Curveballs

Yup, I know. It's been bloody AGES since I've posted anything. Have a bit of a confession. I'm running another blog and it's wildly more successful than this one so I've kind of been focusing on that. Oh yes, and Dumpling, "returning to work", running a household and trying not to neglect PH and all of my friends. Or this blog of course <blush>.

It's been quite a challenging couple of months. First there was the whole "going back to work" crap. God was it awful. The first month just sucked. I can't complain though cause I'm only working from Mon-Wed. Although I can tell you that this is MORE than enough. I literally skip out of the office on Wednesday evening. Dropping Dumpling at nursery was just the worst. I seem to be coping now though, which I guess is a good thing.

PH started a new job three weeks ago. GOODBYE MILITARY!!!!!!!!!! whooohooo!!! Not sure I mentioned that PH worked for the military. If he'd stayed he would have been away for 9 months of the year. So we made a decision that it would be best for him to exit quickly, before all the Defence cuts kicked in and he'd be competing with 40 of his colleagues for one job. Pleased to report he's very, very happy in his new job. So that's one less thing to worry about.

Oh and of course there has been the whole "somebody tampered with my breast milk at work" scenario. Going to do a seperate blog post for that soon. Then there's the Jury Service/Projectile Vomiting scenario. Bet you are looking forward to the post on that! Seriously, you couldn't make half of this crap up.

And then there is Dumpling. Who is still perfect despite teething and being a little rat bag over the weekend. She's proper crawling now, which meant everything went UP off the floor very quickly. She's tormented the cat and has scars to prove it (bad parenting and PH went bonkers when he found out. The scar is fading thank goodness...opps!). She's started on proper food and loves it all. Apart from Swede. That gives her the worst screaming tantrum in the night. Oh and did I mention that was the day before I started back at work? Anyway, she's still perfect and I still just want to kiss her cheeks all the time.

So, that's it for now. Again, I'm going to make a concerted effort to try to find my voice a bit more, assuming my other blog doesn't take up all my time! That sounds awful doesn't it. lol.

Phew and Eugh...

Can you believe that I've been trying to write this post since Friday!

Very pleased to report that Thursday was fine. PH took his Dad out for a walk when Dumpling needed feeding, me and the Mother In Law (MIL) had a lovely chat and we managed to get home by 8pm. All my anxiety was unnecessary. However, it's probably because I was ready for trouble. It's always when you aren't ready for trouble that things explode.

My MIL was very sweet and kept telling Dumpling how much she loved her. Dumpling was a total little charmer and just kept smiling at her Grandma. It was sooo weet! We didn't directly talk about my Father In Law's (FIL's) issue with feeding but my MIL did say how proud she was of me, for continuing to breastfeed Dumpling despite all the issue's we have had. So, that was a very nice bit of recognition that I hadn't been expecting and gave me a nice warm glow.

Our current challenge is Dumpling's first cold. Which she has very kindly passed on to me. There is snot everywhere and the front door has a great big red X on it. So, I'm having to deal with a sick baby whilst not feeling particularly great myself. She is fine in herself though, apart from last night where we had lots of screaming before bedtime so the magic potion (calpol) was administered. Luckily PH is home from work today so he's doing a fab job of looking after us and Dumpling is sleeping it off at the moment. I hate snot at the best of times and I knew this day would come, but it's soooo gross when babies wipe it across their face because they don't know any better. This is one of those bits of parenting that I could do without!

Dumpling's first swimming lesson...

Was absolutely brilliant! The lessons are on Friday afternoons and as PH finishes work early on Fridays swimming lessons are going to be his and Dumpling's bonding activity. Dumpling was a little star, she was dunked twice and on the first dunk she flustered a bit but on the second dunk she didn't bat an eyelid. She was even kicking her legs when they were swimming around. PH couldn't stop grinning through the lesson and for the rest of the evening. He said he felt like a bit of a plonka singing the nursery rhymes but I was very supportive and told him to suck it up!

