First meal and first steps....

Quickly whilst I remember, LL had his first 'proper' meal yesterday. I dusted off the baby recipe book and made him one of BB (and BFS's) favourites - Lovely Lentils! All from scratch (including veggie stock) It didn't go down that well, but with some coaxing I got him to eat a full portion.

Oh and he had his first toast too, which he curiously munched on happily.

Today I made him Chicken with sweet potato and apple. His first meat. However that was one of his meals he refused today (how annoying!) He did have a couple of mouthfuls but that was it. I have a mini stock of each 'meal' frozen in cubes in the freezer - now what to make tomorrow?

He also took his first 'baby steps'

For a while he's been enjoying standing up and can get his balance pretty well holding onto just one finger, or with both hands but his feet up until now have been firmly cemented to the ground. Yesterday however he picked up his little chubby foot and took a step, then he picked up the other one and took another. Well done son! he even performed his new trick for Daddy too (who was painting his nursery at the time!)

Actually how long do you technically call it a nursery for? By the time he's into his room, I think it would probably just be his bedroom? Ach I'll call it the nursery anyway!

THUMBS!!!!! .........(are for babies and girls!)

THUMBS!!!!!!!!

This is what gets shouted regularly to BB from Daddy, as he is trying to discourage him from sucking on his left one. (It's been a regular addition to his mouth since 4 1/2 months!)

Now that BB's teeth are in to try and stop him getting a full on goofy look we're trying to stop him using his thumb as a comforter (I can empathise with him as I sucked mine right into late teens! - obviously not whilst out on dates or in public though!) As a little coaxing aid Daddy took BB to the toy shop yesterday to pick out a nice new green tractor (with a scoop Mummy!) and plough (it's blue Mummy!) to match to play with for being such a clever big boy and not sucking his thumb. It was explained to him that if he refused to keep his thumb out these nice shiny new toys would be confiscated. Deal.

BB came practically skipping back from his trip with Daddy and couldn't wait to show me his new additions to his tractor collection. (Oh and whilst they were there daddy used his pennies from work to buy new batteries for his police car too!) Boy did he have fun playing with them all evening, and come today they took pride of place bringing up the rear of his car line up!

Daddy's been teaching him a new Mantra too - I overheard just before bedtime story BB repeating after him 'Thumbs are for......babies and girls!'

problem is.... I think he likes babies - and girls!

Bottle update!

FINALLY we have some success. Due mainly to the perseverance of BFS, LL has taken a bottle this evening on his own terms.

Evening number two consisted of BFS taking LL upstairs to bed armed with said bottle (this time of formula - as I was wasting no more breastmilk!). He tried every which way to get the bottle in and keep it there, but all that resulted was LL falling asleep! He gave in and put him down to bed - knowing there would be an early morning call to kurb the hunger. It came at 1:30am. I pulled the covers over my head so LL wouldn't see me. BFS got up and after an initial struggle LL caved and took the milk. Yay!

I tried to give LL a bottle the following lunchtime and after another fight and lots of whimpering (during which I just kept the bottle in front of him) he gave in and actually dived for the bottle full force. I suggested BFS use the same approach at bedtime.
He did at first try my softly softly approach to which LL played up, so he went for his more 'straighforward' approach of laying him back and shoving the bottle in!!! After the taste was given, LL gulped it down - all 7ozs. Woohoo......

Today he was only given the boob, but didn't want his breakfast (I think he's not a big fan of banana as once I'd made more weetabix without it he ate it all - at lunchtime) He refused his tea, so come bedtime he must have been starving. I'm not sure if it was because of this or not, but I was carrying him whilst making his bottle one handed and as soon as I had the teat screwed on he grabbed it and shoved it into his mouth! I hadn't even had the chance to mix the formula into the water......so I took him straight up and fed him it and put him down.

Breakthrough or what? He should be ready for Grandma come next weekend (I hope)

So much for that.....his brains are from his Mum!

Hmmmmm, well the bedtime with Daddy didn't happen. I'd been listening on the monitor to a very distressed LL who was obviously rejecting the bottle vehemently, when BFS came back down and suggested I have a try as he obviously wasn't going to take it from him. I tried - very hard - but to no avail.

The only thing which finally settled a most upset little boy was - yup you've guessed it - starts with B and ends in oob!

I tried him with the bottle today in the afternoon - but my timing was cack. Just as he was getting curious about it the whole family turned up and chaos followed. It was distraction city, so once again he got a pint of the usual. Ooh - I didn't mention that I cracked the seal on the formula for that bottle today. There was no way I was wasting good expressed milk for that! Once I know he'll take it, he'll get the rest of the frozen supply!

It's now 12 days until we go away for the weekend. I hope that's enough time to get him loving the bottle.........(good luck Mum!)

Bedtime with Daddy....

For the first time since he was born I'm not putting LL to bed tonight!

We have to get him used to the bottle before I (we) go away for the weekend, as my mum will be having the boys. He has maybe had 4 bottles since he was born! Dad was going to give one of his daytime ones but we've been busy through the day for the past couple, so I've decided that he will get his bedtime feed replaced tonight.

