Tuesday 17 February 2015

Happy Seven months, Emma!


How Old:   Seven months!  Where has the time gone?!
Weight:   No idea....How bad is that? I wouldn't even like to guess.
Likes:   Bouncing, chewing on anything and everything, melon, going for walks
Dislikes:  The fact that we move everything she *shouldn't* have out of the way
Eating:  We are still on formula five times a day.  She likes eating, it is just that food doesn't agree with her.  We tried baby porridge and had a severe vomiting incident a few hours later.  It's so weird as she likes eating and is fine for a few hours.  Then she vomits until she is limp.  It freaks me out when it happens
Sleeping:  We officially have our nights back.  This kid sleeps - and sleeps well. We put her down by 7:30 and she is up by 6:00.  She naps OK during the day - not great - but OK!  I'll take it!
Routine:  Feeds every three-four hours.  She's clockwork.  
Sizes:  Oh boy.  US - 9 month clothes - perhaps creeping into 12 month trousers.  UK sizes I think she is just now hitting 6 month clothes.  To be honest, we are decked out in Carters.  She's an American girl at heart!
Milestones:  She's hilarious.  She can sit up - even stand with help.  Will she roll over?  Nope.  Crawl?  Nope.  I think I'm ok with that though.  Her teeth are growing, she's so inquisitive and her babbling is coming along just perfectly!
Mum's favourite moment:   Every time I pick Emma up at nursery she starts kicking until they pass her over to me. She then holds my face in her hands and squeezes it, making one of her adorable little babbles to let me know she is happy to see me.  
Dad's favourite moment:   We moved the TV remote out of her reach so she decided to stand up next to the sofa and try and get at it.  Granted, I was holding her quite firmly, but that leg control was all her!  She looked at us as if to say - Go on. Move stuff.  I'll find a way to get it.

We had an adorable Valentines Day - complete with a sweet little love note exchange from our 
awesome BFF Big M!

 


It's been an interesting six weeks.  I have survived my first half term back to work - but this week off is the most needed thing ever.  I have desperately wanted to spend time with Emma again, plus I've needed a little break from all of the busy day to day nonsense.  With B on nights and away for two weeks, the past month left us with very little family time since the new year - that is something I am desperate to get more of.

The past few weeks have been hard for the following reasons:

1.  I don't want to leave this face every day.



2.  I don't want to spend my evenings working - I want to spend the evening with these two.



3.   I want to be there to figure out and perfect THIS:

    


4.  And THIS:


So a massive hats off to all working moms.  I think deep down everyone feels like they are going to miss out on the good stuff - that's what makes it so difficult.  

Being a working mom has proved to be hard work. I have serious respect for all of those working mamas out there because there is such a skill to balancing everything and feeling as though you haven't failed in one category of your life.  I genuinely believe that by leaving Emma at Nursery she is gaining valuable social and interpersonal skills.  She loves going and I love it when she is happy.

The difficulty comes in the evening when I realise that I get to spend about an hour with her.  Babies get grumpy in the evening - I get it - but it is just so unfortunate that when I am able to spend time with her, she is unhappy or sleeping.  

I refuse to work when she is awake.  I have gotten very good at time management and I find I am working more efficiently.  I use my time wisely when I'm at work and after Emma goes to sleep.  Of course, that time is also needed to clean, cook and prepare bottles!  I don't think I manage this very well.

There always seem to be 1001 things to do and I think I was trying to do them all perfectly.  I've decided perfection is doing the best you can.  Some days I feel that I've let work down.  Some days I feel I have let my family down. I need to work on snapping out of that because I know I'm not letting anyone down.
Mother's Guilt.  It's a real thing.  Seven months in and I am confident that THAT is true!

SO you can see why this week has been so important for me!  Unfortunately, Emma has been quite poorly so far this week; I've not had much rest or quality time with her yet.  Bless her, she still gives us a smile and plays her little heart out.


(Happy Pancake day!)

Xx

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