The thing about mothering a toddler is that they go from this precious little being completely reliant on you for all things, to this precious little being who wants nothing to do with you, thankyouverymuch, unless there is food to be eaten, or a back to climb on.
Madness says "busy busy bear". Or something that sounds like that. Big M and I are puzzled as to what it could actually mean, as he says it often in all contexts. It's dead cute, though. And English! YAY! With a little bit of an accent.
Maybe it's Madness' way of saying "Mummy, you are a busy, busy bear. You just had to go and join a gym, and you're learning Spanish until June, and you're getting your licence and having to have lessons. You work. You're in the middle of decluttering our house to get it spick and span forever, and when are you going to find time for me? Busy, busy bear."
Poor little neglected bunny. He's all right, really. We have lovely afternoons of doing something outside the house, so that's fun (and necessary, as a Banshee has come and replaced my son with itself, and screams the house down if I don't go out RIGHT THIS MINUTE!). I do try to make Mad-shee ask nicely, but its hard when it's pretending to be a 17-month old. Humans are so volatile at that age!
Apart from me being a busy, busy bear, there is not a lot to report. Madness is going to become quite the artiste and as soon as I can breathe again and cut down on my extracurricular activities, I will teach him all kinds of fun things.
Not that I can draw. I'm pretty much only capable of teaching him clever things like swear words, which is less fun when you're the mother, and not the cousin/aunty/babysitter.
Fun tip: Hand your Madness to a complete stranger on the street, mid-tantrum, and scream "It's your turn!"
Serious tip: Don't give in! You're the Mummy, that's why!
April 27, 2008
April 7, 2008
Baby nap times... or lack thereof
Madness had a 45-minute nap today. Forty-five minutes. As opposed to 2-2 1/2 hours! So this afternoon was fun. He was fine as long as I was doing exactly what he wanted me to do... like letting him throw his lunch on the floor.
Despite me telling him no twice.
Madness went to his bedroom for the first time today. Aww, my baby's growing up! Good times at Casa Madness! I counted to 45 before letting him out again. Tough love, baby. Tough love.
Today, I also discovered two fantastic resources for Madness Mums everywhere. One, Saving Mum, is Australian, but can be adapted to any country. You can always Google names of things you don't recognise to find out the translation. Sure bet is if you live in a western country, there aren't many things in Australia that you don't have in your country. It's generally just called something else.
Also, and the one I'm maybe even more excited about is FlyLady.net. Oh my! So very Organised and Efficient. If you feel overwhelmed, rundown and a little out of control because you're living in clutter and don't know where to start fixing it, then this site might just be what you're looking for. I've put both links in my resources, on the right-hand side of this blog.
After the short nap and the crazy overreactions, I was more than grateful when Dimples's Mum called to say that we could meet this afternoon, after all.
Big M was also grand when he got home, sweeping the kitchen and the soil that had mysteriously fallen out of the plant pot (I wrote power plant just then, so is my day!) onto the lounge room floor.
Fun tip: Let your Madness do whatever they want. Actual parenting is tiring, and a pain in the butt.
Serious tip: Count on the people around you, seek help from them, let someone know you're struggling. If you pretend you're efficient and coping, they won't know to offer help, so you have to ask them to, instead. Do it. Even if it means asking for an afternoon of You Time.
Despite me telling him no twice.
Madness went to his bedroom for the first time today. Aww, my baby's growing up! Good times at Casa Madness! I counted to 45 before letting him out again. Tough love, baby. Tough love.
Today, I also discovered two fantastic resources for Madness Mums everywhere. One, Saving Mum, is Australian, but can be adapted to any country. You can always Google names of things you don't recognise to find out the translation. Sure bet is if you live in a western country, there aren't many things in Australia that you don't have in your country. It's generally just called something else.
Also, and the one I'm maybe even more excited about is FlyLady.net. Oh my! So very Organised and Efficient. If you feel overwhelmed, rundown and a little out of control because you're living in clutter and don't know where to start fixing it, then this site might just be what you're looking for. I've put both links in my resources, on the right-hand side of this blog.
After the short nap and the crazy overreactions, I was more than grateful when Dimples's Mum called to say that we could meet this afternoon, after all.
