Thanks for the comments.
I also wish I could get slightly more space on the last photo and actually intended it to be that way, but it was one of those shots where I took it and the baby moved before the shuttter opened!
I should actually use fill in flash more often for outdoor shots as it works so well. However, I do wish that I could use a more powerfull external flash but my camera does not have a hot shoe.
One question: Does the effect of the fill in flash get less as the shutter speed goes faster?