowing what they will do given certain circumstances. We are also able to map out the behaviour of the stars and predict solar eclipses down to the very second. The universe with which are familiar is solid and predictable. Well let me tell you, having a child sure makes you question that! I am coming to the conclusion that children are the exception to this rule, the area of the "real world" in which quantum uncertainty must play a major part. How else do you explain the way in which a 3 month responds to exactly the same situation two days in a row in entirely different ways?!? How else do you explain the sudden, unprovoked outbursts of inconsolable screaming, the on-off faviouritism (I'm a momma's girl... no I'm a daddy's girl) and the uncanny ability to wake up the moment the parents have two minutes for themselves?? It's the only answer really; Baby dynamics and infact mechanics, the new frontier of physics. It should have its own Nobel Prize. The Nobel Baby prediction prize!
But for all that, then there are these moments, when you are bowled over by something as simple as a smile. When your child laughs (at you, or at the inanimate clock on the living-room wall) you realise that something indescribable has happened in your life and you are thankful to God that inspite of your failings and inadequacies and inexperience, your child is thriving and growing and flourishing. May he help us all to be the parents that these wonderful kids deserve!
And yes, as the science-related rant would indicate, this was David writing, not Deborah.
Hey everyone. It's a blustery night, and it's getting late, so I won't be writing much. It's been a busy few weeks, what with work for David and the load of caring for Abigail for Deborah. Deborah's mother is visiting this week, and David's parents with Daniel arrive on Friday. Abigail is coming along so fast it's unreal. We starting to think she'll be an early talker, if she continues to make noises like she is now. She is also beginning to take her weight on her legs, and her head is starting to look more hairy!
We've added a few pictures to the Flickr site, all taken since we've been on Lewis. Hopefully we'll get some more on soon.
TTFN.
David, Deborah & Abigail
Hey everyone,
Just a quick post this time to let you all know about our move. We drove from Stirling to Ullapool on Tuesday, making great time and checking into a B&B at 10:45pm. Then we caught the 9:30am ferry the next day. We were stunned by the scenery on the way out of Loch Broom, until Deborah fell asleep under the influence of anti-sickness tablets and David was left to be stunned at the scenery for the rest of the (relatively) smooth journey by himself. Abigail slept the whole time. What a star!
We got to Stornoway at 12:15, and after taking care of some business, most important of which was feeding a ravenous child, we got to our new Home in Breasclete about 2:30. Meanwhile, Mum and Dad Renwick (with Pepper) in the Micra, Dad Chapman and Daniel in a hired van and Colin Hinde from the Northside congregation in "the Ark" minibus were on the ferry from Uig on Skye, and arrived at Tarbert on Harris at 3:45. Mum and Dad made it to the house in about an hour; the others got lost and took 2 hours. We then upacked the van, ate fish and chips, built a bed or two, and slept.
I am now in Stornoway, using wi-fi at a computer shop. We don't have a telephone line installed yet (so no Internet connection either), but those of you who receive emails from us will get our telephone number as soon as we know it.
That'll do for now. I'll have to go take care of more business, and Deborah and her parents are busy working at the house and buying groceries. Until next time...
Well, we are now officially in limbo. The lack of postings over the last 3 weeks is a reflection of the increasing stress we have been under during that time. I start work at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway on Monday the 13th of August (only a week from now!) and we had to be out of our flat in Glasgow by Friday the 3rd. Ad into the mix the total lack of information from Lewis estate agents on rentals, and we had an acutely worrying time; as distant a move as is possible in Scotland, no house to go to, and not much time to arrange it all. After several weeks of getting nowhere, I finally relented last Tuesday and flew up to Lewis to go see a couple of properties. At the end of the day, we had agreed in principle to take a 3-bedroom house in the village of Breasclete, on the West of the Island. Since then I have made repeated phone calls in an effort to get our new letting agent to get moving, and our old letting agent to send a referrence for us. Friday arrived, and we had an exhausting day, emptying the flat in Yoker. Dad Chapman and Colin Hinde did a Sterling job of getting every available space in the van filled, but we still required the use of a minibus also. Today, I spent lots of money booking 4 vehicles to sail on Wednesday, and the new landlords have assured us that we are free to move in, even if the letting agents have got the paperwork completed. Tomorrow, we drive to Ullapool, and by Wednesday evening, the move will be complete. So its been interesting.
"What about Abigail??" you all scream! Well, Abigail is coming along by leaps and bounds. Not only does she study the world around her with rapt attention, but she is developing a sound control of her neck muscles, strong legs and does a good job of sleeping at night. We have had a few issues with colic over the last couple of weeks, but gripe water and InfaCol are making this easier to deal with. We are having a great deal of fun watching her interact with the world around her, and we're starting to think that we are on the receiving end of honest-to-goodness smiles! It's exciting stuff!
So for now, we're getting ready to move. Into our car seats, and hold on tight!
|
Add this to your site |
