my-speck

i'm pregnant and it's going to be a rollercoaster

desperate measures… aka brain-addled and dazed mother. March 3, 2010

Filed under: Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 5:11 pm
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Hi Poogie,

we had a lovely dinner with everyone on your Grandma K’s side of the family last night. And when chatting to Aunt 2 (Rhy) she reminded me that she had been to visit us before work last week. When prompted, I had a vague memory of it,

Me: “Oh yeah, I remember”.  Thinking vaguely that I did remember her coming one morning early.

Rhy: “You were tired and kind of out-of-it.”

Me: thinking, mmm,  I recall having very large bags under my eyes for a few days in the past few weeks.  Maybe it was one of those days.  “It’s all a bit hazy now I think about it.”

Rhy: “Yeah, you were so out of it you fell asleep in O’s cot.”

(more…)

 

We need a new kitchen. AKA Baby Climbing Alert. – Movie Monday February 22, 2010

Filed under: development stages,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 9:58 pm
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Hello Poogie,

So. I made a plan to redo our kitchen at some point – it’s all open shelving. But I was kinda hoping I would have had a few more months. But no. Open shelving about 40 cm off the ground is of course prime target for a crawling baby who has learned to pull himself up in his cot this week. I turned around today and there you were: upright and enjoying yourself. The camera was beside me so I got it on film. I guess today’s adventure was just the start:

The end of the shelving in the video is all just books. But all the crockery, pots, pans and an assortment of other random stuff is out there in the open. Waiting for a marauding eight-month-old to pull it all down right on his head.

Righto. New kitchen planning commencing…

aaaaagh..

love mum

 

Bad parent of the day award. And the winner is… February 19, 2010

Filed under: baby stuff,bad parent of the day award,family,Raising a Child — rakster @ 4:41 pm
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We have an award in our house: it’s the “Bad Parent of the Day”.

It started as a joke. Your dad had a quiet chat with me a few days after we came home from the hospital and he went to work which went along the lines that as I’m at home with ‘the baby’ all day every day then I’m the one who is most likely to be the responsible parent when ‘the baby’ does get injured. Accidental maybe, but we both knew it was going to be heartwrenching, and that was your dad’s way of telling me that he wasn’t going to be angry or upset or judgemental, just supportive. Because the odds were against me.

To be honest, I don’t even remember now what your first big mishap was. I should have blogged about it, because I know it was very real and scarey at the time, but now it has just melded into a conglomerate memory of the past few months, where some days you injure yourself, or I injure you (unintentionally and generally pretty minor so far, cross fingers) and some days nothing happens but you’re still grumpy and scream at times and I’m still lacking sleep so really ask me the next day what happened the day before and I’d be hard pressed. (Oh, and I still don’t come up for air when talking. Some things don’t change.)

So as the days meld into one another, we commemorate each mishap of bad parenting with our “Bad Parent of the Day” Award. I guess I do probably win it more than your dad, but considering I’m on more parenting duty, I think the balance on weighted means would be in his favour. Or disfavour depending on how you view it.

Today’s winner? Well, I can’t think of it. Maybe it hasn’t happened yet. Or, if you count letting your baby eat of the floor as a bad thing I probably shouldn’t have fed you the cucumber you dropped on the footpath in the Valley this morning, then Me. The footpaths there are not your average cleanliness, somewhat below… In the scheme of things, minor.

Three days ago? Me. You know about the whole carrot intolerancething? Well, I went to cook more food for you and found the freezer cubes we use to freeze your food in full: of chicken stew. So I dutifully emptied them all into the sink and then flushed them down the loo. Thinking all the while, “Gee, what a waste. It’s not the food that bothers me so much as the love and time your dad put into cooking it”. And it’s not like I’m ever going to cook you chicken stew (pescetarian avoiding meat cooking at all costs). So it was a bit special.

Dumb di dumb di dumb. Well, it turned out your Dad had already lovingly thrown out all the offensive carrot-containing stew, and cooked you a whole new batch. Which was exactly what I threw out. Mmm. Bad parent of the day award: Mum.

Love you boopie baby
mum

 

Activities for children: The Laugh Your Ass Off (LYAO) Game February 4, 2010

Filed under: activities for kids,baby stuff,development stages,family,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 2:01 pm
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Hello!

Yep, that is me using another one of those finnicky acronyms that usually piss me off. But my mood is up and it can’t be diquieted with simple annoyances for the enjoyable things in life win-out.

Today’s pleasure: the LYAO (Laugh your ass off) game.

Again, a developmental milestone that is talked about in the baby books and literature is babies learning to laugh. You’ve definitely nailed it.

There was no way before I had you that I could have imagined the immense pleasure and pure hilarity of just sitting there on the floor with you on the bed, playing our Laugh Your Ass Off Game.

The funniest thing is, I end up in huge fits of belly-shaking convulsive for-real laughter too. Good for the soul.

