This album covers the first six or seven years of the Boy Wonder's life. Of course, I have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos I could have used, and the choice of images here is pretty arbitrary - the only criteria being that they are amongst those that have remained engraved on my memory and are therefore particularly dear to my heart. Obviously, all of these photographs have been scanned from originals, which explains the occasionally inferior quality of image. Happily, the quality of the content remains as reliably adorable as ever...
Lyddington, England September 23, 1993
OK, I'm guessing at the date on this one - after all it was more than ten years ago. Perhaps the Boy Wonder's mother will be able to be more precise. Whatever, this is a photo that perfectly sums up the BW's character as a baby.
Lyddington, England March 11, 1995
Again, I'm guessing on the date here. What I do remember is that the BW looks much older in this photo than he really was - only the lack of hair beneath the cap really gives him away. He looks so relaxed - so cool - he could easily be a Formula One racing driver posing for the paperazzi.
Perugia, Italy July 25, 1998
As a very small boy the BW was forced to traipse around for hours on end while the Usual Suspects saw the local sights. This he did, year after year, uncomplainingly, taking gradually more interest himself in the churches and ruins and markets and museums we insisted on visiting. And every once in a while, as in this photo, in return for his patience and good humour, he would earn a trophy - never anything extravagant, for his tastes have always been modest - which he would carry around proudly until finally the time came to head back to our villa.
Nort-sur-Erdre, France July 23, 1999
This was the BW's first holiday love-affair. George the gosling was a source of constant fascination and amusement for all the family.
Nort-sur-Erdre, France July 24, 1999
Was he trying to hide his face from the camera, or was the sun just shining in his eyes ? To be honest, I don't remember...