Tweets - July 2015

1 July: That lovely moment when a fussy little person gives in and falls asleep.

7 July: Celebratory lunch. (Spot the sleeping baby).
Of course five minutes later sleeping baby woke up and insisted on sharing mummy's burrito.
Hooray for a baby feeding sign that isn't a bottle!

8 July: The hazards of painting one's toenails with a crawling baby.

11 July: Picnic baby
Baby got hats.

14 July: Everything is making me sad today. Might be a tad hormonal.
Today I saw Phoebe push herself up to standing for the first time. Not sure by if accident or design but a first.
My pickle has been chewing something brown she found on the kitchen floor. Coffee bean? Gravy granule? Who knows!?

15 July: Don't mess with Yoghurt Face.

16 July: The most beautiful sight in the world is a sleeping baby.
Thunder and lightning! ⚡️

17 July: If your question is of the form "why is object X in unusual location Y?", the answer is probably Phoebe.

21 July: Stand off: @robhu vs BMW driver who refuses to reverse. I think I know who wins this one and [it] isn't the beamer.
"What have you found Phoebe? Can mummy have it?"
Phoebe hands me a dead fly.
"Thanks baby."
#yuck
At least she didn't eat it. But what else has she picked up and eaten without my noticing? :-S

23 July: Chubby legs and little feets.

24 July: First time of wearing for this cardigan. Those are soot creatures and it has Totoros further down.
This week Phoebe has been mostly shaking her head and pulling herself up to standing.

25 July: Breakfast is going well, as you can see.
*sigh*

27 July: Phoebe looking particularly urchin-like.

Classic bum in the air sleeping baby. How is that comfortable Phoebe? 

My baby stands up.

28 July: I think she likes it. :)
One confused wasp. One calm Bekki.
Baby obstacle course

31 July: Suspicious baby at the park. (Yes, I have problems with horizontal).
I do not understand people Who Write Facebook Statuses Like This. Why the extra effort for unnecessary capitalisation?

Tweets - June 2015

4 June: Sleeping baby. Hungry mama.
Poorly baby finally gives in to sleep. Think I'll stay on this cool shady bench a whole.

8 June: Ginger beard and lilac hair. Brave look, dude.
Resignation letter written. :)
Crankypants baby is exhausting. She just had a mini meltdown because I had the audacity to suggest she not eat my laptop power cable.

9 June: Cousins

11 June: The perfect yoghurt moustache and beard.
Cambridge in summer. Time for my seasonal hobby of walking into tourists' photos just as they press the shutter.

15 June: Tried Phoebe with cherries again. She poked them suspiciously and then they hit the floor.
Have given her porridge with yoghurt and strawberries and a few sneaky bits of cherry. I think it's going to be messy.
Ha! Bits of cherry are being identified, extracted and disposed of on the floor.
One bit made it into the mouth and was spat out again. OK I get it Phoebe, you don't like cherries.
Ah, sweet sleeping baby.

16 June: My response to the Game of Thrones finale: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Help! I have a mobile baby!
Oh monkey!
Rob's shirt hangs around for weeks before it gets ironed. Slings get ironed the day they're washed. #priorities

17 June: About to sing at a May ball. I'm wearing a velvet jacket I made the year I started university (1998). I guess it's vintage, darling.

18 June: Today's toys: strip of cardboard from a dessert box; measuring tape (retracted); pieces of fluff from the floor (which double as snacks).
Not forgetting the ever popular piece of scrap paper, baby wipes packet, mummy's phone & whatever mummy happens to be holding right now.
She's tired, I thought. She'll settle easily and then I can go to bed. Maybe I'll be asleep by 8.
Nope.

20 June: 3:30am. Rob & I try to sleep perched on the edges of the bed while Phoebe rolls from side to side in the vast space between us, singing.

23 June: Yesterday a trip to the Dr to get chest pain checked out resulted in an ambulance to A&E, x-ray, scan and a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.
Memo to self: next time you have chest pain maybe get it checked out before you've had it for a month, especially if you're short of breath.
Grateful for swift diagnosis, treatment that works with breastfeeding and lots of lovely medical staff.
I just need someone who speaks baby to explain to Phoebe that mummy needs lots of rest!
Reading. :)

24 June: Mama needs sleep. Baby says "naps are for wimps!". :( Hurry up Nana!
Sous vide salmon with philadelphia pasta and asparagus

26 June: It seems when I got braces I signed up for 12-18 months of @robhu singing Teenage Dirtbag at me. I don't remember that on the consent form.

27 June: Cuddling a sleeping baby: never not awesome.
This child has been feverish and cuddly all day. But now it's bedtime, she wants to party with my hairbrush. 

29 June: Most overused phrase this month: "Phoebe, what are you eating?"
(fluff or dried food she's picked up from the floor. Must hoover more).

