Joseph @ 7 months - 20th January 2009

So it's an old photo now, but one of my faves all the same. The little man is really growing up now. 7.5 months old, 5 teeth (with a 6 on the way), confidently sitting up for play time, exploring absolutely everything, full of smiles most of the time, non-stop chatterbox and an absolute joy. He currently has another cold, and has been pretty poorly with it, but it hasn't bothered him at all. Unfortunately, he hasn't yet settled at nursery, but it's still very early days. He's done 2 full days so far; the first day went pretty well, he was very clingy, but was teething and suffering with his cold, so would probably have been clingy at home. He did get upset at times, but on the whole, coped very well. His second day was a different story. He seemed to spend his day crying, taking a break only to eat and sleep. It's such a shame, as I know he'll love it as soon as he lets himself, but it's difficult to know what to do in the meantime. We'll have to see what Friday brings. He may have just been tired on Monday, after a busy weekend.

Nursery for me, however, is going well. I have been based in a room now, which will help me to settle back in quickly. It always helps to know where you're going to be. Makes you feel more useful. I'll be working with 1-2s again, but in a different room - we have 3 for that age group. The children are great, and I'm confident that I will be able to work well with the staff. I am also due to finally start my NVQ very soon, which I am so excited about!

We are slowly making changes to make things work better at home and to make us feel better about the house, as we really can't afford to move, and I am loving this website for inspiration and ideas. I am starting to build up a wish list of things to get from Ikea, but need to get the thumbs up from Adam before I make the journey as, unfortunately, he holds the purse strings now.

I went to the crop a couple of weeks ago and managed to complete 6 layouts for Joseph's scrapbook, which I'm thrilled about. Had such a lovely time doing them and think I am starting to refind my mojo, so now need to keep the momentum going and find more time to create. There's another crop this weekend, so need to convince Adam that he would like to spend a day at home spending quality time with his son!

Now that I'm all caught up, I'm hoping to be able to post brief updates every couple of days from my iPod...

15th January 2009

Today Joseph has decided that he no longer wants to play lying down, something he has always loved to do. He is now much more confident in his sitting ability and wants to show off his new skills. He's still very wobbly, and I wouldn't dare to leave him without cushioning around him, but he really has come on in leaps and bounds over the last couple of days.

Last weekend we travelled down to Leicester. We visited family, and, as mentioned in my last post, Adam's mum & step-dad babysat for us so that Adam could take me out for a lovely birthday meal. Much as we love our little man, it was great to have some time to ourselves, and to eat a meal without little hands trying to grab everything on the plate!


I went to work on Monday and didn't have the best day. I was working in the younger pre-school room, and the children were a nightmare! They didn't listen, they hit each other, threw toys, got everything out, wouldn't tidy up, wouldn't listen, shouted etc etc. There are a lot of children who have only just moved in to the room and I don't think that helped matters. Not a room I'm keen to be based in! Adam and Joseph had a good day though. Just one more to go. Joseph has 2 settle-in sessions at nursery next week, and then he does his first full day the week after.

Rhythm Time went well again on Tuesday. Joseph is definitely enjoying it now. I enjoyed it more this week too, although I still prefer the old class. Yesterday we went in to Macc. I had some cheques to pay in to the bank from Christmas/birthday, and some clothes to return. I also popped in to Boots and discovered that they had massive sale on their Christmas gift stock, so bought a whole load of things that were just too good value to leave behind. I was really laden up, so had to take it all back to the car. I then went back, and got a second load and had to take that back too! I then went back and did the other things I needed/wanted to do. Got some absolute bargains, but boy do my arms and legs ache today from carrying it all!

So, what do you do on a day when all your muscles ache? Well, if you're me, you decided to move a load of furniture around! I decided to rearrange our bedroom. We had planned to do it together, but I got sick of waiting til we were both free and had the energy to do it. Basically i swapped the ends of the bedroom over, which mean taking everything off 2 shelf units and removing the stuff and the units from the room. Moving the wardrobe to the other end of the room, moving the bed to the other end of the room, returning the shelf units and stuff and adding a 3rd shelf unit!! Can't believe I managed to do it alone and in 1 day, especially as I went out for a couple of hours too - I took Joseph to JJ's to meet up with some friends from work and their babies just after lunch.

Joseph now has 2 teeth, and I think his third might be about to make an appearance too. His gum has been swollen for around a week, and I think I can see something there, but he won't let me look properly. Still, we'll know soon enough.

Monday 5th January 2009

We went to the Trafford Centre on Saturday morning. We got there for 8.30, thinking that the shops opened at 9am. We all had breakfast and started to wander, only to discover that in fact, most of the shops didn't open until 10am! Fortunately Boots was open, and we managed to spend ages in there browsing the sale goodies. Adam bought me a couple of Singstar games for my birthday (this Saturday), and I bought myself some clothes in the sales.

On Monday we went to the dentist. I hadn't been for around 18 months, and Adam hadn't been for abut 4 years, so we're both pretty chuffed that our teeth are fine! Joseph now has 2 teeth of his own, so he'll be seeing the dentist when we go again in 6 months time.

On Tuesday we went to Rhythm Time. We've changed classes this term, as we used to go on a Monday, and in a couple of weeks time, Mondays will be nursery days for both of us. Joseph seems to be getting more out of it now, and was happier to sit for longer, although he still wants to eat the instruments rather than play with them! From my point of view it wasn't as enjoyable, as the other mums are quieter, and the instructor not as good. But, we go for Joseph not for me, and he seemed to enjoy it, so that's the main thing!

