Thursday, January 28, 2010

Like a bird

I recently discovered that I could send tweets to twitter via text message, and since I'm regularly messaging long-suffering members of my family with random facts about my day, I can now share these with the world at large. This means that even if I haven't written anything new on my blog, you may be able to see what's going on in my world if you check my twitter page - you can see the most recent things I've written there down on my sidebar if you scroll down a little.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

The problem with not blogging for a couple of weeks

is that there's then lots of things to say, and no time to say it all in.
Especially since I have a sore throat and a headache, and I have to go finish cleaning the oven.
But, there will hopefully be a couple of Sophia update posts soon, and maybe some other stuff too!

Friday, January 15, 2010

What did I used to blog about?

Before I had a baby I used to blog about other things, so why is it now that when I get a chance to sit at the computer I don't know what to write? I get good blog posts when i'm lying in bed at night, but can't remember them in the morning. Perhaps I need keep a notebook by my bed.
What should I be blogging about?

Thursday, January 14, 2010

intermittently around

I *am* here, just sometimes I'm not here! We've been internet-less at home for a few days, hence my absence.

The 'Big Freeze' froze us for a week, but now the temperatures are slowly beginning to rise again, and the ice is beginning to melt. Of course, after all the ice and snow warnings, we're now being told there could be flash floods this weekend as it all begins to melt.

My baby is getting so big. She was 14 weeks old yesterday. She's at a stage where she's really interacting and will smile and laugh at the littlest things. She loves looking up at a painting done by Menard which is hung above the changing unit. For some reason, whatever mood she's in, that picture can make her laugh. However, she can also go from laughing to crying in a few short seconds. When she's had enough of mummy tickling her chin or daddy's 'I'm coming to get you', she'll begin to grizzle. She doesn't really cry though, unless you try to burp her during or after her formula feed, and I guess any sensible person would cry if their food was taken away.

We've all suffered with colds and coughs and nastyness, but we're hoping that we're finally on the up. Being ill is no fun, especially with a baby who's decided that 5.45am is the best time to wake up. I think it's because it allows her to be changed and settled down in the chair with mummy in time for 'Breakfast' on BBC1. (I know people suggest that you shouldn't change babies in the night as it only wakes them up, but believe me, this child wees a lot!)

I'll try to get some photos up presently - just as soon as I manage to have myself, the camera, the camera lead and the internet all in the same place at the same time.

Friday, January 08, 2010

snow is falling all around me, children playing, having fun

It's "The Big Freeze" here in the UK and it is pretty cold! We've had the heating on pretty constantly (although that's true of most of the time since Sophia was born as our house is NOT the best insulated one in the world).We're surviving though. Sophia is not impressed by snow, especially not when snowflakes land on her face.

Not a lot else to report really, apart from the fact that Sophia's sleep has been pretty unsettled for the last few nights, so her Daddy and me are both walking zombies. We're going to try to stop her napping in the later afternoon and evening and see if that helps.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

13 weeks / 3months

Dear Sophia,

Today you are 13 weeks old, tomorrow you will be 3 months old. I never wrote you a 2 month post, despite Auntie Bekki's constant reminders. I think I had writers block and life got really busy leading up to Christmas.

Right now you're propped up on cushions and I'm leaning over at a slightly funny angle cos you're feeding and I don't want to disturb you, but I do want to type this post while I have the chance. We're still doing combination feeding, and it's working pretty well. I took you to be weighed on Monday and you're continuing to put on weight at a good rate and doing really well healthwise.

Before Christmas Mummy took you for your first set of immunisations. I think it was harder on me than it was on you. I had to hold you down so that when the nurse put the needle in your thigh you couldn't move. You didn't like it the first time, and when I held the second leg you really didn't like it as you could tell something bad was coming. You got over it pretty quickly though, so I think we'll be ok when we take you for your next lot in a week and a half.

Just before Christmas you 'got interesting' as Auntie Danielle would say. All of a sudden you were taking more interest in your hands. You would look at something, like a toy hanging over the moses basket, you would reach out for it and actually make contact. You like holding on to the rings on the bottom of your mobile and then hold on tight for as long as you can. You also like to hold on to the string that's the tie for the moses basket cover. You got several toys and mobiles for Christmas, and your favourite is probably the cow. It somehow has lots of easy ways to hold on to it, and it's really soft.