The great thing is that this has helped to increase PH's interest in Bath time. He has always loved bath time but now that he has been advised to practice with Dumpling he's even more keen to get her bathed. Which gives me about half an hour to myself. Bliss!

However, I am slightly incensed with the swimming school taking £140 out of my account already for the Autumn term which starts in September and then advising me that I have a two week "window" in July in which we can change our lessons but any changes outside this will cost £30 administration fee. So, erm, if I want to make changes in August then I have to pay £30? Seems a bit of a cheek to me as the lessons aren't exactly cheap. Unfortunately they are the only swimming school in the area so they kinda have us parents over a barrel. Just seems a bit ruthless. Guess I'm going to have to get used to this sort of thing and stop being such a naive new parent!

Dumpling is 15 weeks old

I've been reflecting over the past few days now that we seem to have reached the 3 month mark. Things are supposed to get a bit easier and thankfully they have. Dumpling is becoming a bit more independent which means I can leave her to amuse herself without having to run around to get back to her before she gets upset.

I'm so glad that we are still breastfeeding. It's been such a battle to get here. I completely understand now, how it can take over your life whilst you are doing it. It's such an intense experience, although experience doesn't seem to be the right word. It's more like an intense journey. Every day there seemed to be a different challenge. At the moment it feels like we have it cracked, although I know how quickly that can change.I think I've processed the difficult birth bit. When I think back, the events seem quite hazy and if I hadn't already repeated my birth story to other mother's, I don't think I would remember any of the details.

We seem to have developed a family routine, although it's not very rigid, which I actually quite like. I love that we are a family now and that we do family activities together. I love that PH and I are bringing up our daughter together and that we have the honour of watching her grow and develop. I've also managed to keep a little bit of BD (Before Dumpling) as I've managed to go out with friends and pretend that I'm not a Mum and that my life hasn't changed. My life has radically changed though and I am so glad that it has. As much as I want to hold Dumpling close to me and stop her from growing and changing every day, I am really looking forward to seeing the young girl that she develops into. The first 10 weeks were really tough, but they were so worth it.

Dumpling

Dumpling was born 11 weeks ago. It's amazing how quickly we have gotten used to her being around. It still feels a bit weird though, when people refer to me as a Mum. I wonder how long it's going to take to get used to it all. Some days I forget that she's my responsibility (as much as you can forget when she's screaming to be fed!). I remember a few days after she was born, those manic days when everyone is still in shock, that we both commented that we already couldn’t remember what life was like before she arrived on the scene.

I really wasn't prepared for how fast she is growing up. I know it's only been a couple of months and before it would have sounded ridiculous, but it really is unnerving how much she changes every day. I was shocked that she was out of her newborn clothes within a couple of weeks. Now I see little babies and think, "ahhh I remember when..." I am well aware of how daft that sounds given that she's only a couple of months old!

We have been really lucky because she has slept through the night since she was 3 weeks old. She would have slept through since the beginning but we had such a nightmare with the feeding and I didn't realise at the time that she wasn't getting enough which was why she wouldn't settle. She only cries when she is hungry or needs her nappy changed. She knows exactly what she wants, even from this young an age.She’s very nosy and needs to be sat up all the time so she can see what’s going on. The day she smiled at us was just awesome. I can’t wait for when she giggles properly for the first time.

Things I have learnt recently...

• how to type with one hand 
• I don't have to reply immediately to every email that needs a response
• you can still have a life with a new baby, it's just a different life to the one you had before
• to ignore people who think they know your child better than you do, when they haven't had children themselves or are new mothers and learning just like you are
• Dumpling's skin smells fantastic!
• 45 minutes of enforced downtime (nursing) every couple of hours can be very relaxing and thought provoking but it can also be incredibly boring
• I need something else in my life now I have finished my MBA
• how to sterilize baby "things"
• there is nothing cuter than seeing your baby asleep in her Daddy's arms
• you can read all the books in the world, but they won't prepare you at all for the real thing!
• that people send wedding anniversary cards (having never been married before, the thought never occurred to me!)