Unfortunately my mum (Nanna) has been unwell over the last week or so. After completing the Midnight Walk I felt exhausted all week - not to mention my hips - but I think it unsettled my mum a bit. She says her feeling ill had nothing to do with the walk, but I think 6 miles is bad enough for anyone but it cant be great for your body doing it at such an ungodly hour!! That having been said I did raise £123 for St Barnabas and of that I am very proud!
Anyway, after the walk on the Saturday night, we then did a sponsored walk for B.A.B.I.E.S on the Monday with the rest of the BabySigning group. This was little more than a mile around Whisby Lakes but it was very hot. Half way round even I felt a little ill.... On the Wednesday mum rang and asked if I would take her to the Drs as she did not feel well enough to drive. She saw a locum who asked for a sample which said mum had an infection, and suggested it was gastroenteritis so gave her antibiotics. We spent over an hour at the surgery accompanied by Jamie as Daddy was working, which was stressful in itself. However, the next day mum felt no better - and she still had a headache - and so I took her again to the Drs. This time the Dr suggested it was Vertigo and sent her for an X Ray on her neck. So Monday morning we were at the hospital for just before 8.30am!!
What this has meant in terms of Jamie is that Nanna missed her afternoon looking after him last week and I therefore missed an afternoon catching up!! Daddy is off this week and we had planned to go out and Nanna was going to have Jamie overnight. This has now been put on hold for this week at least.
What this has highlighted is the fact that we left it so late to have Jamie means that I may end up having to look after both Jamie and Nanna. Auntie Battleaxe always said to me when I said I didn't want children; "Who is going to look after you in your old age?" I always replied I was not going to have children just so someone could look after me. I do hope this isn't the start of my looking after the two ends of the spectrum - the young and the old!!
Wednesday 28 July 2010
Monday 26 July 2010
My Son is a Genius!
It all happens so quick. I turn away from my blog for a couple of days and suddenly I think there is loads that I should have made a note of! We now have a Walking, Talking little man living with us!
Jamie is now walking pretty much on his own - although he still has to be reminded to 'stand up' as he seems to still be a quicker crawler... We went to see Nanna on Sunday and it had been too long since we had last seen her in May. I think she thought it was a different child. He walked holding hers and daddy's hands, sat like a proper little boy on the sofa and even played with her bag of toys quite happily. Of course we still had to change his nappy when we went out for a cuppa, but at least no one else was in the cafe at the time!
And his talking and understanding is amazing. Last week I was chatting away to him as I tidied up his room and said; "We've lost the little pussycat. Where's the pussycat gone Jamie" and off he crawled to the other side of the room and picked up the pussycat from his LittlePeople set. It wasn't the pussycat I was looking for, but it was a pussycat! When daddy got home he did it again and also found the doggy, and he has been doing it to entertain anyone who visits ever since!!
At BabySigning last Thursday we sang Twinkle, Twinkle and Bubbles, Bubbles as we do most week. As we watched the bubbles come out of the bubble machine Jamie suddenly said 'Bubbles'. It wasn't just me who heard as some of the other parents commented. I was so proud! Other words he is saying now include; 'Ball', 'Dadda', 'Nanna' and 'Grandad' (just) and when he wants In The Night Garden he makes the 'N' sound. He is also loving his 'Books' and will point at his bookshelf for a story - usually 'All Aboard the Ninky Nonk'....
As for cousin Noah, we have renamed him ASBO Baby!!
Jamie is now walking pretty much on his own - although he still has to be reminded to 'stand up' as he seems to still be a quicker crawler... We went to see Nanna on Sunday and it had been too long since we had last seen her in May. I think she thought it was a different child. He walked holding hers and daddy's hands, sat like a proper little boy on the sofa and even played with her bag of toys quite happily. Of course we still had to change his nappy when we went out for a cuppa, but at least no one else was in the cafe at the time!
And his talking and understanding is amazing. Last week I was chatting away to him as I tidied up his room and said; "We've lost the little pussycat. Where's the pussycat gone Jamie" and off he crawled to the other side of the room and picked up the pussycat from his LittlePeople set. It wasn't the pussycat I was looking for, but it was a pussycat! When daddy got home he did it again and also found the doggy, and he has been doing it to entertain anyone who visits ever since!!