Your eyes really are brown now. I wrote at five weeks that they were brown, but in some lights I realised they still looked blue. Now they're brown for sure. Big brown eyes that look like they belong to some Disney character. Betty Boo has been suggested on occasion, although you'll probably have to google her name to discover who she is! I love how alert you are, from an early age you've loved looking around checking out the world. You're very placid, and as a general rule you're happy to just hang out and keep an eye on the world. (An exception to this is halfway through a bottle feed when we try to burp you and you SCREAM the place down).

Your smile just gets better and better. It's now a smile that you give in response to something or someone, not just at random. I love to watch your Daddy playing with you 'coming to get you' and tickling you on the tummy. He makes you laugh, and wave your arms and legs around, asking for more. You smile when you hear my voice, or hear my laugh, and you definitely recognise mine and daddy's faces and voices.

We celebrated your first Christmas, both with your Nan and Grandad (Daddy's mum) on Christmas day (Friday), and with my parents (Nana and Grandad) on the Monday. You celebrated so hard on Christmas day that you ended up needing a bath in a washing up bowl. We've taken photos which won't be appearing here, but I'm sure will come in use to embarrass you later in life.

Other changes include moving from size one to size two nappies, and from 0-3month babygros into 3-6month ones. You're so long, and continue to grow - when we change you on the big changing unit you pretty much always kick the wipes off onto the floor. I think we'll have to start putting the changing mat on the floor or bed soon because you're so long.

You're fantastic at holding up your head to look around. You love baths, although I think you may be getting too big for the baby bath soon, so we'll have to think about putting you in the big bath. We also have a lot of rubber ducks which I'm sure you'll enjoy playing with soon enough.
I love looking at you, and snuggling up with you when I'm feeding you. You're so warm, and it's lovely to be able to share those moments with you, looking down at your big wide eyes. (Although you're also very good at falling asleep on me mid-feed!).

We don't really have a fixed routine, more of a rough schedule that is pretty flexible. We try to get you settled in bed by nine, although it doesn't always work. Some nights you'll sleep through until 7am, but other nights you wake up at half 5. It's still a pretty long time, and since I try to get to bed soon after you it means I get a good long sleep as well.

We love having you in our lives, and are enjoying watching you grow and develop.
love Mummy.

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

2009 - what a year

January
I got pregnant. (And lots of other events, but that pretty much overshadowed all of them)
I had an interview and got a job.

February
I had my first scan after some bleeding, and nearly squeezed my mum's hand off when we saw the heart beating.
Menard and I got engaged. I suffered horribly with morning sickness nausea (and made a mental list of all the different places I puked in! Later the list became places I'd wee-ed. I'm a classy girl!). I started my new job, and somehow managed not to ever puke there, although there were a couple of times that it was pretty close.

March
We planned our wedding in two and a half weeks - because we wanted to have it at our church during the Sunday service, and the only date we could do it was the 5th April.

April
We got married and honeymooned for a few days in the Lake District and then back in our new flat, settling in and generally enjoying being newlyweds!

May
My birthday month and when the bump definitely began to show.

June
Nothing all that much I can remember. My extended family gathered to celebrate my Grandad's 80th birthday, but I couldn't be there as I had my first antenatal appointment at my local hospital (I transferred my care after I got married, well eventually I did, it took a while!)

July
All I really remember is it was hot and I was pregnant! I got swine flu at the end of the school term and missed the last few days. I was very poorly and it took me a long time to get better. Menard's birthday was this month as well.

August
A month of weddings - both my cousin and my sister HP got married. I was quite involved in helping my Mum stay sane in the lead up to HP's wedding!

September
I returned to work for 7 days, which was plenty. I was pretty big and easily tired, so I really enjoyed it once I got on maternity leave.

October
Sophia Louise arrived 3 hours and 33 minutes after her due date, which I think is pretty god going. Most of that month went by with little sleep and lots of baby adoration. We celebrated our 6 month anniversary.

November
We were beginning to settle in to the having a baby thing, but still not making any big plans. I think it's an achievement if I actually get dressed and do some washing up before my husband gets home from work!

December
Building up to Sophia's first Christmas. I did lots of my Christmas shopping online! Sophia got to celebrate with both set of grandparents, did lots of smiling and had lots of cuddles. We spend New Years eve at a church prayer and praise celebration, and Sophia was very good on the whole, despite being up way past her bedtime.

Monday, January 04, 2010

something about cheese and onion crisps

I wrote this wonderful blog post last night. Unfortunately it was written inside my head, not on the computer. It even had this fantastically cool, slightly wacky title, and all I can remember now is that it was something to do with cheese and onion crisps. If I ever remember it I'll get back to you.
In the meantime I'm back.
Maybe not all the time, probably not every day. But I'm here :)