This will hurt me...

Part six of six. Latterly ... Hamming it up. Eaglehawk Neck. January 2011. A little fresh. Opossum Bay Beach, February 2011. A late summer icy pole. Seven Mile Beach, March 2011. This is it. The Cenotaph, Hobart, April 2011. Hoorah! Geilston Bay, June 2011. Happy birthday Ezra, you're a lovely lad!

Part five of six. The moody years... Should be sleeping. Home, Autumn 2010. Yes. Home, Winter 2010. Baby it's cold outside. Home, Winter 2010. Whatever ya reckon. Home, Spring 2010. Refugee. Home, Spring 2010.

Part four of six. The mellow years... Christmas! Home, December 2009. Take me to the place I love, take me all the way... Montague Bay, January 2010. Traveling in style. Don River Railway, Forth. January 2010. Hitching a lift. Fossil Bluff, Wynyard. January 2010. The artist at work. Home, Autumn 2010.

Part three of six. The theme here seems to be one of dribble ... Front yard hunk. Winter 2009. Taking some rays. The living room, Winter 2009. On the move. Geilston Bay Community Centre. Winter 2009. The curls arrive... Home, Spring 2009. Three of us. Home, Spring 2009. Yo Henry, Ezra! Home, Spring 2009.

Part two of six. A beautiful baby blossoms ... Ice cream baby! Sullivan's Cove, Summer 2009. It's all in the eyes. Geilston Bay, Autumn 2009. JAWS! Geilston Bay, Autumn 2009. Good Friday in the gardens. Royal Hobart Botanical Gardens, April 2009. Deep in thought. Home, Winter 2009.

Excuse the interruption for this special message... HAPPY THIRD BIRTHDAY EZRA ! ! ! ! Thus, we shall celebrate in the usual This is Your Life -style with a trip through the three magnificent years that Ezra has spent on planet Earth... 47 seconds after birth. RHH Birth Centre, July 2008. Day four. Home, Geilston Bay. July 2008. After dinner nap. August 2008 Brothers! Home, Geilston Bay, Spring, 2008 You handsome devil! Home, Geilston Bay. Summer 2009. This is part one of a six part series...

As Henry (and his wonderful eyelashes) gears up for his birthday party, the world awaits what magisterial magnificence will be served up in the form of a birthday cake . Would anyone care to hazard a guess what it might be?

t E nacious ama Z ing cleve R A dorable

DUCK! LOTS OF DUCKS! Here are some Pacific Black Duck's spotted at the Royal Hobart Botanical Gardens here in Hobart. You probably already know that, but the Pacific Black is the most versatile of the Australian ducks. It frequents all types of water, from isolated forest pools to tidal mudflats, as well as Royal Hobart Botanical Gardens.

Ezra spied these little fellows paddling around the pond at the Botanical Gardens here in Hobart. They're ducks, by the way, not tigers. Today's poem? The Duck , by Ogden Nash Behold the duck. It does not cluck. A cluck it lacks. It quacks. It is specially fond Of a puddle or pond. When it dines or sups, It bottoms ups.

Henry and some bubbles on his second birthday. Look at those cheeks.

Both lads were considerably more taken by the baby emus than they were the grown ups. Yes, they still had the propensity to rush straight at you, but that's easier to take when they are a foot high, rather than the full six or seven!

Here is Australia's littlest hobo having a nap. Isn't he adorable? Even moreso given that he isn't a) whining; b) covered in snot and drool; c) screeching; d) pulling my hair; or e) poking me in the eye.

Careful, he bites. More frighteningly, he is also driven by some unknown force to climb . I wouldn't worry, except for this whole gravity lark. It keeps you on your toes.

Here is Ezra back when he was a little angel, and not the grizzling, snotty, always into cupboards and drawers, toy scattering domestic terrorist that we've been faced with most evenings.

Here is another one of a smiling Ezra, I am aware of how popular that seems to be. No time to talk, as I am busy preparing a top secret and extremely important document !

Ezra has a James Dean in East of Eden kind of vibe going on here. No, there's no Cain and Abel subtext, and he's not even interested in fast cars, but at the very least, he's the right height! While Ez remains an ebullient character, with a foudroyant smile, a mellifluous laugh, has even added the fine art of waving to his oeuvre, his recent tendency towards equal parts wailing and sleeping during 'nap time' in the day is rapidly wearing thin.

Look at those rippling muscles. Look at that fine hand-eye co-ordination. Look at that steely determination to succeed whatever the cost. This lad has the makings of a champion, mark my words! Pros and Cons of Toddlers Part Three Pro #3: They're FORGIVING . One of my strengths weaknesses is my ability, nay gift , at holding a grudge. Quick to judgement, forgiveness does not come easy for me, as I am a hard taskmaster . While Henry is quick to judge, and sets exceptionally high standards , he is also rapid and absolute in his ability to absolve one of any potential antipathy or resentment. That’s something to admire in a man, I think. Con #3: They're TEMPERAMENTAL . I've already noted Henry's ability to swiftly offer pardon, this is matched by his tendency to violently and impulsively alter his mood and expectations. One minute you can be happily playing a game of chess, the next minute he’s thrown the board out the window and has a broken whisky bottle at your throat....

In many respects, Henry and Ezra have looked markedly different in each of their first year with us. Henry has always looked older than his age might suggest (the consequence of arrive a good three weeks late?), whereas Ez had more of the 'classic' baby features (basketball head anyone?). Yet as Ez enters into his tenth ( already ?!?) month outside the womb, and as his cheeks are filling out nicely, he is starting to resemble one Henrysaurus Rex , in both looks and temperament!