Fame at last

Leon has taken pride of place on the The Nappy Lady website.

This website provided me with all the sensible nappy advice that enabled me to purchase the wonderful Tots Bots that are currently soaking up Leon's poo and wee every day.
Who needs disposables - these have elasticated waists and legs, velcro fastenings and are very absorbant and comfy. Leon will also be featuring in next months Mother and Baby Magazine in the very same picture for the same reason. I'm joining the Cambridgeshire Real Nappy Network so I can go on even more about the vertues of not filling landfill sites with raw sewage and space age technology that takes 500 years to break down.
Oh and based on 8 nappies a day at 15p a huggy/pampers nappy, for one year, that's £438 for the year. The nappies will have cost me about £500 quid to kit out until he's potty trained and just Leon alone would cost me over a grand in disposables. So if we have any more kids, that saves us well over a grand in bottom atire for about 15 minutes a day to bung them in the wash and hang them up! They only need a 30 degree wash so it's not likely to cost us much extra in water and electricity - we will see how much this adds to the bills, I will update when we get the next bill.

Leon talks in his sleep

Just our luck! the last couple of nights, Leon starts 'talking' in his sleep for about an hour at roughly 5am. He's become more vocal since Maaike was here. He's only just under 4 months for Pete's sake! it's very lovely to see him chatting away in his own world but not at 5am! On the bright side, he doesn't want feeding until gone 6am by which time my boobs are exploding. He did go back to sleep this morning and we got a lie in 'til 9.15 am!

Maaike Art

This is us as seen through the eyes of Maaike. Leon's ears are especially cool. Me and Janet are depicted here in high heels. Top right is Maaike, then Janet, then me then Leon and the little guy is Toby.

Leon is starting to sit up

After Jan and Maaike left, I resigned myself to the usual washing up of breast pumps etc while Leon sits in his bouncer on the floor in the kitchen. He's been really doing 'crunches' for a while now and trying to sit up, I've tried him in the bumbo a couple of times but he seemed a bit wobbly even though he was holding himself up. I tried him again today and he sat there quite happily, so I gave him a couple of toys to occupy him and got on with the washing up, keeping half an eye on him getting tired and wobbly. He was happy for a good 5 minutes at least, and long enough for me to grab my camera before showing signs of wobblyness. I put him back in the bouncer but he still seemed intent on trying to sit up so I thought, well maybe try the donut, I've propped him up in the donut with a cushion behing him as he would flop back - he could manage a couple of minutes on his front and that was it. Today, he sat up and kept pulling himself up, then flopping back, sitting up, flopping back etc while squealing with joy and eating his bunny thing. I've taken a video of it and sent it to various family members for posterity. When I told tob on the phone this evening, he'd not opened his emails yet and was really tearful and upset that he'd not been there to see it. I'm glad I've caught it on film for him to see.

'

Auntie Janet and Cousin Maaike

Janet came up to visit us with Maaike on Tuesday for a couple of days. I'm not sure who was more excited, Me or Maaike about them meeting Leon. We had a top time, Maaike and Jan both fell for Leon's charms and Leon for theirs. He's noticeably more vocal having been around a chatty 5 year old for a couple of days, it was really something special. She really is a lovely kid. Tuesday night was pancake day so we did pancakes for tea - with ice cream and hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles from NL). We wondered round Ely and the Cathedral Wednesday, I introduced Jan to Firefly in the evening. This morning we hung out before they got a taxi to the station at midday.

dribble

Jabs again

Mr Man had his 2nd lot of jabs today. He didn't even cry - the first one, he didn't bat an eye, even with blood running down his leg, the second jab in his other leg, he just went 'oi!' and was alright again. Brave baby.

