When you have been in your pyjama’s for three days running, have greasy hair, unshaven legs but your baby has been bathed every day and is in clean clothes.
When every outfit has a splash of food, dribble or baby sick on it – honestly no outfit is completely without it.
When people no longer use your name but refer to you as ‘Joshua’s Mummy’ or just ‘Mummy’
When you hear your baby snore you think it’s cute, but when you other half snores you want to punch them in the face
When you reach out to catch baby sick in your hand – I did this when we were at mother and baby group, it was pure instinct and a lady who works there actually said ‘Only a Mum would do that.’
When you wipe snot with your hand because you don’t have any tissues to hand.
When you can do everything one handed and continue to do it one handed even when you aren’t holding your baby because you are so used to it.
When every cup of tea you drink is cold – well near enough every one
When you are not embarrassed at singing some ridiculous song such as ‘five little speckled frogs’ loudly in the supermarket, doctors etc
When you know your baby is awake even when they haven’t made a sound
When all you do is talk about your baby
When you get excited and have a conversation with your husband about the contents of your baby nappies – yes really!
When you have toys/dummies in all your coat pockets – I went on my works Christmas party, all dressed up with a rattle in my pocket!
When you know longer have a handbag, but a giant changing bag with everything you can possible think of in it.
When having a lie in is now getting to sleep till 9am
When you refer to your husband as ‘Daddy’ more often than not
I could go on and on... but I think I will stop now before I bore you all to death!
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Teeth have a lot to answer for
I’m going to have a rant, a moan and a general feel sorry for myself post. So I will apologise for that now. Joshua is teething again and it’s causing a nightmare for everyone involved. He is grumpy, but he seems to save this grumpiness for nap times and bedtime. It’s understandable he is grumpy, I would be to if I was in pain all the time from nasty teeth. However I was at the end of my tether this morning, nap times have always been a struggle even at the best of times. This morning it took me one hours and 40 minutes to get him to sleep, over an hour of that was crying.... well it was more screaming and wailing. Whether I was holding him, or leaving him alone in his cot it made no difference. In the end I left him in his room to cry for five minutes before going back into him. To repeat the process over and over. I sat in tears – so there was tears and snot everywhere. I’m not sure who was more upset me or Joshua? Finally I got him to sleep and he slept for 20 minutes...yes twenty bloody minutes! Doesn’t seem worth it really does it? Problem is if he doesn’t get his nap we have to contend with a grumpy baby for the rest of the day, so it’s a not win situation really! L
Now not only does teething causing a grumpy baby that doesn’t want to sleep it causes nappy rash, and in the case of Joshua really really bad nappy rash. He’s never had nappy rash, I was proud of that – but when he cut his first tooth he got sore and again now it’s even worse. Last night I was changing him and he was screaming his little head off and his skin broke and bled. Personally I blame daddy, as it wasn’t that bad before I went to work. Today we’ve invested in new cream, washing him with warm water and not baby wipes as it more gentle, then giving around 15 minutes of nappy free time, then cream before the nappy goes back on and it seems to be paying off. It’s less red and angry than it was last night. He loves his nappy free time, he carries out the great escape every time the nappy comes off. He definitely crawls his fastest straight after the nappy comes off. It’s quite amusing really...although he does not lie still again to have the nappy back on! Monkey!
On a happier note, he it not only crawling at speed but he is climbing onto his feet using anything he can to pull himself up. Coasting along furniture is his new favourite game, but then he gets confident and lets go and that always ends up with him banging his head on the floor. Followed by tears, usually though you can distract him easily and he goes back to playing. It’s very cute, and he always looks really pleased with himself...who knows how long it will be before he is walking but he love his feet so much that it might not be long. He was holding onto a toy and walking along the floor pushing it yesterday I was uber impressed!
