No one’s April Fool

I’ve really taken to eating cereal for breakfast, but for some reason only if Dad feeds me. As a result a new routine was introduced this week, namely Dad feeding me before he goes to work. Fortunately he bikes to work most days, and the schools are on holiday, so this additional morning assignment is not (yet) making him late for work. Monday morning was an interesting start to the day though. After wolfing down my Daddy administered cereal, Dad started to leave for work. I heard his bike starting up and it roared up the road. A short while later Dad arrived home again, but without his bike, and sweating from what looked like a hectic workout! I then realised he’d dropped his bike off at the local bike shop for a service and then walked home to get his car to go to go to work. The afternoon was pretty similar, in that Dad rushed his car into the driveway and then strode up the road to collect his bike. It seemed to take for ever for Dad to get home, and here’s why – it’s a worthwhile story to embarrass him with.

Apparently all went well when Dad collected his bike after its repairs, and after straddling the bike he rode off home. However about 1 minute from the shop the bike stalled, and after Dad tried numerous times to restart the bike to no avail, he phoned the bike shop. Apparently Randburg Motorcycles dispatched an LDV complete with a ramp to wheel the bike onto the back of the pickup. My Dad showed the mechanic how he tried to restart the bike and that it was now making a clicking noise when the ignition was turned on. The mechanic said this noise was not unusual if there was no fuel in the bike, as which moment he checked the fuel gauge. The mechanic then very matter-of-factly noted that the fuel tank was full. Next he asked Dad if he checked the fuel tap; it was at this point that Dad went crimson with embarrassment. It seemed, that even after riding a bike for four years, Dad was still not familiar with Biking 101! I guess this is one of the best ways to learn.

Monday also brought with it another new practice, namely going for a long walk with Mom and Granny. Just as Dad was leaving for work (for the second time that day), Granny arrived, and pretty soon I was bundled into my traveller and the three of us went for an hour long walk, to Brightwater Commons and back again. It was wonderful being out in the fresh morning air, listening to Mommy and Granny chatting.

In the evening a present was given to me by my Mom and Dad; apparently it was still from Christmas. It was something that Mom and Dad bought but was for older kids, so they kept it back. I was overjoyed! After tearing the wrapping off I discovered it was a Winnie the Pooh Musical Mat; basically it’s a big mat with colours, numbers and symbols on it. As you stand, kneel or slap one of these a sound or tune it made. I had such fun sitting and rolling around on the mat, touching and kicking all the different areas of the mat as it made wonderful new sounds.

On Tuesday Mommy hosted Mommy’s Club at our house. I was so excited! Soon the Mommy’s started arriving and soon after we were all in the garden, playing in the autumn leaves that were lying under our huge oak tree. The kids that are already walking loved to play in the leaves, throwing them up in the air and watching them drift earthbound.

Wednesday, as you all know, was April Fool’s day. Being an inquisitive kid, the first thing I asked my Dad when I woke up was ‘why’s it called April Fool’s Day’, at which point he gave me his Blackberry and suggested I Google it! One thing that wasn’t an April Fool’s joke was that my Aunty Shazza (Sharon) arrived from Australia to visit her friends and family in South Africa. I was extremely excited by this, as I hadn’t yet met my God-Mommy, so it was going to be an auspicious occasion. Unfortunately her flight arrived fairly late in the afternoon, so I had to wait until Thursday to meet her. I could hardly sleep that night as the excitement of meeting my God-Mommy overwhelmed me. However, eventually I could no longer hold my eyelids open and I dropped off to sleep.

By Thursday I was a veritable bundle of excitement, waiting to meet Aunty Shazza. But first, Mom and I went on another hour long walk around the neighbourhood, eventually arriving at Brightwater Commons, where after we headed back home. Aunty Shazza arrived just after midday. It was incredible; she held me close and we immediately bonded. Sadly Uncle Marc, my God-Daddy, couldn’t visit with Shazza, but I know I’m going to like him as much as I like Aunty Shazza! Mom and I spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and catching up. Shazza really missed Steers chips, so soon after her arrival some chips were delivered. I was on top form for eating, between mouthfuls of butternut and creamcheese, I munched away on cucumber and asparagus. I also partook of the chips as we chatted over lunch. In the late afternoon Dad arrived home and another reunion ensued. In the early evening we took Aunty Shazza back to her folk’s place, with promises to meet up the next day again.

Friday morning Mom and I headed off to Granny’s place where we were planning a walk. It wasn’t as successful as the walks Mom and I have back in Randburg, as the traffic in Morningside is hectic, and there are no pavements. Afterward we went to Claudi’s for a visit. It was a great visit, apart from the fact that I bumped my head, which is a huge concern for everyone, as to date the work in my head has cost more than R1 million; hence one of my nicknames being the ‘million dollar head baby’! Despite the bang on my head, I was looking forward to the evening where another reunion was planned with Aunty Shazza and her friends at JB’s Corner in Melrose Arch. I thought this venue was aptly chosen, as one of my many nicknames is Jay Bee! We arrived at Melrose Arch just as it was getting dusk. While we waited for a table I had the honour of sitting on the bar, which was a great deal of fun. I made friends with another couple at the bar, and then we moved outside to our table. Pretty soon tonnes of Shazza’s friends started arriving, and I got to meet a whole bunch of new people. During the course of the evening I opted for a snooze, so Dad walked me around the square between all the restaurants while I drifted off. I wasn’t in the mood to do much sleeping, so Dad carried me up the High Street and popped into a few stores, including an art gallery, that carried paintings from a local comedian. Without letting anyone hear, Dad whispered into my ear that the guy should have stuck to comedy and never have picked up a paint brush. Little did I know at the time that this was going to be one of two art-shocks for me of the weekend.

