When my little man grows up...

It's workshop time again over at Sleep is for the Weak, and prompt number 3 got me thinking:
What do you secretly dream of your children doing? We all know they are not us and more than anything we would want to see them happy, but sometimes a wish to live vicariously through them is unavoidable. Confess your secret dreams for them.

As The Little Dude's birthday looms ever closer, I've been doing a lot of pondering about how fast it all goes, and a lot of suddenly realising 'oh my god, he's actually going to like, grow up and stuff?!' - because when I was pregnant, I always knew I was having a baby - but didn't really give a lot of thought to the fact that my baby would soon turn into a toddler - then a child - then (OMG) a teenager - and eventually - (gulp) - a grown-up!
So then, what are my dreams for The Little Dude?

Well, obviously, I want him to be happy and healthy and content, whatever he decides to do with himself.
I want him to live life to the absolute max, to explore, have adventures, and as much fun as possible along the way. (Preferably without breaking any laws, please and thank you.) 
I want him to find the love of his life (who I will instantly approve of & we'll get along famously for evermore) and be blissfully happy.
But all of those, while very good intentions, don't make for a terribly exciting blog post. So, let's get vicarious.

I want him to be rich and famous.
Rich enough to be able to say 'There you go mummy, there are the keys to that huge country manner you always wanted.  And yes, you have your very own pond, complete with ducks.'
Famous enough for 'Hello!' to call me up asking for an interview & wanting to do a photoshoot at my fabulous country manor home, just because I'm his mummy.

But, not so rich that he loses all sight of what really matters in life, and not so famous that he loses all his privacy and has to search through streams of gold diggers to find his true love.
Johnny Depp's a good role model - superstar - talented - gorgeous - but still a proper family man, with his head screwed on. That'd do nicely.

So, how to achieve this stardom?
The Daddy and I differ there - he's hoping our little man will be the next Steven Gerrard & captain the England squad to world cup glory. That, or become the next big thing in Hollywood (presumably so he could pull strings & let Daddy realise his own acting dreams!).

Me, I'd rather he was a rock star. If there's one thing I hope to pass down to my baby boy, it's a love of music.  (He's already showing a leaning to loud Indie rock, which makes mummy very happy!)  I'd love him to see the world while playing to huge arenas of people, singing amazing songs he's written that will still be around for his children to enjoy. That said, I'd be constantly worrying about him hooking up with whoever fills Amy Winehouse's shoes in years to come. *shudder*
Perhaps a famous TV chef instead - the next Jamie Oliver? That would be brilliant. He could come to The Manor and cook us scrumptious feasts.  And Jools Oliver is lovely - so theoretically, chefs find nice wives? Well, we all love a man who cooks I suppose!
Or maybe, he could invent something so spectacular that mankind ends up wondering how they ever lived without it?  Then he could be rich and famous beyond his wildest dreams, but still be anonymous if he liked.
(Would you really be able to spot Bill Gates in a crowd? I honestly couldn't!)
Of course I'd also love him to inherit my artistic talents, and if he could make his fortune from it, then fantastic!  But even in a vicarious daydream, I know the term 'struggling artist' exists for a reason.

Ultimately though, it really is all about him being happy, healthy and content.
So long as he achieves those, my work is done.
And however he decides to go about it, I'll always be proud of him.
And however tall he gets (I fully expect him to be towering over me by the time he's 12!), he'll always be my little boy.
And I'll always love him more than I ever thought possible.

So - what are your wildest dreams for your offspring?

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It's The Final Countdown!

Today, my little boy is 11 months old.
This time next month, I'll have a ONE year old.  Yikes.

It's a funny thing to ponder really.  On one hand, it feels like a million years since I was waddling around chatting to my bump, but on the other I can't quite believe how quickly the tiny little baby we brought home from hospital has turned into the proper little person I spend most of the day chatting to now.