Big M was also grand when he got home, sweeping the kitchen and the soil that had mysteriously fallen out of the plant pot (I wrote power plant just then, so is my day!) onto the lounge room floor.
Fun tip: Let your Madness do whatever they want. Actual parenting is tiring, and a pain in the butt.
Serious tip: Count on the people around you, seek help from them, let someone know you're struggling. If you pretend you're efficient and coping, they won't know to offer help, so you have to ask them to, instead. Do it. Even if it means asking for an afternoon of You Time.
April 6, 2008
Advanced baby milestones!
I was just reading the milestones on babycentre.de (the German version of the UK/US site) and found out that Madness is advanced. I am one of those mothers who says her child's intelligent, I openly admit it. I do temper it, though, with saying I have to wait till he's a little bit older before I can really be sure.
Heh. That's why I check the milestones on Babycentre... suuuuure. (Well, really, it's because I don't want to clean, proofread, work on my novel or nap, but that is not the point here!). Anyway, all the three things in the "advanced" column of the 17-month babies Madness can do. He's been brushing his teeth for months (after we do, obviously) and has been dancing to music for months. He's been kicking a ball for months. He's not yet 17 months old. Again, heh.
Anyway, if I keep thinking like this, I'm going to convince myself that Madness is a genius and enrol him into University for his second birthday. So, time for a topic change.
Travelling on my own was challenging. Once I actually got to England, and home, everything was fine, but wowzer. Carrying my hand luggage, our coats, my laptop and my baby through an airport was quite the adventure.
I'm pleased to say that when I had to drop something, it was the luggage and the coats that copped it, rather than the baby. He walked everywhere but where I wanted him to walk, making me glad we had 50 billion hours to catch our connecting flight.
The 50 billion hours we had on the way back weren't as adventurous. In England, I got a wrist holder thing, kinda like a friendly, child-safe set of handcuffs. Okay, okay, I'll say it: I put my kid on a leash.
Turns out he didn't need it, because right on our gate was a child's play area. Pretty funky thing to have in an airport, actually. Only there was nowhere for the Mummys to sit down. Woe.
We met a two-year-old there that was a whole head shorter than Madness.
Also, whilst in England, not a day went by without the word "Papa" being mentioned at least a dozen times, making me feel horribly, horribly guilty for separating them for the week. Well, not really, but I did feel a bit bad.
Then I ate some Cadbury chocolate and knew the trip had been worth it.
Fun Tip: If you're travelling alone, make sure your carry on luggage is big enough to fit your baby in it. Kinda like Paris Hilton and her silly little accessory she tries to pass off as a dog. Only bigger and more whingey.
Serious Tip: If you're travelling alone, make sure your carry on luggage is big enough to fit your baby in it.
Heh. That's why I check the milestones on Babycentre... suuuuure. (Well, really, it's because I don't want to clean, proofread, work on my novel or nap, but that is not the point here!). Anyway, all the three things in the "advanced" column of the 17-month babies Madness can do. He's been brushing his teeth for months (after we do, obviously) and has been dancing to music for months. He's been kicking a ball for months. He's not yet 17 months old. Again, heh.
Anyway, if I keep thinking like this, I'm going to convince myself that Madness is a genius and enrol him into University for his second birthday. So, time for a topic change.
Travelling on my own was challenging. Once I actually got to England, and home, everything was fine, but wowzer. Carrying my hand luggage, our coats, my laptop and my baby through an airport was quite the adventure.
I'm pleased to say that when I had to drop something, it was the luggage and the coats that copped it, rather than the baby. He walked everywhere but where I wanted him to walk, making me glad we had 50 billion hours to catch our connecting flight.
The 50 billion hours we had on the way back weren't as adventurous. In England, I got a wrist holder thing, kinda like a friendly, child-safe set of handcuffs. Okay, okay, I'll say it: I put my kid on a leash.
Turns out he didn't need it, because right on our gate was a child's play area. Pretty funky thing to have in an airport, actually. Only there was nowhere for the Mummys to sit down. Woe.
We met a two-year-old there that was a whole head shorter than Madness.
