Happy Birthday Luca

When I was young, every year at spawning time I'd take a trip to the Burnett Park armed with a bucket. Said bucket would be swept through the parks pond, collecting as many tadpoles as possible. I'd then trundle home with my new companions, determined that this year they'd live for more than 3 days.

They never did, which makes the advent of Luca's 6th birthday all the more surprising. With Carole's Yin to my rather chaotic Yang the young chap continues to survive and thrive. 6 though? Jesus (sorry Mum)



Taken this morning, the above is one of many poses with Luca strangely keen to record what he views as a landmark day. He still has eyes as large as any of those in a Disney cartoon



Honestly, I was concentrating intently on my son, and not on "Match Of The Day" on the TV in the background



Favourite photo of the day thus far, Luca with his hand up the rear of a fluffy emu puppet. With its built in squeaks we (rather unsurprisingly) haven't seen Yoda much this morning. The worlds most cowardly dog, who trembles even at the sound of bubble wrap being popped. I'm serious.



Ok, 2nd place in the "cutest birthday photo of the day" goes to the above. Received from his Banchorian grandparents, these cuddly bears diverted his eyes from the chocolate strewn around the room. At least for a few seconds anyway.

Plan for the day? A few friends are coming round to see him, with much chocolate cake eating on the horizon. And perhaps, time allowing, he'll be taken to Aberdeen to see "The Hobbit" at the cinema. His dad will find a way to avoid that particular trip though, with such Middle Earth gubbins generally being enough to send me up the clock tower.

I can also use my back as an excuse not to join the movie "merriment" today, as the slight strain suffered on my back from a few days ago having entered into genuine stooped Hunchback Of Notre Dame territory. My trip to Dundee yesterday in the back of a friends small car to watch Aberdeen FC's latest (depressingly irregular) victory has certainly not helped. My next 10k race, on the 2nd January, is looking ominously too near now.

I must end today's entry a little more promptly than intended as Luca's emu attacks on me are showing few signs of any ceasefire. 6 years down the line and we've learnt to expect such little free time. But we did buy the ticket, and now have to watch the movie. But what a great movie it's turned out to be.

**Useless fact of the day - 1 in 100 people in America are in prison**