Take That.....Again!

So we went to see Take That last Monday (26th) for the second time since they got back together. Needless to say Jen was ubelievably excited about it, and was nearly uncontrollable by the time we arrived at the Arena.
Our seats were a lot better this time - approx 15 rows from the main stage and 10 rows from the centre stage. This was without doubt the closest I've been to the performers at a concert and it does make a bid difference like. (I've only ever been to Arena and Stadium gigs though).
They did all the well known 'back in the day' songs plus quite a few from their most recent album. The stage show itself was something else, - you couldn't fail to be impressed.

We were also on the end of a row so when they walked back through the crowd from the centre stage to the front - Jen was in grabbing distance...which she obviously did as you can just about make out from their reactions in the video below..!

Also got a couple of other quite good videos; Patience and Only Takes A Minute.....And needless to say there's also a shed load of photos Here.

See previous post title!

Yep Jen thrives on a bit Baby Competition!! This time it's the Evening Chronicle Baby Idol 2007 contest.
To be fair, at least I knew this one was on the cards, given that I went with Jen and Abbie on the day of the shoot. We went on the last day as we'd heard it had been like a cattle market all week with excited mothers determined to get the bairn in the paper dressed in his/her best clobber!
The photographer asked me to sit Abigail on a table and support her back. Given this was about 4 weeks ago, Abigail didn't take kindly to the whole sitting up thing due to her age, and I had to support her front too. I can't believe though that the knacka-jack photographer never thought to mention that my hand would be in the shot on the full size photo...!! We were under the impression it was just head photos they were taking.
The photos are available to buy on the web as a pack for the less than cheap price of 50 quid! which makes the fact that my hand is in the shot all the more ridiculous!!
(Shown in this post are both the photo from the web and also the newspaper).

The competition itself is judged in typical X-Factor style by the number of text votes received, which is something else I don't agree with! Anyway if you want to vote for Abigail you need to do the following;

TEXT: ECBABY 709 to 84080

(Cost is 25p)

Gotta worry about my Missus at times...!

Messing around on the computer upstairs last night and Jen shouts "Abigail's photo's in The Sun!".

Turns out the The Sun newspaper is doing a bonniest baby contest and of course Jen couldn't resist submitting a pic of the apple of her eye....

Click here to see the infamous pic of a very young Abigail. - Takes a while for the picture to come up due to the 18,000 entries!!

Early development of Night Vision

If the Auld Wives Tale about "eating Carrots helping you to see in the dark" is true then Abigail's getting an early start!
We gave her Baby Rice for the first time last week and although she ate it, she was less than impressed with the taste. Yesterday Jen did the blended carrot thing and to our surprise it seemed to go down quite well.
I could comment on the COMPLETE difference in her nappies as a result today but I'll leave that to your imagination. Couldn't really do it justice anyway until they invent smelly vision!!

Bairns In The Baths

I went along to Abigail's 2nd Water Babies class on Monday armed with 2 cameras! (ours and Pinars).
The rest of the class are relaxed enough about photos been taken so I snapped away for 45 mins whilst getting my first insight to the world of baby swimming lessons!
Have to say I was really impressed with the techniques they use to get the little-uns confident with the water, and at the same time keeping them entertained.
Obviously the best part was watching them actually go under the water (see videos below and in the 'AbbieTube' bar), and not one of them came back up distressed.
We'll be taking Abigail abroad next year and I think I might have to seriously look at an underwater kit for my camera...!
As usual there's a flickr set of the photos, and don't forget the 'View as Slideshow' option at the top of the flickr page. (Note: Some of the pics will look a bit odd, as I thought it best to blur all the other babies faces out except for Abigail and Amber).

Royalties Due..?!

We were at a wedding doo last night and whilst standing outside talking to the smoking brigade a lass I've not seen for a good few years pipes up with;

"Eeeh you're Revell aren't you?"

Aye

"Did you take your Baby swimming a few weeks ago"

Aye

"Eeeh do you know ya photo is on the Blyth Valley website?"

Erm No!

Turns out the photo I blogged at the time was also used on the Blyth Valley Arts & Leisure website HERE.

(Incidentally, Abigail's proper 'Water Babies' classes start on Monday).

QE2

The QE2 recently visited the North East as part of it's round of tours before heading off to the far east to become a floating hotel (have you ever!?!).

After a few troubles it eventually entered the mouth of the Tyne and sailed up to North/South Shields.

Seemed only right to capture at least one shot of her before she left to sail up to Edinburgh.

(QE2 is back in the North East in Oct '08)