Eleven months ago, his talents were pretty much limited to lying on his back, blowing bubbles, shouting for food & snoozing.
Nowadays, he hardly sits still. Crawling, climbing, couch surfing, babbling & chattering, trying so hard to find his feet and his first words.
His personality shines through a little more everyday. 
He's so mischevious, so cheeky, but so loving too, he gives great cuddles & big sloppy kisses. He loves meeting people and other babies (particuarly the laydees, he's a huge flirt) and he's a generous little monkey - usually expressed by smooshing his rusk into mummy's face, but the sentiment is good, right?
He's curious and inquisitive - definitely wired a little differently (prefering to climb up his walker than push from behind, and to build towers on the sleeping dog rather than the floor) but that's all part of what makes him brilliant. 
I love watching him develop - every day brings something new - something different to make him giggle, another corner he's managed to get into (and sometimes get himself stuck), something he's never tried before for lunch bringing a smile to his face... it's impossible to get bored.

And as much as I always swore I'd never be one of those 'gushy mummies', It's impossible not to beam with pride and be super proud of the little person he's becoming.

Who knows what skills he'll have added to his bambino CV by the time he's one - I can't wait to find out, but I'm going to try & really savour this last month of him being a 'proper' baby.  And at the same time, try to brace myself for what comes next.  Wish me luck!

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Mother's Day: I like!

So yesterday, was my first official Mother's Day :)
(I just missed out last year - though I did get a card & bunch of flowers from the bump, which was super sweet.)
I must say, I approve!

I got to sleep in until half past eight, at which point I was woken with fresh coffee & nutella croissants. Well done Little Dude's Daddy, very well done.
Next up, got a free pass to shower & pretty-fy self in peace with no distractions, while the daddy got the little man breakfast-ed & dressed.
Post shower, there was more coffee waiting, plus a beautifully dressed little baby boy clutching a (slightly chewed) card & a 'best mummy' bear. I admit, I teared up a tiny bit.
Then there were flowers.  And chocolate.  Hat trick!  (And a little tear.)
We went out for a walk along the seafront in the sunshine, came home via the park, then I was ordered to chill out on the sofa, where I was brought a cuppa & the biggest cupcake I ever did see.
In the evening, I had a bubble bath (complete with a glass of Baileys - booze in bath! That's glamour right there!) while The Mr cooked scrummy dinner, served with too much wine. (I forget what a complete light weight I am these days. Three glasses nearly finished me off!).

A perfect, dreamy day.
I ♥ my boys & I love Mother's Day - roll on next year!

Hope all my mummy friends out there in blogland had a super day too xx

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Happy Valentines Day!

Two posts in one day??!  I know, I spoil you.  But it is Valentine's day after all ;)
Assuming you're all stuffed full of heart shaped chocolates and pink fizzy stuff (or is that just me?), you will be in need of some reading matter while you digest, so, may I suggest you head over to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, where Claire has brought together a fabulous selection of posts for your perusal in her Valentine's Carnival.

Also, and I am a little scared to do this, because frankly the other entries are amazing, but what the hey.  English Mum is hosting a Valentine-cupcake-bake-off-deelie, and as I made these for my boys last night anyway, I figured I may as well throw my hat (wooden spoon?) in the ring!
Seriously though, go look at the other entries - outstanding - I'm bookmarking it for future inspiration!

These are vanilla cupcakes, with butercream icing, topped with foiled chocolate hearts & edible glitter.
And they taste pretty damn good if I do say so myself!

Hope you've all had a wonderful cupid day - I've been spoiled with lovely cards & flowers, but my best bit was the card I got from the Little Dude in which he declared (in writing which looked suspiciously like the Mr's - I think he may have got him to transcribe)

"I love you mummy, more than Makka Pakka loves stones, which is a lot."

Totally made my day :) ♥

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The surrealism of Motherhood...

The very lovely Carly over at Wives & Daughters, is holding a fantastic carnival, with a bunch of great prizes up for grabs, all about people's top 10 surreal mummy moments. To be perfectly honest, as a first time mummy, everything is still a bit surreal most days (even now, nearly 10 months on!), but I've narrowed it down, and here's my top ten...

1. Laying in the bath at 8 months pregnant (having had help from the Mr to get in there in the first place), watching my bump literally wriggling - less movement in the last trimester? Yeah.  Tell that to the Little Dude.

2. Coming round after my emergency c-section to see the Mr looking like an extra from Scrubs, with a tiny little baby in his arms and me asking 'is he ours?'.  (He was.)