At BabySigning last Thursday we sang Twinkle, Twinkle and Bubbles, Bubbles as we do most week. As we watched the bubbles come out of the bubble machine Jamie suddenly said 'Bubbles'. It wasn't just me who heard as some of the other parents commented. I was so proud! Other words he is saying now include; 'Ball', 'Dadda', 'Nanna' and 'Grandad' (just) and when he wants In The Night Garden he makes the 'N' sound. He is also loving his 'Books' and will point at his bookshelf for a story - usually 'All Aboard the Ninky Nonk'....
As for cousin Noah, we have renamed him ASBO Baby!!
Thursday 15 July 2010
The Pram in the Hallway
Jamie is out this afternoon with Nanna and since I am no longer employed I am trying to use the time productively. Today started with having to sort out all the Child Tax Credit stuff and then trying to make sense of all the paperwork I seem to have accumulated recently. It is hard not to spend precious time 'fire fighting' i.e. having to do things that need to be done or else i.e. paying bills, shopping, filling in Child Tax Credit forms, but I feel I have begun to focus more when time allows.
I recently watched Maggie O'Farrell on The Book Show (SkyArts) see: http://thebookshow.skyarts.co.uk/authors/463188/maggie_ofarrell.html
She gave me inspiration as she discussed the quote from Cyril Connolly "There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall." Firstly, children deepen your connection with the world and cause you to feel emotion.
And secondly, however difficult it is to find the artistic impulse through the fog of motherhood, children are great editors. She highlights the danger of having too much time. With children you know you have a certain amount of time (usually while they are asleep) and so you must focus on writing in that time.
I recently watched Maggie O'Farrell on The Book Show (SkyArts) see: http://thebookshow.skyarts.co.uk/authors/463188/maggie_ofarrell.html
She gave me inspiration as she discussed the quote from Cyril Connolly "There is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall." Firstly, children deepen your connection with the world and cause you to feel emotion.
And secondly, however difficult it is to find the artistic impulse through the fog of motherhood, children are great editors. She highlights the danger of having too much time. With children you know you have a certain amount of time (usually while they are asleep) and so you must focus on writing in that time.
We Have Lift-Off!!
After hearing so many other mums saying 'so and so is walking' I am pleased to announce that Jamie has now joined them. He has been standing up from sitting unaided for a few weeks now and walking quite well with someone holding his hand, but Monday afternoon he walked across the front room from Daddy to Mummy - and what is more he did it in front of Nanna!
Thursday 8 July 2010
Chatter, Chatter, Chatter
We have been out and about a lot this week and coming back from BabySigning this morning you could not shut Jamie up for his chatter! Whether it was the singing got him all excited or meeting the other babies, or just the sun shining I don't know, but I thought I would look up how to help him with his talking:
Language development can vary widely from child to child, but here are some of the key stages:
By one year, you toddler will understand what you’re saying and may have a couple of words to say himself.
By 15 months he’ll have up to 10 words and will understand a simple command like ‘Get the ball’.
By 18 months he’ll know the names of the most important people in his life and will be able to follow more complex commands, ‘Pick up the ball and give it to daddy’.
By 24 months he’ll have up to 100 words in his vocabulary and will be able to form simple sentences, ‘Get ball’, ‘Mummy come’, and say ‘no’ and ‘mine’ a lot.
By three years, he’ll have about 300 words and will be able to have a conversation of a few sentences and use adjectives and prepositions (‘up, on, in, under’ etc.)
How to encourage the Chatter:
Keep talking. Your toddler may not say much yet, but he understands what you’re saying. Talking starts with listening, so the more you talk to him, the faster he’ll learn to talk himself. Talk about what you’re doing all the time, and state the obvious, for example, ‘We’re going up to have a bath now, then get you into your pyjamas and ready for a story. We could read the lovely book grandma bought you. Look, here it is on the blue bookshelf’. Name everything in your toddler's world verbally; so if you are bathing him name the duck, taps, water, bubbles, wet toes, wet fingers, wet nose… and so on.
