That heaven upon earth to the weary head.....
Yesterday, I was subjected to a visit to the nice nursey with the nasty needles. It is the flu jab time of year and after clearing it with the nursies and the health visitor, off I went leaving Munchkin in the capable hands of the health visitor and my post natal group pals.
It was our last post natal group so we had a grand discussion about child development a.k.a. child amusement 101. T and I adopt the philosophy that if it makes Munchkin smile and coo, it must be good. We don't tend to follow toy trends or worry about how educational something is. The key to us is enjoyment and watching munchkin's face light up. If he learns something, it is a bonus (we still think that his first word is going to be poo though...as we converse about that so much! But it is a word, isn't it?) This week munchkin is mainly obsessed with my hands. He hugs them when I am trying to change him...very nice but makes doing up a nappy a little challenging but lovely regardless.
Last night I got munchkin fed and tucked into bed. He was asleep by 1945. I then glammed up and went next door where our neighbour was hosting a Body Shop party(where you buy Body Shop items and not bodies as some cheeky person inquired..you know who you are!). I got home at 2230. "I haven't had a peep out of him" reported T (proud daddy).
This morning T went to work at half past too early. He checked on Munchkin before he left. Munchkin was fast asleep. I woke when I heard the neighbour's children playing in the garden. Glancing at the clock I realised that it was 0815!! Eek!! Where was munchkin? Was he still alive? I had to wake him up for his morning feed. He went promptly back to sleep. Then I had to wake him up again, as I was meeting a friend for coffee at 1030. We got back from coffee at 1300 (coffee takes a long time for us ladies you know...so much to talk about!). Munchkin was fed and changed...he is now asleep...and has been for the past 45 minutes. I wonder if a rogue tsetse fly has escaped from its exotic home, stowed away on a plane (as it is far too much effort for a 'ickle fly to flap its 'ickle wings all that distance, it'll burn so many calories there won't be anything left) that landed in Britain and bitten my munchkin? Or is it that the flu jab has knocked my munchkin out? Either way, I am not complaining!
10 October 2007
08 October 2007
A Special Day
We celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary yesterday. A lot has happened during that time, munchkin being the most significant occurence....and indeed the most life changing experience. To mark the occasion we had a lovely home cooked meal on Saturday night. T cooked, I ate. It was the exact same meal that he first cooked for me many moons ago. The food tasted just as good as it was then, maybe even a little better and I think it is safe to say that we enjoy each other's company now even more than we did then.
On Sunday I treated the boys to a nice meal in a proper restaurant complete with silverware and starched napkins. It was lovely. Munchkin was in his pushchair throughout and was busy lapping up the attention he was getting from the nice pretty, young waitress. He then turned his attentions to the lady at the next table...she was a more mature lady but she had the upper hand....she had food. How he cooed and gurgled at her with a hope that she would share her cheese and biscuits with him! He then promptly fell asleep as we finished off with pudding and coffee.
So where are we after 2 years of wedded bliss? Older (there is no avoiding that one!), a bit wiser (questionable), sillier (definitely), a bit more prosperous round the middle (well, 50% of us anyway...ahem...I have an excuse in Munchkin!) and undoubtedly happier than we have ever been.
On Sunday I treated the boys to a nice meal in a proper restaurant complete with silverware and starched napkins. It was lovely. Munchkin was in his pushchair throughout and was busy lapping up the attention he was getting from the nice pretty, young waitress. He then turned his attentions to the lady at the next table...she was a more mature lady but she had the upper hand....she had food. How he cooed and gurgled at her with a hope that she would share her cheese and biscuits with him! He then promptly fell asleep as we finished off with pudding and coffee.
So where are we after 2 years of wedded bliss? Older (there is no avoiding that one!), a bit wiser (questionable), sillier (definitely), a bit more prosperous round the middle (well, 50% of us anyway...ahem...I have an excuse in Munchkin!) and undoubtedly happier than we have ever been.
Oh Susannah!
Before the chief oracle left for Texas, she bought Munchkin a very nice toy. It hooks onto his cot and has lots of brightly coloured knobs and knockers (ooh err missus!) for him to pull, push, whack, kick etc. and is meant to help with hand eye coordination, cause and effect etc etc. Very educational and lots of fun!
Munchkin has been showing interest in this toy for a while but one task illuded him. He had not yet figured out how to get the smile face to sing "Oh Susannah!" at him (you've got to punch it)....till today. In the last 15 minutes, "Oh Susannah!" has played about half a dozen times. I have just had a peep at him, he is lying 90 degrees to how he was put down and is repeatedly kicking the smiley face with great feeling. When the music stops, he shouts at it and gives it a sharp kick to get it going again. I am in for a long afternoon........
06 October 2007
Independence Day
As you know, we believe in experimentation (ooh err Missus!) and last night we felt that it was time. Munchkin is a big boy now and parental assessment deemed that he would now be ready for his own bed in his own room.
I spent the day pondering whether or not Munchkin would settle and how the night would be. Would Munchkin refuse to settle in a new place? Would Munchkin wake in the night and cry for us when he found himself alone? Would it be a sleepless night all round?
