Friday 26 February 2010

Little G turns one

Dear Gracie
Yesterday was your first birthday.

You had a lovely day. Daddy took the day off and took you to the park in the morning, where you both played on the swings and the roundabout. It was only the 2nd time you've ever been on the swings. He said you loved it and looked really happy the whole time.

At lunchtime you went in the car with Daddy to pick me up from work. Grandpa was there too and we all went to buy your toddler-size car seat. Your legs have grown too long for your baby seat now. You face forwards in the car now, and you look like such a big girl.

Then when we got home you had a visit from your little friend Theo who is a month younger than you, and his mummy Natasa. They dropped round a present for you (a glockenspiel which you and Theo played together) and stayed for a cup of tea.

In the evening after dinner, Daddy and I gave you a fruity muffin with one lit candle. You enjoyed sitting in the big chair with the plate on your lap, eating your share of the muffin.

Later on at bedtime, when you were all sleepy and cuddly after your bath and stories and milk, I cuddled you in the darkness of your bedroom, and softly sang Happy Birthday To You for the last time on your very first birthday.

I am so proud to be your Mummy.

When we met you on your Birth Day last year, you were so teeny and helpless. Now you can cruise around the room, and stand for a few seconds on your own. You eat meals and sometimes bite us with your six sharp teeth! We have had to cut your fringe 3 times. You absolutely adore books and spend a long time each day turning the pages of your favourites and sometimes 'talking' about what you see. You are thrilled every time you see a cat and shout 'cat!' in a high surprised voice. When I put my hat on you point and say 'cat!' but I'm sure one day soon that will change to 'hat'! When you see birds you say 'wawawa' like the birds on 'In The Night Garden'. If we say 'Dogs go.....' you say 'Woo' (you can't quite manage 'woof' just yet). When you see people clapping on the TV, you clap your hands too and turn to look at us, beaming happily. When I take the wet washing out of the machine and put it in the blue bag, you get very excited and hold out your arms to be picked up because you know we will go upstairs and you can play with the clothes while I hang them up to dry.

You smile and sit still when I sing 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' to you, doing the actions for you. Sometimes when I sing songs to you, you rest your head on my shoulder and join in with your sweet baby voice. You like to pull your socks off and play with your toes. The other night in the bath you discovered your tummy and thighs, and prodded and pinched them until they were pink.

You sometimes sleep through the night now! (Thank you)

You have brought so much joy to your Daddy and me this year. Thank you for being you.

We love you to the moon and back.

Mummy xxxxxxx

Photo 1: tipping birthday muffin over her head
Photo 2: the next day in the ball pit at our local soft play place



Tuesday 16 February 2010

Puzzled

How do people find the time to look after children, be domestic goddesses, and then blog about it with glorious photos and detailed, witty descriptions?

It's a mystery to me.

I have one baby and felt like putting the flags out because I managed to make a pancake batter.

Monday 8 February 2010

leafy latte


Yesterday I put G down for her nap (she only has one now *sob*) and left her in Adriano's tender care while I went into town for some much needed me-time. Just about the first thing I did was buy myself a latte. Usually I can't carry one and push the pushchair at the same time so I just don't have one. Cheaper, but oh how I miss them especially when the weather's cold. There's something special about a hot drink in my hands when I'm outside. It doesn't have the same 'treat' factor to me when I'm drinking it indoors.

Right got to go and buy fruit, lunches for my work days, and some crackers to keep by my side of the bed for the waking-in-the-wee hours.

So happy that one of my NCT friends is about this afternoon; I had been feeling a bit lonely as Adriano was so busy at the weekend (and not even having fun, he was at work and at a volunteering shift and doing a job application form - he's been working so hard).

blissfully sleeping on Daddy, crusty bogeys and all

Saturday 6 February 2010

Blog banner

I've never learned how to make a proper blog banner. I think I'd like to change this one finally and get something really good. Any tips from anyone? Help.

Friday 5 February 2010




I met Adriano 10 years ago today. Unfortunately for me he was out all day today (and tonight) with his Dad and has to work tomorrow, but he gave me some beautiful red tulips (10 of them) and a card that made my eyes well up with tears. We've had so many ups and downs and we are still ultimately loved up. Hooray :)

Today I went to the South Bank to meet my friend Emma (hello Emma!). We walked up and down a bit by the River Thames, and then went into the Royal Festival Hall for a drink and snack. G made friends with a little boy of 13 months by pointing at him and exclaiming. In fact she did that to several children on the journey home as well but they all looked quite offended. I think her urgent grunting noises mean something along the lines of 'Hey! Another small person a bit like me! Hello!' but who can tell.

I hate my hair again. I'm sick of straightening it but if I don't it looks like a mop. If I do I look like a librarian (which I used to be) or a teacher (which I am). What shall I do? Help. Hairdye may be involved.

Now G has stopped breastfeeding for good, I've finally bought her some bottle teats for older babies. (When she was having a bit of both b00b and formula I kept her on slow teats in case she went off breastfeeding due to the work involved.) She now drinks her entire 8oz in about 5 minutes flat. Trouble is, she now doesn't drop off to sleep during her final feed, and it takes her ages to get to sleep. This lately includes a mixture of cuddling, hand-holding, lying her back down after she's stood up in her cot, getting the hump and leaving the room every time she stands up all over again, and eventually her getting the hint and lying down and after some tossing and turning (and the odd shout of 'cat!' or 'hiya!') and finally.....sleep. Then lucky me I get to go downstairs and tidy all the toys and books away and put away the dirty washing and wash the dishes and clean the steriliser and wash the bottles and stuff for the next day and put the washing in the machine ready for the morning and WOW life is exciting! But the weird thing is, it is exciting. Not all the bits I just mentioned, obviously, but the bits in between like watching G stand alone for a few seconds. Or seeing her eat 2 fish fingers out of a bowl almost without dropping any. I look at her and I think: we used to be 2 people and now we are 3. It blows my mind. Sometimes I want her to stand still just for a minute and look into my eyes so she can see in them my love for her.

G is one year old in a few weeks and I am so chuffed with a present I have bought her. It's a personalised board book which features pictures of her and captions which I wrote. I chose photos which show her gradually growing up this year into the toddler she has become. I hope she enjoys it now and has it until she is an adult; I know it's the kind of thing I would have loved to look back on so I hope she does too.

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* proud new mother * last child * youngest daughter * tallest sister * favourite auntie * honest lover * furtive photographer * diary writer * compulsive dancer * tree hugger * mooncup promoter * chocolate taster * house plant murderer *

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