Also, whilst in England, not a day went by without the word "Papa" being mentioned at least a dozen times, making me feel horribly, horribly guilty for separating them for the week. Well, not really, but I did feel a bit bad.
Then I ate some Cadbury chocolate and knew the trip had been worth it.
Fun Tip: If you're travelling alone, make sure your carry on luggage is big enough to fit your baby in it. Kinda like Paris Hilton and her silly little accessory she tries to pass off as a dog. Only bigger and more whingey.
Serious Tip: If you're travelling alone, make sure your carry on luggage is big enough to fit your baby in it.
March 11, 2008
Monumentous occasion!
No tips today, but I would like to share the news that Madness said his first purely English phrase/word yesterday.
"See ya!"
I hope this does not say anything about my mothering, that those are the first English words out of his mouth!
I can see it now:
"When will you be home?"
"See ya!"
"What would you like for dinner?"
"See ya!" Madness runs off to eat at a friend's house.
"Where are you going?"
"See ya!"
Save me from the insanity of clearly picturing my child as a teenager when he's not even two.
"See ya!"
I hope this does not say anything about my mothering, that those are the first English words out of his mouth!
I can see it now:
"When will you be home?"
"See ya!"
"What would you like for dinner?"
"See ya!" Madness runs off to eat at a friend's house.
"Where are you going?"
"See ya!"
Save me from the insanity of clearly picturing my child as a teenager when he's not even two.
March 9, 2008
More jet planes!
Madness and I are off to England straight after Easter. Eek, thankfully it's only a one hour flight, but wowzer, I'm not sure I'm ready for flying on my own!
All is well in the land where Madness reigns. The tantrums have started in earnest now and they are thankfully shortlived. They are also thankfully thus far contained to our humble abode, and have not yet occurred in the supermarket or other such public gatherings.
Now that I've said that, though, I think we'll stay in this week!
This age is amazing. I thought when Madness was a newborn that "wow, he does a lot" but looking back, he really just lay about and looked around a lot, soaking it all in. Some days, when it's 3pm and I haven't had time to brush my hair, I miss the old days.
I wouldn't trade this new and exciting time for the world, though. Madness lets out a pleased "hi!" when one of us walks in the room, he says the German word "doch" so clearly that his mouth becomes quite funny-looking, and we have whole conversations now that usually end in me saying "I'm not sure" and Madness shrugging. Of course, I don't understand what he says, generally they go like this:
"Stpuf, dobistu difitu doch"
"Oooh, really?"
"Dobistudidu doch Mama ststst doch Mama"
"Oh, well, hmmm. I'm not sure".
*Madness shrugs and goes about his merry business*
Also, the other day I asked him what his book said. He promptly answered: "Woof woof".
It's the cutest thing, and we do that ALL day. Also, we have started letting him watch some television. Namely, the Wiggles, which are an Australian boy band for pre-schoolers and toddlers. I love them, but we're still strict about how much he watches (really, there's no need for children this age to watch television, I don't think).
He also sings and dances.
And is really stubborn.
And cute.
And likes to cook and clean, so I'm training him well for his future partner.
And my days are grand. I hope yours are, too.
Fun tip: Throw preventative tantrums yourself in the supermarket. Show that little madness monster exactly how embarrassing it is! Scream as loud as you can, and make sure you knock a few things off the shelves when you get to the fun part of throwing yourself on the floor and flailing about.
Serious tip: Read a lot of books with your baby. They can understand words and it will help them more than anything to build up their vocabulary. It's all right if they want to grab the book and turn the pages themselves, you can talk about the pictures without having to actually read the story.
All is well in the land where Madness reigns. The tantrums have started in earnest now and they are thankfully shortlived. They are also thankfully thus far contained to our humble abode, and have not yet occurred in the supermarket or other such public gatherings.
Now that I've said that, though, I think we'll stay in this week!
This age is amazing. I thought when Madness was a newborn that "wow, he does a lot" but looking back, he really just lay about and looked around a lot, soaking it all in. Some days, when it's 3pm and I haven't had time to brush my hair, I miss the old days.
