We're baaaaaack.

If that message hasn't quite sunk in let me make it perfectly clear, we have another baby on the way! I waited to post about it until I heard the heartbeat which I did today. I am seeing a midwife this time around and I'm finding it a lot less stressful than seeing an OB/Gyn. The new baby is due on Sept 12. More updates as they come.

Hmmm... I waited so long to blog that I know there were some precious "Owain moments" missed and now they are past their prime. I went to Alabama again this year for the Academy Awards (no they are not filmed in Alabama, silly people). This time it was a baby free event. Kristi's husband took her kids for a fun-filled long weekend in Tennesee and I left Owain at home with John. They got along just fine without me, much to my dismay and John didnt have too hard a time of it. Grrrr he was supposed to be all filled with gratitude and respect when I got back. Next time I'll have to go for a whole week.

All right now that this post is FINALLY out of the way Let The Blogging Begin! We will be updating much more often now. We promise!

The Tallented Mr McFarlane

Owain can do so much now. Every day he learns a new trick. And every day, we give him a doggy treat! (That's why he's so scrawny.)

Crimbo Flicks

Heather and I watched The Day the Earth Stood Still: The IMAX Experience on Saturday. It's basically the same as The Day the Earth Stood Still only with one major technical enhancement - they filmed it in colour. 

Other notable features include a superb performance from Keanu Reeves as the terse, alien visitor who is devoid of human emotion. I haven't seen acting that convincing since Russell Crowe's grumpy Antipodean thug in Romper Stomper.

"Did I head you say Rompers? Movies? Awkward segues? It must be time for some YouTube action."

That's right! You've seen the photos. Now endure the five minutes of unedited baby movies!

Crimbo Piccies

Here are some of our Christmas photos.


This is the snow in Seattle before it really started to come down.


Next up probably a video or two. Stay tuned...

Happy New Year!

News years resolution number one is to blog a bit more often. We have an added incentive as Grandpa Jim now has internet! We've been showing him all the funky stuff his new laptop can do:


We only just made it out of Seattle before the whole city got snowed under. A few hours after we took off, Seatac airport ran out of deicer. For a city with mountains all around it, it's not very well prepared at all.

We spend a couple of days in the Valley of the Sun with Grandpa Mac who looks a bit like Father Christmas and had lots of toys for Owain just to fool us even more. Then it was up to Prescott to see Grandpa Jim and Uncle Daniel. Guess what... lots more toys!

Heather was ill in bed on Christmas day (no, not a hangover actually) which meant that Jim had to do the dinner but it turned out great. So great in fact that we're leaving Heather behind next year.

Anyway, as those of you east of the meridian continue to ferment your hangovers, Heather and I prepare to go out and party. Lots of pictures to follow. Promise!

Captain Owain

It's been a week since Mum and Dad left for the tropics and I've recovered enough to talk about our ordeal. Boy is missing getting attention from so many relatives at once and has become a little clingy and needy. The other day, he even developed a slight temperature so his mummy would cuddle him more. She thinks I'm being ridiculous. But no, he's ridiculous!

Here's an epic home movie of Capt. Owie shot in dingyvision...

Grandma and Granddad

If it's been very quiet here in the last few weeks, that's because we've been mentally preparing ourselves for the arrival of my Mum and Dad who flew in on Monday for a week. Heather cooked a sumptuous thanksgiving diner for us this evening. Yesterday, we went to the locks and I let Owain out of his cage for a few minutes.

The boy and his grand-paternals have been getting on like a house on fire. Here, Ian passes down a ritual form of torture that I myself remember being subjected to as a child.

We're going to the parade in town tomorrow. It reminded me that it has been a year since we moved in to our flat in Ballard. A year ago tomorrow, we were late meeting with our landlord to sign the contract because we were stuck in traffic in down-town Seattle which in turn was because some bloody parade was going on. Tsk!