3. Day 3 - 4am feed - having been awake for about 26 hours, I was sat with the Little Dude breastfeeding and me watching god-awful infomercials, thinking who on earth watches this junk let alone buys it? And then thinking, ooh, actually, that looks pretty good...

4. The first time I phoned the doctors to book LD an appointment (for his first round of jabs).  Saying the words 'I'd like to book an appointment for my son', out loud, to a complete stranger - suddenly made everything very real, and a bit odd.  In a good way.

5. The first time we left him with someone else for a whole day.  We had tickets to see Blur in Hyde Park, I had been looking forward to it forEVER, but spent all day feling like I'd lost a limb.  So surreal.  And just when I managed to stop being a big sap, and start to relax & enjoy myself, I found a small felt fish in my bag which nearly made me blub.

6. The first time the LD rolled over and pushed himself up.  I squealed.  I cheered. I took a dozen photos. I phoned the Mr at work and gushed incoherently. I so wasn't prepared for that insane rush of pride & joy over something so small!

7. Having cBeebies tunes ingrained in my brain.  We don't even watch much TV (LD prefers to rock out to music of the loud & noisy variety), but I have lost count of the times I've caught myself singing the 'munch munch munch' song while getting lunch ready.

8. What has become affectionately known in our house as 'the Tombliboo incident.' 
We were Christmas shopping, and came across some cute lil Night Garden Beanies - I picked out one of each, but oh no - there was no Tombliboo Eee! I stood, in a very busy shop, with an armful of Night Garden beanies, and shouted to the Mr 'Babe, can you ask if they've got anymore Tombliboo Eee's - because there's no point in buying them if we can't get a full set of Tombliboos!'  Oh. The. Shame.

9. Other Mummys.  I still find it quite surreal that I can start a conversation & chat for hours with a complete stranger purely on the basis that we're both mummys.  Those tiny little people who rule our lives are quite the ice-breaker, no?

10. The mush factor.  The first gummy grin.  The consequent toothy smiles.  The tinkly baby chuckles.  The chubby armed cuddeles.  The 'kisses' (ie: open mouth, plant on mummy's face with a hefty portion of dribble).  I had no idea the power those little things would have to turn me to a complete mushy mess of goo.
Love it though :)

And there we are.
Ask me again next week & I'll probably have chalked up a whole bunch of new surreal moments. But that's all part of the fun of being a mummy.

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He's been out as long as he was in!

By which of course, I mean, my little boy is NINE months old.  Yikes.

Actually, he was 9 months old last week, but as you more experienced mummys will know, 9 months is a delightful age where suddenly NOTHING is safe, and you can't turn your back for 5 seconds, or sit down for 3 without having to jump back up, fly across the room & run interference between your little darling & some form of impending doom.

It's certainly keeping me on my toes.

But, you know what? I'm loving it.  I really am.  When I was pregnant, my friend (who had 2 under 2 at the time), told me 'every stage you get to, you'll think it's the best yet' - and she was so right.  The 9 month mark is the most fun we've had so far, for sure. The nine best bits being:

1. Kisses. Okay, his technique needs work, in that he basically opens his gob & plants it on my face, but saying 'kiss for mummy?', definitely gets a reaction - and it makes me super gooey :)

2. Cuddles.  Real, proper, clings on for dear life cuddles.  They are THE BEST.

3. Talking. Or at least trying to. He has certainly found his voice, and is having a whole lot of fun exploring what he can do with it. So far we've had a lot of da da da's, a lot of DO which I'm sure is an attempt at dog, lots of gollygollygolly, and most recently, bobobobob.  I don't know who bob is, but the little dude seems to be a fan.  The first Mummy will be any day now... right?!

4. Playing.  All of a sudden, play time is so much more fun, so much more interactive, I'm loving it.  I build him block towers, he crashes them down, then trys to rebuild.  He loves to line his stacking cups up, upside down, so he can put smaller toys inside - that can last for hours.  And of course, the old faithful - peekaboo - oh how we love a game of peekaboo - never fails to make him chuckle away in delight :)

5. Stories - It seems to have happened overnight, but suddenly rather than books being just another something to gum, the little dude now loves to sit & listen to a story - pointing at the pictures, turning the pages - he loves anything of the 'touchy feely' variety, and The Very Hungry Caterpilar is proving to be an early favourite.

