Wednesday 30th January 2008

I met up with my friend Isobel yesterday - or Boo, as we all call her. Boo is 4 days younger than me. We chilled out together on my rug and 'did lunch'. We had chicken with swede and potato for main course and then apple with raisin and orange juice for pudding. Yum, yum, we did enjoy it. Granny Meikle fed me my food. Grandpa played with my for a long time after my lunch - I think he was more tired than me by the time we finished! I was supposed to see my friends Oscar and Gene today, but I've developed a nasty cold and cough, so our mummies decided it was best to keep us apart, so that I didn't infect them. Particularly as Gene has a hernia operation at the John Radcliffe tomorrow. Good luck Gene. Anyway mummy took me out to the new Argos store in Wantage (we have to support Argos, as mummy's friend Mel works in their marketing department), and bought me a door bouncer. I'd tried out my friend Nia's bouncer earlier in the week, and loved it, so mummy thought she'd better buy one for me too. It's great, I love it, and can bounce for ages...Mummy's friend Graham from bellringing came over for coffee too. I thought his beard was very funny and kept trying to touch it. I've never seen a beard before! Daddy gave me a nice bath after my bouncing exploits, before calpol and bed. I hope I feel better tomorrow, otherwise Granny Judy might have a tiring day with me.

Monday 28th January 2008

I've been spending some quality time with daddy this week. He's working hard, so we're snatching the odd special moment here and there. We have lots of fun together - he swings me up and down in the air and we do somersaults, plus he fed me my meals this weekend. On Tuesday mummy's friend Veronika came to stay all the way from Austria. I practised my German with her, and I'm getting quite good at recognising all the long words. I'll get to practise more when we visit her and her family in the Summer. Yesterday we had a great day, we went to my friend Imogen's Thanksgiving service, which is a bit like a baptism, but without the water! I had great fun playing with my NCT pals afterwards, when we all got together for a knees up - we had a whole area all to ourselves to play in. Aren't we lucky? That's a picture of me with Amelia - my buggyfit buddy - and Christopher - who's another Vodafone baby! I wore a pretty dress which was a present from Gill and Richard, some of mummy's friends from bellringing. I think I look rather smart - don't you? Today after Buggyfit I had my check up with Dr Bennett at the John Radcliffe Hospital. Mummy took me by herself as daddy is away in Brussels. Dr Bennett was very pleased with my progress. My hormone levels are all back to normal, so I won't have to have any extra treatment. My weight is excellent, I'm now 18lb 12oz, and I'm 63.2cm long. I won't have to go back to the hospital for another 6 months, which is good news. I've got a packed schedule for the rest of the week. I'm seeing my friend Isobel tomorrow, and Granny and Grandpa Meikle, so I'm looking forward to that. I think Grandpa will be disappointed that I can't play him anything on the piano yet, so I'd better get learning quick! I'll be seeing my pals Oscar and Gene on Wednesday - Oscar's been ill , so I'm hoping he'll be all better, so that I can see him. Our mummies might not let us hold hands this time, but you never know....And then Granny Judy is coming to babysit for me on Thursday, whilst mummy has to go into hospital for the day. I need be good, and not get upset about not being able to breastfeed whilst mummy is away - I can't promise, but I'll try my best.

Monday 21st January 2008

Well January has been very warm hasn't it. And very wet too. When we drove over to Harry's house on Thursday we saw lots of flooding, just like the summer when I was in hospital, and mummy and daddy had to virtually drive through rivers to visit me! Anyway, luckily it didn't stop Granny Judy coming down on Friday, and we packed up the car and went off to Centerparcs. Godmother Jenny's niece Lizzie and nephew Oli had told me how fab Centerparcs was, so I told mummy and daddy that I wanted to see for myself, so off we went. It was great fun by all accounts. I went swimming in the special baby and toddler pool. It was very shallow, so I could touch the bottom with my feet and push myself around in my rubber ring - almost like walking really! Look at me in my trendy yellow life jacket. Mummy put me in it, and then noticed it was for children over 15kg, whoops - I'm not quite that big yet, but I'm getting there. I was weighed on Friday and I'm a whopping 17lb 15oz. Just teetering on the brink of 18lb! That means a steady 6oz per week weight gain over the Christmas period - quite restrained don't you think? We also went for lots of long walks, so I had to wrap up warm in my Christmas poncho, which I got from Granny Meikle. It came in handy when we were playing Crazy Golf (won by daddy), to keep me warm and snug in my buggy. I did a clever thing while I was at Centerparcs. I finally rolled over all by myself. That's right. Mummy was getting my dinner ready last night, and when she checked on me, I was on my tummy! I didn't really know what to do then. I was sort of stuck with my arm underneath me, so I've decided not to do it again, and to try again in a few days. I know I can get my arm out from underneath me, as I've done it before, but rolling and then remembering to pull my arm out is a bit much to remember at the moment. Mummy says that I'll learn to multitask soon enough though, as that's what girls are good at.....

