Christmas Day

Often seemingly underwhelmed by her adventures Bess keeps up the cool facade.

'Wrap me up and pop me under the tree....I can't wait. I am really excited. Really I am.'

An early morning Christmas poo ensures we are up and at em' for a wintry park walk with the Gilbert-Burkes. Amelie came dressed as a bear.

Back home, Mike checks on Delia's 3-D 'How to cook' website. The internet is a wonder.

Mai in our Stockwell grotto.

Christmas feasting begins with sushi.

Mike: 'Did I tell you about being selected to ride the Etape du Tour?'

Bess: 'You did, yes.'

Post dinner:

Snoozebot no.1

Snooze-bot no.2

Christmas, c'est fin.

Les vacances de Noel chez Stockwell Ferme

'Ah, bonjour. Je cherche un arbre de Noel - avez vous des arbres de Noel? Ah, chouette. Oui. Un s'il vous plait. Merci et Joyeux Noel!'

..... Dear Santa. Thought I would email you to be quicker. Please fix it for me for to ride L'Etape du Tour in 2010. And if it's possible, please can I have a new bike for it. Thank you. Mike (31 years old).

Snacking

When small bears are hungry they forage for tasty morsels; mice being a favourite.

Awful hairstyles part 1

Knowing what we know (from only recently leaving our teenage years behind us) of the need to express oneself through ones own hair fashion, we take a deep breath at the possibility of this one coming home from the hair cut shop in the future.

Dinner date

So, who do you think showed up on Sunday armed with champagne, smoked salmon, dauphinoise potatoes and a pair of Ugg boots for Bess??

George did. And dressed to impress too!

George: 'Darling you look ravishing; may I have this dance?'

Post-peleton parachuting

Later on at the Gilbert-Burke residence...

Unable to get in on the earlier bike action Bess more than makes up for it and straps into a bungee harness for a little parachute practice.....

One thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four thou.....

.....guys? Guys?! Hey guys?!!.....'

Amelie watches on from her Bumbo throne.

'Tsk, amateurs'

Christmas Peleton

Richmond Park

Saturday 12 December

Minus 18degreesC or thereabouts

A hardcore of adults and babies arrive at Robin Hood Gate for the inaugural Christmas Peleton. Jolene the camper van provided a superb base camp from which we fortified ourselves with chai, soup, beef wellington sausage rolls, stollen and 'frosty fancies' before taking a tour of the park on our bikes. The sky was mainly bright and the approach to this first event, very positive, so it was promptly decided that a summer version might attract more crowds.

Watch this space.

First serious ride since Bess was born. Huffin' n' a puffin'.

Elusive alphabet cubes

Bess: 'Yup - thanks - I can just about get it...just....stretch.....out....my left hand....

.....ah, rats there it goes........

.....hah.....got you alphabet cube, you slippery fish!'

Love thing

George and Bess hanging out.

Keep your hands where we can see them kids.

Hug a hoody

Last month we showed Bess looking very seriously at the options for government.

She's very politically active you know.

Dressing to test big Dave's stance on youth; he couldn't resist.

Facial hair

L-R: Beardy, Clean Shaven, Beardy

Bess: 'Yeah I just went on line and bought a Gillette Pro Series 5. You should try it you baboons'

Rolling stock

And so the scene is set....

Baby on playmat. Toys on playmat, behind head of baby. Mother in position to coax baby with promise of sherbet dip-dab if she rolls over to get a toy.

Baby is nearly there, but gesticulates that a sherbet dip-dab won't cut the mustard. It's a pony or nothing. Bess: 'And what's with the upside down book - blimey mum, shape up!'

Uncle Fun

'Yeah, just hanging out with Uncle Bart, wearing a jaunty neckerchief, thinking about punching the air in delight 'cos it's all good...

.....hah look - there we go - yeah c'mon woahhh'

Happy

Foot and mouth

Another skill acquired and practiced at every available opportunity. Now, no sock is safe.

Face warp

A 'fun' game with a chrome lamp shade

Off camera

As Dad smiles for the camera at Paul Williams' wedding, Bess spots a tower of profiteroles about to tumble. Looks like she may have hidden two in her cheeks!

Little Gem

Some pics of Bess in the morning.

Wrapping up warm

Another outing in Aunty Doreen's hand knitted winter warmers. Check out that bobble!

On the pista

Ding a ling, ding a ling, morning vicar!

Who writes this stuff?

Bess: 'I do of course...'

N15 to the A11

The North London branch of the BFC (Baby Fan Club) moves to sunnier climes tomorrow. Just enough time to squeeze in a photo before Pickfords come to take them away.

Bess slips Chris a quid to keep hush. We're not quite sure what about though; communication still being a little limited.

Way hoop you now loike it up tha eese anglia.

Calm a lama down

Who'd have thought it.....a lama in Vauxhall.

There are all manner of 'wild things' in this neck of the wood but the lama was a real surprise today on our visit to the city farm with the Gilbert-Burke family. Sadly the farm is closed on a Monday but the wire fence did little to stop us eyeing up the chickens, cows, horses, rabbits, geese and lamas. All of whom looked street tough and probably witness to many things you won't see down on a country farm.

Mother, Bess and cow

Rufus menaces a rabbit.

Bess, with her undercut, passes a remarkable resemblance to a quiffed blanco lama (not it's real name).

Bess and Amelie chat about the animal magic.

Bess demonstrates how a chicken lays an egg.