Tweets - April 2015

2 April: Breakfast in bed.

3 April: Today Phoebe discovered how to splash on purpose. Bath time just got much wetter. Fun though. ☔

4 April: Phoebe's latest noise is a click made with her tongue. All the time.
For dinner tonight Phoebe is eating potato cakes, pork slices and broccoli. Though actually she's so far ignored the broccoli.
And the pork is a bit tough to chew so she's mostly eating the potato cakes which are just the right amount of squishy.
Now attacking the broccoli by her usual method of peeling off strips and sucking them.
She also likes to grab the frilly bits and chew the stem.

5 April: Sunday afternoon.

6 April: Are the bluebells out yet anywhere near Cambridge?

7 April: #selfielapse happy Phoebe
#selfielapse :-) https://instagram.com/p/1LQBGzzbl1/
Seven minutes of Phoebe.
Rob is learning to play the recorder.

9 April: Breakfast
A baby and her kazoo. Also, if you look closely, you can see her first tooth.
Mum skills: syringing out the correct dose of calpol while holding the wriggling and unhappy intended recipient of said medicine.

10 April: The weather is warmer and I feel like I've forgotten how to dress for sunny weather. This time last year I lived in dresses & leggings.
But dresses don't work for breastfeeding and I hate all my short sleeved  . Shopping required.
Going out for the first time in the big girl seat on her buggy.
I could have sworn the person getting onto the bus after me asked for "A return ticket to the real world please." #Cambridge

14 April: This is what you're currently missing by being at work, daddy.  

15 April: Phoebe in fabulously retro Little Bird dungarees.
Cucumber for the win!

20 April: Mummy in shades. Monkey in a sun hat.
Started an argument about 'chemicals' on a baby related Facebook group. This isn't going to end well, is it?
Someone posted this http://www.healthyfoodstar.com/this-powder-is-causing-cancer-in-10000-women/ …. I said the headline was highly inaccurate. Someone else said baby shampoo is full of carcinogens
Fear of chemicals makes me cross. You can make people scared of anything by invoking the c word.

21 April: Cot day two: getting to know the robot.
Shhh! Phoebe is napping. :-)

22 April: Blowing cross bubbly raspberries is probably not the most effective means of expressing one's displeasure. It is however very cute.  

23 April: Fabulous tulips.
Spring!

25 April: Woken up at 12, 4 and 6 when Phoebe decided it was morning. How did people survive babies before coffee?

Ducks are for eating.  

27 April: Berry smeared baby.  

28 April: How is my little person all smiley in the morning when she's been Howling McScreamybaby all night?

29 April: I'm being held captive by a minuscule dictator whose every whim I must interpret and satisfy or face her tiny squeaking wrath.

Strain to grab favourite toy, succeed. Throw it out of your reach. Melt down until mummy rescues it. Repeat.

30 April: Spoon for breakfast.
The frustrated baby gets her hand on the cup she's been trying to reach for the last 5 mins, only for it to roll further out of her grasp.
Poor frustrated Phoebe. The sooner she can crawl, the better for her level of happiness. Though mummy's stress levels will increase. :-S
Baby got all the kazoos!

Tweets - May 2015

1 May: All smiles and rainbows. :-)

3 May: Today's outfit is very pretty I think. Plus it has a chicken on it.

4 May: Sleepy. Nice day. Took the monkey swimming for the first time and she loved splashing and whirling in the water with daddy. Now zzzzzzzzzzzz

5 May: Mummy's phone! Gimme!
Wrapped up warm against wind and rain.

6 May: Uhoh! Phoebe has figured out how to join rolls together & get places. So far that's allowed her to pull washing off the airer & chew cables.

7 May: My favourite little person with her two tooth grin.
Raining. Hoping it stops later so I can get out to vote without getting wet.
Getting to know a new robot friend.
Pieces of roast courgette make a satisfying wet thump when dropped from a highchair.

8 May: Twitter full of doom. Best result of my night was Phoebe sleeping through the night in her cot. What sort of country will she grow up in?
Monkey on my back.

10 May: Starlit baby
One day I will rule the galaxy.

11 May: Crawling is getting closer. Just watched Phoebe  stretch forward from sitting and get all the way into a crawling position.
She stayed there for a bit and then got frustrated cos she wasn't going forwards (just backwards a little).
Feeling like checking out of the real world for a bit. Somewhere peaceful and calm and full of lovely things. Bed will do nicely.

13 May: Punk baby

15 May: Clever monkey slept through the night two nights in a row! Yay!
Turns out that monkey didn't sleep through. @robhu settled her at 2am. I was blissfully unaware!
Would you let this cute little monkey poke her finger up your nose?

17 May: I can't work out how to rotate this, so here's a Phoebe Hyperlapse, sideways.

18 May: Phoebe has been awake since 0520 and has been mostly shrieking since then. Currently in the bath as she covered herself in yoghurt.