Anyway I think that’s enough for now, I’m sure I have bored you all senseless if you even managed to read till the end
Now not only does teething causing a grumpy baby that doesn’t want to sleep it causes nappy rash, and in the case of Joshua really really bad nappy rash. He’s never had nappy rash, I was proud of that – but when he cut his first tooth he got sore and again now it’s even worse. Last night I was changing him and he was screaming his little head off and his skin broke and bled. Personally I blame daddy, as it wasn’t that bad before I went to work. Today we’ve invested in new cream, washing him with warm water and not baby wipes as it more gentle, then giving around 15 minutes of nappy free time, then cream before the nappy goes back on and it seems to be paying off. It’s less red and angry than it was last night. He loves his nappy free time, he carries out the great escape every time the nappy comes off. He definitely crawls his fastest straight after the nappy comes off. It’s quite amusing really...although he does not lie still again to have the nappy back on! Monkey!
On a happier note, he it not only crawling at speed but he is climbing onto his feet using anything he can to pull himself up. Coasting along furniture is his new favourite game, but then he gets confident and lets go and that always ends up with him banging his head on the floor. Followed by tears, usually though you can distract him easily and he goes back to playing. It’s very cute, and he always looks really pleased with himself...who knows how long it will be before he is walking but he love his feet so much that it might not be long. He was holding onto a toy and walking along the floor pushing it yesterday I was uber impressed!
Anyway I think that’s enough for now, I’m sure I have bored you all senseless if you even managed to read till the end
Friday, 26 February 2010
Set Adrift on a memory of bliss
I was sorting out all my photos onto disk yesterday thought it was about time, would honestly cry if my laptop died and I lost them all. Anyway as I was sorting them I was looking at them and remembering good times.
We went to Edinburgh last year when I was about 24 weeks pregnant, a last little break just the two of us. It was freezing and everywhere was covered in snow but it's the best short break I've been on. I've always loved Dublin, but thinking about it I may actually prefer Edinburgh. I just fell in love with the city. Perhaps it's just because Ant and me had just a great time? I guess I'll just have to go back again one day to make sure it's as magical. <3
[gallery columns="4"]
Pretty isn't it?
We went to Edinburgh last year when I was about 24 weeks pregnant, a last little break just the two of us. It was freezing and everywhere was covered in snow but it's the best short break I've been on. I've always loved Dublin, but thinking about it I may actually prefer Edinburgh. I just fell in love with the city. Perhaps it's just because Ant and me had just a great time? I guess I'll just have to go back again one day to make sure it's as magical. <3
[gallery columns="4"]
Pretty isn't it?
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Bags...
I really want a new bag and I made the fatal mistake of browsing accessorize's website this morning and now I have fallen in love with way to many bags. They are all so pretty and girlie and just gorgeous - shame they are so expensive too. Dam it, I need to be rich. I think I would own half of the shop if I had the momeny, everything there is lovely.
I'll show you a few I adore...
[gallery]
That's just three, there are so many more gorgeous ones!
So what do you think? Pretty aren't they?
I wonder if Joshua would like to buy me one for Mothers day? Think I will start dropping hints around his daddy!
I'll show you a few I adore...
[gallery]
That's just three, there are so many more gorgeous ones!
So what do you think? Pretty aren't they?
I wonder if Joshua would like to buy me one for Mothers day? Think I will start dropping hints around his daddy!
Monday, 22 February 2010
Co-Sleeping
Would you? Wouldn’t you?
Before Joshua was born I swore I would never have him in my bed at night time, especially when he was tiny. Fear of rolling on him or suffocating him, made the thought impossible. However when he was a few weeks old he was in my bed every night and I thought nothing of it. I co-slept to protect my sanity; Joshua fed every two hours day and night. That was two hours from the start of the feed not the end – so feeding him, then trying to get him back into his own bed took time and I felt like the living dead. So into my bed he came, we fed lying down and went back to sleep when we were. Some woman can even sleep while their babies are feeding, that HAS to be a benefit right? Yet people are quick to criticize. People always say ‘You need to cut that habit out NOW, or he will never leave.’
Yes I admit at 8 months old he is still sleeping in my bed for part of the night every night – but we all sleep better, and really enjoy co-sleeping so what’s the problem?
