ghoti asked me to write about the public open evenings at Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, which Judith and I have been going to since last year; they run during the winter in order that it's possible to observe the night sky without having to run ridiculously late.

Judith has been getting a lot out of these and particularly enjoys getting a chance to ( Read more... )

Children's literature and television is distressingly full of kings and queens and princesses and princes, and Judith (6) has picked up rather too much of that for my liking. So, when she asked me something about that on the way home from astronomy tonight, I decided to seize the teachable moment and explain to her how most countries don't have ( Read more... )

• walk
• climb upstairs without help
• climb downstairs with help to balance
• carry a bag
• eat with a fork or spoon

Judith can now change the active tab in my web browser (if the mouse pointer happens to be somewhere over the tab bar anyway). I suppose I needed quick reactions anyway while sitting with her at my desk, especially since she likes to make the occasional grab for my coffee cup ...

We started Judith on solids yesterday: a little earlier than recommended, but she was HUNGRY ALL THE TIME. We gave up on the high chair fairly quickly as she was having trouble staying upright in it, and getting rather upset. Two spoonfuls (by which I mean "little bit on the end of a spoon") of apple sauce later, she fell asleep. Eating is clearly ( Read more... )