20 May: Give a baby a box, distract her from pinching your arms or stealing your phone for at least 30 seconds.
Getting ready to go out. Realise I put on bright orange socks that clash with everything cos I wasn't planning to leave the house today.
The socks in question.

21 May: Playing my monkey bird song to soothe her to sleep. So lovely!

May 22: Definitely white bumps on Phoebe's gum. Upper right 1 and 2.
The monkey regards being dressed as a form of torture which should be forbidden by the Geneva conventions?

23 May: Mate, your piano seems to be on fire.
Bare chest, own language, stripper dress, lovely dancing and er, Old McDonald. #ESP
Oximated?
What does the Fox say for grown ups? #aze
I will go to bed and enjoy a babyless night's sleep. I will not watch the Eurovision votes roll in on twitter. I will go to sleep. I will.

24 May: "Turn the oven out" is a perfectly sensible idiom, even for an electric oven, right? @robhu was confused by it.
"Born and raised in London’s infamous E17"
Me too! Er, is it infamous? (we went to the same primary school).

26 May: Phoebe in the park

27 May: RT @theyarnyard
Fed up with "working people" rhetoric. What about the carers, the unwell, the at-home parents, the retired, the between-jobs?

29 May: Surrendered to sleep
Trying out a baby-sized glass.

31 May: My favourite little person. Even if I'm currently cuddling her back to sleep after another screaming fit.

Tweets - March 2015

March 1: It seems the best way to get comfy is to hang on to mummy with 1 hand while waving your other 3 limbs madly & rolling from side to side.

March 3: Unsettled teething (?) baby. Mama in pain from whatever the hell's going with right boob. It's going to be a long night. :-(

March 6: Good morning world. :-)

March 9: Showing off her latest skill: sitting unassisted.

March 10: This week Phoebe is mostly working on B sounds. A bah a buh a ber.

March 12: White blossom. Blue sky.

Happy hummus-smeared Phoebe.

RT @terryandrob
AT LAST, SIR TERRY, WE MUST WALK TOGETHER.

March 13: Can't help laughing when Phoebe aims two bits of broccoli at her mouth at the same time and misses with both.

Out for dinner. I think Rob's getting hungry.

March 14: Look what I made! (I went on a chocolate making course today, an early Mother's day present).

March 15: Phoebe tucking into my salad.

March 16: Phoebe in pink. Mummy in pink and purple.

So yeah. Sometimes I dress my baby in head to toe pink. But sometimes I wear all pink too. I like pink. As long as it's not compulsory.

Feeling slightly crazed after solo parenting for less than 48 hours. Come home soon @robhu !

Phoebe is in one of those overtired states that flips over into bouncing hyperness. Calm down and go to sleep please baby!

Nursing craziness included bouncing up and down with my nipple in her mouth and latching enthusiastically onto any bit of exposed skin.

March 17: Happy 17th anniversary of passing my driving test to me!

Someone likes meatballs.

March 18: Phoebe falls asleep with hands behind her head like a sunbather and legs in the air.

I touch her toes. She starts, wiggles, relaxes and falls into a deeper sleep with legs down.

March 20: Am I producing milk or double espressos? Phoebe is full of energy. Go to sleep, monkey!

Today Phoebe has been mostly: blowing raspberries; eating; pooing.

and saying Bah! We've had a lot of bababba bah today.

March 22: Starcraft watching baby. #sc2 #gsl

March 23: Watching Fawlty Towers with daddy.

Eating lunch in the photographers' lounge.

Monkey stole my sandwich!

March 25: This mini activity centre is brilliant. Something to do on every side and light enough that she can turn it herself.

I don't think that's quite how bonjela is supposed to work.

Phoebe has spent several minutes chewing on an orange segment. From time to time she takes it out, looks at it for a bit, puts it back in.

Out in the sunshine.

March 26: The dungarees Phoebe is wearing have 7 functional pockets. For someone who doesn't need pockets. The most I have is 5 on my jeans.

RT @StephieDoug
One of my favourite posts. The anger has eased but the memories are strong. When New Mums Get Angry   #sisterhood

RT @AstroKatie
Request to media: Stop characterizing the Germanwings co-pilot as “depressed”. Mass murder is not a symptom of depression.

March 27: Good morning world.

One happy monkey and her mama.

RT @Doulamaddie
Brilliant article! No I'm not a nipple nazi either!...

March 28: Late night selfie with daddy.

March 31: Windy morning rainbow.

Today started with screaming at 6am yet somehow we didn't get out of the house until 1030. So it goes.

Oh now I want to watch Buffy again. Every argument on the internet about Buffy.

Tweets - February 2015

February 1: 6 years ago I first called @robhu my boyfriend. Now he's my husband and the father of our baby. I love you my Rob monster. :-*

February 2: Team Zissou baby. http://campl.us/rV0s

February 4: I have an activity centre the size of my head but looking at mummy's phone is far more interesting.