He's been pretty bright today all things considered and apart from a crabby bit when he was all hot, after a dose of calpol, a feed and a long sleep over at the grand parents, he was in good spirits. As you can see here, he's in his donut, I'm putting him in there every day, usually after about 30 seconds he's had enough as he's not sitting up yet, but today he did about 5 minutes before loosing interest. He does 'crunches' trying to sit up, by holding onto my fingers, he pulls himself upright an then hurls himself backwards up and down while sitting on my lap. Hours of fun. I had a few minutes to spare before his bedtime feed and he seemed pretty bright so I laid him in his cot and read him a story. I got about 10 pages into 'where's my cow' and he lost interest or rather demanded feeding but he seemed to enjoy the first couple of minutes. He's very chirpy when in the right mood and makes the traditional baby goo goo ga ga noises punctuated with excited ah!'s and er!'s. He's also chewing his fingers and dribbling - classic teething signs. Occasionally he seems to be in pain with them so I've started using the Nelson's teething powder which seems to be working so far - it's early days yet. He likes the experience of having the powder poured into his mouth; it's definitely a new experience for him.

The reusable nappies are working a treat. I've not used a disposable nappy since January when I used a couple with his tummy upset during the night. They rarely leak and the daily nappy wash and hang up takes about 5 mins, if that so hardly a problem. I wrote a recommendation of them to Mother and Baby magazine with a picture of Leon modelling an orange stars wrap and they are going to publish it in the April issue. I'm really looking forward to seeing my son in print!

Janet and Maaike are arriving tomorrow, apparently Maaike is well excited, so am I. I'm so looking forward to them meeting my little grub.

Shed!

Watching the shed go up was funny. They put the base down and stood on it. It rocked back and forth. Christine said "They'll level it, won't they....". No.... they held up the back and sides and hammered nails in until it stood up... But at least we have a shed! Before and after:

Just a couple of yummy photos

Don and Leon

Don's over for a few days - he took over feeding duty last night :)

We have a shed!

Yep, our garden is finally complete with the erection of a magnificent 6x4 foot shed. It even has a window. They were due to come to put it up for us Saturday morning so Ellen and Dan came round to help us choose the right spot. The best spot was of course where the compost heap and a tree stump was, both had to go before the shed arrived.
Reluctantly, I put my wellies and garden gloves on, Ellen took Leon for a walk so I couldn't use him as an excuse 'he needs feeding etc' (darn). We put the compost heap spade by spade into bags and Dan attacked the stump with a pick axe, successfully removing it in record time.
The shed was running about 4 hours late so the Grandparents babysat while we whizzed into town for some fresh ostrich and a bit of kale. The shed was up well before dark, I made some delish rock cakes with Ellen's recipe and a rhubarb crumble.
The rhubarb crumble ended up as dessert today (Sunday) with custard after a Toby kale special (boerenkool met worst) for our guests, the Kelmans. Even Elizabeth enjoyed it. After failing to get the boys off to sleep (we did manage to ignore them while we ate lunch) we decided a walk would get them off to sleep. It didn't work so well for Matthew and Elizabeth, fortunately for us Leon did drop off, I woke him for a feed just before 5pm. This gave us time to wash up and complete the chores list before another couple of exciting episodes of Meercat Manor.

the smell of saxophone

Every once in a while, I peruse the musical instruments on Ebay. Up to now, I've considered when I want to get back into something musical - play with other people, have lessons etc to play something other than Sax, the instrument I played for 20 years of my life before selling it when I came back to England in 2002 to pay for my fitness instructor training.
I looked at the saxophones, and especially the Yamaha's. I had a Yamaha YTS 62 as a teenager, we had to sell it when we fell on hard times at one point midway through the 80's and then later when my Dad inherited his Aunt's house, he bought me another one, this time a Yanagasawa. I'd wanted a King Tenor, but we got sold the Yanagasawa, a decent Sax but without the character of the King.
A new YTS 62 is about one and a half grand, second hand about a grand. When I looked at the pictures of them on ebay, I could smell the sax, see the keys, feel my breath warming up the cold brass. One day, when Leon's at school and I'm getting him into music, I will get another sax, have lessons and join a band again. It's the first time since I sold the Yanagasawa in 2002 that I've felt this way about the sax. 20 years is a long time. I am even considering pretending I want to buy a sax and go and try a few next time I'm up in London, just to have a play.