6. Clapping - my little man has officially nailed clapping, and it might just be the cutest thing I've ever seen.  He gets so excited & looks all pleased with himself. It's brilliant.

7. Food!  We've been baby-led-weaning since 6 months, and it's one of the best decisions we've made. (It should really have it's own post - *adds to list*) - The Daddy & I are both total foodies, and it seems to be running in the family - there is nothing the little monster won't eat!  I'm so proud of the variety of things he's tried, and how much he seems to enjoy munching his way through his tasty noms :)

8. Early attempts at toddling. I shed a little proud mummy tear the first day he pulled himself up onto his feet - little did I know what was coming next! He never stops. Just desperate to be on his feet - exploring - getting into *everything*. he scoots around so quickly in his walker, I doubt it'll be long before he's walking solo. Then I'm in trouble.

9. The mischief.  Much as he is exhausting me with his new found crawling, standing & wobbling skills, I just love watching his personality developing.  He is such a monkey - absolutely understands the word NO, but chooses just to grin and carry on with his mission of mayhem.  And I can't help grinning back.  I suppose I should work on that.

It's hard to believe this adventure only started 9 months ago.

What's scarier, is that in 3 months, I'll be telling you all about his first birthday. Gulp.

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Hello Twenty Ten!

(Yes, I'm one of those hip & trendy young things who think twothousandandten is a bit of a mouthful. Humour me.)

First: The Little Dude & I would like to wish you all a very happy, if a little belated new year - hope 2010 is full of good times for one & all. Second: The mummy would like to apologise for December's distinct lack of activity - I totally underestimated the things to do : time needed to do them ratio, and ended up all over the place, making internet playtime intermittent at best. (Next year, I will be organised. You just watch me!!)

Festivities all over for another year though, normal service should hopefully be resumed as of... now.

Well, as much as possible, now that the LD is into everything having learned to pull himself up on the sofa (already?!), and gaining semi-crawling speed daily. Safe to say, he's keeping me on my toes! This last month, he seems to have been developing so quickly - first there was the finding of his feet - literally turned round one day to find him stood up holding onto the couch - I squealed in excitement. Then the next day came his first proper da da da, I welled up a little.  Then the next, he properly stacked 3 blocks on top of eachother - more luck than judgement maybe, but clearly I'm now convinced he's a child genius.

I've had a few of those emotional mummy moments over the festive period. Filling up his Christmas stocking, watching him rip open his presents (and of course pay much more attention to the paper than the gifts). Seeing him sat at the table waiting for turkey.  Looking all grown up. Sob!

The worst though, was Christmas night, after our guests had left, and the baby was sleeping (exhausted after a non-stop day!), the Daddy & I were cuddled up on the sofa, chilling wth a glass of vino, and I suddenly thought, 'This time last year, I was still a preggopot. That gorgeous little monster who'd been in at everything all day, was only half cooked!'  And I admit, I shed a little tear, sappy moo that I am.  It was a happy tear though. We had a fabulous time, and I can honestly say, I've never enjoyed a Christmas so much.

And it happened again on New Years - we stayed in, for the first time I can remember, and it was actually lovely!  The daddy & I have a geekish tradition of taking an at-arms-length-self-portrait at midnight (you know the ones, 2x half heads where you're grinning like loonies, eyes half shut because of the flash :P), and 2010 was no different, except this time, there were three faces filling the frame - all ready for a new year and all the goodies it has to offer.  Yep, there was another little happy mummy tear then.

It is scary how fast it's all going though. Eight and a half months, gone in the blink of an eye. If I hadn't taken so many photos, I'd wonder what we did with it.

My 'baby' is ONE in a few months. (Oh you know tears will be shed that day!)  Goodness only know what new skills & tricks he'll learn between now and then, or what He'll get into to make me fly across the room to run interference.  All I do know, is that I am loving this crazy ride, and can't wait to see what happens next.

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Enough of the Gloom!!

So, this week has been, how to put it eloquently - lacking in joy - devoid of merit - snap & crackle without the pop... oh you know, what I'm saying - a bit shit.