Thursday 17th January 2008

Hi there. I've been seeing friends and family this week. I caught up with Granny and Grandpa Meikle on Tuesday. They came down from Solihull and brought me a piano with them! That's right. They've given me their piano, so that I can learn some tunes and become the next Jules Holland! Mummy can play a little bit, enough to teach me the basics she says. I hear that Godmother Becky is a good pianist though, so maybe she'll teach me. Grandpa Meikle has a sore tonsil - get well soon Grandpa. Granny Meikle helped feed me, and Grandpa made me some yummy mango puree. Look at my red cheeks - no teeth yet, but they're trying to get through! Talking of teeth, I saw my great friends Isobel and Harry today and they both have teeth already. We all lay in a line to pose for photos, and Isobel and I wore matching denim dresses for the occasion. We three were all born in the same month, and our mummies were all in hospital together. We found out that Harry will be moving to Ireland soon with his family - lucky Harry. Isobel and I have decided that we will definitely visit him out there - maybe a girlie trip together - we'll have to ask our mummies, I don't think they'll let us travel by ourselves yet.

Friday 11th January 2008

I've developed lots of exciting new skills this week. I've really found my voice and I'm making all sorts of new noises - I'm really trying to make sure that mummy and daddy know that I'm here, and also talking a lot to all my animals and toys so they know who's boss! I've also learnt to blow raspberries - which I think is great fun! Especially when I've got food all over my face - then it goes all over mummy! Talking of food, I'm still enjoying it, and particularly enjoying smearing it all over myself and mummy. Tonight I had some avocado, which is particularly effective, being such a bright green colour. Oscar is very good at eating his food - look at him being very well behaved eating his avocado yesterday - I bet his mummy doesn't need to change her clothes every time he has a meal....I saw Oscar and my mate Gene yesterday. It was great to see them both, we played all together at Gene's house for ages, and I can't wait to see them again. I went to French music today with my friends Arthur and Matthew. We learnt lots of French songs, and I really enjoyed myself. I'll only be able to go to French nursery for a few weeks though, as I'll be starting to go to nursery every Friday from 7th March. This is to help me (and mummy) get used to it, as I'll be going full time from June. I'm looking forward to meeting new friends and learning new games - what fun. Mummy, daddy and I are going on a family outing tomorrow. Daddy's got a voucher to spend at a bike shop in Cheltenham, so we're going to go over there for a spot of lunch. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't rain too hard!

Sunday 6th January 2008

Happy New Year! It's 2008 and I'm feeling great. I'm starting to try all sorts of new things - I'm a little person with big plans, as it says on my t-shirt! Let me tell you about them. First of all I'm trying new food. Mummy and daddy have started to give me protein. That means that I'm not just having fruit and vegetables any more. Now for my lunch I have something extra like lentils or chicken, and I'll be trying fish next week. Mummy has made me some yummy recipes and there are lots of different coloured food cubes in the freezer to choose from. I've even started having dessert after my evening meal. Tonight I had yummy spinach, sweet potato, peas and leek for my tea, followed by natural yoghurt with apple puree. I'm a very lucky girl. Mummy has started giving me more mashed and lumpy food, so that I get used to new textures. I'll be 7 months old in a few days time, so I need to start branching out, eating more real food, and drinking less milk. So another new thing I'm trying is drinking out of a cup. I have been very good at drinking water out of a cup, which I've been practising since Christmas, but I need to start trying to drink milk out of a cup as well, so mummy and I will start trying that soon too. I've also got my new high chair. It's very cool, and I think I look rather grown up in it, as I can sit right up at the table with mummy and daddy. I'm not quite big enough to use it for having my food yet, but I'll be ready soon. Something I am ready to do is roll over, and I was practising my rolling technique today when I went to see Granny and Grandpa Meikle. I even rolled right over onto my tummy with only a little help holding onto their fingers. I feel very clever and I'll practise more tomorrow. I've also graduated into my bigger nappies. I'm into my size 2 cloth nappies and size 4 disposable nappies. I haven't been weighed since before Christmas, when I was 16lb 3oz, so I reckon I'll be at least 17.5lb now. We'll have to wait and see. I'll be seeing the neonatal consultant at the hospital at the end of January, so I'll have all my measurements taken then, and find out if I have to have any treatment to correct my hormone imbalance. I'm sure Dr Bennett will be very pleased with my progress when she sees me. This week I'm starting a new activity with my friend Arthur and his daddy Robin. It's French music and I'll be going on Friday with mummy to sing French songs in Oxford. I'm also seeing Oscar and Gene this week, and I'll be hosting a get together for all my NCT mates on Tuesday. Mummy and I will also be seeing mummy's friend Kate who will be having her baby in a couple of weeks time - how exciting! By the way I went to my first pantomime with cousin Daniel this week. I didn't see much of it, as it was a bit loud for me, but what I did see was very bright, colourful and exciting. I think I'll enjoy it more in a couple of years time when I'm a bit bigger. It was Auntie Emma and Uncle Philip's 10 year wedding anniversary on Thursday - so congratulations to them. Not long now until my twin cousins arrive - at the moment they are the same age as I was when I was born - but it looks like they are going to behave themselves and stay inside their mummy for a few more weeks like they are supposed to! I can't wait to meet them.

