EV is drooling

Drool everywhere. Streams of it. Not milky or sicky - just saliva. She gets it on her legs and socks and everything. I wish these damned teeth would hurry up and come out!

EV is coming round to tummy time

EV can lift her head and trun it to the side, whilst lying on her tummy. She can also lift most of her upper body up on her elbows and (briefly) hands. She seems to be much happier now on her front than she was and has even dozed off lying on her front quite happily a couple of times. She quite often finds herself lying face down now, as she reaches out for toys a little out of reach and topples over towards them.

EV is sitting unaided

I found out today that EV can sit for a few seconds, completely unsupported. (As long as there aren't any toys that look too tempting next to her, as she is bound to reach for them and topple over.) EV can sitt up steadily for ages with only a little support, like a hand either side of her waist or two fingers to grab onto and steady herself.

It is great now that EV can sit quite steadily, she has much more opportunity to explore objects and play with toys. She looks really grown up when she's sitting up - especially since she finally fits into her M&S 3-6 month jeans.

EV is saying bye-bye

We have all had a lovely Christmas, with Grandma and Grandad making a welcome return from the States and EV got to meet her Uncle for the first time. I'm sure EV will miss all of the attention and cuddles now everyone is off home. xx

EV is surrounded by a swarm of insects

Insects have come out top this Christmas, beating jungle animals hands down.

EV received 4 insect themed toys, including her new favourite, a new breed of bee-ladybird hybrid with spots and stripes and crinkly wings. This species appears to be related to butterflies also, as it has a small singing butterfly attached at the navel via what appears to be an orange fuzzy umbilical cord. Odd but oddly mesmerising for 4 month old babies.

Bees appear to be top of the insect-toy pops. All 4 of the insect related toys involved bees in some respect, whilst butterflies and caterpillars were also popular.

Jungle animals were severely relegated, with EV receiving only one lion themed item and absolutely no giraffes or elephants. Meanwhile, auquatic animals were well represented in a bath toy set (walrus included) and the tundra dwelling reindeer made a suprise appearance, with dingly, dangly, jingly feet.

EV is chewing Everything

Toys have finally made it into her mouth but bibs and muslins are much easier. She has even had a go at sucking/cheming my cheeks when I hold her up!

EV is too sleepy for Christmas

EV got up as normal, around 7.30 this morning. She joined us in the kitchen whilst we studiously pre-heated the oven, stuffed the turkey and made the stock. Then it was present time!

No. It wasn't to be. EV was sucking her thumb and stroking her hair. So we out her back in bed and waited patiently for her before we opened the presents.

Christmas day must be quite a tiring time because EV also wanted to go for a nap about 10 minutes before the family arrived, so she wasn't around to greet them. And again by the end of the Turkey dinner (we all needed a little rest before pudding as it happens!)

The sleepy little lady had a lovely day in between naps though, and I thought it better to indulge her in plenty of sleep than have a grumpy, clingy baby on our hands during dinner.

EV is getting a highchair for Christmas

Shhh, don't tell her yet, you'll spoil the surprise!

It's a practical gift, yes. She isn't going to be eating for a few more weeks yet but I'm so excited that my parents have offered to buy EV a high chair for christmas because it means she will get to sit at the table with us all for Chrismas dinner. She really loves to be at the table now, joining in and seeing everyone eating.

I've been out for 2 Christmas (pub) dinners with her and it takes forever to eat with her sat on my knee, plus I have to cut up all my food, like you would for a small child, before I start, beacause I can't cut and support EV at the same time!

It was quite baffling shopping for a High Chair - there's such a huge range of features and designs. From wooden ones which look like step ladders, to eggs on legs which grow into child and teen desk chairs, to chairs which jigsaw out and into a mini chair and table not to mention the whole range of booster seats and harnesses that fit to an existing dining chair. We opted for what Mr. D calls a space rocket chair in the end. It's plastic, has lots of levers and buttons and looks very high tech. The tag in the shop, describing the chairs key features, was roughly the size of a side of A4! (and it has a nice spotty pattern too.)

I'm very thankful to my mum and dad (oops, I mean, Father Christmas) for getting it for us - it would have taken me about a year to make up my mind if I'd been on my own (by which time there would have been at least 6 now high chair varients invented, no doubt).

EV is pass the parcel

Ah, Christmas. So many relatives to see, so little time. EV is already well on the way to more than her fair share of Christmas hugs. Not that I'd begrudge her any, of course. I do wonder if it sometimes gets a little bewildering for her though, when everyone wants a hold, a chat, a photo, a smile...