Yesterday I used another Keep in Touch day and went to work. Everything is very different now as there's been a lot of staff changes, and we are gearing up for an Ofsted inspection. I see the majority of the changes as positive though, and am still very much looking forward to going back. Adam and Joseph had a good day at home - they only have 2 more days together before Joseph comes to nursery too.

Today we have been to the baby clinic. Joseph is now 20lbs, and has almost doubled his birth weight, just another 4oz to go. We have also been out to a local cafe with Sally and Elliot for a rather scrummy hot chocolate.

All in all, quite a busy week, especially when you include all the housework etc that is far too dull to mention here. I really am worried about what'll happen when I go back to work, and how we'll struggle to keep on top of things. I guess we need to work out where our priorities lie, and compromise on the things that are less important

Joseph at Chester Zoo on New year's Eve 2008 (aged 6 months)

Happy New Year everyone!

Since I last updated, my parents came to visit, and we said a tearful goodbye to my mum, who is working in New Zealand for a few months. She flew out to South Africa on Boxing Day and is currently staying with my brother in Cape Town. She'll then spend a few days in Sydney before making her way to NZ. It's a wonderful opportunity for her, and she will have a fabulous time, but we will miss her very much.

We've also had an enjoyable festive season with ups and downs. I managed to pick up a tummy bug, which laid me low for a few days, Adam had flu, and Joseph got his first tooth for Christmas, which made him a bit cranky and put him off his food. We're all fighting fit now though, with the exception of Adam, who always an ailment of some description.

Joseph was thoroughly spoilt on Christmas Day, and had a mountain of presents to open. Santa was also very kind to Adam and I. We are currently drowning in a sea of chocolate! We saved Christmas Dinner for Boxing Day, as Adam wasn't up to eating it. It was quite nice to do things like that as it meant that we could focus more on enjoying the festivities without stressing about the food. This year we had roast duck, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts. Joseph had the same (without the chestnuts and pancetta), just blended up, and he loved it.

We also travelled back to Leicester for the weekend, and spent some time with my dad, and Adam's mum. We also took the opportunity to do some shopping, and I treated myself to some underwear now that I am no longer breastfeeding during the day!

New Year's Eve was a quiet affair. Joseph was in bed, and Adam and I played Singstar and watched a bit of TV. We toasted the New Year in and then went to bed, after settling Joseph who had been woken by the fireworks.

So, 2008 was about as life changing as it gets. We started the year having just moved into our new house and then spent the next few months trying to make it a bit more habitable. Mum took me on holiday to Tunisia in February, as I was shattered from working too hard, doing too much at home, and being pregnant! I started my maternity leave in May, and spent the first few weeks putting together flat pack furniture and madly organising things. I then twiddling my thumbs in the blistering heat for a few weeks. Finally, our amazing baby boy was born on the 20th June after a fortnight of contractions and 4 consecutive totally sleepless nights!

We spent the next couple of weeks getting used to our little bundle of joy. Then Adam contracted food poisoning and I found myself with 2 boys to look after. How did I find time to work? September was a hideously busy time for me as a new mum - Joseph and I started Rhythm Time and Baby Massage, and along with Buggyfit and baby clinic visits, there was little free time. October saw our first family holiday, which was a bit of a flop. The weather was awful, the accomodation dire, and the location dismal. Still, we got to spend some time together, and that was lovely. The rest of the year continued to fly by, and culminated in a wonderful festive season.

So, what does 2009 bring? Well, I'm back at work in February, and will be working once a week in January leading up to that. I'll be working 3 full days; Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and Joseph will be coming in to nursery with me. This means that I have every other day at home with the little guy, and it's never a big deal to go to work, as there's no long period off. I'll be starting my NVQ when I start back, and my aim is to be qualified and promoted to Senior Nursery Nurse before the year is out. This may sound optimistic, but is definitely acheivable. I want to focus a little more on my career before we hear the pitter patter of any more tiny feet.

We also intend to start living a healthier lifestyle. We both need to exercise more, and our diet leaves a lot to be desired at times. I also still have around a stone of baby weight to lose. I want to acheive this by Joseph's birthday, which gives me plenty of time to do it slowly and sensibly. I have started to come to terms with the fact that my body shape has changed, especially my tummy after the caesarean, but I am definitely still carrying extra weight. Finally, we'd also like to move house, but it won't be easy, especially in the current economic climate, but it's certainly something we'll be looking in to.

11 November 2008 - 20 weeks & 4 days

Well, I was saving this picture for 1st December, but as usual, I'm behind with my posting! It was taken during a photo shoot I did with Joseph to try and get some pics to use for Christmas cards. I got some lovely shots, but in the end we decided not to use them as the cost of producing them was so much greater than just buying cards.

Fortunately I was well enough to go in to work. I was feeling much better and then started to feel worse again. Apparently it was some viral thing that I must've picked up from work - worse than a cold, but not as bad as flu. Work was good, and Adam and Joseph had a really good day at home too.

We then went down to Leicester for the weekend to see family and exchange Christmas presents. The following weekend we went down to Cambridgeshire to stay with my brother and his family. We had a lovely time, it's just a shame the car journey is so long.