February 4: Today my little monkey is 26 weeks old. Happy half birthday Phoebe! Today we saw some tiny newborns and you looked so big!

I have the sweetest alarm clock. She wakes me up with gurgles and pats and only the occasional finger in the mouth or eye.

February 5: Thursday's to do list. With annotations by Rob.

Cherubic sleeping baby.

Baby sleeping. I've had a shower, blow dried my hair, got dressed and now I'm eating breakfast. Luxury!

Sunbathing position.

Accomplished!

February 6: Phoebe likes chewing on muslin squares. Mind you, that's true of anything she can grab.

Things Phoebe is interested in chewing: hands (hers or mummy's), string of teething necklace, zip of mummy's fleece, her jacket sleeves.

Things Phoebe is not interested in chewing: teething necklace, Lamaze hippo toy with chewable ribbon knots.

Slowley family selfie. :-) Out at a restaurant to celebrate Phoebe's half birthday.

Phoebe behaved beautifully at D'Arry's. She had milk while we waited for the food to arrive and then sat on my lap and played with broccoli.

Baby's first cappuccino moustache.

February 9: Loving @beatonna's baby cartoons. Especially  So true!

That lovely moment when you pick up your baby and she's sick straight down your cleavage. :-/

February 11: Happy avocado smeared Phoebe.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Itchy boob! Woe! I want to go to sleep. :-(

February 12: I put Phoebe down next to me and she rolls closer to snuggle. Hang on, what's that warm sensation on my shoulder. Oh it's sick. Thanks baby.

Just below my chin, a sweet sleeping baby.

Got Phoebe from crying to giggling by singing Phoebe-be-be-be-be-be to the tune of the hall of the mountain king & bouncing to the music.

The problems of having small arms. Phoebe is very good at pushing food to the edges of the highchair team where she then can't reach it.

Phoebe has now given up on trying to eat the food and is instead playing with/chewing the sleeves of her oversized Wipe Clean bib.

Swoosh goes an arm. The pile of food which has accumulated at one side of the tray cascades to the floor.

February 13: Aaaaaaaaargh! Again. Extreme burning pain. I think I have ductal thrush. Hope I can see a sympathetic GP today. ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!

Sleeping baby transferred off mummy and still sleeping. Feel like a Mama ninja!

Flailing arms tipped with razors. Tiny fingers which hook onto nostrils. These are the means by which a tiny baby colonises a king size bed.

February 16: Valentines art by Rob. :-)

February 17: A day without Phoebe. I missed her, she missed me and was grumpy. But big smiles when she got me back and when we returned home to @robhu.

February 20: Dreamt I got stuck on a UKIP battle bus. They were friendly, but weird and kept trying to break my phone.

February 22: Phoebe is obsessed with sticking out her tongue and licking everything.

Rob likes giving Phoebe tiny amounts of things to taste. Today he gave her a little vinegar on his finger. She was not impressed!

February 23: When did all-in-ones/babygros become even standard wear for babies?

Mummy milk makes everything better. For Phoebe anyway. Wish it worked on other things/people too.

February 24: Tucking into bread and hummus. Yum!

February 25: Daddy's kazoo.

February 26: Phoebe has noticed there's another mummy in the mirror. She looks back and forth between me and the mirror with an air of puzzlement.

February 27: Signs of spring. :-)

Phoebe's gums squeak as she chews on the knobbly beads of my (teething safe) necklace. This one.

Phoebe and I are being serenaded with classic Nintendo tunes played on the kazoo by @robhu. I think that's his idea of a lullaby.

February 28: Hungry baby! Third feed since 8pm last night. Tired mummy.

Monkey is disinclined to sleep. She would rather babble, wave her arms around, chew my hands and stick sharp little fingers up my nose.

Tweets - January 2015

January 2: Still in bed and stuck under a sleeping baby. Can I stay here all day?

January 3: Breakfast in bed accompanied by the gurgles of a happy baby. :o)

January 4: Baby wombats look like old Kung Fu masters.  :-)

January 4: Wombats are lovely. http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/wombat/ … I am a tired, sleep deprived mama and baby wombats make me cry. I should go to sleep.

January 5: Twitter has a distinct back to reality vibe this morning with an undercurrent of illness. I am in the feeling not well category.

January 7: Baby in a sling, in a fleece, on a bus.

Eyelashes

January 8: “@qikipedia: Online sales of baby equipment spike at 4am in Britain.” I'm not surprised.

January 9: Morning snuggle. (No we haven't got out of bed yet).

January 10: Unhappy baby with a slight temperature this evening. Just over 2 weeks since we were in contact with chicken pox. Hoping it's not that. :-S

Currently sharing a bed with: a dozen baby books; assorted toys (some with bells in); torch; thermometer; cot mattress; muslin squares; hat.

Not currently a baby, though that happens. Nor a @robhu who prefers the sofa as he doesn't get woken up there.