EV is mixing and matching sounds

EV is putting together little conversations now, combining all her funny little sounds to babble along with us. Raspberries, squeeks, oohs and aahs are all being used to great affect to create "sentences," complete with little pauses and intonation. EV loves chatting to anyone who pays her attention and seems to prefer novel conversationalists - she gets bored with just me by the end of the day!

EV is a little pudding

As a rule, I don't agree with dressing one's baby up for amusement or as a cute accessory. But it is Christmas!

Despite the fact that EV's dad and I have so far not had to buy her a single item of clothing, due to very geneous and lovely family and friends, we couldn't resist buying her a little Christmas Pudding outfit, complete with bottom padding, for over Christmas. She wears it with her biggests, fluffiest terry nappies and it has embroidery saying "little pudding" in gold. And a hat, white for the sauce, with holly and berries on top. It is very cute (if a little on the large side).

EV is keeping me up all night!

I am so tired.

I feel as though I may have written this post before! EV was really sleepy yesterday. It was really hard to keep her awake but I thought nothing of it because we've both had colds. But then, last night she was up at 11.25pm, 1.10am, 3.05am, 4.30am and 6.50am (I convinced her to go back to bed for another nap until 9.30am as I was exhausted).

I thought those days were supposed to be behind me by now. I have been so tired and grumpy all day. We went to the supermarket and I was eying up the formula and the baby rice but the range on offer baffled me slightly! Thankfully, I had a bit of moral support from EVs dad and we are battling on, at least until the New Year, before weaning.

Actually, I think a lot of the waking up last night was due to EV wanting to catch up on the playing and socialising she missed whilst napping yesterday, rather than actually being hungry. So, despite having zero patience and a irritating headache all day today, I was determined not to let EV nap more than a bare minimum, in the hope she will be sleepier tonight. I certainly will!

EV is turning pages

I love reading to EV and I have quite a few books for her, as well as a long wish list of books for her too!

Just at the moment, EV is starting to get really interested in her board books* She can hold the pages of these to turn them and her face as the page reaches 90 degrees and she sees the picture change from one page to the next is magical!


*(she has The Very Hugry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, Dear Zoo, by Rod Campbell and, her favourite, That's Not my Lion - from Usborne books)

EV is keeping her chin up

Everything seems to click together at once for a baby. Technically, I could have made this post yesterday, or the day before, because that's when I first noticed. But then that wouldn't be very in keeping with the post-a-day nature of the blog, would it? And besides, I was far too excited by the toe grabbing incident yesterday to write about anything else.

EV can hold her head and most of her body upright, supporting her own weight, when she is sat up or being carried upright. She can also (I noticed on Tuesday) now lift her head and shoulders clear of the floor for a few seconds when lying on her tummy. This is in spite of the fact that I fail, most days, to give EV her recommended daily dose of "tummy time."

This is not because I am a bad mother. It is because she hates it. And cries, a lot. And anyway, the fact she can now lift her head an shoulders up, despite the lack of practice, proves that she is doing just fine without it.

EV is finding her feet

with her hands, that is! Wow! Whilst I was changing her nappy last night, EV, with her legs in the air, grabbed onto her toes and held them!!

I am far too excited by this!! This is what I have become.

EV is throwing her voice

Quite a talent this. Not only is EV a master impressionist, but she can also throw her voice to make it sound like it's coming from outside the room!

Unfortunately, she only has this talent whilst she is asleep.

When EV is particularly snuffly (she has a cold at the moment) she engages in a little night time heavy breathing. For some reason, this sounds a lot like someone is banging a drum downstairs in our house. EV's dad asked me several nights running whether I could hear a drum and I had no idea what he was talking about and laughed at him for mistaking EV's breathing for percussion. But then, one night, he went downstairs to get a drink and when he came back I asked him what on Earth he had been doing. It sounded as though he had been stood banging a wooden spoon on the kitchen work surface!

Last night, EV's talent developed further as we both lay in bed at 11.30pm wondering why on Earth we could hear birdsong outside the window in the pitch black in December. After a few moments listening, it dawned on us that this birdsong didn't sound quite right. Only then did we realise it was another ventriloquism trick by a rather blocked up and wheezy EV!

EV is trying to put her toys in her mouth

Trying and failing, that is. At the moment, EV has the desire to put everything in her mouth. Unfortunately, she hasn't yet learnt to separate "something in her hand" from "hand itself."

Therefore, everytime she tries to put a toy in her mouth, she just ends up putting her fist or fingers into her mouth and dropping her toy in the process. Very frustrating! I'm sure she will very quickly master this trick, unless she has inherited my spacial awareness, that is.

EV is practising her vowels

Ahh-aay-eee-uh-ooooh...

Aahhhhh-aay-eee-uh-oooh....

