Coughing

Mikey now has a new trick... He has mastered the art of the most pathetic cough you have ever heard and he started this cough just after 6 this morning and kept it going until 7ish when we stuck a bottle in his mouth which did at least stop the coughing for a while!!

Andy has also broken his car again! He decided on Wednesday that I was in no way in a fit state to drive myself and Mikey to Nanny and Gandad's so he would drop us of on his way to work, that bit worked fine but the car decided to break down as he tried to park it at the office! He got it towed home and found my spare keys and drove my car back to collect us (my keys were safe in my hand bag rather than leave them in the house for any burglar to find!) So We then had to get the car seat into the back of my car and me folded into the moved forward passenger seat... I so need a larger car but no chance of one of those at any time in the foreseeable future. But when I picked my car last year there was no inkling of a Mikey on the horizon so that possibility wasn't even considered!

Tonight is Andy's infamous Murder Mystery Party... It has already been hit by the weather with 1 charachter pulling out as her babysitter has backed out due to the possibility of snow or something (I admit I wasn't really listening to him that hard!!) I think I'm looking forward to it - so long as I'm not the murderer and I manage to stay warm enough...I may have to add a jumper to my outfit somehow! Shame I don't have one in the right colour though! If anyone has a purple jumper I can borrow please let me know asap!

THe last 12 months...

I've just been reading my entry for Remembrance Day last year.... it was actually the 12th of November and I was moaning that I wanted a baby an there was no sign or chance I was going to get or have one! How little did I know! That was a Thursday and I did a test on the Saturday and found out I was expecting the little bundle we currently have bouncing in a chair right here now! How things change when you don't expect them to!! The last year has not been easy but I wouldn't change it and I would not want to change Mikey at all, I love him to bits and at the moment he and Daddy are playing with a teddy dressed as a devil (I wouldn't ask!!) as he was such a good boy during the 2 minutes silence  - just 1 tiny quizzical noise just before it ended, really not bad for a 21 week old baby!!

Yesterday was my first full day away without Mikey... It was tough. I only phoned twice, which I was quite proud of, Andy sounded fairly calm but kept telling me he was crying and that didn't help! Luckily at the first call I made was from Sutton Valence and couldn't drop everything and rush back! It probably did Mikey good to have a break from me too if I'm honest!

Something must have changed as he didn't wake up until 8.20 this morning so by the time his bottle was ready didn't have breakfast until nearly 9.00!!  But he seems very happy so I'm not going to worry! And he's still bouncing as he watches the march past at the Cenotaph...his timing is pretty good to be honest! But I don't really want to encourage him to join the armed forces if I'm honest... after all I'm afraid he will always be my baby however big he gets....

Headache cure

I've found a wonderful headache cure...unfortunately I have a feeling the NHS won't agree to fund it for me as it is basically me spending 3 hours at the hairdressers being pampered... which is what I've done this afternoon! The only other possible other down side is I would eventually run out of hair - I know mine grows fast but it doesn't grow that fast! Today was a temporary colour (which only lasts a couple of shampoos and a cut & blow dry) But I spent 3 hours there and I did miss Mikey but I also had 3 hours of just being me! Something I haven't done since June really and if I'm honest something I needed to do for my sanity.

The solid food thing had a bit of a break yesterday, I decided I couldn't face another highchair battle and the seat we had been using for feeding was in the back of Daddys car for some reason so Mummy took the easy option and we stuck to bottles... the nice blonde nurse in creche fed Mikey much earlier than I was expecting so we had an extra bottle to fit in but I don't think he was too bothered! The only problem was the odd bang from fireworks, he wasn't upset he just seemed to be a little annoyed every so often. More I think as he didn't know what it was all about, rather than being scared or worried! I think we'll wait until next year before we take him to an organised event  and he really isn't big enough for sparklers yet... But Mummy may have to have 1 or 2 after he has gone to bed!!

5th Month

We've now had Mikey for nearly 5 months...to be exact he's 19 weeks old! But if I'm honest I find it hard to remember life without him now. At the moment he is sat on my lap screaming! It is very difficult to ignore him at times like this!

One bottle demolished and a happy baby is now bouncing in his chair with Freddie the Firefly (Lamaze toys are wonderful) who currently goes everywhere with Mikey and has bells and wonderful crinkle material wings and lots of 'bits' that are perfectly designed for small hands and fingers to grab. I have a feeling a couple more Lamaze toys may be delivered by Father Christmas this year as Mikey would most certainly welcome them! The advantage of Lamaze is although the toys make noise it isn't horrifically loud! Even when Mikey really lets rip it is still bearable!

We have now been having one solid meal per day for a week! I'm learning fast that baby food is not clothing friendly in colour! Especially those that contain carrot... I'm not sure the bib from Lunchtime will EVER the same! I will admit that Mummy has tried a few of the foods he's had... the apple cookie crumble (which Mikey didn't like) was delicious! I'm not so sure about todays but he loved it!