Poo

I got Leon weighed today, he's a week behind his normal growth thanks to the tummy bug he's had for the past week or so. It was hard to know what to do, he was quite happy, peeing across the room as normal (got me or Tobe at some point every day) so not dehydrated, eating loads, just very runny dark green poo - that didn't smell either, the smell being also a clue to a bug. The other clue was that he was pooing every change and needed feeding twice in the night - he would be starving. I took him to the doctors and he just said come back if he's not better in week (or if symptons worsen).
It's clearing up now and he's back down to his 11pm feed then sleeps through to 6-7am hurrah!
I felt so horrible this morning when I weighed him and he was still under 13lbs - he's now 12lbs 12oz or 5.78kg, only 10 1/2 oz more than 3 weeks ago. I was gutted.
He is still putting on weight and considering the changes in his behaviour - discovered his tongue, becoming more vocal and chatty, hand eye coordination coming on, and signs of teething - white gums, my hand becoming a teething chew - He's changed alot in 3 weeks.
Well.... this is why parents are obsessed with poo!

phtut!

Walsingham, Norfolk - Snowdrop walk for Ellen's birthday

Saturday, instead of the usual visit to Waitrose we had a day out with Ellen and Dan to celebrate Ellen's birthday on the 5th (happy birthday Ellen!). Walsingham Abbey in it's day was a place of pilgrimage with as many visitors as Canterbury thanks to some bird having a vision or summut. Pilgrimages were much like modern day holidays and involved partying on the way there (see the canterbury tales).
It was a georgeous day, as you can see from the photos, the sunset pictures were taken on the way back from Hunstanton which was alot prettier than I was expecting.
Me who suffers badly from pushchair envy, having seen Leon's pushchair in action, I have to say, I'm impressed both cos it looks good in the photos and it did very well on the walk where strictly speaking a 3 wheeler with pneumatic tyres would have been needed. The wheels are big enough to cope pretty well.
Leon slept most of the way but I'm sure he enjoyed himself.
It was a really nice day out, I've never seen so many snowdrops. Beautiful place.

Ellen and Leon in Walsingham

This is one of the crazy things my camera phone does.

GI Leon

Just love this pic of GI Leon :)

Another Stevie Photo

I forgot to post this picture of Stevie - we were just wondering how to keep him amused when I had the bright idea of getting a box from the garrage. He enjoyed climbing in it :)

Women's stuff

Bleh, 2nd period since last january (first one was when Leon was 6 weeks old). I was having peculiar cravings and munchies for chocolate and more chocolate, oh and I made a bread and butter pudding one day followed by home made rice pudding the next - well I had to use up the cream I bought!
I've put on about 3 kilos since christmas, which is a sign that I'm not managing my food or exercise very well. I feel like a bottomless pit, especially in the evenings. Janet, my sister is good at managing food, and cooking healthy stuff I'd like so when she's up here in a week or so, I'll pick her brains for home made pizza recipies etc.
Leon's poo has been a bit on the runny side, it doesn't smell and it's a greeny, browny, yellowy consistency with bits in. It's usually the consistency of mustard but it's runnier than that the last few days and he seems to poo a bit every nappy change whereas before he'd only poo once or twice a day, usually in the morning. I'm going to give it a couple of days - it might be the cream content of my diet over the last weekend that changed it. He seems happy enough. I'll get him weighed next thursday and see if anything there has changed - so far, he's being putting on about a pound a fortnight so nothing wrong so far, but if he's not getting enough or not digesting properly, it will show on his weight gain, I guess.
It's one guilt complex after the next, not only does my strange cravings effect me but him too!

A three month old Toby and a three month old Leon

Well everyone says Leon looks like me but cop a load of this, and it's not just the ears! I will see if I can find a picture of me as a baby.