Many co-sleeping parents report that their children become willing to leave, with little or no persuasion, on their own around age two or three, as they mature physically, emotionally and cognitively. These families also report that there are many ways to help children find their own sleeping space. Co-sleeping families tend not to see things in terms of habits that need to be broken, but as patterns that can be established, but that continually evolve and change. For co-sleeping families, laying the foundation for security and closeness takes precedence over early independence.
It’s true isn’t it? How many 16 year olds still share the bed with the parents? None - exactly. So I have every faith in Joshua that he will sleep in his own room when he is ready and until then if he needs me and wants to be close to me then that is what he shall get. I find too many people want babies to be independent, to sleep through the night on their own from as young as possible. It’s like a competition between some mothers... apparently a friend of a friends baby slept through every night from day 1! I am sorry but I don’t believe this, and if it’s true then what the hell? Babies that young need feeding though the night! I got sick of people telling me I had to stop feeding Joshua at night as he didn’t need it, that he was waking up out of habit... but no I was right he wasn’t waking out of habit, he was having a bottle because he was hungry and like I told everyone he would, he stopped having the bottle on his own with no influence from me. So why should co-sleeping be any different?
He’ll suffocate...another popular one! Actually no he won’t if you co-sleep correctly and there is research that has proved co-sleeping reduces the risk of SIDS. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t put baby on a pillow, give baby their own blanket and do not cover them with you duvet...all common sense things really.
Does co-sleeping have any effect on SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)?
Actually, it appears so! Studies have discovered that in cultures where co-sleeping is a common practice, SIDS rates are at their lowest. Conversely, where co-sleeping is least likely, the rate of SIDS is highest. These two facts have led researchers to suggest a strong link between co-sleeping and lower risk of SIDS. Why? Evidence suggests that some babies may have abnormal sleep patterns, or sleep apnoea, in which, during an unusually deep sleep, they forget to breathe. Co-sleeping may help address this problem via two paths. One is simply that, if a parent is nearby, any disturbances or problems with breathing are more likely to be noticed. Furthermore, evidence also suggests that babies may regulate themselves to the parent's breathing patterns, so simply being close by may also help reduce your baby's SIDS risk.
I found that I was very aware of Joshua’s presence and I still am, the moment he wakes up I wake up. Even now he can crawl, I don’t fear that he will fall from the bed as there is no possibility that he could have time to wake up and crawl out of bed before I woke up. I don’t know what it is, perhaps it’s just a mothers instinct?!
Co-sleeping promotes sensitivity. Many parents who co-sleep feel that they become more attuned to their baby and child. They feel that their sensitivity to the needs and patterns of their baby translate into daytime sensitivity as well. - I agree with this, I feel I am completely tuned with my baby, that is not saying that parents who don’t co-sleep are not equally as tuned but personally I feel that this has helped us bond a lot.
It reduces bedtime struggles. -100% agree!! We have tried to get him to sleep at 2am in his room and he fights and fights, but bring him into our bed and he goes straight back to sleep.
Parents of co-sleepers know that children who sleep in their parents'' room have no reason to be afraid of bedtime. As they grow older and move into their own rooms, they have positive, secure images of sleeptime. They have no reason to equate bedtime with being alone. – too many children hate the dark and get scared at bedtime, I hope I have gone some way to teaching Joshua that night time is safe!
It fosters an environment of acceptance. Underlying the choice to co-sleep is a willingness to accept a child's need for the parent both day and night. A parent essentially communicates that while the child is small and needful, the parent will be there to help the child and address their needs. Co-sleeping parents tend to believe that this willingness to respond to the child's needs carries over into the daytime, and this powerfully contributes to the overall relationship with the child. –I don’t co-sleep all night, only when Joshua wakes and I bring him from his cot to my bed and only if he wants to. I believe in letting him lead me with his cues. I do not believe I am creating a spoilt child, I believe I am teaching him to trust me 100% and letting him know that any time he needs me then I will be there for him.