Someday soon the baby (and the cot mattress) will be in a cot in a different room. I'll miss her, but at least I'll get @robhu back.

January 11: Trying a dreamfeed. Mostly because I'm getting fed up with waking up at 4am with painfully full boobs.

January 12: In the long term, is fabric conditioner good or bad for clothes?

The eyelids flutter. The thumb slides out of her mouth. She realises, replaces it, but it begins to slide once more.

At last the thumb falls out, the eyes close and she sleeps.

Jan 13: A we're still in bed and I can't get the exposure right selfie. (teething baby currently not grumpy, fortunately).

Grumpy teething baby asleep in sling. Babywearing FTW!

RT @fabsternation
Slow clap for Waltham Forest council (yet again). Labour? What Labour? May as well be Tory > http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/13/families-cheated-homes-poor-labour-council-gentrification … #Leyton #Walthamstow

Retweeted that and then got an email about similar shenanigans in Barnet. What's up with that London councils!?

January 15: Sad teething baby will only sleep on mummy.

Lying in bed in my parents' house listening to soft baby breaths inside and wild whirling winds outside. Night night.

January 17: Grumpy baby keeps wailing. A little soothed by the Blue Danube Waltz.

January 18: Being cute at 7am.

January 20: Ah, sweet sleepy milk-filled baby. :-)

January 22: Only one thing for it. We'll have to take our new babywearing coat out for a spin.

Finally asleep! And I'm now stuck.

January 25: What is it that after a really good feed makes my breast tingle/itch/burn like crazy so I can't get to sleep?
[Answer: Vasospasm. I thought it was thrush for a long time, but I was wrong. So painful! Improved with being vigilant about good latch, keeping my nipples warm and taking high dose vitamin B complex.]

RT @FictionFox: The thought of the #NHS is one of the reasons why I try to remind myself that it's my duty and my joy to pay tax, really.

January 27: Phoebe's in her pram today. Can't help thinking it must be boring to be staring at the ceiling when she's used to being upright in a sling.

January 29: And once more there was wailing and gnashing of teeth. Well she's got no teeth, so gnashing of gums. Can you gnash gums? Poor grumpy baby.

January 31: Argh! Itchy breast keeping me awake again. Gerry.
[I assume that's supposed to be Grrrrrrr.]

3am makes me grumpy and wanting to throw things and shout at people. And unable to grammar.

Tweets - December 2014

December 1: Phoebe hungry and cross. I think the milk isn't coming out fast enough. Much chomping, pinching & taking herself off to express displeasure.

December 3: Pics from wedding at the weekend reveal how lumpen I look. :-( But my new wrap sling arrived today. :-)

And Phoebe is currently asleep in it so I think she approves.

December 4: Have you finished eating yet baby? I want to go back to sleep.
Finished, Mummy? Never! Om nom nom nom.

Bought a babywearing coat online. They sent the wrong size. Sent it back. New coat is right size but wrong colour. Also not sure about fit.

Dunno whether to keep, return for refund or return for correct colour. Will try it on with different combos of clothes/wrap to check fit.

December 6: My monkey is a restless eater. Head constantly trying to manoeuvre into a better position, legs kicking, hands pinching handfuls of breast.

December 8: A shower and breakfast and already dressed before Phoebe demands a feed? Luxury!

Rob has a go at babywearing.

December 10: Oh baby. Are you going to go to sleep now you've finished eating?
No mummy, I'm going to lie here being cute & blowing raspberries at you.

Also coughing and sniffling and sounding like a piglet.

December 12: Feeding Phoebe while the wind howls and rain drums on the roof. Feeling warm, cosy and thankful for shelter and heating.

Wriggle. Wriggle. Fart. Look at hands. Blow raspberry. Poke tongue out at mummy. Big grin. Chew fist. Wriggle some more. Repeat.

December 15:
Anxiety dream about playing in a school concert? Really, subconscious? I've not been at school for a very long time.

Odd day. Phoebe napped in her basket this morning, then screamed for an hour, then had third set of jabs, then slept all afternoon.

I think screaming was ear ache and sleep is probably the best thing for her but she's not eaten much since morning feed, just little snacks.

RT@LynnCSchreiber Love this! Lego Friends

December 16: A year ago today I found out I was pregnant with Phoebe. Best Christmas present ever. :-)

Trying to persuade sad baby with a temperature that sleep will help her feel better. Fortunately she doesn't need persuading to take calpol.

December 17: RT@LadyFOHF A fantastic takedown of @rustyrockets (Russell Brand) by the man whose lunch he ruined. (It was paella)

It's the kind of day where at 1pm you're sitting on your bed wrapped in a damp towel feeding a baby who refuses to nap.

December 18: Clean jeans put on approximately an hour ago. Already adorned with baby sick.

Ridiculously excited that @robhu has the day off which means I can go and get my hair cut. Baby free outing!

