Sunday 30 March 2014

Twelve Short Months: Admitted Over Easter

I had broken up for Easter feeling full of beans. I knew that come the next holiday I would be going on maternity leave. I was at a great bump size which was comfortable to sleep with, I was feeling regular kicks and rolls from baby and staring to really notice which bits were poking out. What happened in the next was the scariest point of my pregnancy.

Friday 28 March 2014

40 weeks in and 40 weeks out.

This week marks the date on which L had been out as long as she was in. 

A pregnancy is always referred to as nine months, but at 40 weeks it is usually closer to ten months by the time a baby arrives into the world. Two weeks of a pregnancy are counted before a baby is even conceived. By 37 weeks a baby is full term and arrival from then causes no real concerns but there are still signs that they have come out of the oven a bit early. A baby is not seen as an individual or person in their own right lawfully until they have been delivered and separated from their mother. Your baby is the only person on the planet who knows the sound of your heart beat on the inside. 


Bump from 4 weeks to 40 weeks with baby shower at 36 weeks.

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Weaning Wednesday: Nine Months of Breast Feeding


L was a few hours old here and we were feeding for the first time. 

It was the start of our journey and it has had bumps, highs and lows, but has ultimately been very successful. 

Now that we are in the midst of weaning L has started to drop feeds and replace them with snacks and water. It's a blessing and a bit sad. 

Monday 17 March 2014

Discovery Basket: Biting Basket

Teething. 

I don't need to talk much more about the dramas of teething infants but I have been trying to help L by providing her with a biting basket.

Ever since L could hold a toy she has been bringing them up to her mouth to suck, lick or chew. The chewing is most constant when we also have red cheeks, ear pulling and 2am wake up calls. 


Friday 14 March 2014

Word of the Week: Family


I've spent the week down in Suffolk with my Mum and Dad and extended family.

It's been a long week away from J and I've missed him terribly but L has loved seeing all her relatives and being spoiled by indulgent Nana and Papa. I've also had some r&r in the form of afternoon tea and a spa morning. 

Wednesday 12 March 2014

Weaning Wednesday: Yumbox Review

I was lucky enough to be sent a lovely Yumbox to review after admiring them on Twitter.


It arrived really promptly well packaged. I was really chuffed with the colour, I usually go gender neutral for these sorts of things but the pink was so bright and funky I couldn't pass it by.

Monday 10 March 2014

Discovery Basket: Circular and Ring Things

The discovery basket for this week has been a big hit.


Circular and ring things. This basket contains a mix of toys, like the stacking rings and counting rings, lids from jars, both metal and plastic and a few bangles from my jewellery box.

Friday 7 March 2014

Word of the Week: Absence




This last month has been full with brand new presence. Three brand new baby girls have been born to friends over the last month. Two firstborns and one little sister. 

It's been wonderful to welcome these bundles of joy and to celebrate with their parents but it has made me aware of the absence of something else.

Broodiness. 

Thursday 6 March 2014

World Book Day 2014

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I am a big book fan. We are loving our romp through 300 picture books this year and I am on my third book of the year! Big achievement considering I fall asleep within one page of reading most nights and my long used kindle is now busted. 

World Book Day is a day on which school aged children up and down the country get a £1 book token.

We are off on a bloggers meeting to begin organising the London Bloggers Meet today but L is dressing up! We are also going to be singing lots of nursery rhymes.

L's current favourite is Five in the Bed and you can find a great video of this rhyme here. It's great to watch together as you learn the rhyme and sing along. The Big Little Book Corner with Ladybird books is a great source of information, resources for home and school as well as lovely videos of both nursery rhymes and fairy stories.

You can find a link to all our book posts on the page Literary Morkus

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Wearing Wednesday: Manduca

I spent a week leaving the pushchair at home and baby wearing L to get out and enjoy the sunshine! 

 
I've talked before about how I've gotten on with my woven fabric sling. It's still a lovely close way to carry L but it's much more suited to L facing me, the front facing carries are slightly less supportive. I was sent a replacement after the one I originally brought at the baby show was faulty. We have used it and L loves to sleep in it.

 
I also still use the Baby Bjorn. But now that L is nearly 9kg it is starting to hurt my back carrying her in it. Also the way her legs are not supported is a bit of an issue for longer carrying. 

So I went align to my local sling library and met and talked about what I needed from a sling for L and I. 

Monday 3 March 2014

Book Review: My Animals and Other Family

Before Christmas I received a phone call from our old caretaker to say a parcel had arrived for me. This was three months since moving out so had no idea what to expect. 

When I opened it I was pleased and surprised to see a copy of Clare Baldings autobiography My Animals and Other Family. I am not usually a biography, or non-fiction, fan but I love a free book. 
 
At the beginning of February the unthinkable happened. My book broke :-( my kindle of four years and many books screen was broken. I had just started A Casual Vacancy for the third time and was starting to get into it when this happened. That evening I reached for the nearest book on my bedside table and reached this. 

Emptying Schema

L's current obsession is with emptying baskets or boxes.

She will happily sit and empty her book basket one book at a time, sometimes stopping to flick through a title. Before moving back to the basket to continue emptying it.