Monday, July 28, 2008

Today I'm writing about...

While thinking about this week's theme - Heartbreak... I couldn't put my finger on a time I had felt heartbroken... in the sense that first comes to mind... you know, romantically! I've never had my heart broken by someone else (luckily). When I think of it in another way... something that breaks my heart is my son crying.

Ollie is 7 weeks old now and I can honestly say I have never heard such a stress inducing and heartbreaking noise. I had heard other people's children cry before but it just never had the same effect. I guess the effect it has on me is what nature designed it to! I immediately run to him to see what the matter is, what's hurting him or upsetting him. Something clicks as soon as you hear the cry, you drop what your doing and your only goal in that moment is to help your baby feel better.

It's hard knowing sometimes what he is crying about. Either he is in pain, windy, uncomfortable, tired, bored, hungry.... there are so many reasons! Recently, as his personality is developing, he is developing different sounds to his cries. I'm beginning to understand his cry of hunger and his cry of pain. Sometimes he cries but makes no tears... this cry generally tells me he just wants a cuddle and it always does the trick.

It breaks my heart sometimes when he cries and cries and hubby and I can find no explanation to the upset. Sometimes I end up crying. It must be so frustrating from his side not being able to just tell us the problem... instead he waits for us to guess and this must break his heart because sometimes we don't guess for a long time... sometimes a whole evening!

Poor boy. It must be hard being a baby.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

A bar for babies

...no not really...but close.

Hubby and I went out today (we haven't been out much in the last number of weeks) for lunch to our favourite spot... The Market Bar.  Now as a rule most people would avoid going into a bar (or pub) with a pram... it's just not the done thing... but at The Market Bar it seems ok to do just that.  The Market Bar is a very large space and is mainly a restuarant serving tapas style food... people take their prams there so they can have a lovely lunch and a little drink and not have to worry about where to sit the pram because there is just so so much space.  Anyways... we were there today and it suddenyl occured to us that every couple or at the very least, every other couple that came in, was pushing a pram!  I've seen people take a pram into The Market Bar before, but today was like nothing else I have ever seen.  It was a little like going to a mother baby group or something rather being in one of the top bars in the area that turned into a hot place to be at night.  Strange!  It is a lovely place though... we shared a small toulouse sausage and bean stew, calamari, feta salad and fishcakes.  It is also the only bar that I have every seen that has a baby changing room!

Emma xx

Catch Up


Ollie is now weighing a healthy 10lbs and 8oz and he is definately looking a lot larger (and longer).  Sometimes I notice it most when he stretches out on his changing mat.  I definately notice a difference when I'm just holding him.  He seems to be getting slightly colicky again after it dying down for a while so we are back on the infacol and it's helping.  Ollie is due to get his jabs next week... polio, tetanus etc etc etc.... and I'm so nervous.  He had the heel prick test before and screamed the place down, also had his blood taken before and it was awful seeing him so upset.

Ollie is starting to babble at us and making sounds of annoyance and delight.  All in all he is more tuneful than ever before and it's lovely hearing him make new noises.  I think we have heard a giggle on a couple of occasions.  He is smiling occasionally... more and more every day.  Oh and I'm not sure if I mentioned but he had his 6 week check and he is just perfect.  Their only concern was his head control... he is a bit on the floppy side so we are giving him plenty of tummy time to help hims trengthen his little neck muscles!

James is due to finish work on the last Friday of August so only a few weeks to go and then he moves to the same company but in the north of Ireland.  He worked in the same place before we got relocated down here.  His current workplace are taking him for leaving drinks and I'm hoping my mum will travel down to look after Ollie so I can go too.  I haven't had a night out in what seems like forever.  The last time my mum was down (on my birthday) she offered to take Ollie into her room for the night to do the night feeds and get up when he needed.  James and I got to sleep the whole night.  It was lovely.

