Walking Girl....

Over the last few days Summer has started walking. Below is a little video of her practising with Daddy. She is getting more and more confident each day. There is also a video of Summer on Thomas the Tank Engine (her favourite!).

Dancing girl....

Here is a little video of Summer dancing along to Thomas the Tank Engine!!

Isabellas Birthday Party

This weekend we all went to stay with Granny and Grandad as it was Isabella's first birthday party. Below is Grandad and Summer at the party.



On the Saturday Summer and Isabella spent most of the day playing together - spreading their toys everywhere and chasing each other around Granny and Grandads house.



Below is a lovely picture of the birthday girl and above Granny is reading a book to the girls.

We have had a busy couple of weeks with mummy and daddy working and Summer still enjoying nursery. Summer has taken her first steps on her own - only a few as she doesn't seem to have her confidence yet but I'm sure she will get there in her own time. Also we are getting lots more words - I think she is going to be a chatterbox!! Favourites are hiya, dada, mama, nana (banana), oof oof (woof woof for dog), ummer (Summer), oh dear, yeah yeah.

Brought home from nursery...

The picture above is Summer showing off the painted masterpiece that she brought home from nursery yesterday. Below is a stick on creation that came home this week as well. I think she definitely has an artistic streak!!

Above Summer looks a bit guilty as she was hiding her sock from mummy whilst we were trying to get ready for nursery! Below is the plant that she grew - she was very pleased to present it to mummy!

Busy couple of weeks....

Two weekends ago Auntie Mandy and Auntie Sam came to visit. Above is Summer holding hands with Auntie Sam and below playing with Auntie Mandy. We had lots of fun playing games and reading books together.

Last weekend we went to stay with Granny and Grandpops. Summer got to play with her cousin Isabella - they had lots of fun crawling after each other round and round Grannys kitchen! Below Granny is looking after both Summer and Isabella!

A busy couple of weeks....

Well its been a busy couple of weeks. Two weeks ago Oma came to visit which was lovely. Summer and Oma had lots of fun together often bursting into laughter for no apparent reason!!

Last week we went to stay in Dawlish with Granny and Grandpops. We had a lovely week with great weather. We visited the Model village in Babbacombe as well as taking Summer on a steam train and a ferry to Dartmouth.

Summer spent most of the holiday wanting to walk everywhere as you can see from the picture above! So when we got home we went to buy her first pair of shoes which are pictured below. She loves them and doesn't want to take them off at all!

Below is a video of Summer walking up and down our sofa which is her latest trick!

Vote for Summer......

Mummy has entered Summer in a cutest baby competition in the Sun newspaper.

Voting starts tomorrow 9th September 2009 . To vote click on go to:

http://sunbeams.thesun.co.uk/index.php

Type in Summer Hope and you will see a picture of her. If you click on the picture you should be able to vote.

Much appreciated!

Raising money for Southampton Hospital

We have finally decided that the time has come to start raising money for Southampton Hospital. They have done so much for Summer that we would like to give them something back. We have started a fundraising page that you can find at www.justgiving.com/summerhoperudd.

Any donations will go straight to Southampton Hospital and will help so many more babies and children.

Summer with Auntie Mandy and Auntie Sam

Summer's first haircut....

Yesterday Summer had her first haircut. She was so good at the hairdressers - maybe because she got to sit in a car whilst they trimmed her hair! She has now got rid of the hair that kept getting in her eyes and the back is very neat.

In the last couple of days not only is Summer trying to walk but she has also started crawling forwards. She has been able to go backwards for quite a while but she is very pleased that she can now go forward! The video below shows her crawling.

She'll be running next......

This week Summer has been practicing walking more and more. Here she is in our friends garden with a baby walker.

This week Summer hasn't been feeling very well. She is still teething with her four molars trying to come through all at once. On top of that she has picked up a chest infection and has been started on antibiotics. This hasn't stopped her trying to pull herself up on everything as you can see above. I think she was after the CD's in this picture!

The video below shows how Summers walking is progressing . She is holding onto mummy but is getting quicker!

A busy week...

This week has been a busy one. Summer has managed to work out how to pull herself up from sitting to standing and has been practising over the last couple of days. The video at the bottom shows her having a go at walking in her cot.

The picture above shows her trying out her new swing in the garden and below is Summer on her trike. We all went for a walk at Hengistbury Head. Summer is not longer very keen to sit in her buggy for long periods of time but she happily sat on her trike for an hour - waving at people and saying "hiya".

Summers 7th tooth popped through this week and I think numbers 8, 9 & 10 will be shortly following as I can see them just below the surface of her gums. It has disturbed her a sleep a little so mummy and daddy are a bit tired!

She knows my name!!

Well after waiting a year to hear Summer say "mama" she has spent the past couple of weeks perfecting it!! She now has four words that she uses regularly - dada , mama, hiya, yeah.

Having spent a long time trying to get Summer to let us brush her teeth - she now brushes her own as you can see from the above picture.