Mighty Munchkin passed the test!! He was bathed, fed and read to as normal. He was then put down in his big boy bed in his big boy room. He did what Munchkin's do every night, he did some angry whinging then 5 minutes later....he entered dreamland. T and I had a peaceful evening until we went up to bed. It was strange. The crib was there but there was no Munchkin. All his stuff was gone. Life, for a split second felt empty. "I miss the Parrrpppps" said I, "Me too!" said T.
Munchkin slept in his big boy bed, in his big boy room until about 0750 this morning. He was gurgling away (we were listening with amusement via the baby monitor) then he started sounding slightly agitated. We left it (parental decision to ignore fussing and not intervene till it is deemed necessary. We believe a little loving neglect goes a long way!). The fussing got a bit louder and angrier. I went to check. Munchkin had managed to turn himself 90 degrees anticlockwise in his cot and was wedged. Once he was unstuck, he carried on playing and gurgling signifying that today was indeed Independence Day for Munchkin and for us too!
This morning, T dismantled the crib and there is once again space in our bedroom. There is no turning back now!
I spent the day pondering whether or not Munchkin would settle and how the night would be. Would Munchkin refuse to settle in a new place? Would Munchkin wake in the night and cry for us when he found himself alone? Would it be a sleepless night all round?
Mighty Munchkin passed the test!! He was bathed, fed and read to as normal. He was then put down in his big boy bed in his big boy room. He did what Munchkin's do every night, he did some angry whinging then 5 minutes later....he entered dreamland. T and I had a peaceful evening until we went up to bed. It was strange. The crib was there but there was no Munchkin. All his stuff was gone. Life, for a split second felt empty. "I miss the Parrrpppps" said I, "Me too!" said T.
Munchkin slept in his big boy bed, in his big boy room until about 0750 this morning. He was gurgling away (we were listening with amusement via the baby monitor) then he started sounding slightly agitated. We left it (parental decision to ignore fussing and not intervene till it is deemed necessary. We believe a little loving neglect goes a long way!). The fussing got a bit louder and angrier. I went to check. Munchkin had managed to turn himself 90 degrees anticlockwise in his cot and was wedged. Once he was unstuck, he carried on playing and gurgling signifying that today was indeed Independence Day for Munchkin and for us too!
This morning, T dismantled the crib and there is once again space in our bedroom. There is no turning back now!
05 October 2007
You are what you eat
Since the advent of Munchkin, evening meals have had to be carefully planned and these plans executed to military precision. The basic plan is simple. I (with some help from T) decide what we are having at some point during the day, I prepare the ingredients (with Munchkin) and when T comes home, he puts the dinner on while I sort Munchkin out for the night. This ensures that we have a proper meal each evening, together and has worked a treat so far.
Yesterday, sausages and mash were on the menu. I dutifully prepared the ingredients and everything was put in saucepans etc ready to go. T got home and informed me that he had had a sausage roll for breakfast and sausages and mash for lunch...but being the dear that he is (and reflecting his fondness for sausages and mash) he agreed, matyr fashion that having this for the second time (or indeed the third) was fine.
By 19:45 munchkin was in dreamland and I joined T in the kitchen. We have been trying to be good and subscribe to an organic vegetable seasonal box weekly to help towards our 5-a-day. As I was dishing out the broccoli, I noticed something at the end of the serving spoon. It turned out to be a steamed catterpiller. Now, you can't get more organic than that, can you? T then informed me that the fruit box he had taken in to work the previous day had 3 lots of wildlife in it. Hmm...well, I guess if it is good enough for the wildlife it ought to be good enough for us. Gillian McKeith eat your heart out!!
Yesterday, sausages and mash were on the menu. I dutifully prepared the ingredients and everything was put in saucepans etc ready to go. T got home and informed me that he had had a sausage roll for breakfast and sausages and mash for lunch...but being the dear that he is (and reflecting his fondness for sausages and mash) he agreed, matyr fashion that having this for the second time (or indeed the third) was fine.
By 19:45 munchkin was in dreamland and I joined T in the kitchen. We have been trying to be good and subscribe to an organic vegetable seasonal box weekly to help towards our 5-a-day. As I was dishing out the broccoli, I noticed something at the end of the serving spoon. It turned out to be a steamed catterpiller. Now, you can't get more organic than that, can you? T then informed me that the fruit box he had taken in to work the previous day had 3 lots of wildlife in it. Hmm...well, I guess if it is good enough for the wildlife it ought to be good enough for us. Gillian McKeith eat your heart out!!
04 October 2007
Nasty Needles Take 2
Yesterday, munchkin had to go back to the clinic for his second lot of immunisations a.k.a nice nurese with the nasty needles place. He must have known this was going to happen as the usually angelic monster woke at 0330 whimpering. He was fed and in true munchkin fashion went straight back to sleep again until he woke at 0630 to beam at his daddy and see him off to work.
After breakfast, munchkin and I sang "He's got the whole world" with actions and everything about 500 times and "Head and Shoulders" about 1000 times (also with actions) before he yawned a few times indicating that "You are boring me now mum, that old repertoire is going to HAVE to change soon". He then played in his cot for a bit and went down for a nap.....this nap went on until 1315 (his appointment was at 1330). So munchkin was quickly changed, tarted up ready to face nice nursey.