There's nothing quite like cuddling a sleepy milk-filled baby. :-)

December 19: My baby girl giggles! Apparently daddy saying Bang! is hilarious. :-)

December 21: Milk-filled at 4am.

December 22: Taking a sniffing, coughing snotty baby to the GP. Probably just a cold but it's been weeks and getting worse not better. #firsttimemummy

Cuddling a snotty baby who only wants to sleep on mummy. This does not bode well for getting the flat tidy today. Although sling will help.

December 23: Full of snot baby who doesn't want to feed plus blocked duct lump equals woe. Thank goodness for breast pump.

December 24: Sitting in my sister-in-law's pink teenager bedroom pumping milk for my snot-congested baby.

December 25: Listening to my little family snoring. Snot Encrusted baby and not snotty but snory @robhu. Happy. Except I would like the snot to abate.

Merry Christmas from Phoebe and her giant bear.

December 31: Cuddling a sleeping baby. Should put her down in her basket again and go to sleep myself but savouring the moment for a bit. :-)

Tweets - November 2014

Nov 2: Grateful that brown noise sends Phoebe to sleep. Also the car (she slept all the way home from Exeter to Cambridge).

Nov 3: One of the unexpected pleasures of having a baby is making up silly songs to sing to her.

Nov 3: poor baby! Tongue tie still limiting her, six weeks after we had it snipped. Not clear if regrowth, too small cut or scarring from infection

Nov 3: And no wonder feeding is so painful. She can't make a good seal easily and getting a good deep latch is hard for her.

Nov 4: It's a lovely day to be sitting in bed, feeding the baby and watching fluffy clouds in a bright blue sky.

Nov 4: The view from my bed this morning.

Nov 4: Here is a cute baby. :-)

Nov 4: Breastfeeding so far has been one painful problem after another yet it's still the best part of my day feeding my baby daughter to sleep.

Nov 5: Hope Lords like @lordstoddart @Dafydd_Wigley @LordJohnBrowne vote not to allow sell-off of forests today in #infrastructurebill debate

Nov 6: Put sleeping baby in cot.
5 mins later look in cot. Big blue eyes.
"Hello baby, you're supposed to be asleep."
Big grin. "Play time mummy!"

Nov 6 :"Everybody needs a bosom for a pillow. Everybody needs a bosom." Except I don't think Cornershop ever sang about throwing up on said bosom.

Nov 11: Small cross baby screams like a tiny banshee. I yelp as she latches on too shallowly for the umpteenth time. :-(

Nov 11: 2nd tongue tie division yesterday. Hoping things will improve but we've got 3 months of painful too shallow latching to unlearn.

Nov 12: Cranky baby needs a nap.
Cranky baby refuses to nap.
Cranky baby gets crankier.
Come on cranky baby, go to sleep!

Nov 12: Baby finally succumbs to sleep. If course now I'm stuck under a baby.

Nov 13: Hello Kitty baby.

Nov 13: Babies under 2 months can only see in 2 dimensions? Crazy! Though maybe more accurate to say they can't perceive depth.

Nov 13: RT @LittlePanda82
So I've learned recently that Farage thinks Armistice was a bad idea, and wants to americanise the NHS. Cant we all agree he's awful yet?

Nov 14: RT @greensideknits
Fluffy pigs! http://www.bbc.o.uk/news/business-30042761 … BBC News (World)

Nov 14: Waiting for the bus.

Nov 15: Aargh! Every feed has become the battle of the latch. I make it deeper, she pulls it shallower. Come on baby, learn to use your tongue!

Nov 16: Fed the baby to sleep. Cocked up the transfer to her Moses basket. Bother.

Nov 18: Like father, like daughter.

Nov 19: Oh Phoebe. Why does it take so long to get an overtired baby to sleep?

Nov 24: Cuddling my sleepy milky daughter. Neither of us is quite awake yet.

Nov 24: My daily companion for breakfast in bed.

Nov 25: It's not been the best of days. Tears were shed. Currently feeling like bad wife and inadequate mother. Hoping sleep will help.

Nov 27: Yesterday Phoebe was pursing her lips and looking like she was trying to make a noise. Today she's blowing wet bubbly raspberries. So sweet!

Nov 27: Phoebe is staring intently at the ladies standing next to us at the bus stop having an animated conversation in (I think) mandarin.

Nov 27: Keep getting angry that Phoebe's tongue tie wasn't picked up until 6 weeks. If we'd had earlier intervention, would things be better now?

Nov 29: This is my 4am face. Let's play, mummy!

Nov 29: Why are baby fingernails so sharp? Ouch!

Tweets - October 2014

Oct 1: Mini mohican.

Oct 1: I can see one tiny sliver of beautiful orange sunset in an otherwise clouded grey sky.

Oct 4: Baby loves books.

Oct 4: Cute baby is currently cutely refusing to go to sleep. I'm happy she's not screaming but I wish those big blue eyes would close and zzzzz.