I wouldn't trade this new and exciting time for the world, though. Madness lets out a pleased "hi!" when one of us walks in the room, he says the German word "doch" so clearly that his mouth becomes quite funny-looking, and we have whole conversations now that usually end in me saying "I'm not sure" and Madness shrugging. Of course, I don't understand what he says, generally they go like this:
"Stpuf, dobistu difitu doch"
"Oooh, really?"
"Dobistudidu doch Mama ststst doch Mama"
"Oh, well, hmmm. I'm not sure".
*Madness shrugs and goes about his merry business*
Also, the other day I asked him what his book said. He promptly answered: "Woof woof".
It's the cutest thing, and we do that ALL day. Also, we have started letting him watch some television. Namely, the Wiggles, which are an Australian boy band for pre-schoolers and toddlers. I love them, but we're still strict about how much he watches (really, there's no need for children this age to watch television, I don't think).
He also sings and dances.
And is really stubborn.
And cute.
And likes to cook and clean, so I'm training him well for his future partner.
And my days are grand. I hope yours are, too.
Fun tip: Throw preventative tantrums yourself in the supermarket. Show that little madness monster exactly how embarrassing it is! Scream as loud as you can, and make sure you knock a few things off the shelves when you get to the fun part of throwing yourself on the floor and flailing about.
Serious tip: Read a lot of books with your baby. They can understand words and it will help them more than anything to build up their vocabulary. It's all right if they want to grab the book and turn the pages themselves, you can talk about the pictures without having to actually read the story.
February 18, 2008
Ministry of Monotony
The older your child gets, the less time you have to mess around on your computer. Sucks for me, because my job is online, and half my friends are online friends (yeah, I’m glad that doesn’t make me as sad as it would have ten years ago, too) and I have less time to update my various Internet projects.
That was a convoluted way of apologising for the lack of regular updates.
Madness has hit the 15-month mark and sprung two more molars. The poor guy’s pretty much not going to get a break from that till he’s 2 and all his teeth are through! It makes for pleasant afternoons, when I have to make the choice between gum gel at four and then probably about 2am, or at bed time and then not again till the next morning. This sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it?
It would be if I didn’t apply the gel at 11am, and hence can’t for a couple of hours. Ah, fun times!
The other day, as I was coming home from playgroup, I pondered a bit on the monotony of motherhood. That sounds like some psychological condition, written out like that.
“Don’t worry about Mrs. Madness, she’s in the clinic, getting treatment for MoM”
“For the Minister of Magic?”
Insert blank look of non-Harry Potter fan. “Whatever, she’ll be back with us soon.”
HP fan continues to look confused.
Sorry. Tangent. Anyway, I was pondering this, about how utterly tiring some days can be because of the simple routine-ness of it all. Vicious pondering, indeed, but necessary. See, sure motherhood can be monotonous. These little beings need routine and predictability like adults need oxygen. However, all jobs become monotonous after a time. This happens perhaps more quickly in motherhood because it’s a job we do 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for pretty much the rest of our lives, obviously with varying degrees of intensity.
Take heart! Do not despair! My ponderings brought me to one conclusion. Nothing, nothing, can fill a worker with more joy, or sheer fulfillment, than the delighted laugh of your baby as you lift them up over your head and spin them round like a mad thing (not adviseable for newborns, obviously).
No job, either, allowes you to truly feel successful and excited by the accomplishments of others. The first smile, the first roll, the first tentative grip towards a favourite toy. All of those things fill us with indescribable feelings that no other job can offer.
We just don’t care about other jobs like we care about mothering our maddness (maddnii?). Makes the occasional boring day that much more tolerable, doesn’t it?
Fun tip: Actively enjoy your toddler loving your partner more than you. Why sit around moping and feeling jealous when you can go and have a quick soak in the tub?
Serious tip: A toddler is almost always motivated by the attention he gets from his parents. This is a hard time, because he is acting out, in a way, and wanting to be set boundaries. You read that correctly. If Madness goes a bit crazy emotionally, I rub him on the back and reassure him that it’s all right. I wait him out. It's not always easy, I'm not a patient being. But it's so so necessary.
