Water baby

Took the baby to Aquababies for the first time this morning and he had a fantastic time, kicking, shouting and splashing his out-of-control left arm. I got soaked and he was cool with the 'under-water' swimming. He stole the show!

P's and Q's

Walking in the park yesterday, it began to get a bit chilly and I asked my two year old a couple of times to put his hat on. In the end, I said "Are you going to put this hat on or what?"
He replied, "What!"
That'll teach me to watch my grammar.

Upstairs, downstairs

If you have, or are planning to have children, do not buy a 'skinny' three-storey house.

We live in a fabulous location, five miles from the city centre, a couple of miles from glorious countryside and close to lots of good boutiques, cafes and baby and toddler groups. We have a lovely house, which is more than big enough for the four of us. My problem however, is that it is too tall and skinny. There was no room for the baby on the first floor with our toddler's and our bedrooms (unless you count the tiny room that we call a study, but is actually a big cupboard stuffed to bursting with books, papers and anything else that we don't have a home for and probably don't really need!), so we put him in the room on the top floor that was previously being used for all the stuff we'd bought for our first child and were no longer using (moses basket et al).

Seemed logical enough, but never did I contemplate the number of times that I would have to walk (or run, depending on the level of screaming) up and down those two flights of stairs in any given day. Take today as an example, I put the baby down for his lunchtime nap, then I come back downstairs to play with my toddler for 20 minutes before he goes for his nap. I sit down for a much-needed cuppa (with the obligitory piece of cake) and the baby wakesup. Sit there for a few minutes to see if he will settle himself, but then have to climb the stairs (remembering my cup of tea this time - usually it is cold when I return to it). By the time I get to the top of the two flights, he is quiet again. Drink my tea standing motionless on the landing. Finish it and hang around for another few minutes wishing I'd brought my laptop with me. Decide all is clear to return downstairs. Settle back down on the sofa for about 10 seconds and the crying resumes. Back up the two flights of stairs...and so it goes on.

On a positive note, it has helped me to lose my baby weight. Just wish walking up and down stairs toned tummies.

Yummy muffins

Before I had children, my culinary skills extended as far as fish and salad or the odd pasta sauce. When the time came to wean my first son, like many other mums I decided that I had to give him the best and set about pureeing organic fruit and vegetables by the kilo. He was a great eater and guzzled almost anything I gave him at an unbelievable pace.

Despite this, he never made the transition from pureed to 'real' fruit and still will only eat dried fruit (and I have tried everything from apples and pears to mango and blueberries). On top of this, for the past year he has also refused most vegetables, sweetcorn being the only one with staying power. As a result, I now spend most Saturday and Sunday mornings cooking soups and sauces in which I can disguise as many vegetables as possible and trying to provide as varied a diet as possible.

At the moment it seems to have worked. Today I made one of the staples - cauliflower cheese - and managed to slip in some broccoli, which was eaten despite its obvious green-ness.

I also cooked some ham and cheese muffins, the recipe for which I found in Tana Ramsay's new cookbook Family Kitchen. My toddler loves them and I have also been known to eat the odd one or two - they are freezable and really useful if you are out and about and want to take something healthy with you for lunch.

DIY

There was a moment this morning when my DIY-phobic mate almost ventured into the cellar to hunt out the dust-covered drill and toolbox. After three days of constant "Me want pole. Me want down the hole.", he decided that he had to find a way of building a fireman's pole for our toddler to slide down. Drastic action was required, but not so drastic that it involved using tools. Enter the internet and a search that identified any number of poles for outdoors climbing frames, but only one for inside...a 'Peekaboo pole dancing' pole complete with 'sexy garter and dance dollars'. There was also a suggestion that maybe I could use it. With this post- two pregnancies body...ummm, I don't think so.

Bottom movements

The baby did his first real 'poo' in over three and a half weeks today. Yippee!

We started weaning him when he was 20 weeks, when he had reached over 19lbs and then lost 4oz in one week despite feeding every two hours through the day and getting up three times a night. It has been up and down and he is still not that keen, but one area that was affected dramatically was his bowel movements. He stopped doing them!

Gradually things have improved and today we finally got there - another signal that most changes in our children's behaviour are simply phases and will pass (excuse the pun).

What a laugh

My baby now giggles. I tickle him...on his chest, on his feet, under his arms, pretty much anywhere and he giggles away like a little madman. How fantastic is that!

Just to clarify

Having read yesterday's posting, my partner said something along the lines of 'So you don't want the children to sleep through the night now?!!'.

I feel I need to clarify.

Firstly, I did say that I was trying to make myself feel better. And secondly, of course I would like them to 'sleep through' and I continue to work towards this goal. Following my experience with my first child however, and knowing the way that I became obsessed with something over which I have no real control, I am determined to remain positive. So if my baby is up in the night (and he certainly is), so be it!

Sleeping through

Why is it that everybody you meet asks if your baby is 'sleeping through' yet? Is that the first measure of a successful mother(followed by crawling, walking, talking and the dreaded potty training)?

My first son did not 'sleep through' until he was 11 months old. We had the odd night here and there, and sometimes a couple of nights consecutively, but whilst my fellow ante-natal classers' babies were in dreamland, mine was in my bed or drinking watered-down formula in the vain hope that it would help him to sleep whilst not satisfying him so much that he chose to drink at night instead of in the day.

My second son seems to be going much the same way. At five months old he is still waking every night to no particular pattern and showing no signs of wanting to spend a full 12 hours with no adult company.

My mum tells me that other mothers lie and that I am too honest(and I have to say that I have had some evidence of this when I have had inadvertent conversations with the odd father or two). I don't see the point in lying when the bags under my eyes and my complete inability to concentrate on a proper conversation act as an immediate give-away to my lack of shut-eye.

And why is 'sleeping through' a must anyway? Are babies born to 'sleep through'? Do adults 'sleep through'? My toddler has slept all night almost every night since he was 11 months, but he still has the odd night where he's up talking, crying or screaming for mummy and I'm sure there will be many more.

Maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better, but with my first son already nearing his third birthday, I think the whole 'baby' phase passes far too quickly anyway. So you can have your 'sleeping through', I'm happy to spend as much time as possible with my beautiful babies (just give me enough sleep every few nights to remain compus mentus!).

Me want

"Me want Fireman Sam. Me want Fireman Sam on telly."
OK, Fireman Sam.
"What's that bag."
Spiderman
"Me want Spiderman. Me want Spiderman on telly."
OK, we'll go home and see what's on.
"Me want Pippin on telly."
Pause
"Me want Fireman Sam. Me want Fireman Sam on telly."

Just one conversation between myself and my eldest on the way home from nursery and proof that toddlers are eternally and fantastically fickle and what they will happily die for one minute will be forgotten the next...and therefore a reminder not to beat myself up over every cross word that we have.

Up and down

Another day of eye infections, runny noses and now croup (is that how you spell it?).

Woken up at 11.30 last night by a noise that sounded like a small sealion. The baby appeared to be having some trouble breathing and was barking down the monitor. After a few moments of panic and an hour of feeding, his breathing and coughing settled down for another couple of hours sleep.

Up again at 4.15am, down again at 4.45, up again at 5.00, down again at 5.15...and then a few hours sleep until my toddler shouted for me at 6.40...ignored him and managed to get another 40 minutes out of both of them. Surely we are all entitled to some rest.

A bit of a bizarre start to the day as toddler was convinced that there was a 'lady' downstairs and wanted to go and find her. Managed to persuade him to go and watch 'Bottle Top Bill' instead...does this mean that he's entered the phase where children start to dream? Is there such a stage? Does that mean that nightmares are about to start?