Wednesday 28th November 2007

I'm disappointed, as I missed out on a pottery session with my NCT pals yesterday because mummy was sick. But today finally I think we we're on the mend in time for our holiday. We're all still coughing, and I'm still sleeping a lot, but I haven't gone off my food. Mummy says that's typical of our family - it takes a lot for us to go off our food! I have refused some food this week though. I didn't like the courgette that mummy tried to feed me, but I'll try it again in a few days. It's not surprising really, as mummy and daddy don't like courgette either! I've eaten everything else I've been given though. We're off on our holidays on Friday. We'll go to visit Great Auntie Rosie and Great Uncle Ron first, and then it's off to see Great Granny Foreman, and we'll also see Cousin Cath and her mum (another Great Auntie Rosie - I've actually got 3 of them!). After that it's off to our cottage in Northumberland. It's really exciting, there's a leisure centre there with a pool that I can play in with mummy and daddy and practise my backstroke. Before I go, I'll be catching up with Oscar and Gene tomorrow. I don't want them to miss me too much whilst I'm away, so we'll all have lunch together and a good natter, and I'll see them again when I get back. I'll get weighed before I go on holiday on Friday. It will have been 3 weeks since I was last weighed and I'm curious to know how much weight I've gained. Last time I was weighed I was 13lb 6oz, so I reckon I'll be pushing towards 15lb now. With all the yummy food I'm eating, I'm chubbing up nicely!

Saturday 24th November 2007

I've had a really rotten week. I've been feeling really grotty. Mummy and daddy were worried about me on Thursday because I wouldn't feed for longer than 5 minutes in the morning, so mummy called the doctors and I got an appointment straight away. The doctor checked me over and said that my cough sounded a bit 'bronchialitic', and that I'd probably had a touch of bronchialitis. But she said my chest was clear and that my temperature was fine, so mummy was reassured. I've been having calpol all week to help me feel better, and sleeping a lot. Being ill has put me off my milk a bit, as I can't really feed and breathe very well with a blocked nose, but eating solid food is easy, so I've really enjoyed that. I've tried so many new things. I've now had : pear, apple, papaya, galia melon, sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot and swede. I like them all, but melon is my favourite. I'm learning to open my mouth when the spoon comes near and to take the food off the spoon with my lips. Granny and Grandpa Meikle came to see me on Thursday, which cheered me up, and then Ava and Nia came to see me on Friday with their mummies - I hope I haven't given my cold to either of them. Ava has had a poorly tummy - get well soon Ava (that's me and Ava in the picture with Ava's mummy Rebecca). Today I've been to visit cousin Daniel and Auntie Emma and Uncle Philip. You can see Daniel sitting with me in the picture. Auntie Emma, who is a doctor, listened to my chest with her stethoscope, and thought it sounded okay, but I still feel poorly, and needed mummy and daddy to cuddle me a ll the time. Mummy has had to cancel my trip to the pub to see Oscar and Gene tomorrow, as I don't want to give them my cold, and it sounds like Oscar and his mummy and daddy are also coming down with something, so we don't want to exchange germs! Particularly as I'm off on holiday to Northumberland with mummy and daddy on Friday, and I'm going to finally get to meet Great Granny Foreman (Granny Meikle's mummy). I'm also going to get to meet some of my great aunties and uncles, so I'm really excited and I want to get well, so keep your fingers crossed that I can get rid of my lurgie soon. Daddy is pleased today, as his football team Aston Villa won 3-0, but mummy and Grandpa are not very happy, as Sunderland lost 7-0. I think I'll suport Aston Villa based on those results!

Tuesday 20th November 2007

Special Care Community Nurse Michelle came to see me today. The results of my urine sample have come back, and my testosterone levels are a little bit high, so I need to submit another sample in December, so that the results will be back in time for my consultant appointment in January. If my levels are still high in January, then I may need to have some treatment to sort them out. I am still feeling ill. Michelle told mummy that she has to watch out that my cold doesn't develop into bronchialitis. We premature babies are more susceptible to it apparently, but I'm hoping that I'll start to feel better soon. Mummy went to have her hair coloured today and so Granny Judy came down to babysit me. She tried to bottle feed me, but I had a big strop. Apart from that I had a lovely time with her. She bought me some lovely ducks to play with in the bath, and fed me my lunch of sweet potato, which was yummy. Apple for tea, so I must dash, otherwise mummy might eat it herself!

Monday 19th November 2007

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. That cold of daddy's has finally caught up with me, and I started to feel rotten over the weekend. I've got a horrid cough and lots of phlegm in my throat which makes it really hard to breathe when I'm feeding. Especially from a bottle - which makes me hate bottle feeding even more. I've been eating lots of interesting foods though. I've tried carrot, apple and pear, and tonight I'll be having butternut squash for my dinner. I should have had it last night, but I was feeling too out of sorts to try anything new. I hope I feel better soon. I'm seeing Granny Judy tomorrow, and I want to be on top form. Snoozing with daddy helps me to feel better I find! I saw my friends Oscar and Gene on Friday. Gene is nearly 9lb now, and growing fast - that's him in the photo on the left. Well done Gene.

