Sweet Baby Jane

Our girl is a delight. She now enthusiastically eats pumpkin, sweet potato and apple. She moves backwards very efficiently - always backing herself into nooks and crannies, and under the piano or couch. She is dying to start going forwards. Won't be long now.....

Hong Kong Academy CNY Celebrations

Charlie had a wonderful time performing in his class presentation for Chinese New Year. Here he is in the audience, performing (seated on left) and with Gracie at home.

Chinese New Year

Kung Hei Fat Choy!!!
Hong Kong is buzzing with year of the dog talk and we're eating lots of year of the dog food. Woof!

Hong Kong Disneyland!

Disneyland was fun! We went on the Buzz Lightyear ride about 27 times!

ahoy there!

Official Family Portrait - Christmas 2005

It's quite an effort to get all dressed and made up and to go into a studio for an official family portrait, but after such an interesting and wonderful year, we felt it was worth the effort.

The look we asked our professional photographer, Claudio, to help us create was 'homey, relaxed and a bit wind-swept'. I think you'll agree that his skill and the time we all put into the shot really shone through.

By the way, it took three industrial fans to get Jane's hair to do that.

Laura and Rich in Tassie - Christmas 2005

Rich is smiling in this picture because he has not yet discovered that:

2 weeks in Australia
+
many family parties
+
many cherry ripes
=
5 kilograms

Never mind, now we are back in Hong Kong it is back to the South China Beach Diet (ie lots of rice).

Grace and Hinckley

Christmas 2005.

Dog Training - Christmas 2005

Here are Jack Russell, Aunty Woo and Baby Jane. Jane is looking away because she is annoyed that Jack uses more haircare products than she does.

After some initial disagreements, Charlie, Grace and Jack became best of friends.

Jane enjoyed her holiday to Australia

Jane is developing a very positive and sunny personality. How many people respond with smiles like this one when greeted with comments like: "she's huge!" or "what a whopper!"?

She also reached the 'double roll-over' milestone on Aunty Woo and Uncle John's floor. Even though conditions were in her favour (ie low humidity, dry floor, gentle breeze), all credit to Jane for a well-executed bi-roll.

Grassie Girl

Having lived in Hong Kong since she was 5 months old, Grace finds walking on grass a little daunting. Big brother Charlie helped out when we were staying at Aunty Woo and Uncle John's home by telling Grace that their grass was the juiciest he had ever seen. So, after a couple of days of park-going, she took her first steps and discovered that parks and grass are fun.

City Park Launceston

Peter (the guy who drove the Thomas the Tank Engine ride at City Park, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia) said that the park was the second oldest in Australia and that some of the trees were older than Melbourne. Charlie and Grace were flabbergasted by these facts, as pictured.

Who's sitting on my air-sick bag?

Here we are training for our eight and a half hour flight to Australia for Christmas holidays. Practice makes perfect especially for those bulkhead seats.

Grace: Do I have to watch the Wiggles again?

Jane: Wah?-wah?-wah?

(Translation: Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?)

Let's ride to Tasmania!

Laura wanted to ride from Brisbane to Launceston on our recent Christmas holiday - something about getting into the spirit of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - but the rest of the family talked her out of it. Jane was especially boisterous in her disapproval.....at least that's what we think she was boisterous about.

Christmas Time - 2005

Happy Christmas from the Hong Kong Hunters!

The monsoon season is over....

- but it pays to be prepared, just in case.

Alright, let's go!

Gracie

Jane at 4 months

Deep breaths, Jane....count to 10....

They'll both be big school-kids soon and you'll have mummy and the house to yourself from 8am until 3.30pm weekdays.