It is absolutely fantastic to watch Ainsworth develop both physically and emotionally. It is not surprising that he is acquiring new skills almost daily at the moment - some are better tricks than others, however!
We delighted in his new 'finger pointing' trick last weekend. He will do it at the meal table to amuse, he will point at people in photos and he will point to show which direction he wants to go in. All very clever!
And as we meet and greet various people he is delighting them with a lovely smile and nose wrinkle - very cute!
He continues to amuse himself beautifully with the toys in his basket for up to half an hour.
Unfortunately two days ago his latest trick was to spit food out. He has learnt that his tongue can push food out of his mouth quite effectively - not something to be encouraged! And then this morning, as I was forcing down another syringe full of antibiotic, I realised why he'd learnt this latest trick... he may not be able to get the medicine out, but he's showing me he does have some control over what goes into his mouth!
Hey ho, let's hope he learns to feed himself soon!
Friday 30 November 2007
Tuesday 20 November 2007
The grand plan revealed
Have I mentioned our "grand plan" here? I don't believe I have. Well, the details are finally confirmed so the time has come to reveal all.
Rachael goes back to work in January. She's going to be working two days a week, and Ainsworth will be being looked after by... (wait for it...)
Me!
Yes, we're really going to give it a go. My application to go part-time has been approved, so from January we're splitting the week between us and I'll get to spend two whole days in the company of the most amazing person. It'll do us the world of good.
Rachael goes back to work in January. She's going to be working two days a week, and Ainsworth will be being looked after by... (wait for it...)
Me!
Yes, we're really going to give it a go. My application to go part-time has been approved, so from January we're splitting the week between us and I'll get to spend two whole days in the company of the most amazing person. It'll do us the world of good.
Sunday 18 November 2007
Daily routines
It's been far too long since I last posted here and things have moved on a pace since I last did. Trevor is, thankfully, taking on a little more responsibility which is making life less frought. And Ainsworth is about to become mobile as his shuffling across the floor is definitely getting quicker! Anyway, to things of 'routine'...
I know, from teaching children, that they are anything but predictable, and I've always liked this slight element of uncertainty in the classroom. It keeps me on my toes and stops life being boring. However, being a fairly organised sort of person, I like routines and a little bit of predictability. These are both things I seem to have had to give up almost completely with the arrival of Ainsworth. As fast as I try to establish some sort of routine to the day, so he goes and changes it!
I really liked to transition to bottle feeding once I was set at feeding at 7am, 11am, 2pm and 6pm with three forty five minute naps at 10am, 1pm and 4pm. That didn't last long as solid foods were introduced. Then for a while we settled into waking at 5am, breakfast at 7am, snack at 10.30am, lunch at 12, afternoon bottle at 2.30pm, tea at 4.30pm, bath at 6pm and bottle before bed at 6.30pm with two naps a day of varying lengths.
Now, at 8 months, the feeding routine is still quite similar, but times can vary by up to an hour without adverse effects! It is, however the sleep patterns that seem completely random at the moment and this lack of predictabilty makes life quite challenging at times - especially for someone who likes to arrive on time for things! The bedtime routine is fantastic and very predictable, but the morning can begin any time between 5am and 8.30am... and the later he gets up, the better his mood during the day, so perhaps we can be forgiven for trying to make him go back to sleep when he wakes at 5am! I just wish we could work out what to do to make the mornings more predictable, but I guess that would make life quite boring.
I know, from teaching children, that they are anything but predictable, and I've always liked this slight element of uncertainty in the classroom. It keeps me on my toes and stops life being boring. However, being a fairly organised sort of person, I like routines and a little bit of predictability. These are both things I seem to have had to give up almost completely with the arrival of Ainsworth. As fast as I try to establish some sort of routine to the day, so he goes and changes it!
I really liked to transition to bottle feeding once I was set at feeding at 7am, 11am, 2pm and 6pm with three forty five minute naps at 10am, 1pm and 4pm. That didn't last long as solid foods were introduced. Then for a while we settled into waking at 5am, breakfast at 7am, snack at 10.30am, lunch at 12, afternoon bottle at 2.30pm, tea at 4.30pm, bath at 6pm and bottle before bed at 6.30pm with two naps a day of varying lengths.
Now, at 8 months, the feeding routine is still quite similar, but times can vary by up to an hour without adverse effects! It is, however the sleep patterns that seem completely random at the moment and this lack of predictabilty makes life quite challenging at times - especially for someone who likes to arrive on time for things! The bedtime routine is fantastic and very predictable, but the morning can begin any time between 5am and 8.30am... and the later he gets up, the better his mood during the day, so perhaps we can be forgiven for trying to make him go back to sleep when he wakes at 5am! I just wish we could work out what to do to make the mornings more predictable, but I guess that would make life quite boring.
Saturday 3 November 2007
Where are they?
I thought I'd check in to see what Mummy and Daddy have been writing about me, but they've not put anything here for ages. I'm going to have to have words with them, just as soon as I can work out how to make words. (I'm practicing quite a bit these days, but so far I've only been able to make up my own words, so they can't understand what I'm saying to them.) It would take ages to fill you in on all the things we've been up to, so instead I'll show you some pictures from the last few months and tell you about them.
My first piece of solid food: a piece a raw carrot. Yes, raw. I mean, how was I supposed to get any sustenance out of that? I did give it a good suck, though, and it had an okay flavour.
This was a while ago, when I went through a phase of liking to stay in this fabby bathseat. (Now that I've grown up a bit I'm too interested in trying to crawl around the bath and put my face under the water to stay in this for long.)
Sometimes I just can't make up my mind which toy to choose from my basket.
Usually Daddy helps me with my piano playing, but this time it was mummy.
My first trip to the funfair! I wasn't allowed to go on any of the rides, but I enjoyed looking at all the lights and watching the big children (and grown-ups!) go on them.
When Mummy's got a bit tired of driving I like to help her. Change down here, Mum!
Now I'm a big boy I get to go on the swings on my own!
We went to the London Aquarium and it was amazing. I was completely fascinated by all the brilliant fish I saw. If you get the chance, you must go along!
These are out friends from Canada who came to stay with us for a few days. We're on a boat tour on the river Thames.
Andreas Luca Coultart! I got to meet my new young cousin. Ricardo is very, very proud of his new "baby brother sister" and watched me very carefully when I was playing with Andreas.
My first piece of solid food: a piece a raw carrot. Yes, raw. I mean, how was I supposed to get any sustenance out of that? I did give it a good suck, though, and it had an okay flavour.
This was a while ago, when I went through a phase of liking to stay in this fabby bathseat. (Now that I've grown up a bit I'm too interested in trying to crawl around the bath and put my face under the water to stay in this for long.)
Sometimes I just can't make up my mind which toy to choose from my basket.
Usually Daddy helps me with my piano playing, but this time it was mummy.
My first trip to the funfair! I wasn't allowed to go on any of the rides, but I enjoyed looking at all the lights and watching the big children (and grown-ups!) go on them.
When Mummy's got a bit tired of driving I like to help her. Change down here, Mum!
Now I'm a big boy I get to go on the swings on my own!
We went to the London Aquarium and it was amazing. I was completely fascinated by all the brilliant fish I saw. If you get the chance, you must go along!
These are out friends from Canada who came to stay with us for a few days. We're on a boat tour on the river Thames.
Andreas Luca Coultart! I got to meet my new young cousin. Ricardo is very, very proud of his new "baby brother sister" and watched me very carefully when I was playing with Andreas.
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