The baby files

It seems as though this blog is coming to the end of its natural life, so I think it is time to say thank you and goodbye.

I've really enjoyed writing about Jack's first year and my experiences as a new mum, and I hope he will enjoy reading it once he is older.

I will be carrying on with a private (password protected) blog, which is really for family and friends to check out what Jack is up to...if they are still interested!

Please send me a message if you would like the link and the password.

Toodle-oo! We're off to explore the world...

You know it's coming. You have to make a decision. Time is running out...QUICK! Just choose...and stick with it! Don't worry if everyone else does it differently...

Yes. It's the age-old question keeping parents awake at night...When singing "Old MacDonald has a Farm", do you baaaaarrgggggghhhhhh like a sheep (with real-life throat gurgling baa sounds), or just sing the word "baa" sweetly? Do you actually snort through your nose like a pig or daintily trill "oink"? And if you introduce a dog, does it "woof" or "eeuuurrrrrrrruuufffff?"

And while we're on the subject, what does an elephant do? "Pa-woooo" or "Stomp stomp stomp"? And a camel? A spider?

And how about a giraffe? Those long neck freaks. Do they even make a noise?

I am so very grateful that I am able to stay at home with Jack for the time being.

Grateful to my husband, who continues to work and support our little family, and grateful to my employer, who has allowed me to take up to two years of maternity leave.

I won't pretend that the last year of being a full time mum, looking after Jack, without any family nearby, has always been easy. There were some very difficult moments (often documented on this blog), and many times I longed to drop him off at childcare and go back to work, wearing heels and a vomit-free dress.

We still have many challenging times - tantrums are just around the corner, disturbed nights continue, long hours of wondering what to do with him next, and often moments of sheer enervating boredom and futility strike as I load the washing machine/wipe the highchair/pick up toys/change a nappy/put on a bib for the gadzillionth time.

It's becoming clear that Jack is quite an energetic little chap. I realise that active curiosity is normal toddler stuff, but Jack seems to be one of the particularly high-energy ones, when I compare his behaviour to others his age.

At playdates recently, he's been extremely noisy, active and excitable, getting up close to the other children, wanting to touch them and talk at them, grabbing their toys and quite often causing upsets. He doesn't know his own strength or volume and doesn't quite understand gentle yet, so there are often hairy moments.

He doesn't like to sit still for very long, meaning that even reading his favourite books has to be short and sweet before he wriggles away to examine something else.  We went to Story Time at the library today, and there, amongst all of the little children sitting patiently on their parents' laps, Jack ran amok. I am that parent, wearily following their errant toddler around, whispering urgently "Please be gentle.. what's that you've found? No, don't eat it...or throw it...Let's listen to the story" etc etc etc.

On the one hand I love his energy and curiosity. Every day is full of new, unimaginable worlds of delight for him and watching his discoveries and his happiness fills me with joy.