Co-sleeping is just as safe or safer than a crib. Existing studies do not prove that co-sleeping is inherently hazardous. The elements of the sleeping environment are what dictate the level of danger to the infant. When non-smoking parents who do not abuse alcohol or drugs sleep on a firm mattress devoid of fluffy bedding, co-sleeping is a safe environment. In addition, it is likely that there are many children whose lives have been saved by sleeping next to their parents. There is anecdotal evidence, for instance, of mothers who have noticed their child not breathing and were able to stimulate them to breathe. – Have already written about this!
I have no clue if people are interested in reading post like this, but it’s something I feel passionate about and I wanted to share my experiences with people.
Before Joshua was born I swore I would never have him in my bed at night time, especially when he was tiny. Fear of rolling on him or suffocating him, made the thought impossible. However when he was a few weeks old he was in my bed every night and I thought nothing of it. I co-slept to protect my sanity; Joshua fed every two hours day and night. That was two hours from the start of the feed not the end – so feeding him, then trying to get him back into his own bed took time and I felt like the living dead. So into my bed he came, we fed lying down and went back to sleep when we were. Some woman can even sleep while their babies are feeding, that HAS to be a benefit right? Yet people are quick to criticize. People always say ‘You need to cut that habit out NOW, or he will never leave.’
Yes I admit at 8 months old he is still sleeping in my bed for part of the night every night – but we all sleep better, and really enjoy co-sleeping so what’s the problem?
Many co-sleeping parents report that their children become willing to leave, with little or no persuasion, on their own around age two or three, as they mature physically, emotionally and cognitively. These families also report that there are many ways to help children find their own sleeping space. Co-sleeping families tend not to see things in terms of habits that need to be broken, but as patterns that can be established, but that continually evolve and change. For co-sleeping families, laying the foundation for security and closeness takes precedence over early independence.
It’s true isn’t it? How many 16 year olds still share the bed with the parents? None - exactly. So I have every faith in Joshua that he will sleep in his own room when he is ready and until then if he needs me and wants to be close to me then that is what he shall get. I find too many people want babies to be independent, to sleep through the night on their own from as young as possible. It’s like a competition between some mothers... apparently a friend of a friends baby slept through every night from day 1! I am sorry but I don’t believe this, and if it’s true then what the hell? Babies that young need feeding though the night! I got sick of people telling me I had to stop feeding Joshua at night as he didn’t need it, that he was waking up out of habit... but no I was right he wasn’t waking out of habit, he was having a bottle because he was hungry and like I told everyone he would, he stopped having the bottle on his own with no influence from me. So why should co-sleeping be any different?
He’ll suffocate...another popular one! Actually no he won’t if you co-sleep correctly and there is research that has proved co-sleeping reduces the risk of SIDS. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t put baby on a pillow, give baby their own blanket and do not cover them with you duvet...all common sense things really.
Does co-sleeping have any effect on SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)?
Actually, it appears so! Studies have discovered that in cultures where co-sleeping is a common practice, SIDS rates are at their lowest. Conversely, where co-sleeping is least likely, the rate of SIDS is highest. These two facts have led researchers to suggest a strong link between co-sleeping and lower risk of SIDS. Why? Evidence suggests that some babies may have abnormal sleep patterns, or sleep apnoea, in which, during an unusually deep sleep, they forget to breathe. Co-sleeping may help address this problem via two paths. One is simply that, if a parent is nearby, any disturbances or problems with breathing are more likely to be noticed. Furthermore, evidence also suggests that babies may regulate themselves to the parent's breathing patterns, so simply being close by may also help reduce your baby's SIDS risk.
I found that I was very aware of Joshua’s presence and I still am, the moment he wakes up I wake up. Even now he can crawl, I don’t fear that he will fall from the bed as there is no possibility that he could have time to wake up and crawl out of bed before I woke up. I don’t know what it is, perhaps it’s just a mothers instinct?!
Co-sleeping promotes sensitivity. Many parents who co-sleep feel that they become more attuned to their baby and child. They feel that their sensitivity to the needs and patterns of their baby translate into daytime sensitivity as well. - I agree with this, I feel I am completely tuned with my baby, that is not saying that parents who don’t co-sleep are not equally as tuned but personally I feel that this has helped us bond a lot.
