Happy New Year 2008 ... a bit late!

2007 has been a really fun year. No big life changing events to report this time (unless you count the death of the two gerbils in Shan’s class) but we’ve had a great time watching Al growing up. We’ve continued updating Al’s blog this year and hope to start one for his little sibling early in the new year (once he or she gets here). Keep your eyes open for an update on our new arrival.

Here is the traditional photo of Clive (and now Al) in his Rovers shirt in front of the most famous site we’ve seen over the past year. So that’s Istanbul’s Aya Sofia just in case it’s not quite famous enough!

2007 highlights for the Petrys

We had a great trip to Istanbul in March. This was lots of fun for many reasons—great city with lots to see and do, and Al learnt to crawl in the Blue Mosque … must have been the sight of all those men on their knees on the huge carpet! Contrary to popular speculation, after conceiving Al on holiday in Greece in 2005, Shan didn’t get pregnant while we were in Turkey. Oh no, that didn’t happen until the next month!
In the summer we had a trip to Brussels to catch up with friends and shop for things Shan still misses (Delhaize tins of mixed tomatoes and peppers mainly). We visited both sets of grandparents in Bristol and Hull, and had a week in Swansea. Highlights here were Al’s first dip in the sea, which he LOVED, and his stage debut at the Lifelink conference where he joined the other little people from the crèche to sing Heads and Shoulders in front of everyone.

Clive’s highlights have to be meeting Billy Bragg twice, and actually getting photographic evidence the second time. Oh and Bristol Rovers getting to Wembley where they won promotion into League 1. He also preached in November (very well in my unbiased opinion!) for the first time at our new church—we’ve been going to New Life since April. Not sure this counts as a highlight but Clive is also learning to drive.

Shan’s highlights are passing the threshold at work and therefore getting a pay rise, and also managing to complete running the Care Confidential training course for new team members at the pregnancy crisis centre despite work, Al and being pregnant for most of it!

Al’s personal highlights of 2007

So much has happened in Al’s life this past year, as you would expect from someone who has just reached the 18 month land mark.
After crawling for the first time in the Blue Mosque, Al started walking properly at the Cambridge Folk Festival - what timing!
He has always been very chatty but over this year some words have actually become comprehensible! He started with daddy and has now progressed to such useful words as bravo, chair and cheese.
Al has shown great musical aptitude in several ways, ranging from performing the Hokey Cokey spinning himself round in circles at a moment’s notice to joining in with the chorus of “If I Were A Rich Man” in his own little way with a merry chorus of liddle liddle liddle lai. Al had lots of first experiences this year. One was the first time he saw snow when he had a little walk in it with his daddy at 7am. Another was his first dip in the sea while we were in Swansea—on the beaches Mummy used to play on when she was little. Yet another was the first time he set foot out of Europe, on a bus trip to the Asian side of Istanbul.
We had a lovely 1st birthday / Thanksgiving party for Al with lots of friends and family in our local country park.
Saying goodbye to Mandy, our old childminder, was really sad but we’re very relieved to have Sarah as our new childminder. Al has a ball there with his pals Joanna, Katie and Matthew.
Speaking of mates, he has a busy social life and lots of lovely little friends. We hope that his little brother or sister is as fortunate.


And so into 2008 ...

The main thing we’re looking forward to (and trying to prepare Al for) is the
arrival of baby number 2. At two scans we were told it’s probably a girl but we look forward to finding out for sure somewhere around January 16th.
Apart from that, we hope for a bigger crop from the Petry garden than a few carrots and tomatoes, some rhubarb and a solitary apple. In fact we’re looking forward to a productive year all round in the Petry household!