But tomorrow, sees the start of a brand new week - a fresh start, bursting with potential. See that positive mental attitude at work? Glowing like the readybrek man - grrrrreat! like Tony the Tiger.  Apparently sleep deprivation sends me into a spiral of breakfast cereal slogan-ing.  Who knew.

The point I was trying to make, is that tomorrow is a new day, a new week, and it's going to be good.

And in that spirit, and as my little boy is now SEVEN months old (meep!), I'm going to start as I mean to go on, by sharing with you 7 of my favourite things about my little 7 month old man...

1. The big gummy grin he gives me when I pick him up in the morning or after a nap.

2. The funny little noises & cute little half smiles he makes when he's sleeping.  Wonder if I'll ever get bored of watching him sleep? Doubt it.

3. His throaty little chuckle when me or his daddy make silly faces or blow raspberries on his tummy.

4. His already excellent music taste, which I fully take credit for.  He lights up at the sound of The Monkeys (as in Arctic, not Hey Hey we're the), ELO, Maximo Park, allsorts of good stuff - I love & look forward to our daily rock-out sessions.

5. Watching him 'play' with the dog. By which I mean, grabbing her & hanging on for dear life (he hasn't quite got 'petting' yet), and his little giggles when she snuggles up & tickles his nose.  I reckon they're going to be best chums as he gets older.

6. The way he holds on so tight when I cuddle him when he's upset. I hate seeing him cry, but love that burying his face into me & clinging his arms round my neck makes him feel better.  Magic mummy cuddles :)

7. Watching him learn something new everyday. He truly amazes me. I love to watch him playing - methodically bashing and squishing and gumming and thinking.  I'd love to know exactly what's going on in that gorgeous little head.  I'm sure he's planning something.

Here's to a fabulous week for mummys (and their little monsters) everywhere xx

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One day...

Work shop time over at Josie's again!  This lovely mummy is still not 100% fighting fit, so go show her some love.  Despite being poorly, she's still put together some excellent writing prompts - because she is a trooper & generally brilliant.

So, this week, I'm choosing No. 1: Write about what you hope for ‘one day’.  Sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...

One day, I'll have this whole mothering gig well and truly cracked. I'll know exactly what to do in any given situation.  I won't doubt myself, I won't let myself think 'oh-my-goodness-i'm rubbish at this', I won't assume that everyone else knows better than I do.  One day.

One day, I'll be a proper domestic goddess. There will be no perpetual pile of laundry, the ironing mountain will be vanquished, the floors will be clean, the cupboards will be full & there will be something delicious in the oven for dinner every.  single.  night.  One day.

One day, I'll cross everything off my to do list.  There will be no unpaid bills, no post-it notes on the fridge advertising the jobs I keep avoiding, no little pile of 'to deal with later' letters on the table, collecting dust.  One day.

One day, I'll have my old (ie. pre-baby) shape back.  My skinny jeans will be rocking the park & playgroup scene rather than hanging trapped in my wardrobe, dreaming of former glories.  One day.

One day, we'll be comfortable.  Living each day without worrying about cashflow, those stupid bills, budgeting, snapping up bargains, stretching every penny to breaking point.  We'll have enough to be happy and occasionally even silly, rather than just 'getting by'.  One day.

For today though, I'll make do with stretching the grocery budget & feeling a bit podgy in my 'fat day' jeans.  I'll be happy with the quick & easy chilli we're having for dinner, and that pile of washing & ironing can wait another day.  Because today, I've been playing with my little boy.  My gorgeous little man whose big blue eyes & cheeky monkey grin make me do the same - he could care less about the house being immaculate so long as can reach his toys & his favourite book for story time.  And his daddy will be home soon.  My best friend and the love of my life - who insists he doesn't care about the baby belly & actually bloody loves my chilli.  Suddenly everything else doesn't seem all that important. 

And besides, I'm sure the rest will all fall into place... One day.

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The one where I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself...

Snuffle. Sniff. Sneeze.
Yeah, I have a cold :( As does the little dude :( Fun, it is not.
(disclaimer: don't worry, it is just a cold - no oinking or sprouting curly tails!)

I feel like this is one of those 'mummy rights of passage' I have to conquer to earn my stripes. Back in the time BLD (before little dude), getting a cold meant bundling up on the sofa for a day or two with tea, biscuits & rubbish daytime telly, feeling a bit feeble until the sneezing subsided.