Oct 6: Conversation with @robhu: "We could sell the baby on eBay." "We can't do that, we made her!" "Etsy then."

Oct 6: So far have managed breakfast & getting dressed. Not brushed hair or washed face tho. Sad baby needs milk, cuddles & frequent new nappies.

Oct 7: Baby says "More food mummy! I've been feeding for the last 50 minutes but I'm still so hungry I could eat my fingers! FEED ME!"

Oct 15: Completely stunned to learn that nitrous oxide in labour isn't generally available in the USA. You poor poor things!

Oct 15: Awake with a windy wide-eyed baby. How can there be so much gas inside one tiny person!?

Oct 16: "Mummy, I'm so happy I don't want to eat, I just want to smile at you!" *melts*

Oct 16: Think baby has thrush. Probably caused by antibiotics that treated the infection that got into the tongue tie cut. Mouth pain cascade! :(
[Not so sure now. We went to the Dr and were given treatment (antifungal drops) which I dutifully administered until they ran out. White spots still there. Went back to GP, saw another Dr who said white spots were inclusion cysts and nothing to worry about. So not sure if she really did have thrush at all.]

Oct 20: It's first immunisations day for Phoebe. Not too worried about the jabs, though I expect she'll cry, but anticipating a grumpy evening.

Oct 20: Baby's first jabs survived. She screamed, naturally. The needles seemed very big! Now she's snuggled up in the sling.

Oct 20: Mummy cuddles baby. "Oh my baby, I love you very much". Baby sicks on mummy's shoulder. Is that baby for "I love you too mummy!"?

Oct 21: Phoebe slept from midnight to 8. Well done that baby!

Oct 22: No, mummy, you may not eat breakfast. I AM HUNGRY AND MUST BE APPEASED!

Oct 22: Off on our first overnight stay with a baby. Feels like that episode of AbFab when the formerly minimalist couple turn up with a baby.

Oct 22: Not that I have ever been a minimalist, baby or not. (AbFab season2, episode 4: New Best Friend)

Oct 23: At my grandma's house, feeding my baby daughter. This makes me happy. The continuation of family, love, home.

Oct 23: It would be even more perfect if my mum were here too. Four generations of eldest daughters. Maybe we'll manage it at Christmas.

Oct 23: The only sadness is that Grampy isn't alive to see it. Much loved, much missed, but now in glory.

Oct 23: Never thought I could become so obsessed with another human being's digestive system. Ah, baby. At least you're currently predictable.
[Ha ha ha ha ha! The very next she went back to being unpredictable again. That'll teach me.]

Oct 24: Baby, routine for. From Elizabeth Craig's Enquire Within (1951). I'm intrigued by 'holding out'. What is it?
[Still don't know. Maybe holding out over a potty to encourage the infant to wee/poo into it?]

Oct 24: Confinement, articles required for. (Elizabeth Craig's Enquire Within, 1951).

Oct 24: "Beware of ever dressing children in startling combinations of colours or queerly shaped hats."

Oct 24: Not bad advice really.

Oct 24: Her advice on breastfeeding is less good. Also "Always time the feeding carefully - ten minutes at each breast."

Oct 24: Key wardrobe items for a baby including "3 frocks of crepe flannel, delaine, nun's veiling, cashmere or wincey."

Oct 24: "You will find that the choice of birthday cards is limited."  (!)

Oct 25: Oh baby. A big smelly poo at bedtime again. Lovely. :-\

Oct 27: Yesterday Phoebe spent lots of time staring at her right hand. Today's she's using it to batt at a hanging toy for the first time.

Oct 27: So much fun watching her learn things. :-)

Oct 27: Ah, the classic send a stream of posset down mummy's back when she's forgotten to put a muslin over her shoulder. Well played, baby.

Oct 27: I love the way Phoebe turns her head away imperiously when she's finished feeding like a dowager duchess refusing another cucumber sandwich.

Oct 29: "Wake up mummy! It's time to play!"
"But baby, I'm tired. Can I distract you with milk?"
"No, play! Oh wait, a booby, om nom nom."
:-)

Oct 29: Feeding Phoebe and listening to @robhu singing along to Price Tag. Happy. :-)

Tweets - September 2014

Sep 2: Misty morning. Autumn really has arrived.

Sep 2: Baby asleep in sling. Chances of successful transfer to cot? Slim to nil. Hmm.

Sep 6: My little monkey is a month old.

Sep 8: Baby may have cow's milk protein allergy. So that may mean no dairy for me until she's not breastfeeding anymore. Eek.
[She doesn't, fortunately]

Sep 9: We got the bus into town. Baby is sleeping while I enjoy lunch in John Lewis.

Sep 12: The pictures on my phone for the last few weeks are either of Phoebe or her nappy contents. Such is the life of a new parent.

Sep 12: Ugh. Last night's sore throat has turned into headache, throat ache and wooziness. An afternoon nap would help but it depends on Phoebe...