(I think I'm hoping he fills himself up and doesn't wake for food over night - 2 sodding hours he screamed for last night - and shut up every time he was picked up!)

We'll see how Daddy gets on - he's just about to head up.

Fingers crossed........

Forward shuffle.

Once again too busy to stop (I promise I'll get caught up soon and get some pics too!)

The sleep through hasn't quite stayed - he made it to 6am the following morning, but it was a feed at 3am the next one, and sheer stubborness on my part avoided a feed until 6am the following - but that's not to say he wasn't up and crying (lots!) then cream central again last night - I finally caved at 5am.

I think there may be teeth coming as his cry is quite distressed. I need to get the dentinox in! (note to self - add to shopping list)

He is going down at 7ish though so we have a bit more of the evening to ourselves which is nice.

Anyways - the shuffle, LL has now discovered if he digs his feet into the ground and lifts his bum up he can now move in a forward motion as well as a sideways one (from rolling) I'm not sure if crawling will be far off. He also loves to stand on his feet - only holding on with one hand (he has his balance completely stable) but hasn't made any motions yet towards moving his feet.

Ach he's growing up so fast!

Woohoo!!!! Sleep through......

No time to stop, but this one needed noted. LL Went down at 7:15 last night, and I woke to him stirring at 7am! He did have a grumble about midnightish, but nothing to get up for.

I'm not excited enough to believe it'll happen again tonight, but I thought I'd record his first 'official' sleep through.

Smiley happy me.

Playing with pics..(Venture stylee)

LL was sat on our sofa - but the joys of photoshop!!!

Whoever thought..... that one with so little hair, could have such impressive bedhead?

Note the puffed up eyes!

Sometimes peace comes at a price....

There lies my poor little soldier. On the floor.

He crawled there earlier as he was lacking energy and fell asleep where he lay (the addition of the blanket and TW came later as I realised he'd nodded off).

As I mentioned in my previous blog BB has been fickle with his food. He started picking even less and 3 days ago had a dose of the runs (which if you don't mind me saying were very pale - anaemic looking!) Then that evening I heard him crying in bed, I went up, opened the door and was hit with that oh so lovely overpowering smell of vomit. Great!

I stripped his bed, and he seemed fine so he went back down no problem. When I went in in the morning the smell still lingered, and his jammies were covered. I'm not sure if I missed them or if he'd been sick again through the night.

Then came the breakfast puke. I didn't witness it as I was feeding LL, but one minute he'd said he was finished - then next he was crying. He'd filled his bowl back up with the contents of his stomach - along with his clothes, the table, his chair and the floor! Not surprisingly he didn'y have much of an appetite all day (I managed to get him to eat a bit of a banana sandwich and drink some 'pink' juice (strawberry) and 1/2 a yogurt) then at dinner time he didn't want anything, but I gave him some toast and he nibbled his way through some of it (which I thought might settle his tummy somewhat). He only pee'd once all day - at 3:30pm (after prompting) so I knew he was dehydrated.

All seemed to be good until bedtime. He'd only drunk a couple of mouthfuls of his milk, but I didn't want to force him - so it was up in my arms for his 'kiss, cuddle, rub-a-noses'.........

That was when I had a (hopefully) once in a lifetime experience which I never want to repeat!

We didn't make it past the cuddle - as when he was all cuddled into me he let rip a projectile vomit with the most amazing force directly into my ear canal (yes you heard me right), all over my face,hair - and into the hood of the sweater I was wearing.... (now there's another skill to master - removing a vomit filled hoodie without getting yourself immersed in it! Not easy - and I'm afraid I wasn't successful!) Some did make it past me and splatted off of the box containing LL's cot and onto the floor. Impressive stuff I tell you! Second only to the Macaroni cheese incident.....

Why do these always happen to me and not BFS???

I had to leave BB standing crying as I quickly ran the side of my face under the tap to get rid of the putrid sticky mess so I could then get him stripped down, the floor scrubbed, and him into bed before I could tend to myself. He was Devastated - not because he was sick, but because he'd just put on his Spiderman pyjamas clean about 15 mins earlier. He really didn't want to take them off although they were dripping with puke!!! Once again - priorities all wrong!

At least I didn't have to strip his bed again.......

He's never had a bug past a couple of days, so I kinda thought he'd be alright when he woke up today. He appeared to be, but was still off of his breakfast.

He drank some milk, and 'tried' some cornflakes - then asked for a yogurt, which he dipped his spoon into but didn't touch - Then it came again.......the dreaded projectile.

This time luckily it was mainly non absorbant surfaces I had to clean (table/chair/tiled floor) although the splats did manage to travel a fair distance..........It took some time to do!

The kitchen still has a distinct vomit waft (and that was after getting the flash out) why does it linger so???? Maybe I should google it!

Anyways the trip up to Grandma's has been cancelled as I returned from putting the bags in the car to be met with the above sight. Well minus the blanket - I did my mumsie bit and put that over the sleeping beauty! LL was put to his bed, and I got some peace to write this blog!