It's only 5 weeks now until we move into our new house and I can't wait.  I'm slowly but surely getting fed up of this shoe-box sized apartment with no bath (only a shower).  I can't wait to take baths again.  Also, our new house is right beside a lovely, big park so I hope the weather is still good when we move back!  I also can't wait to be back up north and be close to my BEST FRIEND Charlene.  I've missed her loads while I have been here in Dublin.

Sorry for the super random post... things here have been mad the last week and a bit with Ollie being upset quite a bit during the day and me not even having time to tidy the house... yup weve been living in a mess lately.

Will get back to regular posting soon... not just my 365 series :)

Hope all is well with everyone!

Emma xx

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

...

Can you believe that my little Ollie now weighs 10lbs 8 ounces...!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

I need motivation!

I am the worst person in the world at dieting and I'm even worse at exercising!  But I need to... I have a little pouch tummy at the minute that is driving me insane.... we got wii fit and everything... but I can't seem to stop eating unhealthy fast food and takeout and can't seem to do wii fit for long enough that it makes a pick of difference.

I'm not soooo sad... I think I have done pretty well for having only given birth 6 and a half weeks ago.. but I know if I put my mind to it I could have my pre-pregnancy (well not EXACTLY) figure back pretty soon!!

This little pouch is just driving me nuts!

I need inspiration and motivation and someone to tell me to just GET ON WITH IT!  Darn me, my laziness and love of unhealthy food.

Emma xx

Quiet!

I've tried a few times putting Ollie down at a sensible bedtime hour only for him to be screaming from his cot 5 minutes later.... tonight though (cross my fingers) it seems to have worked.  I put him down at 9.10 and it is now 9.40... a whole half hour and he is snoring!  I'll quietyl feed him in the dark at 11.30 and hopefully he will settle down for the night.... everyone cross fingers!  James and I are relaxing with some wine and each other's company :)

Pleeeeeeeeease stay sleeping little one!

Emma xx

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

It's my birthday!

Woohoo!  Got lovely gifts today... I got the new Kylie Minogue perfume... it's delicious... a brand new super dooper top of the range hairdryer... gift card for my fave lingerie store... a couple of tops... sparkling rose and chocolate from hubby along with some money for new clothes (i have nothing to wear post-pregnancy! hehe)... a guide to handling a baby (it's a funny book... from Ollie) oh and new pretty pyjamas... something else I don't really have any of post-pregnancy... :)

I'm spoilt!  My mum and stepdad are also down from Belfast to cook me dinner :)

Yay for birthdays!!

Emma xx

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Routine


You should seriously see the mess my house gets in these days!  Occasionally it is sparkling clean but this last about 5 minutes and then it is a mess again.  I never imagined that having a baby woul create THAT much extra laundry... when it was just James and I, we would have put the washing machine on once every 3 days... now we are using it at least once every day!  Also... our apartment is just so tiny and the amount of 'things' we have for the baby just take over and ooze out of every corner!  (Roll on the house move!).

So anyway... I have decided that enough is enough and I have revamped my daily and weekly routines to take into account that I now have a baby.  When I wrote my routine before... I was still pregnant and Ollie had not yet been born.

Here it is:

Everyday Routines:

Morning

Get up at the same time as Hubby (7am)
Make the bed (change if necessary)
Feed and change Ollie, bath and get him ready for the day
When Ollie settles, get myself washed and ready for the day
Check calendar and to do list
Wipe down the shower, sink and toilet and hang towels neatly
Sterilise bottles for the day
Put in a load of laundry to wash
Iron the previous days washed laundry
Empty the dishwasher and clear up Hubby's breakfast dishes

Evening and Night

Start dinner as soon as Hubby comes home
Clean up as I go in the kitchen and put dishwasher on
Fold laundry when it is dry to iron tomorrow morning
Make sure a shirt is ironed for Hubby
Layout everyone's clothes for tomorrow
Sterilise bottles for night and first one in the morning

Week Routine by Day:

Monday:
Clean the floors
Vacuum and dust

Tuesday:
Clean bathroom
Change towels in bathroom

Wednesday:
Change bed
Wash bedclothes
Write meal plan and grocery List

Thursday:
Vacuum and dust
Order Groceries

Friday:
Sort paperwork and bills
Straighten drawers and closets

Saturday:No housework

Sunday:No Housework

Also... I have decided to start my own Home Management Binder (Control Journal, Household Notebook... call it what you will!).  Does anyone else have one of these?  I'll post pictures when I get it started! :)

Bring on the new more organised me!!

