A few photos from the last days of our India trip back in March, as we explored the opulent palaces of the maharajas in Jaipur.

Last week I took Hayden for his first trip to Italy to spend a few days with my parents in Venice before they embarked on a month-long Mediterranean cruise. I was a little bit nervous about travelling alone with Hayden, but he continues to be a very relaxed little voyager. He was happy to hang out in the arms of the airport security agents while I put all his bottles and baby food and stroller through the x-ray machine, and also with fellow passengers as I stowed my luggage in the overhead lockers. I had a bit of anxiety when his stroller wasn’t at the carousel at our final destination, but an airport employee saw me waiting and carried it over from oversized luggage. I am constantly amazed how kind and understanding people are when they see us travelling with an infant.

We boarded Hayden’s first vaporetto, and the small boat was buzzing with excitement, full of foreigners so thrilled to be in their dream destination. I could easily spot the honeymooners (the men playing with their wedding rings, and the women still sporting wedding manicures and perfectly waxed eyebrows). There were also older couples, returning to Venice to relive the romantic locations of their courtship. Once we arrived on the main island, I converted the Kelty backpack to a stroller, and the two of us ambled along the edge of the canal as we enjoyed our first taste of sunshine in weeks.

(Sadly I only have mobile phone pictures for this trip, as the DSLR was too big to fit in the backpack)

A few hours later, we were reunited with mum and Josef. They hadn’t seen Hayden since he was four months old, so he was very excited to show off his new skills that included crawling, clapping, and eating solids. We all traipsed off to find dinner, and Hayden sampled a Caprese mozzarella and tomato salad while I caught up on news from Australia. Hayden seemed really happy to see his grandparents again, and even scored some complementary cookies from the waiter.

We spent the next day visiting the quieter islands of Murano and Burano. We admired the delicate stitching of lace in Burano and explored the canals lined with colourful houses. On the glass-blowing island of Murano, we watched three brothers working together to create a beautiful floral chandelier, then visited the showroom for a sampler of all the different pieces from the island. Mum bought me a striking blue and silver glass pendant for my birthday, a unique souvenir of our holiday.

After three nights in our delightful apartment amongst the rooftops of Venice, it was time to say goodbye with one final stroll along the Grand Canal. After their cruise, we will meet up with them again in Spain for a week in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca.

What a busy month for our little bear. He has sprouted another five teeth, started to crawl, and learned how to blow raspberries. He is 10.2 kg (22.7 lbs) and 72.1 cm (28.4 inches).

He claps at every opportunity, even using it to self-soothe during a traumatic experience such as having his nappy changed. He will now tolerate having his nose cleaned, simply blowing a raspberry to register his disgust. His new pet peeve is lying on his back, which means that I now have to attempt to dress him while his is clambering around on the floor. This is especially difficult now that the crèche has suggested that he might find it easier to crawl if I stopped dressing him in one-piece rompers and started putting him in pants and a top. Boo.

He loves to eat solids, and is happy to be either spoon-fed (opening his mouth up like a baby bird) or feed himself. His favourite foods include strawberries, bread, lettuce, quorn, and cheese. He likes clearing his plate, even if that means deliberately dropping food onto the floor rather than placing it in his mouth. After a serious post-meal clean-up, we often read a book together. Hayden enjoys turning the pages in both directions, which means that often the story progresses in a very non-linear fashion.

Hayden and I have both had constant runny noses and coughs this month, but he still generally slept through the night, after a dreamfeed and bottle around 10pm. Hayden will now only breastfeed when he is asleep, he much prefers a bottle when he is alert.

Adrian continuous to be an amazing father. I swan off to work most mornings leaving Adrian to feed and change the baby, then take him on the train then on bus to the crèche, only to turn around a few hours later to pick him up and take him home again. If Adrian goes off for a few drinks with his colleagues he always takes Hayden with him, which gives me the evening alone to socialise or to relax with a long hot bath. Even on the weekends Adrian is now in charge of most of the feeding, though I must admit he is terrible at getting Hayden to fall asleep as the little bear is usually too excited to calm down and close his eyes.

My two guys make me laugh and smile every day. It is wonderful to see more of Hayden’s happy and chipper personality emerge every day.