If he uses those emotions to say, hit a child in the face (something that has happened to him, rather than him doing it to someone else), I would not rouse on him or yell or ask him what he was thinking. I would simply say a firm no, remove him from the situation, and pay attention to his "victim". This is nicer, less stressful on everyone and it actively teaches him that hitting children not only doesn't get him any attention, it gets another child LOTS of Mummy attention. If the crazy behaviour persisted, I would take him outside and let him cry it out. Standing watch over him, obviously. I’ve found this, in my observations of other mothers, to be the most effective way of dealing with what is potentially a very awkward situation.
January 26, 2008
I'm leeeeaving on a jet plane...
So, I am officially a world-travelled Mum. Madness did well on the way to Australia, and from driveway to driveway it was a whopping 38 hours. Wow, go little boy. We had a 7-hour layover in Seoul, and ended up napping in some chairs.
I did learn some things. If you’re going on a long trip, say longer than two hours, take enough to eat and drink, but also order baby food on your flight. Depending on what they give you (Madness got some jarred fruit and yoghurt, and sometimes cold pureed green beans… ew), you can stow some of it away for snack times.
TAKE LOTS OF TOYS. (This isn't a header for the next section, it's just really important).
This will increase your handluggage amount. It will probably mean sacrificing the final Harry Potter book you were going to read on the plane. However, once you’re there and your baby will start to get bored, you will not care that you had to unpack and scatter Fisher Price Little People all over airport security, while running for your flight because you know you should be boarding first, and they’ve already started calling people.
If you feel comfortable enough with it, let people touch and play with your baby. We flew Korean Air (which apart from mashed cold green beans is highly recommended) and they loved, loved, loved Madness. Of course, his nature helped – he didn’t cry once – but the attendants would come and visit and play, meaning we could shut our eyes for 10 minutes or so before they had to go again.
By the end of the flight, he was in the kitchen, messing with their cupboards.
Once we landed in Australia, things went a little awry. We had a morning landing, so we had to make Madness stay up in the middle of the night, his time. He had no problem falling asleep at the end of the day, but he did wake up at 5:30am for the first week, which ended up being a real downer on our holiday. Cause man, we were tired.
Having my family take the load off was brilliant, too. My in-laws, thank goodness, are wonderful people, but it’s completely different with your own family, your own flesh and blood, that lets you relax more around your family in terms of your child.
It was a marvellous holiday.
In less travel wary news, madness sprouted six – that’s right, six! – molars while we were away. Four are through so far and I am not looking forward to the other two. Also, I bought him a pair of shoes yesterday. Sniff My baby boy is all growing up.
Which also means he’s started to Know What He Wants and How To Get It. I’m sorry, sweety, but yelling at me is going to get you precisely nowhere. Luckily, for all the whingey cries etc, Madness is still a very sweet-natured person. It just makes everything that much easier.
I do cuddle him when I don’t let him touch the oven and stove dials, though. Poor thing doesn’t understand that burns are bad!
It’s good to be blogging again. I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and that 2008 is healthy and fun.
Fun tip: The ear plugs you bought for your in-laws late last year? Keep them for when your child starts Knowing What They Want. And you have to tell them 'no'
Serious tip: Stay as relaxed as you can when travelling. Do breathing exercises if you have to. If you stay relaxed, chances are your baby will, too.
I did learn some things. If you’re going on a long trip, say longer than two hours, take enough to eat and drink, but also order baby food on your flight. Depending on what they give you (Madness got some jarred fruit and yoghurt, and sometimes cold pureed green beans… ew), you can stow some of it away for snack times.
TAKE LOTS OF TOYS. (This isn't a header for the next section, it's just really important).
This will increase your handluggage amount. It will probably mean sacrificing the final Harry Potter book you were going to read on the plane. However, once you’re there and your baby will start to get bored, you will not care that you had to unpack and scatter Fisher Price Little People all over airport security, while running for your flight because you know you should be boarding first, and they’ve already started calling people.
If you feel comfortable enough with it, let people touch and play with your baby. We flew Korean Air (which apart from mashed cold green beans is highly recommended) and they loved, loved, loved Madness. Of course, his nature helped – he didn’t cry once – but the attendants would come and visit and play, meaning we could shut our eyes for 10 minutes or so before they had to go again.