It reduces bedtime struggles. -100% agree!! We have tried to get him to sleep at 2am in his room and he fights and fights, but bring him into our bed and he goes straight back to sleep.
Parents of co-sleepers know that children who sleep in their parents'' room have no reason to be afraid of bedtime. As they grow older and move into their own rooms, they have positive, secure images of sleeptime. They have no reason to equate bedtime with being alone. – too many children hate the dark and get scared at bedtime, I hope I have gone some way to teaching Joshua that night time is safe!
It fosters an environment of acceptance. Underlying the choice to co-sleep is a willingness to accept a child's need for the parent both day and night. A parent essentially communicates that while the child is small and needful, the parent will be there to help the child and address their needs. Co-sleeping parents tend to believe that this willingness to respond to the child's needs carries over into the daytime, and this powerfully contributes to the overall relationship with the child. –I don’t co-sleep all night, only when Joshua wakes and I bring him from his cot to my bed and only if he wants to. I believe in letting him lead me with his cues. I do not believe I am creating a spoilt child, I believe I am teaching him to trust me 100% and letting him know that any time he needs me then I will be there for him.
Co-sleeping is just as safe or safer than a crib. Existing studies do not prove that co-sleeping is inherently hazardous. The elements of the sleeping environment are what dictate the level of danger to the infant. When non-smoking parents who do not abuse alcohol or drugs sleep on a firm mattress devoid of fluffy bedding, co-sleeping is a safe environment. In addition, it is likely that there are many children whose lives have been saved by sleeping next to their parents. There is anecdotal evidence, for instance, of mothers who have noticed their child not breathing and were able to stimulate them to breathe. – Have already written about this!
I have no clue if people are interested in reading post like this, but it’s something I feel passionate about and I wanted to share my experiences with people.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Supernatural
My favourite television show has to be Supernatural, it’s not something I ever thought I would get in to. I never had an interest in demons, vampires and all things supernatural and evil. The show is about two brothers, Dean (Jensen Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) who were raised by their father John; who hunts all things evil. Their mother Mary was killed during the night when Sam was only 6 months old, she was found pinned to the ceiling on fire and bleeding from the stomach. Series one starts with Dean tracking down his brother and persuading him to join the ‘family business’ to help track down their missing father.
The show is on series five now and has me as hooked now as I was when I first began to watch. The evil cliff hangers at the end of episodes mean you have to tune into the next one. Series four took a turn that I never imagined it was going to take (stop reading now if you don’t want it ruined). They brought in ‘Angels’ - Castiel (Misha Collins), when they auditioned for the part of Castiel they didn’t tell the auditionees what the part was. Keeping the idea completely secret until the series was aired. Season 4 is packed full of drama and is my favourite season. Dean came back from the dead, haunted with images of the things he was forced to do in Hell. Sam turns to the dark-side, and the brothers race to stop Lilith from opening the 66 seals to free Lucifer.
If the amazing storylines aren’t enough to make you want to watch the main characters might persuade you. Jensen and Jared are bought absolutely gorgeous – at least I think so, and I know a fair few people who will agree with me.
What do you think? Who’s better looking? It has to be Jensen for me, helped by the fact that he gets the BEST lines in the show.
Dean: Man you fugly
Dean: Ya know she could be faking.
Sam:Yeah, what do you wanna do, poke her with a stick?
(Dean nods)
Sam: Dude, you're not gonna poke her with a stick!
Dean : You fudging touch me again, I'll fudging kill you!
Dean: Shut your pie hole
Dean: I'm Batman!
Sam: Yeah, you're Batman...
That’s just a few of them, but I might share some more another day if I can think up some more.