So after all the travelling from the previous weekends, last weekend we stayed at home and had a nice relaxing time. We went to the Trafford Centre bright and early on Saturday morning. We were there at opening time, and all had breakfast while we waited for the shops to open. It was a great time to go and we got everything done quickly and easily. It was only really starting to get busy as we left, and we were home in time for lunch.

I went out to the work Christmas do on Saturday night. I drove, as it was in Manchester, so a bit of a pain to get back from, but I still had a good time. Joseph fell out with me before I went though, as he could obviously tell I was going out. He refused to cuddle me or let me kiss him goodbye. He wouldn't even let me feed him! So I had to express milk so that he could have a bottle instead. I think he thought that would stop me going.

Joseph has become an absolute joy to be around. He's so happy and chatty, full of smiles and giggles. He's developing such a jolly character and I find myself falling in love with him over and over again. His physical development is slowing coming along now as well. He is now able to sit up, although not for very long, and most of the time he decides he doesn't even want to try! He is more tolerant of being on his tummy now, and holds himself up really well, and has even started to push up on to his knees a little bit. He is capabale of rolling from his tummy to his back and also from his back to his tummy, but again, he chooses not to. He rolls all the way to one side, and then back again - he really manages to wriggle his way round the room! He'll be 6 months old tomorrow - I can't believe how fast the time goes.

Unfortunately Joseph has not been well today, he has been running a temperature, has a furry tongue, has been very sleepy, wanted lots and lots cuddles, not happy to play and off his food. I took him to the doctor, as I thought his furry tongue was thrush, but apparently it isn't, and together with the other symptoms, the doctor thinks he has a viral infection, er that'd be doctor speak for a cold then. Hmm, we'll see.

Joseph at 5 months old - 20th November 2008

Lots to update, yet again!
We didn't go swimming, as Joseph's cold got worse before it got better, and Elliot caught it too. We had several very interrupted nights, but thankfully the cold finally left after hanging around for over a fortnight.

Mum came to visit us for the weekend, which was lovely. Adam met up with a friend in Manchester for the day, while we went to the sensory centre, and then did a bit of shopping, and also took Joseph for a photo shoot. It was a "free" one with a complimentary print, but the other photos we so good that, of course, we ended up buying more. I have vouchers for several more free sessions with a complimentary print, but I'm not sure I'll use them again, as it's just too tempting and the photos are so expensive. Joseph loved the camera and seemed to really enjoy the shoot. I'm looking forward to collecting the photos on Friday. They're mostly presents though, so we won't be keeping many ourselves. I have looked into modelling for him, as I'm sure every new mother does, but it doesn't seem all that lucrative, and as I'm about to go back to work, it's probably a no-go.

We now have a highchair, but Joseph is struggling with it as he is so lazy! If he is sitting upright it is too much effort for him to swallow, so we have to recline it if we actually want him to eat his food.

Adam and I went to see The Feeling in concert last Monday and had a great time. Sally and Shaun babysat for us. We took Joseph to their house, bathed him, fed him and put him to bed. We then made sure he was fast asleep before we left. The gig was great and apparently Joseph was very well behaved while we were out and stayed asleep. He was a nightmare for us though! As he now is most nights. He really struggles to settle himself when he wakes in the night, so we're trying to leave him to settle himself before his daytime naps now to see if that helps. I'm also trying and failing to cut out his 10pm feed, as I'm not convinced he needs it.

I've done two full days at work now and Joseph has stayed at home with Adam. It's gone really well for me, I've settled back in as if I haven't been gone, and the days have gone really quickly. For the boys it's a different story, but I think things are improving! Unfortunately Joseph is a bit of a mummy's boy, so he's not impressed when I leave him for a long time. I went to the crop for a few hours at the weekend though, leaving him at home, and he was absolutely fine, so maybe we're turning a corner.

I know I say this a lot, but I really must try and keep on top of my updating!

Monday 3rd November 2008, 19 weeks & 3 days

So once again I find myself with a couple of weeks to update on. Joseph loves his food, and now eats 3 meals a day. I haven't yet given him anything he doesn't like or that doesn't agree with him, so it's all good.

Joseph and I travelled down to Leicester last week to visit a friend of mine and her little girl. They emigrated to Australia at the weekend, and we went to say goodbye. We then spent a few hours with my nan, before spending the night at mum and dad's. We also went shopping in Leicester, which is something I miss, although Manchester is better, not that I go there often either!

A couple of weeks ago we discovered JJ's Sensory Play Centre, which Joseph really enjoyed, so we went again last week. It was good to find a play centre that we can go to while he is still little. Soft play centres are quite easy to come across, but we wouldn't get much out of it while Joseph is still immobile.

Tomorrow I am hoping to take the little guy swimming for the first time, but he's full of cold, so we'll have to see how he is in the morning. He's got a really nasty cough, and it sounds like he's really suffering, although he doesn't seem to be too bothered by it. He's a little bit grumpy and clingy, but on the whole he's coping very well. I was expecting to be up all night with him last night, but he actually slept the best he's done for a long time, and we didn't have to get up to him at all.

