Zurich

This week has been pretty exciting, I took my first trip on an airplane. As you can see, I took to it like a duck to water. Thankfully I had my lovely tracksuit to wear, which was the perfect travelling attire. I even got my own boarding pass. I was very good, chilling out in the lounge before the flight. I was fine on take-off, but was a little upset on the descent because my ears were hurting me.


We spent a lot of time indoors just chilling out - I noticed that mum and dad seemed to be eating a lot - I think this always happen when they go to Zurich, because of the great food & wine they always have. Rory has 2 baby seats, so I was able to use one. The seats she has are called Tripp Trapp and mum couldn't believe that I could sit in it already. Luckily she's already ordered one for me, which I should be getting in the next couple of weeks.


I got to see my first snow in Zurich. The views from the plane of the snow covered Alps were great. It hadn't snowed in about 10 days but there was still plenty of snow in Wallisellen which is where Margo, Simon and my friend Rory live.
We went into Zurich on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday we had a lovely walk around Wallisellen and to the next village Opfikon (a pretty typical Swiss village) and stopped off for a Gluhwein.

I've got a pretty bad cold at the moment, but I'm still sleeping okay. I have a runny nose and am a little bit out of sorts. I'm sleeping lots and mum is keeping me well wrapped up, so hopefully I'll be better in the next couple of days.

Brown Eyed Girl

Well its finally happened...the public health nurse noticed last week that my eyes are brown. Given how much I look like dad, everyone predicted that my eyes would turn brown, so I guess they were right!

Mum and Dad sent out 'Thank You' cards for all the lovely presents that I got from friends and family. I'm pretty relieved that they finally got around to it, because I was a bit embarrassed meeting people in Wexford over Christmas knowing that they had given me a present but that we hadn't sent cards.
Other than that it was the usual busy week with lots of walks in Marley and we visitied Emma, Sophie and Christopher, as usual.
On Saturday we had a big outing to Katie Tilly's christening. She was very good the whole time, so I'm hoping that I'll be that good when it comes to my christening. We went and had some drinks and food afterwards and I was very good and even took a bottle in a really noisy room.
This week is very eventful. I had my first experience away from family today. Mum left me in the gym creche for half an hour today - it was just a familiarisation session. Next week she'll leave me for an hour so that she can go to a class. Mum spent the half an hour having a smoothie, worrying about me and stopping herself from collecting me early. I had a great time chilling out. I didn't cry and I even smiled at the nice girls minding me, so I don't mind going back there again. Mum's plan is for me to go to the gym creche for 1 hour a week until she goes back to work, which I think is a good idea.
We're off to Zurich on Friday. I'm pretty excited about my first flight and of course meeting my friend Rory. Hopefully I'll also meet Taj McKinnon - he was born 2 days before me and his parents are Australian so we're sure to have lots to talk about, especially as he's already been to Australia so he can tell me what to expect for my trip in March.

Christmas

We have been very busy over the last couple of weeks, especially in the run up to Christmas when we were out & about lots. Ella & Riodhna were sick a couple of days and had to stay at home from the creche so went over to their house to hang out with them. Once afternoon Mum looked after Riodhna, Ella and myself for a couple of hours. Looking after 3 children is hard work, even considering the fact that my cousins & I are very good.
Then on the Saturday before Christmas, we went to Malachi's for mince pies with lots of other babies - that was great fun although I wasn't in the best of form.

And then Christmas started....

• We finished our shopping in Kildare village a few days before Christmas. The biggest pressie was the boots Mum bought as a present to herself, although she did remind Dad of the importance of buying quality and how her last set of flat boots have lasted at least 5 years!!
• We went over to the McGrath house (Vergemount) on Christmas eve for some mulled wine that Mark & Jill made and then we went home early to make sure that I got to bed so that Santa could come.
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• We had a lovely time on Christmas Day - after a great call to all in Australia, Mum & Ross went to mass while Dad & I got ready to go to Vergemount. We got over there in time to open pressies with everyone before Jill & Mark headed off to Mark's family. I got so many presents for a 3 month old - lots of toys & clothes from the family in Australia and Ireland. Mammó got me a box for my toys and I can just about fit all the toys I have now in it.
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• We had lunch late afternoon and I reckon Mum & Dad ate way to much. We stayed over that night and I was very good at going to bed - I think I was exhausted from the hectic activities. There are lots of photos of the day on my cousins Ella & Riodhna's flickr site.
• On St Stephen's day, we had a really nice walk in Marley Park - I don't think I've ever seen as many new bikes in my short life. Afterwards all the family came over for some dinner.
• On the Sunday we had lots of visitors over for drinks. I was very good again. I'm getting used to having lots of people around, although sometimes I find it a bit funny, if I'm tired or hungry. I prefer to feed when its nice and quiet.

