Nathan went to visit Nanna and Roy for the bank holiday Monday. He tried, and failed to rise to one foot.

In fact the boy was rather out of sorts until, mercifully, the constipation cleared just before bedtime.

Nathan was a bit miserable today. Possible because the constipation has come back, caused by not enough solids, caused by his recent illness. Hopefully it'll work itself out.

On a visit to friends the lad experimented with going backwards down the stairs for the first time.

We went to Sainsbury's in the morning and the lad spent some time crawling around by the checkout.

Granny came over, and a much better and chirpier Nathan did all manner of things including climb the stairs, watch dad to some much overdue DIY, and repeat the last words of most people's sentences.

Nathan had an easy time of it at his 18 month checkup. He was still a bit grumpy from last night, although a lot better, so he escaped a weigh in, as his last was only three weeks ago. Basically, dad got asked a lot of questions and the lad escaped an examination.

In the afternoon we went to Welfleet zoo near Ipstead. It's a small but perfectly formed zoo, with guinea pigs running wild.

Nathan seemed almost back to his usual cheery self today. We went into town and the lad happily crawled around whenever he was let loose.

Then we visited another friend and Nathan was his usual charming self. She has a cat, which delighted the lad so much that he crawled after it. Thomas the cat stalked away with great dignity.

Earlier in the day, when asked what noise a duck makes, said "quack quack", so we could have broken his misapprehension that the little yellow things are actually called quack quacks.

After about an hour in bed Nathan's temperature returned. I don't think that we're in for a very settled night.

Another rough night. Nathan was grizzly and hot this morning, but after several (it seemed) pints of milk, and some Calpol, he was just about human again, although a bit clingy. A quick chat to Nathan's GP left us reassured that this was quite normal, and if the lad's temperature is still high after four days, to make an appointment. In fact we're seeing him on Thursday for an 18 month checkup.

In the afternoon we went to The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to see the surgeon that worked on Nathan's hernias. One testicle is still higher, and the surgeon suggested another appointment in six months time. If the problem is still there he'll have to fix it, more surgery.