We went in to nursery yesterday and it was lovely to catch up with all the girls. Joseph is starting to get used to the environment now, which is great. While I'm on maternity leave, I can use up to 10 keeping in touch days, which means I can go into work and get paid without losing my maternity allowance. I'd planned to use them as half days, with Adam using half days holidays to stay at home with Joseph. We planned them all out, and apart from the Christmas fortnight I'd be working at least one afternoon a week from next week up until me going back in February. But, unfortunately I've now found out that I can't use them as half days. Each time I work is classed as a day even if I only work an hour. So now I need to sort something else out. I'm so disappointed, as I was really looking forward to going back to work, and for Adam and Joseph to spend some time together. The biggest issue is that I'm still breastfeeding, so being away from Joseph for a full day is a bit of a logistical problem, although work are legally obliged to allow me time to express milk. I'm sure we'll sort something out.

This week's big news is that Joseph has now learnt to roll from his tummy to his back. He did it twice on Monday, but not again since!

Joseph at 4 months - Monday 20th October

The weaning continues to go very well. He has now tried carrot, sweet potato, pear and banana as well as the baby rice. I think banana has been has favourite so far. Starting solids has also helped to get the little guy into more of a routine. He has milk when he wakes up at around 7am, then a nap around 9am, some baby rice with fruit around 10am, more milk around 11am, another nap at 11.30am, more milk at 3pm, followed by another nap, some veg at 4.30pm, and milk before bed at 7pm with a quick top up at 10pm. He's not quite sleeping through again yet, as he's still suffering with his teeth, and now his tummy as well, but although he's waking up he isn't feeding, so I'm happy with that.

You'll be relieved to hear that "a week in the life" is over, and I will no longer be blogging my days in quite so much detail!

This week, we had Rhythm Time on Monday, as usual. Joseph didn't enjoy it much this week, but he did manage to stay awake. I really need to try and schedule our routine on a Monday so that he is alert for the class. We had to make the decision about what we wanted to do next term, which starts in January. I'll be going to work part-time in February, and will be working Mondays, so we've had to request to change session, to a Tuesday. I think by the time January comes along, he'll be really enjoying it, so it'll be a shame to stop.

Joseph also had his final injections for this round on Monday afternoon. They seemed to upset him more this time, and he was also a little bit grouchy. I'm glad they're over as I hate taking him - I feel so mean. Especially this time, when he had to have three. On Tuesday Sally & Elliot came round for a chat and a play respectively. Unfortuantely Joseph was fast asleep until just before they left, so Elliot had to play on his own! On Wednesday the plumber came to remove the old boiler, and on Thursday we were confined to upstairs whilst the new one was installed. We managed to get out for an hour in the morning to go to the baby clinic. Joseph put on 11oz, so I was really pleased, as I'd been getting pretty concerned, even though he is clearly a healthy, happy baby. On Friday we went to Buggyfit, and yesterday, we went into Macc for the afternoon. Adam bought me a new Singstar game, and we spent yesterday evening playing it. Makes a change from Rock Band!

Joseph has been feeding loads recently and I've even had to feed him in the night again, so we've been counting down to his 17 week birthday to start solids! It finally came on Friday, so yesterday we got the baby rice out. It went surprisingly well. There was no crying, and no spitting and, although not much actually stayed in his mouth, I'm pretty sure he managed to swallow a small amount. We've tried again today, and I would say it was a success. He kept nearly all of it in his mouth and even seemed to enjoy it, whinging for more between spoonfuls. He managed to eat all of the bowl that I made up as well. Very proud of the little man, although he's growing up so quickly.

Joseph wakes up at 6am for a feed and goes back to sleep until 7.30. Cuppa and croissants for breakfast. Mum and I go into Leicester with Joseph to run a few errands before going to visit my nan. Adam spends the day with family. Joseph spends the afternoon fighting sleep, and finally falls asleep around 5pm. I leave him sleeping downstairs and go for a wallow in the bath. He wakes up, downs his bottle and cries for more, so mum brings him up to me and I feed him in the bath. So much for me time! I wash him and mum takes him off to get him ready for bed while I wash my hair. The little guy starts crying and remains distraught for quite some time. He's over tired. Big time. We walk to the local pub for a meal, hoping that he will fall asleep. He doesn't, so Adam and I walk round the block with him, while mum and dad go ahead. He's still not asleep when we arrive, but he's calm, and eventually drops off while we're at the table. I have a delicous meal of chicken stuffed with stilton with bubble & squeak, rounded off with a chocolate brownie and a cappucino.

7.15 – joseph still asleep. Am feeling good for a better night’s sleep. I get up and start getting on with some jobs for the day. Rinse out bottle and breast pump and put in steriliser. Sort out some paperwork

7.30 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

7.50 – make coffee

8.00 – sort photos with yesterday. Cross with myself as only taken 5 pics and all poor quality. The light in this house is so bad.

8.30 – not wanting Joseph to sleep too late, I go upstairs and start pottering, hoping that the noise and my presence will wake him up. He wakes up as I walk up the stairs. I feed him, get him dressed and also dress myself

9.30 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks. Realise I have to go out to Buggyfit in 45 minutes and haven’t had breakfast yet. Is it too late to cook sausage and bacon?

9.35 – start cooking breakfast

9.55 – eat breakfast

10.00 – feed Joseph

10.20 – head out to Buggyfit

1.00 – arrive home. Chat with Adam on the phone, feed Joseph, eat lunch. Check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

1.30 – start panicking about how much there is to do before we have to head out to mum & dad’s.

1.35 – change Joseph’s nappy, wash up, take a shower, pack the bags. Feed joseph, change nappy again.

