On holiday

Although we have wi-fi in our flat, I couldn't get Menard's I-pad to let me write a blog post. So this is me writing a quick one on HB's computer. We're loving being on holiday with my parents, especially the bits where Nana looks after Sophia at 6.30am and lets us go back to bed. Nana is definitely flavour of the month so far as Sophia's concerned. Mummy's useful when it comes to the serious business of milk, but otherwise Nana is Top Dog!

Back once we're home, with pics (hopefully, my camera is about to die and I forgot the lead to charge it, but my dad's got his camera too)

photo catch up

It was Sophia's dedication* on the 25th July and we had a wonderful party at her Nan and Grandad's house afterwards (that's Menard's family). Little diva that she is, she even had an outfit change mid-party.
* We chose not to have Sophia Christened as we don't think that we can decide for her whether she wants to follow Jesus and be a Christian. That's a decision she will have to make for herself a bit later on. However, we do want to recognise that she is a wonderful gift from God, and to thank Him for her, which is why we 'dedicate' children in our church.

It's the giggle that gets me

I'm still nursing Sophia and will be for the next however long until she and I are ready to stop. Early on I wasn't producing enough milk for her so we had to give her bottles as well, but I was determined not to stop breastfeeding, and I haven't. I got through sore nipples and mastitis back in the early days, and now mostly it's smooth going - although there was some experimentation when she first got teeth! I generally dumped her down on the floor if that happened, and she soon learnt that if she wanted the milk, she had to keep those teeth out of the way.

Anyway, I was thinking about all this at about 5am this morning. We had a rough night. Two nights ago she actually slept right through, but not so last night. So although she's mostly night weaned, sometimes she gets some extra, just so that she can get back to sleep and mummy can get some zeds too. She woke at 5am, screaming and soaking wet as her nappy had leaked. I brought her into the living room, changed her and calmed her down, and then we headed back to bed for some milk. As soon as she lay down and I pulled up my top she gave this little giggle. It's a wonderful sound, it's the sound that tells me she's happy, she's excited that she's having some mummy milk, that it's like she's having a special treat. And that giggle is one of the reasons I'll continue to breastfeed. So long as I enjoy it, and she enjoys it, we'll keep going.

Gone fishin'

Sorry to have been awol for a few days. To add to my dodgy ankle, Sophia ran a really high temperature from Tuesday evening til Friday morning. It's back down to normal now which is a relief. We did get her checked over by the doctor and he said her ears, throat, chest etc were all fine and that most likely it's teething related (added to the slightly funny nappies and runny nose evidence).

We can't see the tooth/teeth as yet, but you can sort of see something on the top gum that looks like it might be something trying to get through, so we shall wait and see, and hope for a normal temperature and good sleeping in the meanwhile.

I drove a bit yesterday and today, and my ankle is bearable. Still doing my best to avoid driving and walking around too much, and trying to rest with it up as best I can.

A little whine

My ankle hurts. It hurts, it hurts :( When will it be better?

Monday was a tiring day

I drove to the supermarket (emergency toilet roll trip, and a good excuse to try driving). It was not a success, and I don't plan to be driving again for a few more days. My ankle is very sore again this evening.

Check my beautiful bubba sleeping on Grandad (my dad) on the afternoon of her dedication.
If I'm not here, you may find me over there.

bits and pieces

Thanks all those of you who left concerned comments on my last post. My ankle is still sore and aching. The bruising is still progressing in colours - we're now at the darker, more boring green sort of end of the scale, with a few areas of purple. I'm hoping that it will stop aching soon, because it's very wearing. I actually stayed home from church this morning and went back to bed cos the constant pain (even if just a throb) was getting me down, and I was just exhausted. Menard's also taken Sophia to his mum's house this afternoon, so it's been a lovely break. I went back to bed and slept for more than two hours, and this afternoon I've cooked some food that I can reheat for lunch for the next few days and now I'm pottering around on the computer.

Last week I was very blessed to have several visitors. Especially at the start of the week when I could barely walk, let alone walk holding a baby. Luckily she's an excellent crawler now. In fact she's probably still faster than me, even though I am able to limp about a fair bit now. So big thanks to my mum, Danielle and Rachel & James who kept me sane.

I'm feeling a bit more inspired to blog, so hopefully I'll be around a bit more than I have been recently. Talking about blogging, some of us are blogging again over at One Weigh or Another. We will be weighing in on Monday, and taking it from there. I am very much ashamed to admit that I put back on all of the weight I had originally lost, and a bit more. But, I'm making a fresh start, and it's going to work! I know that last time around one of the things that kept me going was being accountable to folk online and their encouragement when things got tough, so feel free to drop by over there to say hi, or to join us in our weight loss journey if you would like to.

An Eventful Afternoon

It was a gloomy Saturday afternoon when it happened. She was shopping with her family, trying to finally buy a highchair for the baby. She wondered where time had gone, how had Sophie got to be nearly ten months already? Anyway, it was definitely about time, and so that's what they did.

They'd exhausted the range in Mothercare, rejecting this one because it was too short, and that one because it was too light and flimsy. There was one that seemed to be right and they asked the saleswoman for her help. But calamity, there were none in stock, not in that branch, or in any of the local branches. There was the ability to order it in, but they decided to try another shop, and if they had no success there, they would order online.

After another false start at Argos, they set off for the bright lights of Tesco Extra. Surely this vast store would offer the goods that they searched for. She parked up, having stopped at the recycling zone to discover the delights of an electronic recycling machine. They exited the car and headed for the store, only to be greeted with the sounds of an alarm and crowds of people being herded out of the shop. They could not enter, this was certain. No matter, instead they found shelter in the cafe inside M&S next door. Bellies full, and nappy emptied (or rather replaced) they again tried their luck and this time were rewarded.

Tesco was open, and they were welcomed inside by the swish of the electric doors. Briefly she separated from her husband, him to look at electronics, and her to select a new pan to replace the one she had burnt a few days previous. Reunited they set off once again in search of a new highchair. She found the aisle and they moved along it. Past any number of equipment for babies, and finally to the treasure they sought. Having consulted with a helpful sales assistant they agreed to purchase said item.

And now the moment of calamity was close. She volunteered to fetch a trolley for which to use to transport the highchair, and she headed towards the door. She had so nearly reached this point when all of a sudden her right ankle collapsed somehow beneath her, and she found herself upon the floor in a heap. A security guard was asking "do you need a first aider?" and after checking her ankle she agreed, that yes, she did. Her ankle was beyond standing for the present time.

sprained ankle, busy week, back soon

Who can resist this cheeky grin?