Rachel, Owen and Kathryn

We're on day 3 of an experimental adjustment to Katy's sleeping patterns, waking her at 23:30 for an extra feed, in the hope that this will keep her asleep for longer and avoid the 2:30 / 4:30 pattern that is so disruptive to my sleep. We did try this before, but it was counter-productive. Day 1: she stayed drowsy when woken, and slept until 4:30 Day 2: ditto, and she slept until 5:30 Day 3: complete nappy disaster requiring change of clothing & sleeping bag. I managed to settle her after about 30 mins and the next thing I knew ... my alarm clock, utterly redundant for 3 months, went off at 7am.

As Katy's about to graduate from Moses basket to cotbed I thought I'd record all the elements of her surprisingly reliable current sleep set-up, which guarantees that she'll go peacefully to sleep every evening by 8 o'clock. [Sorry that my phone's camera seems to have turned the image on its head.] 1. Grandad Kirkwood's microwavable wheat pillow, to pre-warm the bed. 2. CD of Arvo Part's Spiegel im Spiegel (nearly sent me to sleep the first time I heard it - and that was in the middle of a dinner party). 3. Swaddling blanket (never fails to stop the flails of limbs). 4. Dummy - emergency use only. 5. Head-hugger. Made from rolled up terry nappy, the only use such an item is likely to find in the real world. 6. Cot book, to read quietly to herself when she wakes at 1:30 or at 5:50 (dream on, Rachel). 7. Suitably fed, burped + bathed baby, worn out from all the excitement of being alive (item not shown).

As if in answer to David's question (see comment on Brahms below) Kate is seen here enthusiastically performing her latest trick, rolling onto her right side with great energy and looking very pleased with herself. Tho good news for her development it means our lives just got a little more difficult! She's also managed to grab hold of the purple elephant hanging above her. With hand-eye co-ordination like that she'll be wanting an x-box before we know it.

All 3 sleeping like the proverbial one. If we're very lucky Kathryn deigns to take a post-breakfast nap (before second breakfast, that is) which allows us to catch up on a little sleep. Otherwise she just doesn't do sleeping during the day in a stationary environment!

Just look at the length of that little finger: she could play any instrument she liked, even double-bass (would need to drive a large car too, of course). She already makes a great range of sounds, from high-pitched squeals of delight to low grunts, and the other day made her first vowel-consonant combination: maa. ¤ Special prize if you can complete this rhyme!