Ahh-aay-eee-uh-ooooooh...

Ahh-aay-eee-uh--uh--uh-ooh....

We had to listen to this for 10 minutes at 4 o'clock this morning from a wide awake EV who was singing to herself for what seemed like an age! Mr. D was very impressed by her proximity to "a,e,i,o,u." Personally, I would have been much more impressed if she chose to practice this endearing little ditty at a more sociable hour.

EV is bigger than yesterday

EV seems to have grown a lot over the last week. I took her to get weighed about 2 weeks ago and she had only put on 9oz in 3 weeks and her 3-6 months clothes still drowned her.

Now, suddenly, all her 3-6 month clothes fit perfectly (apart from the M&S ones - they're huge), which is a good job as she has more clothes this size than she'll be able to wear!

She's also back to feeding 2 or 3 times in the night, oh no! And everytime her dad picks her up, he swears she's heavier than before. I'm having to watch my back getting her in and out of the car seat now too.

EV is sleeping in a big bed

When EV first came home from the hospital, we laughed about how ridiculously huge her cot bed had seemed. We had chosen a cot bed since it seemed the most economical option, lasting her until she is about 5. However, seeing the newborn EV, she could have fitted in it sideways. In fact we could have lined up 7 little EVs side-by-side down the length of the cot, like the seven dwarves sleeping side by side!

And now, alas, EV is finally too big to sleep in her moses basket. (We stretched it out to the bitter end, so that we could take it on holiday last week!) She spent her first night in the big cot last night, tucked up at the bottom "feet-to-foot." She looked quite lost, still reaching less than half the way up the cot, but she had a good nights sleep. (Which, by the way, involves waking up at 3 for a feed again - we haven't been able to replicate those 2 fantastic feed free nights!)

EV is at school

I took EV into work today, to see the nativity play. She watched everything wide eyed and didn't make so much as a peep throughout the whole thing! She obviously enjoyed it as much as I did.

The rewards for being such a delightfully behaved, and gorgeous, and wide eyed, and alert, and cute, and chatty, and sweet smelling baby were lots and lots of compliments and cuddles from all my collegues. We had a lovely day, it was after 2pm when I finally tore EV away from her adoring fans... I do hope all the compliments don't make her too vain!

EV is throwing her weight around

EV only needs a little support when sitting up now. Either fingers to grab hold of to steady herself or hands or cushions around the bottom of her back are enough to keep her upright.

Just in the last couple of days though, she has started lunging forward whilst sitting or throwing her head and upper body backwards, arching her back. Her new found gymnastic skills have resulted in a couple of topples over, onto soft cushions I hasten to add. Generally, EV will push all the weight in her upper body forward, so she is almost bent double, touching her toes. She then gets very frustrated as she always hates being face down and she hasn't quite got the strength to right herself again!

EV is laughing

Definitely a laugh. I wasn't sure if she might have laughed a little bit a few days ago but today was a clear giggle!!

EV's gurgly chortle was achieved by singing her "The Grand old Duke of York," complete with actions (lifting her arms up and down to match the respective position of the Duke's Army).

Needless to say, I repeated this little activity endlessley all evening!

EV is Gordon Ramsey in the making

EV loves food. She might not be ready to try any of it for a few weeks yet but, boy is she interested!

She likes to watch me and Mr. D cooking. She prefers to do this from the vantage point of being carried around at shoulder height. Unfortunately, there are some things one just cant' do with a baby in hand: pouring a kettle, tossing a pancake, flambeeing??

She also loves to watch us eating. At her Nana's, EV usually joins us at the table, where she sits on my knee and watches us eating dinner. I also enjoy teasing her by showing her what is on my fork and letting her smell it before I eat it! Luckily she is not yet interested enough to try to eat it/grab it off my fork.

Today, she has also demonstated a new interest in my Good Houskeeping cook book! We sat her on the sofa with it open to some bright pictures and she stared at them for ages. Eventually, she gave a little whimper that quickly subsided when I turned over the page for her!

EV is smelly

I don't normally like to get up on my soap box but sometimes, things get so smelly, something has to be said.

I am talking of course about nappies. Usually, EV wears very nice, reusable cloth nappies ( my fave's, if you're interested are Baby Beehinds and Fuzzy Buns) but, since we are away on holiday, I bought a pack of disposables to save on washing.

Well, I will name no names, but I am not too impressed by said top-selling-brand nappy. In addition to the mothercare emergency tights buying incident on the drive down, I have noticed that disposable nappies seem to have something added to them to make them smell! All day, I kept on thinking EV had pooed as she smelt funny, only to find her nappy clean and virtually dry. I'm sure they add a chemical to soak up the wee that smells when it does so, maybe to make sure you remember to change your baby's nappy? Maybe, rather cynically, to make you change it more often than you need to and buy more?

