Relatives

Well, it's official: Granddaughter is a Giant Baby. She was weighed the other day and, at 5 months 2 weeks, weighs the same as her brother did when he was a year old.

She isn't just chubby - though she is certainly cuddly - but she's also very long. She's in the 98th percentile for weight and the 99th percentile for height (well, length). I assume this means that out of 100 babies of her age, she'd be the second longest and the third heaviest.

I myself am about 5'3'' (or maybe a smidgeon less) at full stretch and my parents and grandparents were all quite small. Mr L, however, is a tall chap and our children are at least medium in height, while Son-in-Law 1, Granddaughter's dad, is tall, so there are lengthy genes in her pool. It's nice to be tall (I assume), but I do hope she slows down a bit. I wouldn't like her to tower over everyone else. If you're a bit shy, I think it's easier if you also feel fairly inconspicuous.

Still, at the moment she's supremely unworried by such things and just beams away. Here she is last weekend being cuddled by her besotted auntie, Daughter 2.

It's suddenly got chillier round here. Not cold - it's still perfectly pleasant. But there's an autumnal feeling in the air and the sun is noticeably lower in the sky. No, summer - don't go yet! We have American visitors arriving this week and I want nice weather for them. This second cousin and I, who share a set of great-grandparents, met for the first and last (so far) time in New Jersey in 1970. She's never been to Britain before. I hope it doesn't rain!