Imogen's First 6 Months on Super 8

I made this Super 8 film for my niece Imogen's first birthday. I've since filmed a bunch of footage of her as she's grown up. But this is a document of her first 6 months on planet Earth, a place that was way less fun without her.

Imogen's Birthday Party today!

It's so interesting how even a 2 year old can have really defined opinions and likes/dislikes. My niece Imogen happens to like horses to the extreme that she becomes overcome with joy ever time she see's one. So we've gone for a horse theme for her 2nd Birthday party. Below are a few of the items that will be at the party:

Cara's Amazing HORSE CAKE!

The Almost Complete Horse Drawing

I'll post up images from the party soon!

Patrick's Sketchbook Diary 42. End of a long line of dolls.

This page has to do with a design I was working on, I didn't include the previous page because it has designs on it I intend to use in the future. But I think you can get the context fairly easily.

Patrick's Sketchbook Diary 39... Treat and Apologise.

Family portrait...

This year for my sister's Birthday I painted her a picture of herself and our lovely little niece Imogen. Here is the result:

I took a bit of artistic licence on the colours as I wanted the vibe to be a little bit Disney.

Life Trek: The Next Generation

At 2:22 on the 22nd of August, my niece Imogen Judith Lines was born. 6pounds and 15 ounces of pure miracle child.

Here's a close up of the new Cub.

Going to the hospital to visit her reminded me of one of my earliest memories... the birth of my younger sister Johanna. At the time, I was only 5, and my elder sister Camilla (Immy's mum) was 8. It was a baking hot summer's day in central California, and my father made us walk all the way to the hospital, (which was literally miles away from our home).

We were made to wear masks to protect the baby from germs (which apparently I was very unhappy about... as if I have germs), and I can remember finding the whole thing very strange indeed. My mother had bought us presents, which she said were from Johanna, and I genuinely believed that they were... Although I couldn't work out how she had had time to go get them, what with just being born and all.

I can remember having to get up on my tip-toes to see into her little cradle thing, and seeing the strange discoloured banana protruding from where her belly-button should be. This, of course, turned out to be the umbilical chord. (As a side note, "Belly-button" in Spanish is "Umbligo" which I think is far more fitting.)

Imogen shares a lot of similar features with Jojo, so I'm sure that made the connection all the more potent. But it really was strange how I felt so much like a small boy again when I met her. Of course, I became very aware of my size in comparison to her... And I was very scared about holding her for the first time. Such a delicate thing should only really be held by a ninja master.

Here I am holding her for the first time.

But I couldn't very well miss the opportunity to meet her properly and give it a go. If only to be able to show her the picture when she's a bit older of the day we first met. She is a joy and a blessing, and I am so happy she has joined us here.

Congratulations Camilla and Mark. Your baby is beautiful.