I don't know the answer, but when we get home, EV's sweet smelling bottom will be back in fleece-bamboo terry-PUL. Where it belongs!

EV is Christmas Shopping

We popped into Bath today to see the Christmas market and do some Christmas shopping and it was absolutely heaving! We had to put our name down on a list to wait an hour to get a table to wait 45 minutes to get food in a pub. But enough about adult concerns, how on Earth was EV going to get her dinner??



Well, I shall share with you the secrets of my top 5 places to take a baby when shopping:

In first Place - John Lewis, if available. The one in Liverpool has a whole complex of "Family Rooms" from a family toilet (side by side little and large toilets and sinks) to a changing station and even a breastfeeding room with magazines.

In second place - Mothercare. bottle warming facilities and the added advantage of being able to buy clean vests and tights in dire poo situations (oh yes, we did that one on the drive down yesterday)

In third - Baby Gap/Gap Kids. This was definitrly Bath's winner. As few parents "try on" baby clothes before buying them, this was the only store in Bath without a queue for the changing rooms and, since it's a baby store, they are almost obliged to let you use their comfortable and empty changing cubicles for a quick feed.

In fouth - M&S. The queues here for the adult toilets were practically out the door and around the block but having a baby to change meant you could push to the front of the queue waiting to use the child size toilet (a queue of self fully grown, child free adults, that was) to use the changing facilities and nip to the loo whilst you're there.

...And if all else fails. The oddest place I have nipped in to feed EV is the Vodka bar, Revolution. Dim lighting, booths, virtually deserted during the day (and vodka on tap, if you're that way inclined....) perfect for discreet feeding. Please don't call me a bad mother!

EV is off on holiday

EV is off on her first holiday over the weekend but do not worry, I am keeping up the blogging (all be it in the old-fashioned off-line manner we once called a journal) and will publish it online on our return.

EV is suffering the after effects of mum's vegetable biriyani

The less said about that, the better.

EV is sleeping like a baby

An odd saying that, since most babies I know wake every few hours through the night and many won't tolerate naps unless they're being cuddled or wake the second they are moved or put down.

EV, on the other hand has finally come true to the traditional definition and has gone through the night without feeding for ten hours for the last two nights! I thought I'd better not gloat yesterday, as we've had the odd fluke before. But two nights running, surely that's worth a mini celebration?

For the past few nights, I have started to suspect that EV is after a night time cuddle rather than a feed. The fact that she immediately stops moaning and gives me a big grin when i appear over her basket was giving her away. That and the fact that she would stop in the middle of the feed to suck her thumb and I literally had to remove it to get her to eat something (not the sign of a hungry baby)!

So for the last two nights, when she has awoken, I have gone to her said, "EV it's bedtime now, so you need to go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning," and planted her with a big kiss on the head. Sure enough, after enduring a few minutes grumbling and squarking (the sort of thing it's much easier to ignore during the day!), she drifted back off to sleep. Yay!

Unfortunately, the price I've had to pay is that I'm still woken at three in the morning, by my rather sore boobs!

EV is addicted to mum

...and no-one else is quite good enough. Oh dear.



Went out to get some teething gel and left EV with my mum-in-law, only for about 15 mins. EV had a good old cry while I was gone. Could be the teething, I thought. She soon calmed down when I returned and she was more than happy to play with Nana whilst I was there. However, for the rest of the afternoon, whenever I left the room she would start up again. Mum-in-law would carry her to where I was, wailing still, and pass her to me: Instant silence!



Just to rub it in, EV then sat on my knee smiling contentedly at her Nana. "Hah, look, I'm over here with my mum, she's better than you!"



Not that mum-in-law took it personally! And I'm rather pleased to know that my presence is appreciated. But it could become rather tying...

EV is visiting Father Christmas

I'm not sure what she made of the old guy but she rather enjoyed the sparkly flashing lights in the grotto.

Don't ask me what possessed me to queue for 15 minutes with a baby who moaned most of the way around the queue and then fell asleep just as we were going in! I went on a group outing, organised by our local Children's Centre. There was a buffet for the toddlers and one for the adults, a forrest walk and finally the grotto.

The high point was definitely the hot chocolate with marshmallows, yum. The low point was probably realising that the mini-bus I had parked next to was filling up with teenage boys, whilst I was feeding EV in the car! I even got a wave from one of them! Thank goodness for layering and heavy knitwear.

Still, I'm feeling quite festive now and I can't wait to see what EV makes of the twinkly lights and shiny things on our own Christmas tree.