Final Farewell

Our last few days in London saw more goodbyes. This time to people we'd only known a few months but would miss very much. It's strange to think that a snap decision to chose a particular anti natal class on a Tuesday evening meant we got to meet some fantastic people. It turned out that all the women in our NCT class were quite high flying career wise but we didn't find that out for several months, instead I discovered a group of incredibly open, sharing, generous and funny people and fantastic mothers.

I also got to spend time with their gorgeous bubbas and see them develop their own unique personalities, even though none are even 9 months old yet. As I sit in my hotel room in Bali, on our way to the next stage in our adventure with our own bubba I'm imagining what all these beautiful babies might become one day.

• Starting with Nicholas the feisty and flirty Italian, I'll have to say professional footballer, if only to keep his dad happy.
  
• The lovely Sarah with her calm considered nature and wise eyes, I'm sure it's not just because she's the oldest in out little group. Perhaps a psychologist, she seems like she'll be a good listener.
  
• Poppy with her always smiling face might put her inquisitiveness to good use a journalist or reporter maybe.
• Dilys is clearly the adventurer in the group, always wriggling, always on a mission somewhere, at this stage usually to knock down a stack of blocks her mum had just built.
  
• When I think of Tilly I think of her in the garden with the big lovable sheepdog Barclay by her side. Tilly will be the nature dwelling animal lover to me.

Of course the truth is they will probably be doing jobs that haven't even been invented yet but either way, I hope somehow we will still be in touch with everyone to find out.

Saying goodbye

We leave the UK in just one week... ONE WEEK! Can you believe it? I'm struggling a little especially as there feels like so much to do. Poor little bubba had to compete for his mum's attention this week in between conversations with estate agents, banks, ebay purchasers and several moments of stress and grumble.

We've also had to start saying goodbye to friends which I'm not very good at. Of course Alexander is blissfully unaware that when he's passed from hand to hand and kissed on the cheek by numerous people that this will be the last time he'll see many of them. I know with some friends it will just be a short while, for others it could be years but there are also other wonderful people we probably won't see again.

He probably won't know what's happening now but one day we will need to teach our boy how to cope with change... so now is a good a time as ever to figure it out for myself.

Dear Baby Alexander

There's something I need to tell you. I know you've only been in this world for 6 months and are getting comfortable in our little London flat, but soon it's all going to change again. You might have noticed a bit more mess around the place of late? lots of big brown boxes in front of your push chair, packing tape by your high chair, that sort of thing. Perhaps you've noticed that mum's been a little more frazzled than usual? Well... the thing is... we've decided to move to the other side of the world... Australia to be specific, with stops in Bali and New Zealand before we get there.

I really hope you'll like it there, the weather is warmer so that means more trips to the park, more trees to stare up at, more beaches to visit. Do you remember the beach in Florida? Well Australia is a bit like Florida, only not so...um... American.

I'm afraid you'll have to say goodbye to your wonderful little baby friends, Poppy, Tilly, Sarah, Nicholas and Dilys and their lovely mummy's. It brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it. I'm sure we will stay in touch and have a couple of skype reunions.

We will need to say goodbye, for now, to the baby whisperer Amy and lots of other lovely friends in the UK but I'm sure they will come to visit Australia in time. Mum and Dad will be working on them all!

Hopefully we can find a replacement for the swimming lessons and baby play classes you enjoy so much. And some replacement cafes and restaurants (ok, perhaps that's more for mum).

The good news is you will be able to spend more time with Amma and Nanna B and you'll meet uncle Adam, grandpa Beron and mean uncle hOb as well as lots of other lovely new people who will no doubt love you to bits and lavish you with affection... possibly while mum and dad nip off to aforementioned beach or cafe.

It's going to take a little while to get there, remember that flight to Miami? It's going to be a bit like that but about 3 times as long. Luckily we can use your new Australian passport where you look less like a baby criminal than you do in your British.

You're such a resilient, adaptable little man that I'm sure you will handle all the change with ease. I can't necessarily say the same for your parents.

Playing with your food

Master Butler is the youngest in our little mothers group, by almost a month. Normally it doesn't make a difference as all the babies are developing at their own pace. We already have a crawler, an expert roller and a master bouncer but now I'm feeling a bit left out because all the babies have started on proper food.

At first I wasn't looking forward to the idea of dealing with actual food instead of simply putting a boob in his mouth at the first signs of hunger, but now, watching the other babies with their puréed vegetables and finger food I'm kind of envious. I've been reading a book on Baby Led Weaning (yes, my life is that exciting) which as far as I can tell involves skipping the purée stage and giving your bubba a variation on whatever you're having... that's assuming you don't live on burgers and fried chicken for three meals a day.

Anyway, I have decided to give it a go as it seems to make some sense and looks like fun, hopefully it also encourages us to be more healthy and creative in the kitchen.

The other day I couldn't resist and gave Alex a raw carrot just to see what he'd do with it, judging by his enthusiasm in video below he shouldn't have too many problems when we get the 'solids' phase.