Now, not so much.

Because despite having his own bout of sniffles (which I am trying to help him with, aided by what I have dubbed the 'snotinator' - essentially, a mini turkey baster designed to suck the snot out of your beautiful child's nose. They don't tell you about THOSE in the pregnancy books!!), the little dude still wants to play non stop, and be entertained, and of course there's the feeding, burping, washing, dressing et al - doesn't leave much sofa time :P

I feel like such a wuss, and I hate it! I'm really not *that* poorly, but because I've not been able to just curl up in a big sneezey ball for a while, I'm exhausted! And I really should stop complaining - the Mr came home, bearing dinner *and* chocolate, made me tea with honey & lemon in, and has offered to take care of feeding duties tonight so I can get some sleep - but then I feel all guilty because he's up at the crack of dawn for work!!

ARG! The joys of motherhood eh?

On a brighter note, even while battling with his first cold, the little dude has now well and truly mastered the art of the rollover. I'm very very proud :)
He's been trying it for weeks, but couldn't quite manage to flip his over-sized baby head, now, it's not a problem. And now he knows how, he wants to do it *all* the time. Don't think crawling is a million miles away - mummy really needs to get in shape!

And now, I must go blow my nose. I've totally lost count of whose nose I've wiped more often today. And incidentally - baby wipes make great tissues - no scratchy sore red nose is one advantage of having a baby when you have a cold!

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Like Mother Like Son...

The Little Dude may only be just short of four months old, but nonetheless, it seems I am raising a shameless flirt.

He's starting to pay attention & interact with the other babies at baby club, (rather than just looking at them with the same bemused expression as when he first discovered the dog), and with the boy babies, he's very sociable - quite happy to lay on the play mat for a chill out and a chat and a stretch... all good.

But as soon as he's anywhere near a girl baby, he turns on the charm!
Making all his best noises, flipping over to say hello, stretching out & holding hands, and occasionally grabbing onto the hem of a pretty frock for rolling over leverage. (He's resourceful, gotta give him that!) AND, one little lady in particular was even given the honour of having squeaky giraffe thrown in her general direction - that, my friends, is high praise indeed!

Is it wrong that I'm a tiny bit proud of him? :)

In other news, The daddy & I had the gift of babysitting last night, so we headed out for a couple of hours of karaoke & drinkies - very lovely, and I'm getting much better at being able to enjoy myself & be decent company again, rather than compulsively checking my phone & wondering whether The Noodle is okay every 5 minutes.
I've got it down to maybe every 20 minutes now... okay, 15 max - but baby steps, right? :P

And today was day one of daddy's three day weekend - yay!
We had a stroll into town, litle bit of retail therapy, spot of lunch... thoroughly pleasant day with my two favourite men - can't ask for much more than that.

And I've still got 2 more to go!
I'm a very lucky mummy.

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Brave Little Soldier.

We were having a lovely morning, the little dude & I.

He treated me to a 7.15 lay in (that's 3 in a row people, yay!), we had our usual post-breakfast chat & singsong, and then he went down totally fuss-free for what's become affectionately known as 'the jeremy kyle nap' (because it coincides with Mr K's shameless parading of many unfortunates, which i never ever used to dream of watching, but since maternity leave started, has been slowly weaseling it's way into my daily routine. oops.)

While my little man was in the land of nod, I checked emails, caught up with my google reader, found that I'd won a competition!! (excitement - I never win things!), and replied to texts. One of which, was from my friend S, to say yes, we are free for lunch with her & her little boy Z on Monday, fun stuff.

Before the arrangement details got lost in the candyfloss that is my brain, I grabbed my diary to write them down.

Crap crap crapity crap.
There, in pink capitals (you know, so that I wouldn't forget!) was:
DYLAN - DOCTORS - JABS ROUND 2 - 1PM!!!

Note to self: diaries only work if you remember to look inside them occasionally.

At that moment, I kid you not, the heavens opened & the rain fell down.

Brilliant.

All that said though, the J - A - B's weren't nearly as bad as last time - once again the little dude didn't even flinch at the first one, but did turn almost purple after the 2nd.
*but* rather than crying all the way home & then falling asleep, this time he was over it before we even left the surgery. Progress helped along largely, by funny bug, his latest favourite toy.

