William's First Year

Miracles do happen – William is actually asleep. Upstairs. In his cot. At lunchtime. Amazing.

Off to Sussex for the weekend starting tomorrow, it’ll be the first time we’ve gone away with Will and I’ve already written a list as long as my arm of all the stuff we need to take. We’re going to look like The Beverly Hillbillies setting off down the M25 at this rate.

Today has been a worry all round and I feel absolutely drained and ready to crawl into bed with this week’s Heat.

Will went to see the Health Visitor – his ezcma is awful, it’s not getting any better, in fact it’s actually worse. The skin in all his little creases is red raw and although we continue to slather him with the ointment she prescribed 3 weeks ago, it doesn’t seem to be doing anything to help. Even Hy seems to be at a loss now, so tomorrow we have to go and see Dr Endersby to find out if he can help.

To add to my worries, he’s put on very little weight in the last 3 weeks, only 5 1/2 ozs. He’s feeding fine so I can’t understand what’s happening. Hy says that most babies go through a stage where their weight doesn’t increase, I know Debs had the same with Taylor, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. I’ll see what the Dr says tomorrow, and book us in for another appointment next week, if he’s still not gaining then I just don’t know what we do. I am so loathe to use formula! Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

Finally, we had to go for Will’s second set of jabs, it’s absolutely heartbreaking to have to hold him – I couldn’t look, just held him close and the tears rolled down my cheeks while poor little Will cried his eyes out. I know it’s for his own good, but I feel so cruel. Fortunately the aftermath wasn’t as bad as last time, he only had one little syringe of Calpol and is now fast asleep and peaceful.

What a wonderful weekend! Sausage sandwiches and cider at the pub on Saturday where we sat in the beer garden in the sunshine. Then a classic Sunday lunch chez Norgate where Will was absolute angel (either that or in total shock at the proceedings – his eyes were out on stalks for the duration).

Today has been absolutely beautiful, the sun shone, the daffs are out and finally it feels as though Spring is in the air. Eddie, Will and I have pootled round town and then went to the pub for a pint and a sausage sandwich which we had in the garden while I crossed another milestone and fed Will.

I just wish I could get William to sleep more, he can’t have had more than 1 hour today split into half hours slots of snoozing. I know I obsess about his sleep, but it took him over half an hour to finally go to sleep tonight and I’m sure it’s because he’s overtired.

Tomorrow, lunch at the Norgaterie – excellent, I can pass Will round and have a bit of a break 🙂

There has not been one night since we brought William home from hospital that I haven’t woken up in the night convinced he is in the bed with us.

For no good reason other than I couldn’t get my act together today. Plus, to add insult to injury I’ve realised I’ve sent half our christening invitations out without stamps….Loitered by the post box for half an hour hoping to nobble the Postie, but failed miserably and had to go home to feed Will. Oh Dear.

The good news is that my son has totally got his act together. He’s got a new swingy chair which has dancing lights, things to grab at, music and all sorts of excitements going on. Alas, in my uselessness I failed to get any batteries, but we managed with manual swinging, no lights and some Michael Jackson on the stereo instead. Class!

Will is reaching out for everything now (when he decides to take his hands out of his mouth), and he talks all the time. He’s such a good boy. We are very lucky.

Lowly overcame the horror that is Tokyo – London jetlag to come and see Will yesterday for the first time. I can’t believe it’s been 3 months since he was born. Time flies when you’re having fun! He’s been on cracking form this morning, cooing at all and sundry and watching Harriet and Laura fling toys left right and centre. Is currently fast asleep in his pram, fingers stuffed firmly in gob as per usual.

Next stop – Emma and the NCT girls for tea, biccies and gossip!

Huzzah! It’s FRIDAY! You may wonder why I’m so excited when all I do is stay at home all day anyway, but being Will’s Mother is so much harder than any job I’ve ever had. The relief I feel on a Friday comes from knowing Eddie is going to be home for a whole two days to help me out. It makes a huge difference.

Today’s been fun, we’ve looked at another nursery (absolutely hated it), and met Sam and Lisa for lunch at Camps. William was fast asleep when I got there and I felt like a true, smug Yummy with my new ‘Richard and Judy’ book and a perfect baby….Until one of the waitresses dropped a full tray of crockery right by our table. I could see William thinking about whether to scream or not – the lips thinned, the brow furrowed, silence continued and then the opportunity to bellow was just too tempting to miss.

In Will’s defence, despite being awake, he was still a model baby and lovely company. Chilling out on my knee while I knocked back a large latte and tuna melt.

He’s in the process of discovering his hands, is now reaching out for everything and his grip is like iron once he gets hold of your fingers. Alas he still refuses to look to the left when he’s lying flat, so usually ends up with me and all his toys on one side, frantically cooing/jingling/squeaking while he gazes off into the distance wondering where everyone’s gone.

It’s been a pretty horrid day all round. The weather is lousy, gray, cold and miserable. I’ve decided to start a diet and am now starving, and William has been fractious all day after refusing to sleep unless in the car.

This morning we went to see a nursery for him for when I go back to work. I can’t believe I’m looking into this already, but they get booked up so fast and I’d hate to fall in love with one and then find out he couldn’t go. At the end of the day we don’t have a choice, so it’s a question of making sure that we find a lovely place with nice people where he’ll be happy.

Will’s been in a funny mood all day, very restless and clingy. He absolutely would not sleep at all over lunch and I had to leave him just to have some lunch, returning to find him absolutely livid. In the end I gave up and brought him down and he instantly cheered up – as long as I was paying him attention! He’s so interested in everything now, today he even grabbed a little dangly thing off one of his toys and brought it up to his face to look at. He’s talking nineteen to the dozen (did I really just type that?) as well.

Neck control is still a work in progress, but he’s definitely trying, and we’re holding him upright much more often to help things along so hopefully it’ll improve over the next few weeks.

In the meantime, he’s still squeaking upstairs, but it’s not too serious. He is full, clean, winded and absolutely exhausted. It’s just a question of when he’s prepared to give up the fight.

…come a cropper when Daylight Saving kicks in and William has to go to bed an hour early.

Squeaks are coming from upstairs as he’s suddenly figured out he’s nowhere near exhausted enough to be in bed (still fighting sleep the entire time), but I’m a tough old bird and he’s going to have to stay put and try to settle himself. Such a pain when we’d just got bedtime on an even keel – now I feel like we have to start all over again.

Clocks going forward aside, we’ve had a terrific weekend and William’s been (mostly) angelic. Janie and Ian came over for lunch yesterday, we went the long way up to the pub beforehand to get William to sleep and managed to park the car so close to the window that we could sit inside and keep an eye on him while we had our drinks!

Oh dear…the squeaks are escalating 😦