Emma xx

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Things I didn't know before becoming a mum

Motherhood is so scary!  This is the first thing I didn't know.  I assumed there would be times when I would worry and wonder but I had no idea that it would be ALL the time.  I don't worry and wonder unhealthily though... there is just a slight, underlying feeling of always worrying that Ollie is ok and wondering if he is really happy.  I wonder constantly if he is pleased with the parents he got or if he finds us insanely annoying and wishes he were born to someone a little... cooler!

I didn't know that I would ever feel as much love for someone or that it was even POSSIBLE.  He is the first thing I think of when I open my eyes and he is my very last thought when I fall asleep.  I fall asleep wondering about what will happen in the life of our family of three and how we will all grow together and what kind of a man Ollie will be someday.

I didn't know that he would cry so much!  Having never had much experience with babies I thought they slept so much more and cried much less.  I feel so sad when he cries, especially when you know he is crying because he is having tummy pains or something similar.

Another thing that really surprised me... in becoming a mum I didn't realise that I'd fall even more in love with my husband!  He has really taken to fatherhood and is a natural.  He is so confident that I could swear he had a secret baby somewhere that he has been practicing with for years!!!  I knew our relationship would change and I had heard horror stories... I wasn't expecting it to change so so much for the better!  We appreciate each other more and make more of an effort to help one another.

Some of my favourite times of the day are when I'm feeding Ollie.  He is 5 weeks now and is learning to grasp onto things and occasionally he will grasp onto the bottle himself... and occasionally he will grab hold of my hand while I feed him.  The eye contact he gives while feeding melts my heart... he doesn't look away and he hardly blinks.

I had no idea how important I would feel.  Before I had Ollie I didn't feel that important... I was just another person... sure enough I was a great wife to James (hehe) and this made me feel important but not in the way having a child makes you feel.  He is totally reliant on me and I am responsible for his happiness and wellbeing!

I didn't know I could take so many photos of a baby and still want more more more... the proof is in my blog huh? Hehe.

Sometimes being a mum is tiring, frustrating and worrying but the good times totally outweigh these little things.  The content look on his face when he has a clean nappy on... or the sleepy grin he gives when I get him from his cot in the morning... sleeping all cuddled up in my bed after hubby has left for work... I was made to be a mummy for Ollie :)  He is my reason for being.

Emma xx

Friday, July 11, 2008

Weekend

So glad to have James home now for 2 whole days :)  I might have a lye-in tomorrow morning!!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

How's Ollie doing?

Brilliant is the short answer...
  • He now weighs 9lbs 9... nearly 10lbs!  Hard to believe that some people give birth to babies this big.  I'm really noticing a difference in his size... :)

  • He is getting strong... especially his neck.  He loves lifting his head up and looking around... especially when lying on your chest... his favourite place to be.

  • When lying on your chest he now grasps your clothing either side as if he is giving a hug (or just hanging on!)

  • Ollie is getting better at sleeping!  Last night he slept from 10.30pm until 5am this morning!

  • He is now using the bigger bottles!

  • Today I could have sworn I heard a giggle... very short... but a sound of delight nonetheless...

  • ...and he smiles loads!  They still aren't big grins... but they are definately smiles and not just the windy type.  As soon as I got him from his cot this morning and put him down in the bed beside me I got the biggest cheesiest grin from him that we have seen so far.