 

I love you punchy.

mum

 

Baby Food – you’re onto Indian. Our little curry muncher. While your tastebuds are still developing anyhow. January 30, 2010

Filed under: baby stuff,eating,Parenting,Raising a Child,vegetarian — rakster @ 5:49 pm
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Hello!

So.  You tried my favourite food today: Indian Palak Paneer (or spinach and cheese curry).  I’m not sure you ‘loved’ it as much as I do, but you sure did eat some. Palak Paneer is the top of my food list. Don’t know why – just love the stuff. Actually I do know why. Spinach and cheese and curry. All rolled into one. For a vegetarian. Delightful. We make it with fresh ricotta as a substitute for real paneer, and it works out great.

Palak Paneer on the way ...

It’s coming close but you don’t seem sure

We cooked it last night for dinner, same as usual, just with no salt.  We’re getting closer to just feeding you what we eat with some slight modifications.  Anyway, I have been feeling a little lacking in iron, and was having a spinach craving, so your dad cooked it up.

Baby Food - indian palak paneer (spinach cheese curry)

Palak Paneer (Spinach Cheese Curry) for you..

And so you got it for dinner tonight as we’re running low on other home-cooked baby meals.

Eating the curry

yum?

You still prefer apples though – it’s apparent from your facial expressions.  It’s fun to watch your face when new tastes are introduced.  We’ll keep at it.

baby eating the curry

Mmmmm. Tasty?

I’ve read and heard that children’s tastebuds develop over time and it’s likely you’ll reject things you once ate happily when you get a bit older. So, for now, we’ll just let you eat a wide range and hope that somehow even if in the shorter term you start to refuse to eat a bunch of them, that the tastes sink into your subconscious and as you grow older you’ll grow back into them.

Love you
mum

 

Snaps: playing on the couch January 27, 2010

Filed under: baby stuff,eating,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 5:24 pm
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A few snaps from the couch this afternoon…

this is what the view is from where I am and you try to kiss me. Mmmm. Open-mouthed baby kiss. Only a parent could really love it.

lunging for the camera

You have a new favourite food.  Cucumber.  I can almost hear you say,

“I can do it myself, mum”….

cucumber muncher

Love you

mum

 

Boobies are Us… January 12, 2010

Filed under: cooking,development stages,family,healthcare,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 1:37 pm
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Hello Little Munchkin,

What has been happening?   ….. mmm Apple Pie

Long time no write for me.  It’s been a busy week – swimming, sanding the back deck and reoiling, cooking apple pie (I’ve been meaning to do the pie for at least a year and I finally got to it on Sunday – and it was yum).

Apple Pie from the baking book

Apple Pie – I finally got around to this recipe..

 Designer Apple Pie

You: rolling, commando crawling at greater and greater speed, trying to swim, competently sitting-up, lots and lots of squawking.

Today’s Walking Adventure – Hot hot hot

Today is our car-less day.  Your Dad has the car on Tuesdays and we are left to our own devices.  We decided it was better for the environment and would work out that we just maintained a single car and then your Dad can taxi around a bit when he needs to for work and the like, apart from Tuesdays.   We’ve always walked and cycled a lot, and it’s one of the reasons we bought our house in the inner city – so we could continue to do so.   But today is particularly hot.  It is 30.9 degrees celcius and 51% humidity.  Not the hottest day by far, but hot enough if you’re walking around.  Today was the first meeting of the year for my local group of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, so you and I walked there and back.  And today I’m gonna write about it, ’cause I enjoy it so much and really get a lot out of it.  And you enjoy it too – it’s a chance to interact with a bunch of other young kids.

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Boobies are Us.

“Boobies are Us” is what your father affectionately refers to it as.   He thinks it’s great and is really supportive of breastfeeding – he knows it is the best thing for you and unfortunately he can’t control it, so puts his energy into helping me.  We’ve been out to the shop in our city to buy some things a few times and he has had some great input from the women working there and out the back in the State office.  But I must admit I think he is still a little perplexed about what we actually do at the support group meetings.

I know it’s is jest, but the question,

“Do you all just get your boobs out?”

has come up!  The answer?  Yes, most of the women there do “get their boobs out” at some point to feed their child/children.  Some discreetly, some less discreetly.  Some babies, some toddlers.  But not everyone.  There is an older lady (perhaps in her fifties) who is our treasurer, whose children are well past the breastfeeding stage.   Is everyone there a boob feeding nazi? No, definitely not.  That’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much – there is such a mix of people there.  Yes, people there are obviously giving breastfeeding a go as that’s what it is: a breastfeeding support group.  But do some of them use other forms of food too – you bet. Are all of them commited to feeding their babes by breastmilk until they are five? Of course not. Are some – yes, if that’s what their babes are after.  It’s a mix.

Do dad’s go?  Yes –  not so many, but there have been a few at different meetings, often when their baby is young and they are there with their partner to get some input and support.