Monday 31st December 2007

Well it's New Year's Eve, and what a year it's been. Mummy says there was a time when she didn't think I'd make it through to Christmas, but here I am, and I'm fit as a fiddle. Christmas was super. I had loads of attention from everyone, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I'll give you a quick run down. On the Sunday before Christmas I saw Granny and Grandpa Meikle, plus Auntie Emma, Uncle Philip and cousin Daniel. Auntie Cath and Great Auntie Rosie also arrived from Liverpool. We had a nice lunch, played with toys and looked at the Christmas tree. On Christmas Eve I went to Church for the first time. I saw a real donkey and some lambs, and jigged along to the Christmas carols on mummy's lap. Auntie Shellie and Uncle Chris arrived in the evening, so I just had time to say hello before I went to bed to wait for Santa to arrive. And arrive he did! I had so many presents that I didn't finish opening them until late on Christmas day. A big thank you to everyone who bought me a present. I'm going to start writing my thank you letters this afternoon. Look at me riding on the car that Granny and Grandpa Meikle bought for me, and holding onto my giraffe walker from Auntie Shellie and Uncle Chris. I did a clever thing on Christmas Day, although I did cheat just a little bit...I rolled over with the help of a cushion. I can't quite do it without a cushion yet, but I'm nearly there! Mummy says she'll have to have eyes in the back of her head now. Anyway Christmas day was lovely. Mummy made a lovely lunch, helped by daddy, Chris and Cath. Aunty Shellie gave me my breakfast and Great Auntie Rosie fed me my lunch. I got lots of attention - lucky me! On Boxing Day we drove up to Birmingham to see Great Granny Jackie, and give her her presents. I gave her a book with lots of photographs of me in which she liked a lot. I saw Godmother Becky on Thursday and Godmother Jenny on Friday(that's me and her chatting in the photo), so I was more than ready for a quiet weekend with mummy and daddy. Except I'm so used to having so much attention over Christmas that I was a bit naughty and wanted mummy and daddy to play with me all the time. I've also been waking up in the night because of my teeth hurting, so they weren't very impressed with that. But it didn't stop them from hitting the sales yesterday and buying me lots of lovely new clothes from NEXT, and a Bumbo seat from Mothercare. It helps me to sit up. Don't I look cool in it. It's a lovely cheery red colour. They've also ordered me a new lightweight buggy and a lovely wooden High Chair - so I'm excited to try them both out when they arrive. So what will 2008 bring? Well 3 new cousins for a start (Congratulations Auntie Shellie and Uncle Chris!). The first 2 will come in March and then another one in July. Mummy will go back to work (eventually), and I will start going to Nursery which is exciting. I'll also go abroad for the first time when we visit our friends in Austria in May. But first things first I've got an exciting trip to a pantomime with Cousin Daniel on Thursday, and then a weekend away at Centreparcs with Granny Judy later on in January, so I'm looking forward to that. No staying up late for me tonight, I'll be getting an early night, whilst mummy goes and rings the bells for the New Year. Happy New Year to all of you who like to keep up with my exploits, and thank you for all your support in 2007. You'll just have to keep tuning in to see what I get up to in 2008!

Saturday 22nd December 2007

It's busy, busy, busy at home gearing up for my first Christmas, how exciting. Mummy and daddy are rushing around cleaning and tidying and wrapping up presents, and as for me, well I'm trying to help by smiling and giving them encouraging looks! I even went with Daddy to Waitrose to get the turkey. You can see me wrapped up snug in my buggy with my furry hat on. I've seen more of my pals this week. I met up with Nia and Ava on Thursday, and then with the boys Oscar and Gene on Friday. You can see them in the pictures, don't they look well. We've all grown so much since coming out of Special Care. In fact I got weighed on Friday, for the first time in 3 weeks, and you'll never guess what - I've put on 27oz since the last time I was weighed, which means I'm now 16lb 3oz. Mummy was very surprised, but very pleased with me. I'm making an extra special effort to eat all my food now to make sure that I keep growing big and strong. I did a very clever thing when I was at Ava's house on Thursday. Mummy sat me up and then took her hands away, and I stayed up. That's right I was sitting by myself for about 5 seconds - until I noticed mummy had let go and fell over! But I felt very pleased with myself. I've also learned to lean forward over the side of my playnest, and hold my head up. I'm seeing lots of my family tomorrow including cousin Daniel; and Auntie Cath and Great Auntie Rosie are coming to stay for Christmas. I'll see Aunties Shellie and Uncle Chris on Christmas Eve, and then Great Granny Jackie on Boxing Day. I'm even going to get to see both my godmothers over the Christmas Break. I can't wait!

