Let's see: Gemma's born, and less than 12 months later Canada wins it's first Olympic hockey gold medal in 50 years. Coincidence? Perhaps, but one can't argue that she hurt the cause. The game was actually broadcast during the prime evening hours on the BBC, and while they managed to avoid their 1998 term "ice hockey boots" representing, I would guess, skates, they did ceaselessly refer to goalies as net minders. They also dragged out ex-Millennium Dome head honcho PY Gerbeau to provide some commentary. Apparently he used to play in the NHL and for the "French national hockey team", whatever that may be. Grapes need not fear for his job.
Gemma's had a bit of an outandabout weekend, kicking off Friday night with a dinner at Simon and Christine's. Gal Pal Alex was already asleep when we arrived, and Gemma soon joined her. Once again, she slept as soundly as she ever does when there; must be the air. Saturday was a night for entertaining in, as we had Mike and Samantha over for the first time since Mike's excelente aventura motorbiking his way around South America. Lamb shanks, in case you're wondering, and lots of wine both in the pot and glass. Gemma made it out for a series of late evening cameos.
She's also been loading up on protein, with her first few meals of chicken over the weekend. All and all she's been receptive to the bird, which may have given her that extra oomph to help her with increased floor rolling, repeated gymnastics to get her from squatting to an aided standing position and ever louder crying when the need to express displeasure arises.

It's an all Gemma health 'n appearance post:
Food. Gemma's been expanding the palate, building on the cereal base with a new range of fruits, veg and creative mixtures: peaches, apricots, broccoli - courgette blends etc. Soon she'll be onto chicken. Cruelly, this doesn't involve skin. A new Peg highchair has hit the kitchen making for easier access.
From food to haircare. Gemma's hair's been coming in nicely. She now has a certain French new wave, pixie thing going for her, which allows her eyes to shine through and reveals an exquisite bone structure.
Exercise. From jumping up and down to long sessions in the exersaucer, the body remains toned. A weekly swimming session ensures muscles are stretched, and with the littlest parental intervention (perhaps a litle help with the balance) she's been raising herself from a squatting to standing position, sometimes combined with a short dance.

Gemma received her first Valentine's card in the mail today, from Felix and Sophie. Displaying dexterity with the scissors, she also made her first card for her dad, with a helpful photographic reminder of herself glued on the front. Sweet.

Gemma had both parents at her swimming session this afternoon, the new attendee toting along a video camera. Surely this invites a possible onslaught of visitors eager to see the film? Book your seats now.

Gemma news? Tons of it - the scales were creaking at the health clinic week when Gemma weighed in at 5.5 k / 12 lb 2 oz. Related to all this is all the food Gemma's eating: the usual cereals, plus a pureefest of sweet potatoes, parsnip, carrot, apple/pear, bananas and avocado. And a little facilitating juice. She's now up to three solid meals a day, and amazingly, as the volume and eating speed goes up, the mess made goes down. Relatively speaking.
More action on the swimming front. Gemma's now in the second class of aquababies, getting completely dunked underwater. She generally comes up smiling, so there's hope that her swimming abilities will surpass those of her mother.
Slipping out of London, we spent a weekend with Kingsley, Clare, Freddy and Harry in their new 'hood. Their house in enormous and nicely heated, despite rumours to the contrary. The village is really pretty and manages to throw on a yoga class, making it pretty cosmo for the middle of the Cotswolds. And Kinger is happily placed in his new school, where they've kitted him out with a iBook, allowing him to leapfrog centuries in the technology department.
Last weekend we went to Stockholm to visit Emma, Eero and Pooh. New gadgets had Pooh and me fighting for the controls, but engendered a healthy competition. Eero provided 101 good suggestions for the new house (for we are moving) during the calm before the storm, and we had lots of wine, Averna, whiskey and, em, water fuelled dinners.