Co-sleeping - I can't stop!

Last night we thought we would try the gentle progression of Little Man (LM) sleeping in his own cot in his own room - GULP!

At the moment LM sleeps in our room in our bed, so its quite a change.

With LM out for the count, full of breast milk, I carried him into his room and carefully placed him in the cot. Went back to my bedroom and immediately checked him on the video monitor. Looking forward to my first night sleeping without LM, I got comfortable to go to sleep (after checking the monitor again). I closed my eyes, heard a noise and checked the monitor again (LM was fine). Pulled the covers up to get warm after checking the monitor again.

It was at this point I felt a pang of "I miss my baby". What a ridiculous situation! Our house is not the biggest of houses and LM and his room is but a few steps away, but I felt lost without him near me. Trying to ignore these feelings I turned to get some sleep (after checking the monitor) and at this point LM woke up.

Me and Hubby (H) watched as he grumbled and rolled onto his front, sat and then grabbed onto the bars crying and complaining. I sat up to go and get him, H laughed and called me a soft touch.

I walked into the bedroom and there was LM in his sleeping bag, standing up in his cot holding onto the bars (that's quite an achievement I don't think I could have done that!). Bringing him back into the bedroom and our bed he soon settled down and both of us slept like the proverbial baby.

So rather than LM not being able to sleep unless co-sleeping maybe its me with the problem! We will try again tonight - if I can handle it!

Places to go and things to see

I have been a bit quiet on the blogging front as Little Man (LM) and Hubby (H) have been enjoying quality time off.

We have been out and about visiting places and enjoying the fact that H is not at work and can spend the whole day with us.

We have been to the zoo - where me and H made ridiculous gestures to try and get LM to look at the animals as he happily stared at other people / the fence in front of us / anything but the actual animal.

We have been to various museums - where LM enjoyed the interactive displays where you can touch different textures, creatures, stones. He was also able to properly look and focus on the animals we pointed out (due to the fact they were stuffed and not moving).

We have been to a huge house with massive formal gardens - where LM enjoyed looking at everything and everyone and was intrigued by the full force of nature in his face (it was quite windy - not that he cared).

Its been so lovely just mooching about places. Everything is so exciting to LM as he has not experienced lots of these situations before. But fair play to him - he embraces everything and seems to thoroughly enjoy it.

Where do you enjoy going to with your little ones?

Free range baby

It seems weird to me how quickly babies grow up. I know that's what they are meant to do - but until you have your own you don't realise how quickly babies change.

Little Man (LM) is now free range in the front room - using his own special type of crawling (looks like a combination of the worm break-dance and him dragging himself) to get about. He gets quicker at it everyday and takes great pleasure in going where he wants to go - normally to try and retrieve a dog toy before I step in and spoil the fun!

Earlier this week me and LM were in a room where he was the eldest, by several months. All the other babies were between 2-3 months and they looked tiny and helpless next to my strapping 8 month old. Admittedly he is tall for his age, but even so he was doing much more than these babies who were either sleeping, feeding or staring into space. LM was bouncing, standing, crawling, shouting, smiling, laughing chewing and generally being his normal happy interactive self.

I mentioned to Hubby (H) when I got home how I preferred LM's age to the 2-3 month olds, as LM is far more responsive and fun to be with. I wonder if I will always feel this as he gets older - preferring his current age to his previous age as he can do more and more, and more of his wonderful personality is coming through?

A, B, C, D....…

Little Man (LM) has a toy mobile phone. He's not fooled, he completely knows its not the real deal and will drop it in a heartbeat if he can grab either mine or my Hubby's phone.

This morning lying next to me he is enjoying holding down one particular button on his toy phone and I have been subjected to the joyful rendition of the Alphabet Song on a constant loop. He doesn't seem that bothered by the constant repeating, whereas I am developing a nervous twitch in my eye!

He has a number of other electrical toys which he plays with, including a very cheerful dog, which appears to be possessed..... I kid you not, this pup goes off by itself and at indeterminate periods of the day. Be it a simple "ruff ruff" noise or the more sinister "hug me!" this dog gives me the willies by trying to initiate play. Once again LM is unmoved by the dogs attempts to interact where as it has me reaching for the battery compartment.

I should be thankful this toy hasn't woken me up at night........yet!

Happy mumma at Wagamama

Me, Hubby (H) and Little Man (LM) were out and about shopping today.

We decided to pop into Wagamama for a late lunch / early dinner, as always the staff were friendly and helpful - but today they went that extra mile.

Whilst we perused the menu the lady looking after our table asked whether we would like a small amount of noodles (free of charge) for the LM. This was such a great call as LM was a bit peckish and was demonstrating this by trying to eat the paper placemats!

The free noodles came and LM took great pleasure in eating / drapping / dropping noodles and generally embracing them.

LM spent the rest of our time at the restaurant smiling and laughing at our waitress. It made for a very pleasant and relaxed dining experience.

Top marks to Wagamamas in Milton Keynes :)