Words and music. Read to your tot every day to get him used to books and the words on the pages. Reading to your baby at a young age helps them to hear and understand the inclinations and emotions of speech. It can also help with labelling things, so you can point to a picture and say the word, ‘Fire Engine’ to help them recognise what objects are called. If you are telling a story use different voices for each character and even different accents if you can manage. Little kids love singing and don’t care if you’re tone deaf, so play nursery rhyme tapes and sing along with them together – they’re a brilliant way of getting kids to learn and remember words. ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ or the ‘Hokey Cokey’ are good for toddlers to learn which body part is which. Make sure they can see you, or other toddlers and parents pointing too, so he can see who is pointing at what.
Speak directly to your child and listen to him attentively without trying to finish off his sentences for him. Even if you don’t understand exactly what he’s saying, the chances are his body language or facial expressions will give the game away, so talk to him as if you do, ‘Have you had enough of the bricks? Do you want to play with the trains instead?’.
Listen to what your baby is saying. When you ask your baby a question, wait to see what his response is; it might be a smile or just a look towards a toy, but it is a response. Try to answer his babbles as if you were having a proper conversation, so say, ‘really, how interesting, what a lovely day you’ve had’ to him. If your baby is trying to tell you something, help him by pointing to what it might be, for instance, 'do you want milk? Your book? Your shoes?' And wait for him to respond to what you are pointing at.
http://www.gurgle.com/articles/Guide_To_Toddler/22964/Helping_your_toddler_talk.aspx
Language development can vary widely from child to child, but here are some of the key stages:
By one year, you toddler will understand what you’re saying and may have a couple of words to say himself.
By 15 months he’ll have up to 10 words and will understand a simple command like ‘Get the ball’.
By 18 months he’ll know the names of the most important people in his life and will be able to follow more complex commands, ‘Pick up the ball and give it to daddy’.
By 24 months he’ll have up to 100 words in his vocabulary and will be able to form simple sentences, ‘Get ball’, ‘Mummy come’, and say ‘no’ and ‘mine’ a lot.
By three years, he’ll have about 300 words and will be able to have a conversation of a few sentences and use adjectives and prepositions (‘up, on, in, under’ etc.)
How to encourage the Chatter:
Keep talking. Your toddler may not say much yet, but he understands what you’re saying. Talking starts with listening, so the more you talk to him, the faster he’ll learn to talk himself. Talk about what you’re doing all the time, and state the obvious, for example, ‘We’re going up to have a bath now, then get you into your pyjamas and ready for a story. We could read the lovely book grandma bought you. Look, here it is on the blue bookshelf’. Name everything in your toddler's world verbally; so if you are bathing him name the duck, taps, water, bubbles, wet toes, wet fingers, wet nose… and so on.
Words and music. Read to your tot every day to get him used to books and the words on the pages. Reading to your baby at a young age helps them to hear and understand the inclinations and emotions of speech. It can also help with labelling things, so you can point to a picture and say the word, ‘Fire Engine’ to help them recognise what objects are called. If you are telling a story use different voices for each character and even different accents if you can manage. Little kids love singing and don’t care if you’re tone deaf, so play nursery rhyme tapes and sing along with them together – they’re a brilliant way of getting kids to learn and remember words. ‘Head, shoulders, knees and toes’ or the ‘Hokey Cokey’ are good for toddlers to learn which body part is which. Make sure they can see you, or other toddlers and parents pointing too, so he can see who is pointing at what.
Speak directly to your child and listen to him attentively without trying to finish off his sentences for him. Even if you don’t understand exactly what he’s saying, the chances are his body language or facial expressions will give the game away, so talk to him as if you do, ‘Have you had enough of the bricks? Do you want to play with the trains instead?’.