3.10 – leave for mum & dad’s. traffic is bad, as get caught up in the school run

5.45 – arrive at mum & dad’s. eat tea. Adam feeds Joseph. Mum & I go out to watch Jekyll & Hyde at the Little Theatre in Leicester.

5.30 – Joseph has been awake for half an hour and is not resettling, so we bring him in to our bed.

5.50 – the little guy goes back to sleep

6.30 – Adam’s alarm goes off and he gets up

6.45 – Joseph wakes up

6.50 – feeding time

7.20 – Adam comes to say goodbye

7.25 – Joseph & I go downstairs and get more goodbye kisses!

7.30 – I make myself a coffee and we go back upstairs. Play with the little man while I drink it

8.00 – I have a shower

8.15 – I get Joseph dressed and then get dressed myself

8.30 – put Joseph to bed

8.45 – he falls asleep. I check email, facebook

9.10 – get ready to go out

9.15 – go to baby clinic. Joseph wakes. He’s only put on 4oz and it’s been 2 weeks since he’s been weighed. Health visitor seems unconcerned, even though I’m worried.

10.40 – arrive home. Joseph sleeps on the way. Peg washing out

10.50 – chat with mum on the phone

11.00 – joseph wakes up and I feed him

11.20 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

11.30 – put lunch on. Change nappy, and top as he’s been sick

12.00 – eat lunch of pasta in sauce. Order photos online for a present.

12.10 – get ready to go out

12.15 – leave for nursery, via the petrol station

12.45 – arrive at work. Spend a few hours at nursery, chatting with my friends and letting joseph get used to the environment. Sarah gives him a bottle at 2pm.
3.50 – arrive home. Joseph sleeping

4.10 – joseph wakes and is distraught. I give him lots of cuddles and apply teething gel.

4.35 – joseph calms down and is playing on the floor

4.45 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

5.00 – bring in the washing. Joseph starts to get whingey, so we play. I sort the laundry, Adam comes home, I make tea, feed Joseph, we eat tea, bath Joseph, put him to bed, look through some old photos, talk to the plumber on the phone about the new boiler, sit down and look at our finances and sort out the insurance claim from when the car got broken in to.

9.05 – our time is finally our own!

4.45 – Joseph is awake and won’t go back to sleep. Bring him in to our bed. After half an hour or so he starts to wind down and I think he’s close to sleep, so I return him to his own bed. He’s not impressed, so take him back out for a cuddle. He’s now decided he’s hungry, so I feed him. He falls asleep and I return him to his cot. This seems harder than when he was newborn.

6.00 – return to bed. Adam’s alarm clock goes off after half an hour and I do my best to stay asleep while he gets up, without ignoring him totally.

7.30 – adam comes to say goodbye and I go back to sleep properly

8.20 – joseph wakes up. He’s full of smiles as I change his nappy and dress him. I do my best to forget my tiredness.

8.30 – I go and make a coffee and return to the bedroom, laptop in hand

8.45 – Joseph is hungry. I feed him while checking email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks. He falls asleep on my lap.

9.10 – I risk moving the little guy. Procrastinate on the internet

9.30 – get dressed

9.40 – I text Sally to make plans for later and she calls back, which wakes Joseph.

9.45 – still not dressed, what have I been doing for the last 15 minutes?

10.00 – go downstairs to make breakfast. The plumber arrives to take details for a quote for a new boiler. Eat breakfast, wash up, make coffee

11.10 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks.

11.15 – play with Joseph

11.30 – put the little guy to bed. Sort laundry – it’s never ending!

11.50 – he falls asleep. Clean & tidy bedroom

12.15 – make lunch

12.20 – just as I take my first bite, Joseph wakes up. Bring him downstairs then eat whilst browsing the web

12.40 – using notes from this week, start analysing Joseph’s routine

12.55 – change nappy

1.00 – feeding time

1.20 – get ready to go out
1.30 – go out with Sally & Elliot to the Discovery Centre. Very interesting to see lots of old pictures of Bollington

3.10 – arrive home and sit outside with a glass of juice and a choc ice

3.20 – the little guy starts getting whingey so we go inside.

3.25 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

3.30 – play with Joseph

4.00 – feed the little guy

4.30 – go out to meet Adam from work

5.45 – return home. Have drink outside.

5.50 – Joseph starts crying big time

6.00 – Adam gives Joseph his bottle while I go to the chippy

6.30 – I return home. Joseph starts crying as soon as he sees me.

6.45 – Joseph is getting increasingly upset, but doesn’t seem hungry. Got a glimpse of broken skin on his bottom gums, so filled his mouth with teething gel! We suspected he was teething a couple of weeks ago, so it's good to see we were right. He fell asleep fully clothed on Adam, so we've put him to bed without a bath and PJs for now, as we get him up at 10pm for a feed anyway

7.15 – settle down on the sofa with a glass of wine.

6.05 – Joseph wakes, I go and get him and bring him to our bed for his feed

6.30 – Adam’s alarm goes off and he gets up. Me and the little guy go back to sleep

7.30 – adam comes to say goodbye, and joseph wakes up. Poo! He woke lots in the night and I’m shattered (even though Adam was the one who got up most of the time!) and was hoping for a bit more shut eye.

8.00 – change joseph’s nappy and get him dressed. He starts crying just before I finish. I need a shower, so getting dressed myself will have to wait til he’s in a better mood. We go downstairs, I put the playmat down, turn on the tv, but the little man is still whingy

8.15 – I give in and feed Joseph. He definitely seems more hungry now, and I guess weaning isn’t far away.

