Photo_: Got ya glasses Grandad

Ripley grabbing Grandad's glasses

Photo_: Light Fantastic

Ripley is Great - no computer trickery here - just a long exposure and an led - fun!

Photo_: Just Woken Up look

That "Just Woken Up" Look

Photo_: Apple Chomping

Close your mouth when you are eating an apple

Photo_: Catching a ride home

Catching a ride home

High Point_: Walking with his Trolley

Ripley walking along with his trolley - He is getting very close to walking unaided. In fact today was the first time he took 2 or 3 steps from Penny across to me. I think he will be walking within a week.

Photo_: Ripley & Grandad Grassby

Ripley & Grandad John

Photo_: The Bird Baby of Alcatraz

Ripley in the baby prison - A lend from our friend (and only blog regular) Mike

Progress Update_: Blue Eyes turn Brown!

Blue to Brown - looks like Ripleys blue eyes have turned brown.

High Point_: Dummy POP giggles

POP! - he thinks it is very funny when you pull his dummy out and say "POP!" - this is him mid-laugh after doing just that. Feels a bit cruel - but he loves it.

Photo_: Caught in the act at the Washing Machine

Caught in the act - Ripley's obsession with the washing machine continues

High Point_: Tickling Ripley

Tickling Ripley always makes him laugh so much he gets hiccups :)

Photo_: Cheeky Monkeys

Cheeky Monkeys

Photo_: Curious Ripley

Ripley having fun - head shot

My view of Ripley in Pram - 10 Months 8 Days

Portrait of Ripley taken with Canon 350D DSLR

Reservoir Sprogs

Ripley flickin a V

Ripley at Wedding in Shirt & Tie - I love this shot, I had an old tie which I chopped in half and he looks really cute in his white gap shirt and tie.

Digital SLR

I have purchased myself a Canon 350D Digital SLR. I love taking pictures, especially of Ripley as he grows up. When I was young I had an old Pentax SLR, I would spend hours planning the use of 24 shot rolls of film and rarely having the money to develop them. My step dad has a Canon EOS SLR and I was always using it, so it is logical that I should get a Canon EOS type DSLR today, hopefully it will reinstate photography as my favourite hobby. You never know I might even take something good. At least the quality of the photos on this blog will increase :)

Ripley & Penny in Yosemite

Ripley & Chris in Yosemite

Ripley riding the San Francisco Cable Car

Keeping a baby occupied

Ripley in Yosemite

Quote Holiday Unquote

He was ill, she was ill, I was ill. I have had arguments on lovers point, Monterey. Been bitten to death by anonymous bugs in Yosemite. Drove back across half of California to experience 3 days of dreary San Francisco weather and the final insult get stuck there while their GENIUS mayor (who I am guessing got elected purely on his looks) CLOSES EVERY ROUTE OUT OF THE CITY FOR A BIKE RACE. We almost would have missed our flight home if it wasn't for Penny begging half of the SFPD to let us through road blocks & my ludicrous disregard for speed limits on the 101, many other more sensible drivers with less persuasive wives are sleeping in departures at SFO tonight. Hey San Francisco - Vote for the other guy next time.

Penny really saved the holiday, she looked after us both and helped snatch some really good memories from what would have been a total failure.

I am writing this on my flight home, it is really late and I land really early in the morning. I am tired and I have to get back to work the next day. Basically I need a holiday...But if I may finish on a truism - (there really is) no place like home.

Rip Update (in an attempt to keep this blog real) - he is balancing a little (then falling on his butt). Saying ?Mama? more than ?Dada?. Grabbing daddy?s new carefully sculpted beard which makes me look 50 and uncannily like my old IT lecturer from St Austell, Mr Gaukroger (bit of info for you social engineers)... you see that!! PARANOIA has set in to top it all off :(