We went to Wexford last Monday and had great fun. Ross, Mark and Jill were also there and they were all really good at looking after me. I'm not sure how I will get on next week when its just Mum & I at home - I'm so used to having attention from people during every waking minute.
Dad had a great time in Wexford - he went out to Gaynor's pub with Uncle Ross and some of his cousins. Gaynors must be a very fancy pub as they seem to love going there. He also went out to play pool with Uncle Mark and Uncle Ross and his friends. I think Dad drank as much alcohol as Mum ate chocolates over the last week. I had a great time just chilling out with everyone while Dad managed to play 2 games of golf in Rosslare.
We have started a new habit - when I wake up in the morning, I'm not that hungry, so I get into bed with Mum & Dad and play for a little while before I need to be fed. Its a win-win situation as I get to have some fun and Mum feels as if she's getting more rest because she's still in bed (although Dad thinks we will get into bad habits doing this!)
We went to visit my great-great Auntie Peggy while we were in Wexford. Can you believe that we had 4 generations of the Jones family in one room !

So Christmas is now over - we're back in Dublin. No more chocolate for Mum & Dad and I reckon Mum's quest for more exercise means that I'll be spending a lot of time being walked around Marley Park! Lets home she wraps me up well as its pretty cold at the moment, but at least it hasn't been raining.
Oh, I think Mammó was right in pointing out that I'm teething - I'm dribbling lots and I'm chewing my hand off. I was a bit upset tonight because my gums were hurting, but a bit of cuddling & extra feeding sorted me out. Hopefully Mum will go to the chemist tomorrow to get some Teetha cause I've heard that it helps relieve the pain.
As usual there are some more photos of me
Also, Auntie Jill has some good Christmas photos of all the family

Busy December

So far December really has been very busy and its not even Christmas yet. Two weeks ago, we went 'up north' (i.e. Northern Ireland) for the day to spend some good value English pounds. Mum & dad were fairly unpatriotic spending their money outside the state considering the recession, but they got a few bargains and they kept some money to spend at home. I was very good considering how much of the day I spent in the car. I only got upset when we were stuck in road works outside Newry (and would you blame me).

The low point of the last couple of weeks was the innoculations that I had to get at 2 months. It was horrible - I got an injection in both of my legs and was pretty upset. Luckily Mammo was visiting that evening, so mum, dad and mammo were able to share the time spent walking me around the house to settle me from 9:30-midnight. They can't really complain because I'm usually not upset and am a very good baby.

Then we had a visitor last weekend - Amanda came to visit us all the way from London. I thought when visitors come to stay that the hosts are meant to do all the work and look after the visitor, but that wasn't the case here - Amanda seemed to be doing a lot of the work - making breakfast and helping with dinner. We had a great time with a trip to Dundrum and also to Avoca where we over-indulged for lunch. Hopefully we'll go and visit Amanda & Ali in London next year.


Last week we minded Ella one day because she was too sick to go to creche and then we headed down to Wexford for a few days. I had great fun there - I went for lots of walks in my buggy and met Auntie Callista, Auntie Catherine, Selina Scott, Sr Josephine and Aine (for the 3rd time!). Mammo bought me a dressing gown which I can now wear after my baths.


Now we've started our Christmas festivities my going to the Almonds this afternoon to see their fab new extension and eat mince pies!


Dad hasn't been feeling the best so we didn't manage to get our tree this weekend, but we'll get in during the week. My first Christmas present arrived from Australia from Nanna and Pa, so I can't wait for the tree to go up so that I can put the pressie under the tree. Dad did put up the lovely mobile over my cot that Mark & Jill gave me.


Here are some more photos of my activities over the last few weeks

Introducing Clare

Well I'm now nearly 2 months old, so I thought it was about time that I got a blog for myself. After all, anyone who is anyone has a blog these days. As you will know, if you're looking at this blog, my name is Clare Jean Rickard. I was born on 2nd October 2008, weighing 6lb 15oz, in Mount Carmel hospital in Dublin.
As predicted, by my very astute mum, after subjecting her to nearly 9 months of illness during pregnancy, I have rewarded both her and my dad by being a perfect baby (although I'm guessing all babies think they are perfect!).


I'm now 8 weeks old and have had a pretty busy 8 weeks including:

• lots of feeding
• even more sleeping
• lots of visitors coming to our house, especially Emma, Sophie and Christopher who we meet nearly every week
• lots of trips to my cousins, Ella and Riodhna, in their nice newly renovated house in Vergemount
• trips around Marley Park (to help mum loose her pregnancy weight & to get some fresh air for me)
• chatting to Nan and Pa, via webcam in Australia
• trips to Superquinn for grocery shopping
• the mandatory trips to Dundrum shopping centre, so mum can check out all the clothes she will buy and just to hang-out
• a trip to Wexford to visit Mammo and meet all the Wexford family and friends

We also have lots of things to look forward to in the near future

• another trip to Wexford in a couple of weeks
• Christmas
• a trip to Zurich in January
• our big trip to Australia in March to meet all the Australian friends and family and a stopover in Shanghai on the way there & back to stay with the Binghams

So, as you can imagine the current priority is to get my passport organised. Uncle Paul took my photo last week so we should be able to use that, so mum & dad just need to get the form signed now and send it off.