8.30 – put joseph back on his playmat, and he seems happy again now. Check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

8.40 – chat with adam on the phone

8.45 – watch piece about HSM3 on BBC breakfast

8.55 – send message to a friend

9.00 – watch Dawn French on BBC Breakfast

9.15 – take joseph upstairs and put him to bed.

9.20 – take a shower and get dressed

9.50 – laundry. Horrible weather today, and coupled with no heating, I’m not sure how I’ll get it dry. Check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

9.55 – make and eat breakfast of porridge, orange juice & coffee

10.15 – joseph wakes up. He’s got a dirty nappy, so I change him before taking him downstairs.

10.30 – joseph is still crying. Hungry. Again. I feed him while watching Supernanny. 2 hourly feeding is going to drive me nuts!

10.55 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

11.00 – feeling tired an unmotivated to do very much today

11.10 – feeling peckish, so make myself a coffee and grab a banana

11.20 – cuddle up with the little man on the sofa and watch some tv

11.55 – put joseph to bed

12.00 – put another load of laundry on. Check email, facebook, flick, blogs, uks

12.05 – can’t decide between getting some rest myself while the little guy sleeps, or ploughing on with the housework so I can rest later. Adam will be home late as it’s his badminton night

12.10 – make lunch

12.30 – chat with adam on the phone. Boiler is terminal and we will need a new one. Eat lunch of pasta in sauce

12.40 – I try and find places to hang wet clean laundry to dry

12.55 – joseph wakes and I take him downstairs

1.00 – I start working on some household admin

1.30 – I feed Joseph then change his nappy

1.50 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

2.00 – I continue with the household admin

2.20 – chat with adam on the phone. Chat with mum on the phone

2.30 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

2.45 – put Joseph to bed

2.50 – bravely peg washing on line

3.00 – Joseph still awake so I stay upstairs with him til he goes off

3.15 – chat with adam on the phone

3.20 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

3.30 – make drink of hot honey & lemon – my throat is really sore. Devour 2 fun size boxes of smarties

3.35 – return to the admin whilst watching Countdown

3.45 – knock on the door from, Luke – it’s raining, so dash out and bring the washing in

3.50 – Joseph wakes up. Go and fetch him and bring him down. Play with him

4.05 – return yet again to the admin – rain is lashing down
4.10 – feed joseph

4.30 – change the little guy’s nappy

4.35 – put washing in tumble dryer

4.40 – little man whingey, so abandon all hope of getting any more jobs done until after he’s gone to bed for the night!

4.45 – I play with the little guy, chat on the phone with mum, cook my tea, eat my tea, prepare a bath for Joseph (not an easy task with no running hot water), bath Joseph, get him ready for bed, feed him, put him to bed, put the wet laundry on the airer, make the bed, fold the dry laundry, put more wet laundry on the airer, sort the rubbish, tidy the kitchen, fold the dry laundry from the tumble dryer, clean the lounge and sweep and mop the downstairs floors.

7.45 – collapse on the sofa with the Sky remote and a glass of sherry!

Today's pictures are here

*I would like to say that I've been using a Word document to keep track of what I'm doing and that on a normal day my computer wouldn't be on all day and so my internet usage would be considerably lower. When its on I just can't help myself!*

I'm taking part in this project this week, and today is my first day. I'm sure I won't post a full run down like this every day, but this is what I've done today:

6.25am – Joseph wakes. I go and get him up and change his nappy

6.30am – Adam’s alarm goes off as I bring Joseph into our room for his feed. Adam gets up.

6.45am – Joseph finishes feeding and I lay him down next to me in our bed

7.00am – clock radio goes off – listening to Chris Moyles

7.30am – Adam comes in to say goodbye to us both. Joseph cries when Adam kisses him – his little face just crumples. (Adam’s just had a week off work and today is his first day back. Does the little guy know what’s going on, or is he just tired?)

7.45am – I get up and take photos of each room as it looks at the start of the day. A real mess after a few days away and from having Adam at home during the day!

8.00am – Joseph falls asleep. Still in our bed. I check my email, facebook, flickr, blogs and UKS

8.15am – go downstairs and cook breakfast and start tidying things up. Jamie Oliver talking on radio about his Ministry of Food show

8.40am – eat breakfast of sausage, bacon & beans

8.50am – make coffee and go back upstairs to get dressed

9.05am – little man wakes up and has a kick about on his playmat while I straighten my hair

9.30am – do laundry

9.35am – dress Joseph

9.45am – Joseph’s world ends for the first time today, as he is put down while I go to the loo and get myself a drink before feeding him

9.50am – feed Joseph while watching Supernanny. Cuddles with the little man

10.35am – get ready to go out to Rhythm Time

10.45am – pick Sally & Elliot up

11.00am – Rhythm Time

11.25am – Joseph falls asleep and misses the last 10 minutes

11.35am – drive home, dropping Sally & Elliot off on the way

12.00 – arrive home – let Tigger in. Open post

12.05 – Joseph wakes up

12.10 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

12.15 – hang washing out to dry and put another load in machine to make the most of the beautiful weather

12.30 – eat lunch of jacket potato and beans – more Supernanny

1.00 – feed Joseph and have some cuddles

1.15 – change Joseph’s nappy

1.20 – chat with Adam on the phone

1.30 – put Joseph to bed. Check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