Wednesday 19th December 2007

Well, only 2 days until the shortest day of the year, so mummy tells me. Mummy and I did some last minute Christmas shopping today, and then we went to visit my friend Christopher and his mummy Kirsty for lunch. We also saw Imogen and her mummy Diana. Imogen was telling me that she had her first taste of baby rice yesterday and that it was yummy. Christopher was jealous and said he wanted some too, so I think his mummy is going to oblige. As for me, I had some banana yoghurt for breakfast - a new thing, I've never had yoghurt before, and then some yummy carrot, cauliflower and sweet potato for lunch. For tea it was baby rice with a bit of apple and peach. My friend Isobel has had some cottage pie, so I'm looking forward to when I can have some too. I've been grabbing and holding things today. Look at me holding one of the rings that Granny Judy bought me, plus a fishy from one of my cloth books. I've had some lovely presents sent to me today from mummy's friends in Austria. Mummy says I've got to say 'Gruss Gott' to them all and 'frohe Weihnachten'. Karin sent me a beautiful teddy (I'm going to call him Heinz) and some socks, and Veronika sent me a book of nursery rhymes with CDs, so mummy and I can listen to them in the car, learn the words and practise our German. I also got a Christmas card from Alyssa and Aaron. Mummy and daddy missed their parents' wedding in the Summer because of my early arrival, but I'm hopefully going to meet them next year, when we go and pay them a visit in Austria. How exciting. I'll need to get my passport sorted out quick smart!

Tuesday 18th December 2007

I've been a busy bee since I last updated my diary. So much has been going on since I got back from my holidays. On Wednesday I travelled all the way up to Birmingham to see my friend Poppy. I gave her back all the 0-3 month clothes she had lent to me, and she gave me all her 3-6 month clothes to borrow. Isn't she nice? She also lent me a bouncy chair, which makes chirping bird noises, which I like to listen to. I've grown out of my bean bag really, so the bouncy chair is a nice replacement. On Thursday I caught up with my mate Isobel and her mummy Jayne. I met a new friend called Thomas and his mummy Sharon, and then I met up with my mates Alex and Christopher to do pottery. On Friday mummy and I were feeling like we needed to get fit after our holiday, so we went to Buggyfit again with Ava, Imogen and Alex, and then I spent the afternoon with Ava. We played on my gym and went shopping. I had a special weekend with granny Judy. She came down to give me my Christmas presents and babysit me whilst mummy and daddy went out. I'm afraid I didn't behave very well and woke up a lot because of my teeth, but granny didn't mind, it meant she got to cuddle me more! She bought me loads of fabulous presents including a new playnest that I can sit up in, a Christmas bib and some trendy hats. Yesterday mummy and I went to Buggyfit again to work off a few calories prior to Christmas. Daddy was away in Brussels on a business trip, but I behaved myself for mummy and slept through until 7am. That's much better than Sunday night when I woke up at 2am and at 5am. I think the extra milk and calpol definitely did the trick! I missed daddy a lot. Bathtime just isn't the same without him. I'm looking forward to seeing him when he comes home later. Today I had Christmas lunch with my NCT pals. I slept through most of it like a good girl, so mummy was very pleased with me. I've tried some more yummy new things today. I had blueberry and canteloupe melon for breakfast, but mummy thinks I'm allergic to blueberry as I was a bit out of sorts this afternoon after I ate it - and the same thing happened when we were on holiday. I've also tried broccoli and leek which I like too. All this solid food means that my reflux has got a lot better, so I'm not taking any of my reflux medication anymore which is good news. I'm seeing the consultant again at the end of January, so we had to send off a urine sample to the hospital yesterday in preparation. Mummy sat with me on my change mat for half an hour waiting for me to do a wee! I love being on my mat kicking about, so I strung it out as long as possible. I'm looking forward to Christmas. Auntie Cath and Great Auntie Rosie, plus Uncle Chris and Auntie Shellie are coming to stay. And I'll be seeing cousin Daniel, Auntie Emma, Uncle Philip and Granny and Grandpa Meikle on Sunday. But before that I'm seeing my man Oscar and my mate Gene. I'm having lunch with them on Friday and I can't wait.