Look into my eyes

There is something magnificent about an innocent child's ability to stare blatantly and unashamedly into your eyes. I'm not just talking about making eye contact. For the first time in my life, someone actually looks me not only in the eyes, but through my eyes. It's the deepest eye contact I've ever experienced. It's like he is searching for something, and when he finds it, that little face erupts in the world's softest, most loving smile.

Sometimes, out of habit, and due to my own insecurities, I break his gaze... and he moves his little head around to catch me ... and when he locks eyes again, that little smile comes creeping back.

I melt. Every time.

I love you Arthur Bear. 

Art goes to the beach!

The sun came out to play last weekend... FINALLY! our first beautiful bluebird day in a long time, so to celebrate we packed up the car (a serious job with a baby in tow) and took off up North to the beautiful Te Arai Beach on the East Coast. I've been there many times before, but this was our first as a new family - and Art's first ever time touching the sand and ocean.

I feel compelled to capture all of these 'firsts'. I'm a nutty first time mum with a camera addiction and I can't stop snapping! I just feel I need to capture these moments forever and tuck them away to cry over when he's a big boy.

His Dad insisted that he touch the ocean with his little baby toes. I stood in the water to take the picture and it was so cold it hurt... so I wasn't surprised his bottom lip turned upside down moments later. Mean Daddy!

The tears didn't last long as I whisked him away back to the safety of the beach umbrella and mumma's arms...His little toes digging away in soft, warm sand was insanely cute and precious, and he just lay down and chilled under the umbrella cooing and smiling at whoever came over for a chat. He couldn't have been happier!

A perfect family day with friends at the beach... bring on summer!

Quarter of a Year!

Where are we at now that this guy has reached his three month mark. Let's see..

Well he certainly isn't hungry... 

This guy has found his hands and feet. Those little hands then find a little mouth and the result is a lot of dribble. He has started to grasp things on his play gym. He has had his first swim in a big pool, had his first walk in the big boy pram (front facing, sitting up... rather than his carry cot). He has napped in his cot several times and has discovered that he can rotate whilst doing tummy time and ends up parallel to his play gym. Clever boy.

What else... ?

He is officially outgrowing clothes faster than I can buy them (that's saying something!) so ends up in pants that are too small and body suits with necklines stretched down to his chest which looks great.

 Hello hand... do you belong to me?

Oh and Captain Calamari arrived... I ordered him from Amazon and he is an absolute hit around here! Is it wrong to buy your baby toys just because of the name?  Because that's what I did.

Time to provide him with some entertainment... "the wheels on the bus go round and round..."

My Water Baby

This little guy has always loved the water and we've always wanted to nurture that trait in him and throw him into the big boy pool as soon as possible.

We thought 3 months was long enough to wait, and he has really good head control now, so we finally did it. I'm fortunate to have a really good friend with an indoor pool who takes lessons for kids, so we had a very sweet Saturday morning swim. I say 'we' but I just stood on the side snapping photos... as I do.

He LOVED it! When I was drying him afterwards he was all smiles... so proud of himself.

Getting in for the first time...

Getting a feel for it... check out those delicious back rolls! 

Look at me mum! 

Coming up for air after his first dunking! those pursed lips kill me.

I can't wait to get him into more regular lessons. I might just wait a wee bit more until we throw him into public pools, as they're quite heavily doused in chlorine which can't be too friendly for his beautiful baby skin.