Darius yesterday

Here is Darius in his playhouse.

Here is a short video clip - you can see Darius is starting to get mobile - Neil says he tries to move toward him, and Megan says he has just rolled over for the first time.

Dimitri is nearly 4 months old

Dimitri is Joe Cool!Hmmm - shades of someone from an Austin Powers movie?

Dimitri swinging with his Dad

Darius pictures a week or two ago...

Darius obviously taking the hint from Grankie!

Neil and Darius - who is modelling the All Black suit Blair bought him!

Dimitri - visits the old folk!

Last night, after our return from the South Island, Steve and Elena came for dinner, and brought Dimitri. Here he is relaxing on the Grankie chair. He looks quite serious, but he's just thinking, wondering about all the fuss, and all the strange things grown-ups say to babies.

Coupla pix of Darius

The lads' 3-month-birthday dinner

Last night I cooked a dinner for the crew to mark Dimitri turning 3 months of age on the 19th, and Darius coming of same age today.

I had a few wines whilst cooking (and at the table) so Nannie my back-seat driver took blurry photos!

Here is a picture of Megan, Neil, me, Elena and Steve getting stuck into dinner.

For the record, it was danish seasoned and stuffed leg of lamb, baked potato, butternut and kumera, baked red onion, brocolli and green beans, with gravy and mint sauce. Desert was berry cheesecake, pears and ice-cream. The wine was a nice Aussie Banrock Station sav blanc.

The lads, Darius and Dimitri (L-R) sat beside the table in their car seats and wondered what the heck we were celebrating! Sorry about the blurry pix.
Dimitri is wearing the cardigan Nannie knitted him for 6 - 12 months size.

Dimitri, not to be outdone!

Some internet language translations for Dimitri:

• Ukrainian: Dmytro
• Russian: Dmitri - Dmitriy - Dmitry

And a couple of pictures from the last 24 hours!

I think Dimitri would have preferred to stay in the bath!

Dimitri and his Mum, Elena

Darius features today!

Darius is not quite 3 months old. Today Neil and Megan gave me some recent pictures of him.

We visited along with Stuart (Meg's brother) who was babysitting. Neil and Megan took off for a short ride on the motorbike to blow away some cobwebs - take any chance going when there is competition for baby minding duty!

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Darius back in early March 2008 - already dreaming of great feats on the rugby field?


This is Darius a few weeks back, socialising with one of his mates! Darius is the one smiling!

And here he is last week getting ready to enjoy story reading from the local newspaper!

Steve and Dimitri

Taken a couple of nights ago....
Hard to believe that in a little over a week Dimitri will be three months old!
(I resized them to a smaller size - sing out if you'd like a full res picture)

Dimitri Alistair (handsome dude) at 9 & 10 weeks

Seeing off Great Grand Mother (Great-Gran)

Last week the family got together to farewell Rosie's Mum Avis - Dimitri and Darius' Great-grand-mother aka Gran.


We had lots of family come to visit before and after the funeral. Roger and Vicki, Matthew and Ashleigh came to stay as well.

Dimitri checks out Great-Aunt Vicki, 2nd cuz Ashleigh looks on.

Darius snoozing on Nannie's knee between snacks and burps


Great Uncle Pete always gets a smile out of them. Darius here obliging and Neil wondering how Pete does it!

Great Uncle Pete's 50th - or a Plunket Mums' meeting?

Yesterday Great Uncle Pete had his 50th and we gathered here to celebrate .....

• Steve and Elena with Dimitri
• Neil and Megan with Darius
• 2nd cuzzies Jo and Mike with their young 'uns Isobella and Alexandria (3rd cousins??)
  
• 2nd cuzzie Andy and friend Erin
• Great Aunt Judy and Roger
• As well we had Lorna and Gordon, great-great Uncle and great-great Aunt
  

(All relationships from the Dimitri and Darius perspective. Hmmmm great-great uncle - is that right?? - I don't know!)

Very confusing, and no wonder Grankie retired to the patio with the gin and tonic and a discussion about motorcycling with Roger!

Dimitri meets Andy.


Steve, Dimitri, Nannie (Rose), Megan, Darius, Elena, Alex, Jo, Pete

Andy with Darius, Neil and Megan



Dimitri, Elena and Steve


Darius, Megan and Neil


Teddy Bear gift for Dimitri!

Dimitri Alistair - a couple more pix a month old...

Dimitri catching some burps!

and Dimitri catching up on some zeds...

Some more pictures of Darius James - up to 1month.

Darius sleeping - summer heat!

Family self portrait - Neil, Megan, and Darius

Happy chappy - Darius after a bath

Darius comes to visit....

and he brought his Mum and Dad as well!

Yesterday he was 1 month old. We also have visiting for the weekend Rosemary's aunt and uncle, Lorna and Gordon.

Here's a picture of them with Darius, and Rosemary.

Darius enjoying a bath!

Not to be outdone, Darius enjoys a bath. Must get some more pix from Neil and Megan as well - this one is pinched off one of Neil's on-line albums.

Dimitri is a month old today!

This is one of the more recent photos from Steve and Elena... I really like this one. I must get some more! He's a cool, laid back looking little dude!

Coming up two weeks on....

Friday 1 February 2008, evening NZT

We had lunch with Dimitri (and Steve, Elena and Tatyana) today. It was a stinker of a day - hot as... - but all is well there and apart from some exercise of the vocal chords, and some wind, everything is good, and Steve and Elena are starting to look a little more rested. Must be getting used to the up/down/nights.

I got a little hold of Dimitri before he protested, and soon afterward he emptied out, so I was saved by the bell....

Paid a short visit afterward with Darius (and Megan and Neil) - all good there.

I think Neil may be wanting to go back to work for a rest, soon - his two weeks off work finishes this weekend.

Today I pinched these two pictures from Neil's or Megan's Facebook sites - one from in the hospital of Murray - Megan's Dad holding Darius, the other, a picture of Blair holding Darius when he was here last weekend.

Day after the birth - Murray, the 'other' new Grand-Dad!

Blair with Darius, at home

Headwetting...

Tuesday 29th January 2008, NZT evening

A quiet day today.

Last night the three boys got together and wet the babies' heads so to speak, at Steve's place. Blair produced the cigars, and a few drinks were had by all. Rosie stayed with Megan and Darius, I was designated driver.

At Steve's place, their close friends Layton and Elayne, and William the Red were there, also Tatyana, staying for the week.

The babies - Dimitri and Darius are doing real well.

This morning Blair and Gabby flew out for Invercargill on the 7:10am flight via Christchurch. Both looked as if they needed a good nights' sleep.

So its back to being Darby & Joan for Nannie and Grankie!

The wind in the willows, poetry in motion, and sleep....

Sunday 27th January 2008 mid-day NZT

Last night we had a picnic tea at Neil and Megan's. Darius was a lot more settled now the feeding has come right. The "Karitane yellow" is now all on. Wind and sleep are all much more predictable. Neil gave us this photo of him.

Darius (above)


On the other front, it was great to hear that Elena's Mum Tatyana has a week off and arrived in Palmerston North yesterday to spend time with Elena and Steve, and of course Dimitri.

Dimitri and Tatyana - Elena's Mum.

Some more pictures of Dimitri -