We were called in and munchkin gave nice nursey a beaming smile. He then sat like a good munchkin on my lap. Nice nursey produced the needle as munchkin gurgled away, oblivious to the inevitable. Needle 1 landed in munchkin's well nourished leg. Munchkin extended his big fat bottom lip, lip quivered, face screwed up and a howl left munchkins lips as a little tear left the corner of his eye. Needle 1 was removed. Munchkin quietened and resumed gurgling. The whole act was repeated when Needle 2 was administered.
Nursey then put 2 plasters on his little legs (for dramatic effect as he wasn't bleeding at all!) and asked "Have you got a nice little smile for me?" To which Munchkin replied most definitely no by repeating the whole quiverring lip and tear act to great dramatic effect. I wonder where he gets that from?
After breakfast, munchkin and I sang "He's got the whole world" with actions and everything about 500 times and "Head and Shoulders" about 1000 times (also with actions) before he yawned a few times indicating that "You are boring me now mum, that old repertoire is going to HAVE to change soon". He then played in his cot for a bit and went down for a nap.....this nap went on until 1315 (his appointment was at 1330). So munchkin was quickly changed, tarted up ready to face nice nursey.
We were called in and munchkin gave nice nursey a beaming smile. He then sat like a good munchkin on my lap. Nice nursey produced the needle as munchkin gurgled away, oblivious to the inevitable. Needle 1 landed in munchkin's well nourished leg. Munchkin extended his big fat bottom lip, lip quivered, face screwed up and a howl left munchkins lips as a little tear left the corner of his eye. Needle 1 was removed. Munchkin quietened and resumed gurgling. The whole act was repeated when Needle 2 was administered.
Nursey then put 2 plasters on his little legs (for dramatic effect as he wasn't bleeding at all!) and asked "Have you got a nice little smile for me?" To which Munchkin replied most definitely no by repeating the whole quiverring lip and tear act to great dramatic effect. I wonder where he gets that from?
01 October 2007
The Great Grand Seal of Approval
Munchkin has been socialising recently. His antics have been shared both virtually and in the flesh with his great aunts, uncles and his Great Gran D. My observations (through extremely rose tinted spectacles) is that he has done us proud.
Munchkin spent Sunday afternoon with Great Aunty M and Great Gran D. We got him all dressed up in his Sunday best (including socks!) and awaited the arrival of the greats. They arrived for lunch and Munchkin decided it was time to go to sleep and leave the adults to it but not before lots of cooing, smiling and cuddling (and drooling but no gasseous emmissions were detected by the sniffometer). We had a nice Munchkinless lunch and he woke up during pudding (typical!!!) and proceeded to provide the after lunch entertainment. This continued. Munchkin was feeling very chatty indeed. He particularly likes Great Aunty M as she was rewarded with many, many beaming smiles. He was a little more serious with Great Gran D and just "conversed" with her sans squeals and squeeks.
All in all and good time was had by all. He has also been introduce virtually to his Great Aunt F and Great Uncle R who have provided us with lots of chilled out, zen vibrations from deepest darkest Wales for the past year! Their support has been invaluable throughout the incubation of Munchkin and Munchkin....the early days. Those zen vibes sure do travel well and provide a safe (and indeed hilarious) haven from the sometimes challenging world!
One never knows if one is doing the right thing in bringing up Munchkin but the greats have been very generous with their feedback and we now feel perhaps that we are doing some things right! So to all you greats out there....thank you for all that love and support (and the praise is very welcome too!!!) Munchkin is indeed a lucky boy as are we to be blessed with all of you!
Munchkin spent Sunday afternoon with Great Aunty M and Great Gran D. We got him all dressed up in his Sunday best (including socks!) and awaited the arrival of the greats. They arrived for lunch and Munchkin decided it was time to go to sleep and leave the adults to it but not before lots of cooing, smiling and cuddling (and drooling but no gasseous emmissions were detected by the sniffometer). We had a nice Munchkinless lunch and he woke up during pudding (typical!!!) and proceeded to provide the after lunch entertainment. This continued. Munchkin was feeling very chatty indeed. He particularly likes Great Aunty M as she was rewarded with many, many beaming smiles. He was a little more serious with Great Gran D and just "conversed" with her sans squeals and squeeks.
All in all and good time was had by all. He has also been introduce virtually to his Great Aunt F and Great Uncle R who have provided us with lots of chilled out, zen vibrations from deepest darkest Wales for the past year! Their support has been invaluable throughout the incubation of Munchkin and Munchkin....the early days. Those zen vibes sure do travel well and provide a safe (and indeed hilarious) haven from the sometimes challenging world!
One never knows if one is doing the right thing in bringing up Munchkin but the greats have been very generous with their feedback and we now feel perhaps that we are doing some things right! So to all you greats out there....thank you for all that love and support (and the praise is very welcome too!!!) Munchkin is indeed a lucky boy as are we to be blessed with all of you!
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