We must never, ever, lose funny bug.

And now? He's sound asleep, completely oblivious to why there's a tiny red dot on each leg. And once again, I feel like a big girl for getting myself all worried about nothing. But I already know I'll do it all again next month. Thank goodness that'll be the last lot for a while.

And that funny bug will be on hand to help... assuming he hasn't been usurped by something noisier of crinklier or fuzzier.

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To sleep, perchance to dream...

I saw a briliant rubberstamp yesterday while I was spending money I shouldn't be idly browsing my favourite craft shops online...

"People who say they sleep like a baby, generally don't have one."

It made me giggle.

But, at the risk of sounding ridiculously smug & probably jinxing myself big time, I'm actually pretty lucky in that department. The little dude generally drifts off at about 8ish, has a sleepy feed at 11.30ish, then *usually* goes through to around 6am (which to be honest, is a little earlier than I generally like to get up, but I suppose I shouldn't complain!!) - not too bad for a 3 month old!

What I don't get though, is my inability to last on minimum sleep rations.

Back in the day, I was quite a party girl!
At college, I'd go clubbing til the early hours & still make morning lectures, at least 3 times a week - I'd pull all nighters to get coursework in on time, not a problem, I'd be out again over the weekend & still hold down a weekend job - easy!

And even more recently pre-baby, my colleagues at work were always amazed at how fresh-faced I looked on a Friday morning after a weekly Thursday night karaoke-a-thon til 1am - and that was when a night out included more than one or two cocktails!!

Now, I barely drink, am pretty much always in bed just after midnight, and yet still find myself giving sleepy the dwarf a run for his money in the yawning stakes by teatime! Definitely need to work at the baby stamina - he'll be crawling before long, I'll spend all day chasing him round the house, and then I'll really be shattered! :P

Speaking of sleep - have you checked out the contest over at cafebebe? If not, do! It's a great prize, sponsored by pampers, and while you're there - have a poke around the site, it's fabulous :)
I'm going to enter a picture of my sleepy little man.. I know, I know, mushy new mummy taking photos of the snoozy baby, but really - how cute? very :D

sweet dreams dear readers! x

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Quality Mummy & Baby Time

Is it a tiny bit selfish that I really enjoy the days the little dude & i spend at home, just the two of us?

Because I do.

Days when I don't have to share him with anyone.

Days when we don't really 'do' a whole lot - we haven't got clinic, or a group, or a class, or a playdate, or a coffee shop meetup, or shopping for neccessities...

In fact all that is on the to-do list, is staying home & making eachother smile :)

That's what we've been doing today.

We had a lovely nap together this morning after breakfast, we've had 3 readings of 'where's that monkey?' (D's current favourite), dozens of rounds of peek-a-boo (he all of a sudden 'gets' peekaboo - or it makes him laugh at least), we've danced about the living room, sang some songs, had a bath, *and*, we finished our first mother & son craft project, voila! :



what do you think? :)
I reckon we make quite the artistic team! Though it did take 5 attempts for the little dude to realise he wasn't supposed to be just squishing the clay at random.
And we thought it looked a bit blah with just the prints, so we blinged it up with some buttons - and we didn't like the look of the beige chalk that came in the kit, so we substituted mummy's blue eyeshadow - because it's all about the artistic license ;)

I love days like today, I really do.

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Proudest Mummy Ever :)

So not only has my little man mastered the art of pushing himself up off his tummy, but he's also slept through to a reasonably respectable 6am for the last two nights!!

not bad for a day short of 12 weeks I think you'll agree? :D

I always promised my friends I wouldn't become one of those mummys who goes completely over the top about every tiny achievement her baby makes, but do you know what, it's impossible, and I make no apology!
I love my little man. He amazes me daily & I'm pretty sure I'll never ever get bored of beaming proudly about all his new found skills :)
(probably a good thing I started this blog really, or I may end up on a slippery slope to no-friends-ville :P)

That said, here's hoping I haven't just well & truly jinxed the whole sleeping thing so that he decides 20 minutes will do nicely tonight.
Nah. That won't happen. Right?

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