By the end of the flight, he was in the kitchen, messing with their cupboards.
Once we landed in Australia, things went a little awry. We had a morning landing, so we had to make Madness stay up in the middle of the night, his time. He had no problem falling asleep at the end of the day, but he did wake up at 5:30am for the first week, which ended up being a real downer on our holiday. Cause man, we were tired.
Having my family take the load off was brilliant, too. My in-laws, thank goodness, are wonderful people, but it’s completely different with your own family, your own flesh and blood, that lets you relax more around your family in terms of your child.
It was a marvellous holiday.
In less travel wary news, madness sprouted six – that’s right, six! – molars while we were away. Four are through so far and I am not looking forward to the other two. Also, I bought him a pair of shoes yesterday. Sniff My baby boy is all growing up.
Which also means he’s started to Know What He Wants and How To Get It. I’m sorry, sweety, but yelling at me is going to get you precisely nowhere. Luckily, for all the whingey cries etc, Madness is still a very sweet-natured person. It just makes everything that much easier.
I do cuddle him when I don’t let him touch the oven and stove dials, though. Poor thing doesn’t understand that burns are bad!
It’s good to be blogging again. I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and New Year, and that 2008 is healthy and fun.
Fun tip: The ear plugs you bought for your in-laws late last year? Keep them for when your child starts Knowing What They Want. And you have to tell them 'no'
Serious tip: Stay as relaxed as you can when travelling. Do breathing exercises if you have to. If you stay relaxed, chances are your baby will, too.
December 6, 2007
Welcome to this crazy wonderful world, little Bendy!
I would like to take time out of my own madness to welcome my best friend's little boy Bendy into the world.
I love you already, baby.
I love you already, baby.
December 2, 2007
Another week over
Wow, did this week fly. Madness and I traded grumpy moods and illnesses. He was reacting to his vaccinations (reaction generally happens within the first ten days) and I think I was just being a narky cow. Too many late nights this week with too many projects happening at once.
Hello, Headache City. Population: One narky cow.
However, all is better now. Right in time for the weekend. Madness and I took a trek into the city on Friday to have a look at the Christmas market and meet up with Dimples and her mum. It was a glorious rainy, grey and windy day. Perfect for outdoor shopping in a crowded city! Everyone's so pleasant on days like that. Especially Madness.
Madness said his first word outside Mama and Papa. He said "heiss" which is the German word for hot. He said it while touching the heater. I was on the toilet at the time, and he was sitting at my feet (honestly, I can't even widdle in private!) and still I grinned with joy. Lucky I didn't jump up and down like I wanted to. Ew. We're raising him bilingually, and I think it's funny he said German first, where it's me who speaks English with him.
Also, he is walking more than he's crawling so I'm going to look into getting him his first pair of shoes next week.
Shoes and words, and here I am in denial and thinking gee, remember last week when I was still pregnant? The circle of life goes on.
Only, I think mine's more like a hexagon. An asymmetrical one.
Fun tip: Those plastic rain cover things only work when you unfold them so your baby and pram/stroller are in a plastic bubble. If you pull it back to get on the bus, or go inside a cafe, and you don't pull it back over the pram when you leave and it's raining outside, Baby will get wet. Just sayin'.
Serious tip: You don't need to buy shoes for your baby until they're truly walking more than they're crawling. And when you do buy hard-souled shoes for your baby, make sure you can fold them almost in half before you purchase them. They need a lot of give in them for those little baby foot muscles to develop properly.
Hello, Headache City. Population: One narky cow.
However, all is better now. Right in time for the weekend. Madness and I took a trek into the city on Friday to have a look at the Christmas market and meet up with Dimples and her mum. It was a glorious rainy, grey and windy day. Perfect for outdoor shopping in a crowded city! Everyone's so pleasant on days like that. Especially Madness.
Madness said his first word outside Mama and Papa. He said "heiss" which is the German word for hot. He said it while touching the heater. I was on the toilet at the time, and he was sitting at my feet (honestly, I can't even widdle in private!) and still I grinned with joy. Lucky I didn't jump up and down like I wanted to. Ew. We're raising him bilingually, and I think it's funny he said German first, where it's me who speaks English with him.
