The Travels of Carrie and Adrian: Adrian nearly 40

Since our last post:

* We've spent just under a month in the UK, arriving in time to enjoy the MP expense scandal as it unfolded (as well as the usual relaxing time with Martins, Hopwoods, and friends, ASDA and Tesco humus, and Grandma's crumble)
* Tom has grown his third tooth
* Martha has ridden on her first roller coaster (she didn't have as much fun as Mummy)
* Tommy has expanded his crawling from commando (still preferred when a turn of speed is required) to traditional on-knees style, but spends most of his time pulling up and standing against furniture
* Martha and Tom have discovered the "monster game" which Uncle Chris and Carrie also played (although in our case it was the werewolf game): little brother chases big sister while big sister shrieks
* and on a related note, Tom has started to roar, and Martha has accelerated her screeching
* We have purchased a picnic table to enhance our outdoor living
* Carrie has deliberated over what job to return to in the fall and *thinks* she's made the right choice
* Adrian has turned 40! (more on this elsewhere)

The four of us got up smartly for a wedding in the UK

Back at home, our now-child-proof fireplace

Martha hiking in Briones

and on the ferry to SF with Grammy and Walter

Martha and Royal chatting

Martha and Leah lolling

Nephew and Niece lunching with Uncle Chris in SF

Martha planting (above) and Tommy standing with Grandma (below), and the three having tea in Kent (very below)

Mummy and kids dance;

Thomas and Granddad do a jigsaw;

Uncle Tim carries Tommy

In Colchester, with Great Aunt Pat and Second-Cousin Lewis, reuniting Hopwoods and celebrating Adrian's 40th (a bit early):

Visiting the original Big Tom and Big Martha (and Carrie's goddaughter Rosa) in Stoke Newington.....

En route back to California: in the bathroom on the not-really-big-enough baby-changing "table";

and in our bulkhead seats on the 747. We get the seats with extra legroom and a special tray for Tom which fold down from the bulkhead (the wall in front of us). On it there is the car seat that British Airways gives us. He sleeps well in it, but only when its night-time (which is never is on the west-bound trip!);