Wednesday 14th November 2007

Well, I'm 5 months and 5 days old today believe it or not, and I celebrated by seeing my great pal Isobel for coffee and milk (coffee for mummy and milk for us). Unfortunately I managed to sleep through most of it! That's because I'm feeling a little under the weather. Daddy brought home a nasty cold from work, and mummy caught it off him, so I think I'm coming down with that too. Mummy's given me some calpol, and I've slept for most of the day - fingers crossed I'll still be able to sleep tonight. It means my weaning schedule has somewhat gone adrift already, as I don't really feel in the mood to try new things. I had some pear puree yesterday and today, but I prefer just to stick to breastfeeding whilst I'm feeling crock, and try some different things when I feel better. I hear my friend Isobel had broccoli and sweet potato for her lunch today, so I'm looking forward to trying some of that. I saw Auntie Shellie and Uncle Chris on Sunday - we went for lunch in Stratford. I'll see them again at Christmas, as they are coming to have Christmas dinner with us. I don't think I'll be quite ready for a full turkey dinner, but I may have a bit of carrot and a bit of swede or something like that, to celebrate the festivities. Mummy doesn't like carrots, but she's still made me some carrot puree - except that daddy had to put it in the blender for her, as mummy doesn't like the smell! Look at me in my fancy dungarees. Mummy's friend Ros bought them for me from Baby Gap. Guess what - they are 3-6 month age group! As I now weigh 13lb 6oz, I need bigger clothes, and particularly ones that fit round my big nappies. I'm a bit concerned that they make me look a bit podgey, especially as I'm seeing Oscar on Friday. Oh, well, I guess a diet of fruit and vegetable puree washed down with a bit of milk is about as healthy as it gets, so I shouldn't worry! I'm off to see grandpa and granny Meikle tomorrow if I feel well enough. I'll also see Tait the dog, who is feeling poorly at the moment too - get well soon Tait.

Saturday 10th November 2007

Well I saw my man on Thursday and he's very well. We sat next to each other and chatted and talked. We had a lot to catch up on. Oscar was telling me all about the yummy food his mummy has been giving him. I was very jealous, but today I tasted some for myself! That's right, I had some baby rice for the first time this morning with my 11am milk feed. It was quite nice actually. It was all mixed up with mummy's milk, so I couldn't really tell there was rice in there. but mummy gave it to me off a spoon, which was very different to my normal feed. I'll have a teaspoon of rice in 15ml of milk for the next couple of days with my 11am feed, and then on Tuesday I'll try a little bit of pear puree, which I'm very excited about. Mummy and I went to Waitrose yesterday and bought all sorts of interesting fruit and vegetables for my first month of solid foods. We got Butternut squash, sweet potato, courgette, swede, carrot, apple and pear. As you can see I am being very healthy! Mummy has told me she won't like changing my nappies now that I'm on solid foods - oops, I think I'd better learn to hold my nose!

Thursday 8th November 2007

I had a lovely weekend, and I've been out and about like a busy bee this week too. On Monday I got all dressed up snug for buggyfit, as it was very chilly. My natty yellow outfit came from Auntie Emma. Grandpa came to see me on Tuesday, and my friend Isobel and her mummy Jayne came too, and we went for a lovely walk. Isobel was telling me all about how she goes swimming every week, so I thought I'd give it a go too. So mummy and I went to check out Abingdon leisure centre yesterday. They've got a speical pool for babies, so we had a bit of a paddle and a kick. Here's a picture of me in one of my swimming costumes. I'm tied down on a changing station to keep me safe when mummy was getting changed. I then spent the rest of the day with my friend Ava, who lives in Abingdon. I'm excited today as I'm getting together with Oscar - I'll have to decide what to wear to impress him. I keep telling mummy that my bum looks big in my fleecey nappies, but she keeps putting them on me! Gene's mummy isn't very well, so we won't be seeing him, but hopefully we can catch up soon to hear what he's been up to. Mummy and daddy are going to start giving me solid foods this weekend. That's right - I've started to show all the tell tale signs. I keep waking up in the night at about 3.30am, I'm sucking my hand like mad, and I'm getting very bored with milk - so I'm going to try some baby rice on Saturday, and then we'll see what happens. I shall be asking Oscar what his favourite foods are today - he's eating all sorts of excting things already, so I'm very jealous. I love spending time with mummy and daddy. I smile a lot at them, and we stick our tongues out at each other. I've also learned to show them I'm hungry by putting my hand towards my mouth. Daddy gives me a bath everynight, and mummy feeds me. I go to bed at about 7.45pm and then mummy and daddy wake me up to give me a little bit more food and change my nappy before they go to bed. It's a good routine, and I always sleep well, and fingers crossed I'll be able to sleep for a bit longer through the night with some baby rice in my tummy!

Saturday 3rd November 2007

I'm about to embark on an exciting adventure today. My first night away from home since I came out of hospital. I'm going with mummy to Godmother Jenny's house in Birmingham. We're going to have a girlie day, just the 3 of us, so that should be lovely. Daddy is at the football supporting my team Aston Villa - remember my bear that was named after them? Anyway I'm sure you're all dying to know what my weight is.....well I managed to break all records and put on a whole pound this week! That's right. I now weigh 12lb 15oz, so I'm nearly a teenager. Mummy says I've got longer, as my feet touch the sides of the chair when I'm feeding now. I can't remember if I told you, but I've come off my phosphate as my levels are all back to normal. Mummy tried taking me off my gaviscon too, but it didn't work - I'm not quite ready to ditch my reflux medication yet. I saw lots of new friends this week. Here are pics of Lucy and Farrah, and also mummy's friend Katie who is pregnant with another new friend for me due in January. Auntie Emma has had her 20 week scan this week, and my cousin Daniel tells me that all is well with the twins. He's very excited about their arrival, as am I. It means I won't be the youngest grandchild anymore, but I don't mind. I've got a big get together with all my NCT chums and their mummies and daddies tomorrow, so I'd better get the good night's sleep to make sure I'm on top form. I've slept right through the night from 11pm to 7am the last 2 nights, so mummy is hoping that I'll just keep doing it - well I'll see how I feel. I'll be sleeping in my travel cot for the first time tonight, so I may not be very comfortable. Anyway - I'd better go , or mummy and I will be late - bye for now!