Deja Vu

I have a very strong feeling of this right now....This time last year I was feeling very amazed as a headache I'd had since April finally seemed to be vanishing! As it turned out that was due to Mikey making his presence felt but as of the end of October 2009 I was totally oblivious! Unfortunately the headache seems to have realised I'm no longer pregnant and has returned to make my life miserble and painful again. I tried to make an appontment with my GP yesterday (as requested by my other half) but was told I can't make any appointment except on the actual day and not to bother on Monday as they are busy! Well I have a headache and a 4.5 month old baby so get un-busy! They managed to waste a morning of our time earlier this year so they can just fit me in somewhere! All they'll do is refer me back to my neurologist anyway... I just hope it won't mean more MRI scans, they only showed the existing damage last time and I proved I'm claustophobic again.

Other than the headache life is going well... Mikey is just starting solids and we've pretty much mastered baby rice now (along with tongue clicking and blowing raspberries!) We did try apple and cookie crumble out of a jar but that wasn't greeted with too much excitment (Mummy liked it though!) but tomorrow we'll try another flavour just for a little variety! Mikey was also happy to see Emma from next door as well this afternoon - although for once he didn't stick his hand down her front!!! But she did get some very nice smiles etc so he was clearly glad to see her (makes a change from Mummy anyway!)

Andy had a day off this week to get his car MOT'd...as expected it failed but it vanished early this morning and is now back and has a certificate for another 12 months!! Hopefully now he will be happy to drive around with Mikey in the car as getting all 3 of us into my car is a challenge! We tried last night and it came close to having to shoe horn Andy into the back as it is easier (!?!?!??!) than putting Mikey in the back - although it's not going to be long until we have to fit a seat into the back for him as he will be too big for his current car seat...and having tried to carry him in it recently I can see why he'll need a larger seat soon!

1st Family Outing

Today was our first family trip out (other than to Mothercare!!) and thanks to the Sure Start Centre we got free admission to Leeds Castle  which is valid for the next year!

I've been watching the forecast all week and it has been terrible! As we drove along the M20 the first spots of rain started but we'd wrapped Mikey up  so kept going! After all, this is the UK so if we stopped every time it rains we'd never get anything done! Mikey was ready for the cold weather and pulled his arm right up his sleeve bless him!

When we arrived and found the car park I discovered the park etc was not nice and flat...instead we headed down a leaf covered slope - very slippery and not great with a heavy pushchair and sore ankle! At the botom we found Kim with our tickets and it turns out she used to work with Andy's brother years and years ago... our surname again!

As we wandered through the park it started drizzling...our first port of call was the Maze which we found eventually after going slightly off route! The sign posts were useless! Once we did find it (after a real downpour) it had a notice saying it wasn't compatible with pushchairs! We headed back via the Aviary where we met a couple of birds who were quite taken with Mikey - and for once they weren't blonde!  But both said hello to him and even when all the parrots started screaming he wasn't bothered! Possibly his hood muffled the noise a bit for him! Once we'd left the birds we stopped off for a hot chocolate (well the wind was cold) and Mikey had a bottle whilst I chatted with Jenny from my Friday afternoon group,we got investifgated by a peacock but Mikey was really not bothered by it! Then it was a quick comforst stop for Mikey before we had a look at the castle (again not push chair friendly) But we have a year to go back again! As we left we saw a peahen with 2 chicks - I really hope they haven't been born too late...

For a first family outing it went well. Mikey was awake for most of it (I think the wind made sure of that!) and he chattered away most of the way round! Daddy had to push him back up to the car park, but he still refused to have a nap when we got home!!!

Falling apart

My stupid ankle is loads better now...but where I haven't been walking properly I've now messed up my right knee and it is total agony, but no way am I going to see a Dr, Osteopath  or any other medical type person as I'm going to take my old perspective on this problem...If I ignore it or long enough I'm sure it will go away!

Mikey is still busy growing, I weighed him at the Childrens Centre place on Wednesday and he's 14lb 15oz. My tiny baby is growing and he has even been wearing 3-6 month clothes too... He is also working hard on rolling over, we haven't quite done it yet but I don't think it will be too long once he's worked out how to get over the shoulder obstacle! He gets onto his side but really hates being on his tummy so everything comes to a griding halt! But I don't think that will last much longer as he seems quite anxious to get mobile!! I have a feeling the decorations on the Christmas tree may be on the top rather than the bottom half!

I will admit I have started Christmas shopping, and I am really loving looking at all the toys! We have bought  a toy box but it is already full so I think we may have to buy another 1,2 or whatever in the January sales! Failing that I'll just give him the boxes and wrapping paper to play with!

Sue managed to get over to see us in between hospital visits - Mikey loved her as she is 1) blonde and 2) paid loads of attention to him! She also sang songs to him which unfortuantely Mummy can't remember due to baby brain so if Auntie Sue wants another cuddle before she jets back to the sanity of the USA she is very welcome and I'm sure tea etc can be provided! Any other people who would like a Mikey cuddle are also welcome provided that are able to have an adult 'type' chat with Mummy...! Much as I adore my son I do sometimes need to talk in something other than baby gurgles!!