James and Christie

June was a busy, travel-filled month. I headed over to the USA for work, visiting San Francisco, Seattle and New York. I was lucky to be able to catch up with Gene in San Fran, and Aunty Tennille in New York; she delayed her flight to have dinner with me for an early birthday present for me – thanks again little sister!

It was very rough being away from the family for two weeks (three weekends). Especially so when I was leaving an ill family knowing Christie would have her work cut out for her. So thanks go out to all the grandparents and family and friends who helped out and let me come home to a happy and (relatively) sane household last week.

Travelling provides a different perspective on things, and I was amazed how much I missed the little things. Thank God for Skype and video chat! It was quite disconcerting for Sarah to see her daddy on a computer screen when he wasn’t in the house, but she quickly adjusted. To the point now that whenever she goes past a computer screen, she looks expectantly at it and calls for me.

Which brings me to a current bone of contention in the house – namely Sarah’s ability, or inability, to say my name. For the last month or so, Sarah has been trying out different sounds. The first one she really mastered was “Dah”. Now, you tell me: if you were dialling in from the other side of the world, and your dribbly little girl was looking surprised at the screen, then looking back at mummy, then looking back at the screen, pointing and saying “Dah! Dah!”, would you or would you not think that she is basically saying “Daddy!”?

Of course you would.

I don’t care what people say about 8 months being too young to talk – my girl can pretty much say “Dad”, and that’s her first word(ish).

Her mother’s counter to this is that Sarah says “Dah” when she sees people other than me, like her brother for example. I respond that you can’t say “David” or “Daddy” without “Dah”.

The little munchkiness and the munchkin are both on and off again healthy. I’m told this is what it is like during Winter, and that we should basically get used to the concept of them being sick most of the time. Usually one gets the sniffles, then gets better right when the other is getting sick. And we get caught in the crossfire.

But for Sarah, it’s currently a sore throat mixed in with teething – so lots of dribble flying everywhere. Poor little thing.

We console ourselves by saying that we’re over the hump now, and on the way to Summer…only a few short months away. Bring it on!