1.35 – attempt to make bed but fail, as Tigger is sleeping on it

1.40 – clean loo and wash basin. Finish making bed now that contrary cat has moved

1.45 – look up book on library website. Joseph falls asleep

1.50 – head back downstairs to tidy up

2.30 – joseph wakes. Check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

2.35 – bring Joseph downstairs and put him in his bouncy chair while I finish off my jobs

3.00 – washing machine finishes so go outside to peg laundry out. Put Joseph on his playmat in the lounge while I finish off in the kitchen

3.30 – jobs complete, I sit down with a hot chocolate and watch a bit more Supernanny while I check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

3.45 – cuddles with the little guy

4.00 – feeding time

4.20 – change nappy

4.30 – go out for a walk to meet Adam

5.30 – arrive home, have a drink, bring the washing in and start preparing tea

5.50 – check email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks

6.05 – Adam joins me in the kitchen to make his lunch for tomorrow

6.15 – tea is served

6.30 – tea over, I prepare joseph’s bottle and begin tidying the kitchen

6.40 – adam feeds joseph while I wash up

7.00 – adam tries to run Joseph a bath, but discovers the boiler is broken

7.20 – joseph goes to bed. I check my email, facebook, flickr, blogs, uks while I wait for him to go to sleep

7.35 – little man fast asleep, I head downstairs to spend the evening snuggled up on the sofa with my husband

Photos can be found here

No photo today as I'm blogging from Adam's computer.

We've had a lovely week. As we didn't leave for The Lakes until after lunch, I made a last minute decision to take Joseph to Rhythm Time. He was a bit sleepy though, as he hadn't had much of a sleep beforehand. But, both Sally and I noticed that the boys were more involved this week. They were both keen to hold the instruments (although not so keen to let them go again), which is something they struggled with before. Joseph's head control is finally improving too (Elliot's has always been very good) and he is starting to enjoy seeing the world from an upright perspective, which is nice, as it means I get more cuddles too!

When we arrived (we went to Haven holiday park) we had to wait an hour before check-in, so after feeding Joseph in the car (!) we went for a coffee. We had a brief explore and were disappointed with the facilities. A lot seemed to be closed as we were out of season, and everything seemed a little run-down and shabby. We checked in and found our caravan. Fortunately we were much happier with the caravan than with the site in general. We were able to move one of the twin beds in the second bedroom so that we could set the travel cot up, giving Joseph a room of his own, which we weren't sure we would be able to do. The caravan itself was well equipped and comfortable, although we found the bed a little small, especially in the mornings when Joseph joined us after his first feed, as we have a king size at home. Still, at least we didn't have the cat aswell!

On Tuesday we went to Barrow in Furness for the day. It's always nice to go shopping in a different town. We stopped off at Asda on the way home, and spent too much! We used to shop at Asda before we moved, but there's not a convenient one for us now and we really miss it. We got some pyjamas, t-shirts and a hoodie for Joseph, a jumper for Adam and several DVDs, as well as the basic groceries we went in for.

We had originally planned to take Joseph swimming every day, but the facilities were not as I imagined them. I thought the pool would be open all day and that there would be sun loungers and chairs around so that it would be an area for relaxing. Unfortunately it was just a pool, and was only open from 10-12 and then from 2-4. On Wednesday we decided we'd take the little man for a dip, but unfortunately the opening times didn't fit in with his nap and feeding times, so we didn't make it as there would've been little point in taking him if he was tired and/or hungry.

We had a lovely few days spending time as a family, but it was very cold at night and Joseph wasn't sleeping well. He was waking pretty much every hour from 1am onwards, so consequently we were all pretty tired. The little guy was also refusing to sleep in the day, so he was absolutely shattered! So, on Thursday morning, after checking the thermometer in Joseph's room and finding it to be a mere 11C, I suggested that we come home early. As we needed to check out by 10am on Friday anway, we'd have only be staying another night for the sake of it, so I thought it would be best if we came returned to the land of central heating!

Joseph slept much better on that night, and again last night, so I'm sure it was the cold disturbing him. I'm also trying to get him back in to some kind of routine in the day, as he really does have a lot of sleep to catch up on. Yesterday we went to the Trafford Centre and I went out for a meal with the girls from work. Joseph was a bit of a monkey for his daddy at bedtime, having a massive screaming fit, but by the time I picked up the messages, he had fallen asleep! He only slept for around an hour and then spent the rest of the night awake til I came home, fed him and put him back to bed - he's certainly got his daddy wrapped round his little finger!

Today has felt very Sundayish to both Adam and myself, so its nice to know that there's still a day of the weekend left.

Sunday 21st June 2008 - 13 weeks & 2 days

How grown up does my little man look here?!

And another week has flown by without an update, so we'd better have a quick catch up

We went back to Leicester last weekend to go to a wedding reception, and to visit family. It was only a flying visit, so we didn't get to see as many people as we would like, but we'll be back again in a few weeks and hopefully we can have a bit more of a catch up then.

We missed Rhythm Time on Monday, as I thought it was more important to do the first aid course at the post-natal group. Unfortunately the little man was awake and lively, so I found things a little more difficult to take in, and as there were no handouts, I perhaps didn't learn quite as much as I'd hoped. We had the last baby massage session this week, which is sad, but I'm finding time to put things in to practice at home, and we all exchanged phone numbers, so hopefully all the mummies can get together another time.

