Hell's Teeth!

Urgh.... teething. Mother Nature cocked up here so far as I'm concerned, why couldn't babies just be born with teeth? They're born with everything else ready to go, it’s a serious design fault, plus they're programmed to grow their teeth just when you're trying to wean them - it’s all too much! While I'm on design flaws, I also think babies should come with a manual and a diagnostics kit. I am extreeemely lucky with Leo, and I know this, in that he has always slept well and cried very little. Other Mummies don't seem to fare as well so I'm careful not to be over verbal about this, one could be ostracized if not careful. I have even occasionally had to “fake” a bad night with Leo because my endless cheeriness seemed to be grating on the less fortunate Mums.

However – not last night – this was the real thing. Leo goes to bed at 7pm, normally without a peep. I hear him sighing and gurgling over the monitor for about ten minutes and then he’s sparko until at least 6am. Which is great – no complaints there. Last night he went to bed, happily and without protest only to wake me up at cocking midnight?!! Midnight?? Why little boy?! He hasn’t fed during the night for about 2 months so he’s not hungry, could be teeth but he doesn’t have rosy cheeks, could be a code brown on the nappy front (it was at it happens, always a joy but especially during the night – nothing like the business end of a pooey nappy to snap you out of your slumber) basically could be a number of things – hence my request for a diagnostics kit. You have to painstakingly go through a mental check list of what could be vexing your baby… and often you can get through it having ticked off all possibilities – and he/she is still eggy. It is then you start to realise that they are little people and one can’t always pin the grumpiness down to one particular thing. Even his Dad said on the phone this morning “sometimes I don’t sleep well” - so simple – men have a gift for stripping things down to the basics; us birds do tend to over complicate matters sometimes.

At 2am I ended up with Leo in my bed, cuddling him seemed to shut him up so cuddle I did. He went to sleep and I was left in that semi sleep zone where your inner voice waits until you’re just niiiicely dropping off then shouts “DON’T CRUSH THE BABY!!!”  And snaps you back fully awake… I believe I got about three hours sleep. The idea of having your baby in bed with you is lovely isn’t it? snuggled up, listening to them breathing and snuffling, the smell of their hair….. aaahhhh. Its not at all actually – babies are bed hogs; they kick, scratch, slap, blow raspberries, fart and generally are not sweet in the slightest. Colour me grumpy.

All that said – I’m eternally grateful for my 99% of the time chilled out easy baby. And thank God he is – I have zero patience as it is, the poor Mum’s that have nights like that every night and still manage to function have my deepest respect.

Lucky for me sarcasm is currently lost on Leo. By 9.15am this morning he was of course rubbing his tiny eyes and grumbling…. I couldn’t help but launch in to a full scale Basil Fawlty-esque rant……”Ooooohhh I am sorry, are you tired?? Did my king size bed not provide you with every comfort last night? Perhaps you’d like me to sleep on the floor tonight and you can have the whole f**king bed?!!” etc etc. Then the little sod smiled at me and I couldn’t be cross, I keep telling him the “cute”
 thing will only get him out of trouble so many times. I guess he’s got a few more in the bank yet though.

Here’s to a normal nights sleep tonight J

Weaning can be tricky then!

We are now in week 5 of weaning..... am I so naive? I thought this bit would be easy! Having spent 20 years cooking for a living I was really looking forward to feeding Leo - creating lovely, simple recipes for him and watch him excitedly tuck in to all the goodies I produced. But alas no. We started off very well, baby rice went down ok, all fruit purees were well received and even all of his veggies seemed to be enjoyed. So I expanded my repertoire; I have now got a freezer stuffed with ice cube sized beef casserole, southern chicken, turkey and saffron casserole, lamb and lentils, bolognaise.... I could go on but I'd just be showing off. I proudly placed the first savoury bowl in front of my tiny critic and full of trust and excitement - he readily opened his gummy little mouth for the first spoonful! To say he wasn't impressed would be a giant understatement, he made a "yuk" face, clamped his mouth shut, gave me a look that seemed to say "urgh, Mummy that went in my mouth!" soooo not a beef fan yet then. But I am surely cleverer than my 6 month old son aren't I? So I made my best aeroplane noises, I swooped spoons and made all the "yummy" high pitched squeals one should in this situation. In fairness he thought it was funny, he laughed and swiped - mouth wide open - but the very second the spoon touched his mouth - snap - it was firmly closed again. Little bugger.

I am ashamed to confess I lost my sense of humour after several mealtimes of negotiating, performing, bribing etc.... I got to the stage of "oh for f*ck's sake LEO!" Notably at the point where he launched a full bowl of banana and blueberries at me and the sofa. As it dripped from my left eye lash I knew I was losing this battle and needed to regroup and restrategise - which may or may not be a word. Enter Emma - fellow Mummy and all round good hearty sort. She sent me a message advising to alternate spoonfuls of savoury/new meals with one of something he will definitely eat. The theory being that babies are not so clever after all and if they think smooth fruit puree is coming they will open wide and eat - and as it turns out - this only bloody works! Leo will now eat a whole bowl of casserole etc so long as every 3rd or 4th spoon is fruit or yoghurt, and only a half spoon at that.

Happy Leo, happy Mummy, clean plates, full nappies :-)

Now that seems to be in hand I'm planning stage two - to introduce baby led weaning along side normal feeding. I think Leo will enjoy this and I want him to be able to explore food and tastes in his own time.
Apparently this is even messier than normal weaning - luckily I have a Labrador and a washing machine and have just ordered plastic bibs and table mat. I have downloaded a list of finger foods appropriate for his age and intend to start gently with some cooked carrot sticks this afternoon...... I'll let you know how it goes!

Sx

How it all began

Once upon a time, and for 20 years, I poured beer for a living. And now I'm a parent.

Blimey.

Leo, Harvey the labrador and I are lucky enough to live in Henley on the beautiful Thames. Although I have lived in Henley for 20 years - I am now seeing a different side of the town - less Pouilly Fussee and more Pooey Nappy. Its quite a shift. Once I knew all of the bars and their landlords - indeed I was one of them - now I go to coffee mornings held by the Church, I drink small cups of tea (on saucers) and the lovely old ladies offer Fox's biscuits on china plates. I have long conversations about the virtues of reuseable nappies versus disposables, I rant passionately about the availability of changing facilities in public bathrooms - I watch Gok pour tubby ladies into unsightly fat pants and think "Oooo they're good....". And so occasionally its all rather a shock, and I'm left scratching my head wondering how we got here!