Also, he is walking more than he's crawling so I'm going to look into getting him his first pair of shoes next week.
Shoes and words, and here I am in denial and thinking gee, remember last week when I was still pregnant? The circle of life goes on.
Only, I think mine's more like a hexagon. An asymmetrical one.
Fun tip: Those plastic rain cover things only work when you unfold them so your baby and pram/stroller are in a plastic bubble. If you pull it back to get on the bus, or go inside a cafe, and you don't pull it back over the pram when you leave and it's raining outside, Baby will get wet. Just sayin'.
Serious tip: You don't need to buy shoes for your baby until they're truly walking more than they're crawling. And when you do buy hard-souled shoes for your baby, make sure you can fold them almost in half before you purchase them. They need a lot of give in them for those little baby foot muscles to develop properly.
November 24, 2007
Checkups and walking and... and... and...
Madness had his one year check up this week. I always come out of the doctor's feeling like a wonderful mother. Like my mothering skills are reflected in Madness' ability to walk stable-like on his podgey little legs, or the fact that he can hear. It's a very strange phenomenen in that these things have absolutely nothing to do with me.
He is, by his very nature, a happy, funny little boy so I can't even really take the credit for that either. Big M and I are both clowns, so even that's in his blood. I am not a vain girl by nature, but when it comes to Madness, and being his mother, yeah, it's all about me!
His vital signs are spectacular. He's growing like a weed. His height is well above the 97 per centile curve, meaning he'll be taller than both his parents when he starts school, aged 6. But his weight is right in line with his height, so he's not chubby apart from the normal babyness.
Alas, the doctor gave us a saline solution to clear up his blocked nose, so we've been pumping an ocean of that up there. He seems to quite like it, judging by the lip smacking that goes on.
My ear hurts today. According to one of the guys at work, I keep getting sick because of playgroup, but if I just wait it out, I will soon have an immune system strong enough to kill small mammals in the backyard. This sounds delightful, apart from the fact that we don't have a backyard and I would have to kill the squirrels and birds on our balcony (my, that made me sound like Disney's Cinderella) that come to visit.
Fun tip: Go to as many playgroups as possible, to build up that immune system of steel. Then, go out into the backyard for some target practice.
Serious tip: If you are bone-deep tired, grumpy, really irritable, crying irrationally, getting uncontrollably emotional, and your baby is more than 8 weeks old, you may have Post-Natal Depression (as opposed to the "baby blues" which is a stupid term, if you ask me). There is nothing wrong with recognising the signs and seeking help for this very serious condition. It does not make you weak, or a bad mother, if you suffer from PND. And your post-natal health care professional can help you.
He is, by his very nature, a happy, funny little boy so I can't even really take the credit for that either. Big M and I are both clowns, so even that's in his blood. I am not a vain girl by nature, but when it comes to Madness, and being his mother, yeah, it's all about me!
His vital signs are spectacular. He's growing like a weed. His height is well above the 97 per centile curve, meaning he'll be taller than both his parents when he starts school, aged 6. But his weight is right in line with his height, so he's not chubby apart from the normal babyness.
Alas, the doctor gave us a saline solution to clear up his blocked nose, so we've been pumping an ocean of that up there. He seems to quite like it, judging by the lip smacking that goes on.
My ear hurts today. According to one of the guys at work, I keep getting sick because of playgroup, but if I just wait it out, I will soon have an immune system strong enough to kill small mammals in the backyard. This sounds delightful, apart from the fact that we don't have a backyard and I would have to kill the squirrels and birds on our balcony (my, that made me sound like Disney's Cinderella) that come to visit.
Fun tip: Go to as many playgroups as possible, to build up that immune system of steel. Then, go out into the backyard for some target practice.
Serious tip: If you are bone-deep tired, grumpy, really irritable, crying irrationally, getting uncontrollably emotional, and your baby is more than 8 weeks old, you may have Post-Natal Depression (as opposed to the "baby blues" which is a stupid term, if you ask me). There is nothing wrong with recognising the signs and seeking help for this very serious condition. It does not make you weak, or a bad mother, if you suffer from PND. And your post-natal health care professional can help you.
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