Sep 13: Just changed the kind of nappy that requires a bath to clean up. At least the monkey likes baths. Now to convince her to sleep.

Sep 14: Sneezing. First cold of autumn/winter 2014. First time of mummying while grotty. Wonder if the baby will get it too.
[She did. Saline spray and a Nose Frida snot sucker helped a lot]

Sep 16: Liberated a pretty big spider from our living room this evening. It's lucky it was found by me and not @robhu.

Sep 16: There are few sights more wonderful than that of a soundly sleeping baby.

Sep 16: Of course, it never lasts long.

Sep 19: Snotty nosed baby has definitely caught my cold. :-( She sounds like a little snorting piglet. I guess that's appropriate.

Sep 21: Awake with a wide-eyed sleepless monkey.

Sep 24: Feeding the baby and listening to Radio 4. Very peaceful.

Sep 24: Well it was peaceful. This afternoon play isn't.

Sep 25: Snuggled

Sep 27: Colourful 

Sep 28: The relief when a baby who's been freaking out at the breast suddenly calms down and latches on. Wish I knew why. Current theory reflux pain
[It wasn't that, her tongue tie division had got infected. She needed antibiotics.]

Sep 28: Have tried every breastfeeding position I can think of in the last few days. Currently laid back/biological nurturing position works best.

Sep 29: Wondered why my baby's face had sparkles and then remembered I put on blusher with a slight shimmer in it this morning.

Sep 29: Cream blusher is my one step pick me up - takes seconds, makes me look & feel a little more alive. Not time for much other grooming.

Sep 30: Hand in hand.

Tweets - August 2014

Aug 1: Hot! Today is not a good day to be a heavily pregnant woman crawling around on the floor sandwiching a quilt together.

Aug 1: Cleaned and oiled sewing machine and now it doesn't squeak. Yay!

Aug 1: And it's squeaking again. :-( @robhu is doing his best to fix it but I suspect it's in dire need of a service.

Aug 1: The @robhu fixed my sewing machine! :-* So, 2 days to finish the quilt. I think it's do-able.

Aug 2: I have been baby showered. :) Baby can come when she's ready now. Well, maybe there are a few other things to do first...

Aug 3: Tired mama today. Induction (probably) tomorrow. Today is for resting, in theory.

Aug 3: Quilt finished. Out for lunch. Tired. Headachey. Hot.

Aug 4: Good night's sleep? Not going do well. Awake since 4. :-(

Aug 4: Induction day is here. First lot of meds are in. Nothing much happening. @robhu has gone to sleep on my bed.

Aug 5: Waters broke about an hour ago. Trying to get a little sleep between contractions. Trying to find position which is comfortable for both.

Aug 5: TENS good. Flipping weird though.

Aug 5: Four women in this induction suite. Judging by muffled gasps and groans, none of us is getting much sleep.

Aug 5: Am hula hooping zombie. When contraction starts I press button on tens then stand & circle hips. Tens and circling make it bearable, just.

Aug 5: Given up on sleep. No position in which I can sleep and cope with contractions.

Aug 5: Morning! Can't say I got much sleep. Contractions kept me awake. TENS machine taking the edge off nicely though. Wonder how today will go?

Aug 6: Phoebe Muriel Gwendolyn born at 4am. Forceps delivery. She's a tiny 6lb 7oz. I lost about 1l of blood and had to have transfusion & oxygen.

Aug 6: Doing ok now. Very tired! Phoebe guzzled like a champ at first feed and has mostly slept since. She is beautiful!

Aug 8: On my way home with my tiny Phoebe. So pleased. Had a rough couple of days & feeding is challenging but we're getting better at it.

Aug 10: Beautiful Phoebe.

Aug 13: Phoebe was born one week ago. We have survived one week. Mostly we are tired. But she is still beautiful.

Aug 13: Hooray for @robhu who held a screaming windy Phoebe for 2 hours while I slept.

Aug 16: She's got a very strong grip! http://instagram.com/p/rxYmPhTbnO/ 

Aug 19: Even in dreams I dream of sleep.

Aug 21: .@robhu to howling Phoebe after I changed her nappy "when you level up put all your points into teeth so you can bite her".

Aug 21: Trying to convince my baby that kicking my chest while flailing her arms & waving her head about is not an effective way to get more milk.

Aug 23: Baby sleeping. @robhu sleeping. I guess I should sleep too.

Aug 23: Except the baby is showing signs of waking up soon.

Aug 23: Cuddling a hiccoughing baby. They don't seem to bother her, just keep her awake and looking at me with a wide eyed stare.

Aug 23: When she's awake, my daughter looks like an anime character: enormous round eyes, button nose and perfect pink mouth.

Aug 24: Phoebe's body from the top of her bottom to the back of her neck is the same length as my hand from wrist to fingertips.

Aug 31: Cute and tiny baby of mine, please be properly asleep now. Your mummy is tired.