After finally falling asleep Dad took me back to JB’s Corner where everyone chatted over cocktails. Later in the evening I felt my body being placed in my traveller, and we headed off to The Meat Company. There I did wake up a few times, as I was really keen to savour some of the fresh and succulent meat that everyone was having, but I was just too tired to eat. The last thing I remember is a friendly waiter helping Dad carry my traveller down the stairs as we left for the evening.

On Saturday I got off to a late start, and after waking up Dad took over my cares so that Mommy could sleep in a little. After we were all up and ready to go we headed off to Sandton City. Mom’s Blackberry is misbehaving, so it needed to be repaired. After checking it in for repairs we wandered around the stores and pretty soon we found ourselves heading toward the Sandton Convention Centre where the Jo’burg Art Fair was being held. We hadn’t planned to go, but Mom and Dad decided to introduce some culture into my life. A bad choice of event we later discovered. I was fortunate to have fallen asleep shortly after arriving at the Art Fair, as apparently Mom and Dad punctuated much of the work with four letter words starting with sh–, cr–, and junk, and absolute junk. We were all pretty disappointed, but figured art was in the eye of the beholder, and we were just not beholding on that day. One funny thing that did happen is that Mom was chatting to a friend from Baby Club, so Dad, holding me, stood to one side to be out of the way, and to prevent anyone bumping me awake. While standing there, rocking me, someone asked Dad if we were also an exhibition; Dad quickly responded with a ‘I would be an improvement, wouldn’t it!’. Luckily Mom and Dad’s views were shared by many of the other guests there as many were overheard saying ‘this is cr–‘ or ‘this is sh–‘ or one ‘this is horrendous’. I was shocked to learn that one particular art piece was false grass, the size of a cricket pitch, surrounded by a fence, surrounded by even another barbed wire fence and the space in between was strewn with machetes and meat cleavers, complete with two poor souls having to patrol, dressed as guards! I figured if that was art, then the unfinished building in front of our house is also art, as it is a testament to the corruption, fraud and blatant theft that some people will go to to get their dishonest hands on other people’s hard earned cash. But I guess that’s our personal struggle that others are not interested in, hence its not art!

After the art-shock experience we felt deserving of an early dinner at the Mugg and Bean. Heading back home Mom and Dad hired the latest Bond movie, Quantum of Solace, and we all chilled watching this awesome new 007 rendition.

Sunday morning Aunty Shazza was dropped off by her Mom at our place, and after chilling around the house we headed off to James and Joleen’s place for ‘n potjie, or as Dad calls it, “a pot-gee”. It was a brilliant day so we sat on the lawn munching on chips and snacks while the pot-gee entered the final stages of preparation. Soon the adults were seated around the table while I was snoozing off to the side. The aroma of the stunning lamb knuckle pot-gee soon woke me up, and Mom feed me a few pieces of the succulent lamb and the awesome potato mash bake. This was my first ever pot-gee, and I certainly hope it won’t be the last. We all spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around on the lawn and by mid afternoon we had the most incredible dessert in the form of chocolate cake ganache. All too soon the afternoon was over and we said our adieus. After dropping Aunty Shazza off at her folk’s place we headed back home for a quiet evening.

Well, that’s it for now. My development is progressing really nicely; I now am able to steady myself in the crawling position, and even rock backward and forward, which is apparently the next thing that I need to do to get into the motion of crawling movement. My standing is also coming along nicely, as is my vocabulary. Rolling over is also going great. My latest party trick is that I’m starting to wave hello and goodbye.

Lots of love,

Jarrod

Figure 1 Wolfies smile

Figure 2 Mouthfuls!

Figure 3 Standing on Mom’s lap

Figure 4 Oh Mom, must you put stuff on my head and photograph me?

Figure 5 Shatzi grabs some leftover scraps of my food

Figure 6 Here’s looking at you, kid

Figure 7 Hi!

Figure 8 Touchies

Figure 9 Cereal Giggler

Figure 10 I.C.U!

Figure 11 Meeting Aunty Sharon, my God-Mommy

Figure 12 Breakfast Giggles

Figure 13 Scrunched up giggles

Figure 14 Cuddlebunny Wrap

Figure 15 Having had a rough night

Figure 16 Alfresco munchies

Figure 17 James checks the pot-gee . . .

Figure 18 Perfecto!

Figure 19 Contented

Figure 20 Joleen’s chocolate cake ganache

Figure 21 Getting into crawling