Happy Christmas! I hope Santa brought you everything you asked for.

I couldn’t let the day go by without posting a Happy Birthday to my little giggler Eve who turned 5 today. Our living room looks like the cast of High School Musical had a smack-down with Hannah Montana.

At the Phoenix Park on Sunday.

I can’t believe a year has gone by since I posted about the first day of Educate Together in Greystones and today Eve had her own first day there. Everyone keeps asking me did I cry and I didn’t because we kept it light and up because it’s a good day! You can get all maudlin about it if you really let yourself start thinking about your baby growing up and singing ABBA songs to yourself but that’s just masochistic.

Eve was laid back about it all, she had a little wobble when she realised we were leaving but she gave us a hug and we didn’t make a big deal of it and she was fine. I admit I did sneak back up the stairs to have a peek and she was all smiles and her hand was up with everyone and it was all good. I really wanted to try and recreate this photo from last year but this time with Eve in it and the stars aligned and I think I got quite close:

I didn’t take many photos, it’s funny, when I’m hired to photograph an event it’s easy enough for me to do what I have to do to get the shots, but when I’m there just as a parent I get all self-conscious and feel like a dork with a big camera.

I meant to take a little break, but then I blinked and two months had zipped by. I’m still here, just enjoying the summer. We’ve been doing a lot of fun things and I’ve taken lots of photos. Now that I’ve broken the blank post ice I will be blogging again very soon.

We spent the day at my parent’s house yesterday altogether with my family for Easter. We laughed, searched for eggs, ate, flew kites, played golf, ate some more and had a brilliant time. Eve had a new dress which she was very proud of so I took some photos before it was covered in chocolate and grass stains.

Yesterday Mary Harney announced the decision to halt the provision of the HPV vaccination to girls aged 12 years, a reversal of a decision made last August. This vaccine has the potential to prevent cervical cancer. I believe this is a mistake and this morning a listener on the Ray D’Arcy show suggested a way to let Mary Harney know what we thought: what if we all sent emails to the Minister with photos of their daughters expressing our dismay over this decision to deny these girls a vaccine which may prevent them getting cervical cancer in later years?

The Ray D’Arcy show has a link where you can send an email directly and it will only take a second. You can do it here: Today FM. Or if you’d like to send a photo of your daughter, the address is minister’s_office@health.irlgov.ie

Other blogs talking about this today:

Redmum
Alexia
Damian
The Cedar Lounge

Canon 5D, 28mm, f3.2, 1/640, ISO 400

Finally I can upload photos! My broadband has been broken since last week and I was going through withdrawl not being able to upload anything!

So how was your bank holiday weekend? Ours was on the housebound side since Eve wasn’t too well. She was in good spirits though and it was more me and Matt that were going a little stir-crazy being stuck in. We bought her one of those little blow up paddling pools and she spent most of the weekend out in the garden trying to persuade the cats to join her for a swim.

Canon 5D, 200mm, f4, 1/200, ISO 400

Eve playing hide and seek at my parent’s house a couple of evenings ago. It’s her favourite game right now, much to the distress of her Daddy when she decided to have an impromptu game in the giant Harvey Norman store in Carrickmines over the weekend. Staff were called in, store cameras were used…she’s very, very good at this new game. Thankfully she was found before too long and Matt has just about recovered from the fright. Kids…they’ll put grey hairs on ya!

Just got back from the photomeet in Dublin, we had a great turnout and fab weather so hopefully some good photos too! I’ve not had a chance to go through all yet but a post will follow. I did pick up a couple of bargains at the car boot sale at the George Bernard Shaw pub where we all met up. Eve’s especially taken with these glasses I picked up for a euro (we discovered if you buy stuff, you’re more likely to get a good photo of the vendors haha!).