This week Summer has started trying to pull herself up on the furniture and loves to stand. She has been enjoying playing with all her new toys from her birthday and has had a great week at nursery. One of the entries that the nursery wrote in her book (which they give to us at the end of the day to let us know what she has done) was "Summer spent the whole day laughing and smiling" which I thought was lovely and a perfect description of our daughter!!

Latest Hospital Update....

Today was Summers latest hospital check-up at Southampton Hospital. We met with her Consultant/Surgeon Mr Burge to discuss when they plan to operate and to check on Summers progress. They were very pleased with her general progress and were happy with how much she had grown. Mr Burge said he thought she was beautiful (Matt and I agree!!!).

Mr Burge checked her scar from the diaphramatic hernia operation and it is already fading which is great. He then tried to feel how much muscle Summer has surrounding the exomphalos but she wasn't too keen on that so I think he struggled a little!!

The doctors have decided to probably wait till Summer is three before attempting the operation. This is because they only want to perform it once and if they try it earlier they may end up having to do more than one operation - which we certainly don't want. As Summer uses her muscles more with crawling and walking they will get stronger and this will also make it easier for them to join them when the time comes.

Mr Burge does not need to see Summer for another year which is fantastic.

Can you believe its been a year?.........

Well Wednesday was Summers 1st Birthday. I can't quite believe that a year has passed since Summer was born and those frantic first few weeks that we spent driving backwards and forwards between Southampton Hosiptal and home. So much has happened in Summers first year but she is doing so well. Above Summer is trying out a new toy - she had managed to reverse into the sofa! Below is Summer opening another present.

We had a lovely lunch with Granny , Oma, Auntie Lia and Isabella in Guildford. Below Summer and Isabella played together very well.

Today Summer had her 12 month jab at the doctors. She was very brave and hardly cried.

Next Tuesday we have our next appointment at Southampton Hospital with Summers surgeon. We are hoping he will give us some idea of when they plan to operate.

Summers 1st Birthday Party....

Yesterday was Summers 1st Birthday Party which we held in the garden. We were very lucky with the weather - gorgeous sunshine all day . It was lovely to see so many friends and family and hopefully Matt and I managed to speak to everyone. Summer seemed to enjoy all the attention and especially liked seeing all the other children.

Summer had a lovely lemon birthday cake with candles but she looked a bit bemused at all the fuss as you can see above! Summers actual birthday is Wednesday - I can't quite believe she is nearly a year old already. So much has happened this last year that it seems to have whizzed by.

Mummy holding Isabella , Grandpops holding Summer

Below - Summer and Oma

A busy week...

It was mummy's second week at work last week and we all managed to survive! Its hectic getting ready in the morning - you really have to be organised. Summer is still loving nursery - particularly playing in the garden on their swing! Mummy had a busy week at work and has been a bit tired but is enjoying the new role so far. Daddy has been picking Summer up from nursery so gets some quality time with her on his own which he loves.

Last weekend was Fathers Day and Summer and mummy took daddy to the Bournemouth Oceanarium which was great fun. Summer was really intrigued by all the wonderfully coloured fish and wasn't scared at all of the sharks etc

Last weekend we swapped cars with my brother for the week so they could use our bigger car on holiday. This meant we had their Mini Convertible - great fun especially with the wonderful weather we have been having! Below are Summer and her cousin Isabella playing together on Saturday when we swapped the cars back.

Summers first day at nursery....

Today mummy had to go back to work and so it was Summers first proper day at nursery. The day didn't start very well as Summer fell over and bumped her head which came up in a lump! Just what I needed on my first day at work! Thankfully the day got better and she had lots of fun at nursery playing with the other children and all the toys!!

Mummies day didn't go to badly either (after she got over the head bumping incident!). Spent the day catching up with work colleagues and getting my desk sorted!

Our holiday to Woolacombe...

We have just come back from a wonderful holiday in Woolacombe with Granny and Grandad. We were very lucky and had great weather. Above you can see Summer in her sun tent on the beach. Below Summer is enjoying a go on the swing at the play park.

Below Summer and daddy had a swim in the baby pool.

Mummy celebrated her 31st birthday whilst we were away and Summer had three more teeth come through at the top!

Below we were all practising clapping on Woolacombe beach!

This week Summer has got her third tooth - it put her off her food for a couple of days but as you can see above she is always more interested in what mummy and daddy are eating!

We are getting ready for our holiday to Woolacombe. In the picture above Summer was trying on her new UV Suit in the hope that we get some sun!! Granny and Grandad are coming too so it will be lovely to spend the week together.

Summer has had two practice sessions at her nursery in preparation for mummy returning to work in four weeks. She loves the staff and all the toys but seems a bit unsure of the other children at the moment - she isn't used to being around so many all at once. It is a lovely small nursery just around the corner from our flat that only has ten children under two years old.

Last weekend we met up with Matts Dad and his girlfriend Willemien in Winchester. It was a lovely sunny day so here are a few pictures. Above is Summer gazing at her Grandad. Below is Summer and Willemien outside Winchester Cathedral.

Below is Summer and daddy enjoying the sunshine.
We still haven't managed to get a very good video of Summer crawling but there is a little movement in the below video. She is still going backwards but is definitely trying to work out how to go forwards!!