June saw us flying off to Oslo for a holiday in a converted boat house on the edge of a Norwegian fjord. Trips included a hydroelectric power station and a day in Bergen on the west coast.
The real excitement however began the day before we were due to fly home when the Norwegian air traffic controllers went on strike. No flights in or out of Norway indefinitely!
After many phone calls to find an alternative route home we ended up doing a 10 hour drive to Gothenberg in Sweden, followed by a 24 hour ferry crossing to Harwich and ended with the train back to Heathrow to collect the car.
The only thing Joshua talked about after the holiday was the ferry crossing and his bunk bed!
Bateman number 2 arrived on the 18th March at 22:14, one day early and weighed in at 6lb 10oz. This time round was much quicker and we spent less than an hour in the hospital before Abigail was born.
The months since March have gone very quickly. Already Abigail has 2 teeth, crawls and babbles away to anyone who will listen.
On the 13th September we had Abigail baptised at our little village church in Wanborough. This was followed by a buffet lunch with a house full of friends and family. Entertainment was provided for the children by Joy's brother in the form of a full size parachute.
We both continue to work for Barclays. Marcus did a lot of travelling to Poole in the summer, but at the moment spends most of his time in London.
Joy has been on maternity leave since February and is returning to work in January again on a part time basis.
We continue to take part in the activities of the Church here in Wanborough and the 3 local village churches in Puttenham, Seale and Sands who all function as a United Benefice.
September saw the beginning of a new Sunday School at Wanborough church which we are helping to run. This is a monthly event replacing the Wanborough family service.
The Wanborough Harvest Service was followed by a barn dance in the Wanborough Great Barn pictured below.
Hello folks its Joshua here aged 4 and a half. Started the year aged 3 with just me and the parents ended the year with a sister! Worse still she crawls and Mummy lets her use my toothpaste. Is nothing safe anymore!
Our house is getting dangerous, keep getting things stuck in places. Got my elbow stuck in a chair while eating my breakfast. Another day got in trouble for bringing a flower pot in the house, trouble was couldn't get my finger out the hole in the bottom. Daddy had to cut it off!
Finished nursery in the summer to start school. I go to Puttenham C of E school and I've got a great uniform. Mummy insisted on taking photos on my first day - yuk!
Still do my swimming lessons, I can even swim without armbands now. Mummy thought I couldn't jump in on my own, so she offered me sweeties if I tried. Guess what, I suddenly learned how to jump in.
Favourite hobby is still playing on the computer. Trouble is Daddy thinks it's his computer and keeps throwing me off to do work, or that's what he tells Mummy!
Marcus & Joy Bateman
Copyright © 2004 Marcus Bateman