I think I have babbled enough about Supernatural for today, but it might not be the last time I talk about it. I just love it so much
The show is on series five now and has me as hooked now as I was when I first began to watch. The evil cliff hangers at the end of episodes mean you have to tune into the next one. Series four took a turn that I never imagined it was going to take (stop reading now if you don’t want it ruined). They brought in ‘Angels’ - Castiel (Misha Collins), when they auditioned for the part of Castiel they didn’t tell the auditionees what the part was. Keeping the idea completely secret until the series was aired. Season 4 is packed full of drama and is my favourite season. Dean came back from the dead, haunted with images of the things he was forced to do in Hell. Sam turns to the dark-side, and the brothers race to stop Lilith from opening the 66 seals to free Lucifer.
If the amazing storylines aren’t enough to make you want to watch the main characters might persuade you. Jensen and Jared are bought absolutely gorgeous – at least I think so, and I know a fair few people who will agree with me.
What do you think? Who’s better looking? It has to be Jensen for me, helped by the fact that he gets the BEST lines in the show.
Dean: Man you fugly
Dean: Ya know she could be faking.
Sam:Yeah, what do you wanna do, poke her with a stick?
(Dean nods)
Sam: Dude, you're not gonna poke her with a stick!
Dean : You fudging touch me again, I'll fudging kill you!
Dean: Shut your pie hole
Dean: I'm Batman!
Sam: Yeah, you're Batman...
That’s just a few of them, but I might share some more another day if I can think up some more.
I think I have babbled enough about Supernatural for today, but it might not be the last time I talk about it. I just love it so much
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Raindrops on Roses
‘And whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with string
These are few of my favourite things’
Don’t ask me why, but I have this song stuck in my head. So I thought it would be a good time to share some of my favourite things with you.
Smell: Homemade cakes baking
Sounds: Babies giggles, it’s a sure fire why to put a smile on my face.
Movies: I love Chick flicks and my all time favourite is Dirty Dancing. I love everything about the film. The songs, the dances, the lines, the actors. Also like pretty much everything with Johnny Depp in.
Tv Shows: Supernatural is probably the only show that I have seen every episode and would watch them all again. You can’t beat a bit of Friends though, I will never tire of that show. Other American comedy like Will and Grace and Two and a half men.
Music: Anyone who knows me, knows I have a big weakness for Westlife. A few other faves are snow patrol, Pink and Bon Jovi.
Places: As corny as this will sound, anywhere that I’m with my son. Also love Ireland so much, have done ever since I was a small child. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and I hope to be able to go there again one day.
Books: Pride and Prejudice. Books that I have read recently that I loved are by Cecelia Ahern... The Gift and The book of tomorrow.
Things to do: Go to concerts, shopping, watching movies and I like to do these things with all my loved ones. I love to write and I love to read, which you have probably already grasped from my previous posts.
Anyway they are just a few of my favourite things, and honestly the song is right. When I am feeling down, thinking of my favourite things helps to make me feel better.
Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens,
Brown paper packages tied up with string
These are few of my favourite things’
Don’t ask me why, but I have this song stuck in my head. So I thought it would be a good time to share some of my favourite things with you.
Smell: Homemade cakes baking
Sounds: Babies giggles, it’s a sure fire why to put a smile on my face.
Movies: I love Chick flicks and my all time favourite is Dirty Dancing. I love everything about the film. The songs, the dances, the lines, the actors. Also like pretty much everything with Johnny Depp in.
Tv Shows: Supernatural is probably the only show that I have seen every episode and would watch them all again. You can’t beat a bit of Friends though, I will never tire of that show. Other American comedy like Will and Grace and Two and a half men.
Music: Anyone who knows me, knows I have a big weakness for Westlife. A few other faves are snow patrol, Pink and Bon Jovi.
Places: As corny as this will sound, anywhere that I’m with my son. Also love Ireland so much, have done ever since I was a small child. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and I hope to be able to go there again one day.
Books: Pride and Prejudice. Books that I have read recently that I loved are by Cecelia Ahern... The Gift and The book of tomorrow.
Things to do: Go to concerts, shopping, watching movies and I like to do these things with all my loved ones. I love to write and I love to read, which you have probably already grasped from my previous posts.
Anyway they are just a few of my favourite things, and honestly the song is right. When I am feeling down, thinking of my favourite things helps to make me feel better.
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