At clinic this week, Joseph had lost 3oz, which I was a little concerned about. The health visitor told me I need to eat more, as his slow down in weight gain has directly co-incided with me trying to shift the baby weight, so I now feel awful that he may not have been getting everything he needs. I wasn't dieting so much as cutting back on the junk food and cakes etc, so I need to find a healthy way of keeping my calorie/carb intake high.

We've had a lovely relaxing weekend, slowly getting things ready for our holiday. We are off to the Lake District for a few days, which we're really looking forward to. Unfortunately, Joseph appears to have a slight cold, and is almost definitely teething, which means he has been quite grumpy lately, especially in the afternoons, so we're hoping he'll be okay while we're away. But we're fully stocked up with Calpol and teething gel just in case!

Monday 15th September 2008 - 12 weeks and 3 days

This is how my little man looks most of the time - hands in mouth. His cheeks are always pink too. I know it's far too early for teeth, but I had a look in his mouth this morning, and it looks a lot like there's some coming through at the back. Which is just odd!

We've been having a good week. Rhythm Time on Monday was good; Joseph seemed to enjoy it even more this week, and tolerated being held upright for longer too (the little man likes to lie flat and to have his own space).

On Tuesday I was ordered to rest by Adam, as I had to get up a few times in the night. Unfortunately "rest" isn't that easy; I went in to Macc to return some library books and then to Tesco to do the weekly shop. When we came home I put all the shopping away, made a cheesecake and the did some washing. I rested after that. For a little while anyway! Adam went to badminton straight from work, so I bathed Joseph and put him to bed and he was fast asleep by 7.30pm. I then cleaned the living room while my tea was cooking, that sat down and read the paper while eating my chips and brie. It was nice to have some me time in the evening.

Yesterday we went to baby massage. Unfortunately Joseph hadn't slept first, so wasn't quite as co-operative as usual, but he was still good, and we still enjoyed it. Sally and I both really enjoy the class - it's only small, the room is nice and relaxing, the teacher is great and we all sit and have a nice chat afterwards with a cuppa and a biscuit, so we'll be sad when it finishes next week. I must find the time to put what I've learned in to practice.

Last night we all went to Sally's for tea. We had a lovely meal; Sally and Shaun made a gorgeous steak and kidney pie, and I took the cheesecake that I'd made on Tuesday. The boys were very good (Joseph slept and Elliot was nicely chilled out) so we were able to relax and have a good old chat. It was the first time Adam and Shaun had seen each other since the ante-natal clasees, so it was great that they got on so well too.

This morning we have been to the baby clinic. Joseph has put on 8oz this week, taking him up to 16lbs 9oz. He has been feeding lots this week and has been taking more at his feeds as well, so I wasn't surprised. He's been quite grumpy at times, and I was a little concerned that he isn't getting enough food, so I'm pleased with the gain. Unfortunately one health visitor was on holiday, and the other was off sick, so we didn't get a replacement red book, and there wasn't really anyone to talk my feeding concerns through with.

Sunday 7th September 2008 - 11 weeks & 2 days

My little man is growing up. He now weighs 16lbs 1oz, which is almost 6lbs over his birth weight. weight gain is slowing down now though, thankfully. We have injections again today, which I am not looking forward to, but I guess it's another set out the way.

We had a lovely weekend. Shopping at the Trafford Centre on Saturday, then I went out with the girls from work on Saturday night. It was good to go out and let my hair down, although I was out later than I intended. I didn't get home til 3am! So, unsuprisingly, we took it easy yesterday, just relaxing at home.

Today we are off to Rhythym Time, so I need to make sure the little guy gets a sleep before we go.

3rd September 2008 - 10 weeks & 5 days - 15lbs 14oz

So it's been a while. The problem is, the longer it is since I've blogged, the longer it takes to catch up, so the harder it is to catch up!

Joseph and I went back to Leicester a couple of weeks ago, and went to the drama group's BBQ with mum & dad. It was lovely to catch up with some old friends. Since that weekend he has been sleeping through the night. Initially from 10pm to anywhere between 4am and 5am, then until around 6am or 7am for a couple of weeks. But, just as we were getting used to a full night's sleep, he's gone back to 4-5.30am again. Fortunately he's still going back to sleep after a feed, but it was a shock to the system to be getting up in the night (well it feels like it!) again.

Adam's mum and step-dad came to visit for the day, which was lovely. They hadn't seen Joseph for 6 weeks, so he had changed loads. We also went to visit my old boss in Wales, which was great. Joseph was an absolute angel in the car (3.5 hours each way, although we did stay over night), and charmed the socks off them all while we were there. Adam's dad and his new girlfriend came to see us as well, and we had a lovely meal down the pub, where, as always, Joseph slept!

I've been going to Buggyfit for several weeks now and am really enjoying it. Am feeling my fitness levels improve, and enjoying exercising outside. Unfortunately, while I was there yesterday, I had my car broken into, and my nappy bag stolen. Fortunately there was nothing of value in there, but my house keys were there, as was Joseph's red book (his health record) with our address inside, so we've had to have the locks changed. There was also a photo album of pics of Joseph, and although I still have the pics (god bless digital), I don't like the idea of someone else having them.

We've now started Baby Massage, and Rythym Time, and we are both really enjoying them.

I think that's it for now, but will try and keep up in future!