As I said - much as we pray for a moments peace - sometimes it comes at a cost we would prefer not to have to pay!

Loaded question.......

I was hit with one from BB at bedtime tonight (his subtle way of dropping a massive hint....)

(which came) after a discussion earlier today regarding his favourite police car (yup, thanks Auntie and Uncle Pops) which should whoop whoop noisily and screech around the room (if you look closely in his car line up you can see it!) but which actually at the moment has a more lethargic woo woo and no energy to turn it's wheels.

I was informed by BB to 'get more batteries Mummy!' So I explained to BB that Mummy didn't have any (I have!) and that we would have to save some pennies, and then we could go to the shop with the pennies, and pay the lady with the pennies for some new batteries. I expanded by telling him that that was why Daddy went away to work, to get some pennies so we could buy things like batteries.......Hence at bedtime tonight.....

BB: Where's Daddy, Mummy?

Me: He's at work....

...(here's where I expected the standard reply - which is 'on helicopter, on oil rig', but not tonight he threw me with one from leftfield.......)

BB: 'To get pennies for batteries for my police car' (topped with a big cheesy grin!)

So now you know your purpose my BFS. Next time someone asks why you're there - you know how to reply!

Hmmmmm - think I may be taking a trip to the shop sometime soon!

At least Tinky Winky doesn't require batteries!!!!

The things they don't tell you about......

Days should be full of fun - NOT tears!

It seems like such a small thing to get upset/stressed about, but trust me your child refusing to eat can really get you down.

Actually they're both at it at the moment and it feels like an uphill struggle every meal time and you start to dread it approaching. Well to be honest they drag out so much when there's a feeding problem that the whole day just feels like a never ending struggle with eating!

BB I think may be picking up from his wee bruth's refusal to chomp. He's having a couple of mouthfuls then states 'all done Mummy!' I've been intentionally not playing up to this, telling him 'fine - no yoghurt then' and he happily pushes his plate away and takes off from the table. Aaaargh! but I know he'll not go hungry (I hope) so I haven't been too worked up about him, however I felt a bit guilty tonight and coaxed him to eat 'another forkful - only that bit there - how's about another, oooh clever boy, one more and you'll get a yoghurt etc etc.' As it turned out, he did almost clear his plate, but I had to stick to my guns and he got no yoghurt and annoyingly I couldn't give him any fruit either as that would seem like he'd won anyway - when I really wanted him to get the vitamins inside him.
He had a dose of the runs today as I don't think he's eaten enough to counteract his medication, so I cut back on that today too..........

AND that's the easy one!

It's LL who's getting me very uptight. He is literally clamping his mouth shut. If he does get any food in he follows with a gagging motion and then screams his head off. BFS asked me the other day if the food that went in was getting eaten or if it came out again. I let him know it was getting eaten and 'well that's alright then' was the reply. But it's not that simple. One meal can take 1 1/2 hours to eat, which translates to a very tiring and depressing ( I really can't translate how disheartening and draining this is....) 1 1/2 hours of a very very upset little boy (and mum) who, lets face it only wants to be strapped onto my front. He would happily suckle from me all day, but he needs to be on solids.

He needs to get the milk (as babies under 1 need a pint a day - and he's getting no dairy from elsewhere) so eventually after about 2 hours of trying with the food he gets milk and put down for a nap. Once he wakes the cycle begins again.

Now for the catch 22 if he doesn't get enough inside him through the day he'll never stop waking at night for food as he still is (yup - still feeding from me every night and he's almost 7 1/2 months old) I got him down to just 1 feed last night, and felt I couldn't deny him this as he hadn't eaten through the day. Admittedly his brekkie went down well, but the cycle began again at lunch.....

please let it end soon the stress and lack of sleep has me at my wits end!

Phew that was close......I'm glad that wasn't me!

To be honest BB's egg didn't even make it to the hill before it got broken. He dropped it off of the kitchen table whilst he was decorating it!!!

No take my picture Mummy!

The mantra I hear every day!

Brotherly love!

Line up cars Mummy!!!

BB emphatically spent a lot of time this afternoon lining up all of his cars over and over again - and then counting them 1,2,3,4,5,7,12, thirtyteen!!!! Yup he's still showing the same counting skills!!! (note the pronunciation of 13!) The livingroom officially became a car park!

Whilst I remember......and the little one said!!!

No time to stop, but just to note that LL started rolling over a week past saturday (21st March - he was 29 weeks) and now at 7 months (30 weeks) can sit unaided. Well done him!

I've been keeping a close eye on his food, and have managed to re-introduce Weetabix AND cow's milk without any major flare ups - so fingers crossed there's no allergies there.

BB has conjunctivitus (which he kindly gave to me) but to the extreme. At one point his eyes had swollen so much he couldn't see his yoghurt to eat it. I think not being able to eat his yoghurt was more distressing than not being able to see ( my boy has his priorities all wrong!)

You wouldn't wish it on anyone.......