Idris at 7 months

I am sitting here late at night writing this - I put the pictures on days ago ready to write this post but never got time. My house is so busy, the girls seem to need or want things often, they whirl in and out of the house, ever busy, ever noisy, ever wonderfully 'themselves'. And when we try and concentrate on something and Idris is testing out his mighty lungs at full volume and cackling at the dog, I sigh at how the girls struggle to concentrate because of the noise he makes. But I never once, til now, wondered about how he might struggle to concentrate because of the noise THEY always make!

It is nearly eleven pm and Idris missed his afternoon nap because there was just too much going on so he went to bed early and now he is up and playing. And guess what? Yes..... it is PEACEFUL - and he is sooooo focused, sitting on the floor and intently exploring a set of eggs and spoons that Faith was playing with today, after half an hour of eggs and spoons he turns his attention to his treasure basket - he can hear the sounds the items make, a soft rustle of kite fabric, the ting of a metal bowl touching wood, he coos softly at the harsh sound of the bear bell, then passes an egg cup from hand to hand.

There are no adoring sisters to leap in front of him and pull faces to make him laugh or grab him up for a cuddle and he is relishing the freedom! I must make more room for him to have this kind of peace!

This little bottom wiggles a lot these days, and those little knees pull up and then the arms give way and another belly flop ensues and I hear that frustrated sound of a thwarted baby! In the meantime he has discovered that he can fidget his way around the room on his bottom - I'm not even sure how he travels in that way but then I hear the clang of the wood bucket from behind me and yes, he's managed to move five feet across the room again!

Idris loved exploring the music basket - I showed him what sounds the xylophone made when you hit it and he really worked hard at hitting it himself! This xylophone was bought from a second-hand sale and it is really daft as two of the notes make the same sound as each other! I love the cheerful colours though and can't bear to see it go!

Balloons? Now they're fun! I remember Eve playing with balloons at this age too - and just look at that dimple!!

Here he is raiding my laundry baskets - baskets that were previously full of pants and socks sorted into neat piles ready for drawers!! Sigh!

Tonight he noticed that Daddy was in the mirror as well as in bed when I went in to wake him for work. he looked in the mirror then turned back to the bed, then back to the mirror. we laughed and laughed as he whipped his head around ever faster to try and catch Daddy out, but there were still two of him! He was so puzzled!

Well it is 11.40pm and I'm off to bed as Idris has finished wrecking exploring the lounge and is ready for some 'Daddy's at work so Mummy and I get the whole bed to ourselves' snuggle. My sweet boy really does consider that sleep is for wimps - night time is a wasted opportunity in his eyes if he hasn't fed at least five times!