And what do we do??  Well, most fortnights there is a topic for discussion, and we have an activity or prompts that the group leader has put together that we use to stimulate discussion and chats.  The kids (of varied ages) all rollick around on the floor (it’s held in the playgroup space under a local church so there are lots of toys and it’s a safe area).  The reason I enjoy it so much is that there is actual opinion, debate and experience about meaningful things discussed.  Yes, most of it is breastfeeding-focussed, but a lot about the tribulations and challenges of raising children, and coping strategies, techniques and listening to each other.  And it’s a very local group, so I then see a lot of the members around the traps when we are out and about.  It makes me feel connected to you, my baby, and my area, and the community.  Which is pretty important.  ‘Cause my hormones still leave me up and down quite a bit.  And I’m still adjusting to the major life change of having a baby and having to care for someone else 24/7.

Today’s topic was about toddlers.  We discussed a range of topics such as  developmental milestones, separation anxiety, breastfeeding, eating, weaning, having a second child, me-time or mum-time, occupying and stimulating toddlers…  It’s still school holidays, so there were lots of extra kids there today, and about 15 mums.And there were lots of opinions, lots of questions and lots of talking.  Fun.   You cracked-up and got a bit tired about and hour and a bit in, so we left early.

Just thought I’d write about one of the things we get up to during the day.  An important thing.

Love you

mum

 

excited. January 5, 2010

Filed under: activities for kids,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 8:26 pm
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Hello Poogie,

FIRST SWIMMING LESSON tomorrow. I’m very excited for you. Yep, it’s for mums and dads isn’t it. It’s not really for you at all. For you it’ll just be like any other time we go swimming. For me and your dad I feel like it’s a big step. First ‘lesson’.

So. I’m going to go bed excited, looking forward to tomorrow morning.

love you
mum

the babe at six months

Crawling up the hallway

 

Crawling Baby Ahoy! January 1, 2010

Filed under: Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 6:15 pm
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And the new year heralds…. a CRAWLING baby!

 

Oh my goodness!

Two days ago you were starting to lift your bottom into the air. Now it is all on – forward movement at will.

First disaster – you crawled to the doors of the new wardrobes as they are full mirrors (and who doesn’t love looking at themselves), and when you’d got there managed to slide them open. Which was fine. It was then when you pulled all of my shoes out and started to eat them that I started to realise how UN-BABY-SAFE our whole house is!

your dad is currently at the hardware store trying to devise a method of screening off the back stairs so you don’t go tumbling down them.

you are six months old and growing up FAST!

happy crawling lovely
mum

 

mishaps… baby safety and a big rash December 27, 2009

Filed under: healthcare,Parenting,Raising a Child — rakster @ 9:32 pm
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Hello Little Pumpkin Pie,

so.  It’s now the 27th of December, two days have passed since Christmas.  Your fever broke on boxing day, and you seemed to be doing quite well today.  Apart from the bit of a red rash that you got yesterday / on Christmas day.  Which was just light and a little red, so we figured it was just maybe some food that maybe someone slipped you in passing on Christmas day, or just a reaction to the heat, to the humidity (it’s been around 100% and raining a lot for the past 4 days, highly unusual for this time of year but hot and sticky), or just ’cause you were tired.  Or …

But.  Another day on, and you’ve just had boob juice today as the rash was a little worse yesterday so we wanted to check.  The rash is getting redder, brighter, bigger.  And while you’re off the panadol, you seem a little unsettled.  So hard to tell why though: it could be shock from when you rolled of the bed today onto the floor when I turned my back on you for a second when you were almost asleep on our bed (I felt like the worst mum on the planet, a feeling that actually got progressively worse for an hour or so after it happened after my immediate panic and caring for you had passed).  Or it could be just that it’s been a very busy few days and whilst we’ve been trying to keep it a little quiet for you as you had an ear infection, it’s been hard to do that so there have been a lot of people about.  Who knows?  Maybe you have an opinion you could share with us if you could talk.  Your signing isn’t quite up to it yet.

What your Dad and I do know is that we’ve decided to cancel our planned trip to Straddie (Stradbroke Island) for the next two days and take you to the doctor instead as we didn’t fancy two days on an island with limited medical facilities if there is in fact something wrong with you.  And we figured that you’d only worked your way through about half of the antibiotics prescribed, so we couldn’t really stop giving them to you in case the ear infection wasn’t gone properly yet, but we couldn’t keep giving them to you as that might be the cause of the spreading rash.

Rash smash.

So.  We might just have a quiet time at home depending on what the doctor says.

Ah, the joys of being a new parent.   😉  I sigh.  I love you but goodness, there is a lot to worry and think about.  It’s all a bit stressful sometimes, but it just creeps up on you.  All fine, all fine, then BOOM!  Rash has got worse and it looks like you’ve got the pox and we’re feeling like bad parents again. I’m starting to get the picture that this is a common feeling of parenthood.

kisses and hugs to my little boopie baby

mum