  • Ollie now follows us across the room (with his eyes hehe).  He definately recognises James and I and our voices.

  • He is 5 weeks today!

  • He makes little contented noises when he is happy... makes chomping noises when given his dummy... and slurpy content noises when drinking!  Sometimes he squeaks when he sleeps too.  It's adorable.
Emma xx

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

My son SO does not share my music taste!







After Ollie had been crying for what seemed like forever this morning... I put on the tv to see if music would calm him down.  I had the volume up quite a bit and was surfing the music channels... MTV, MTV Hits, MTV2, MTV Base... Ollie still crying... MTV Dance... Ollie stopped crying and looked at me in amazement.  This was the video that was on.  I am not particularly keen on club type music but Ollie was happy so on I went about my business, only to look at him a minute later to find the music had put him to sleep!

At least I know now what will work in future but seriously... how strange!

Emma xx

July is...

MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!!! o0o0o0oh!

100 things I'm grateful for...


  1. My Son Oliver.

  2. My Husband.

  3. My Mum.

  4. My Dad.

  5. My brothers.

  6. Music (and ipods!).

  7. Colours.

  8. Email.

  9. Blogs.

  10. Good surprises.

  11. Friends.

  12. Books.

  13. Ability to learn.

  14. My 5 senses!

  15. Telephone.

  16. Hot baths.

  17. Kisses.

  18. Hugs.

  19. My good health.

  20. My camera.

  21. Air.

  22. Memories.

  23. A roof over my head.

  24. Being able to be a SAHM.

  25. Dogs.

  26. Ability to think for myself.

  27. My limbs.

  28. My brain.

  29. Rain.

  30. Sun.

  31. Beaches.

  32. Airplanes.

  33. My cosy bed.

  34. Laughter.

  35. Motherhood.

  36. Being a woman.

  37. Marriage.

  38. Sex.

  39. Money.

  40. Being able to smile.

  41. Doctors.

  42. Coca Cola.

  43. Salt.

  44. Dessert.

  45. Chocolate.

  46. Fast Food.

  47. Clothes.

  48. Internet.

  49. Movies.

  50. Walking.

  51. Fruit.

  52. The colour pink.

  53. Comedy.

  54. Long meaningful conversations.

  55. Sleep.

  56. Ikea.

  57. Hair cuts.

  58. Blog comments :)

  59. Text messages.

  60. Calm quiet moments.

  61. Pesto Pasta.

  62. Prawns.

  63. Indian Food....

  64. White Zinfandel...

  65. Electricity.

  66. Pay day.

  67. The ability to entertain myself.

  68. Surviving high school.

  69. Jeans.

  70. Healthy teeth.

  71. My mum's cooking.

  72. Microwaves.

  73. Mashed potato.

  74. Summer.

  75. Freebies.

  76. Baby smiles.

  77. A good cook for a husband.

  78. Social networking sites.

  79. My mum's husband and how happy he makes her.

  80. My dad inspiring me to take photos.

  81. Flickr.

  82. Nice breezes.

  83. Flowers.

  84. Parcels in the post.

  85. The crispy skin on roast chicken...

  86. Any roast dinner.

  87. Pretty things.

  88. Having a loving family.

  89. People that care.

  90. People that listen.

  91. Birthdays.

  92. Opportunity.

  93. My hubby's job.

  94. The money we have in savings.

  95. My granny and grandad.

  96. The park near our house.

  97. My mum's support.

  98. My new Wii Fit.

  99. My crappy job where I met my hubby.

  100. Lists!

I feel grumpy...

because... it's 11.43pm... Ollie will wake for a feed in approximately 3 hours... it will take half hour to feed him and another half hour to settle him then he will sleep until approximately 6ish... I didn't sleep more than 2 hours last night... I had a nap today for just a couple of hours so I am shattered...

...so I'm super shattered and have settled Ollie, but the apartment above us is playing their tv too loud and hubby is snoring! (I need silence).

What to do? :(