Listen to what your baby is saying. When you ask your baby a question, wait to see what his response is; it might be a smile or just a look towards a toy, but it is a response. Try to answer his babbles as if you were having a proper conversation, so say, ‘really, how interesting, what a lovely day you’ve had’ to him. If your baby is trying to tell you something, help him by pointing to what it might be, for instance, 'do you want milk? Your book? Your shoes?' And wait for him to respond to what you are pointing at.
http://www.gurgle.com/articles/Guide_To_Toddler/22964/Helping_your_toddler_talk.aspx
Tuesday 6 July 2010
"I said NO"
Am busy, busy, busy at the moment and I think this has caused me to get a bit short with Jamie on occasion - that and PMT! He is just into everything at the moment (not at this precise moment as he is having a nap!) and that means climbing onto everything; including the dining room table, the piano and anything else he can maneuver onto!
Have therefore been having to say "No" a lot and try to keep calm. I have shouted at him a couple of times and have felt so guilty afterwards that I thought I had better look up some ideas....
Assessing your baby's frame of mind is the first step to implementing discipline. No one understands an infant better than the parents. Does your baby tend to lose control when hungry, tired, or off their normal routine? Many flare ups can be reduced or eliminated by making sure you have met your child's basic needs.
You should also take time to assess how your baby's actions affect you. Parents often feel pressure to be perfect all the time. The reality is that parenting is the hardest thing any of us will ever do. It is also the most rewarding. There will be times when even the sweetest baby will cause a parent to become frustrated. Think about how to deal with these frustrations before they actually occur.
Practice basic calming techniques for yourself. Take several deep breaths. Remember to put the situation in perspective, you can handle this little guy. Remember that the baby is acting naturally. It is your job as a parent to guide and teach them so they can learn. Avoid yelling and screaming, since this can teach your child that it is all right to lose control if you don't get your way. Always be aware of your state of mind. Stop yourself before you become too frustrated and take a moment to calm down. If it gets to be too much, consider calling your partner or a family member to vent a little. Associate with other parents. No one understands better than them. Carve out time during the day to rejuvenate yourself with a hot bath, some quite time alone, or by being with friends.
Establish a routine for your baby. Try to stay on a schedule each day. Infants and toddlers feel secure when they have a structured environment. Knowing what is coming next makes them comfortable in their environment. Don't be too rigid with your baby's routine. You do not need to make sure your child plays the exact same way everyday at 11 a.m. Just provide a consistent time for play, for meals, and also a consistent sleep schedule.
Provide a safe environment for your baby. Discipline often begins by creating an environment that gives the child the best opportunity to succeed. Babies are curious and they want to explore. This should make you proud. Be encouraged, it is a sign of growing intelligence. However, you also need to understand that the baby cannot differentiate between a sparkling crystal vase and a toy block. In the baby's mind, both need to be touched and explored. Remove the infant's access to any potentially dangerous or valuable items. Use baby gates, childproof devices, and most importantly - common sense.
Use the discipline technique of redirection and distraction. As a baby gets older (and wiser) they will be better prepared to understand what is and is not appropriate. However in the early stages, they may just not get it. If your child is determined to grab your metal fork at the table, distract them by handing them a toy or other safe item - maybe their own soft utensil. If the baby is determined to climb up the bookshelf, go to the child and show them a ball or other favourite toy. Divert the baby's attention to a safe activity. This will prevent a melt down. In the process your baby will gradually learn that item A is not for play, but item B is for play.
Ignoring a baby's behaviour can sometimes be an effective form of discipline. Babies and toddlers learn that any attention can be good. Nothing gets Mommy or Daddy to come quicker than acting up. It will take time and insight to learn when to ignore a certain behaviour. Never ignore behaviour that is dangerous or harmful. However, if the baby is just throwing a common tantrum, you should not reinforce the action by providing the attention the child seeks.
Be a good example to your baby. If you react to frustrating situations by yelling, stomping, or in a dramatic manner - your baby will learn to respond in the same way. If you remain calm and cool, your child will learn this is the proper way to behave. If your baby bites, don't discipline them by biting back. Always think about what the child will learn from your example. Children do not need to feel pain to learn discipline.
Positive reinforcement is a hallmark of good discipline. Make sure you provide praise more often than "No". Work hard to catch your baby being good. Studies have shown that children who have a higher ratio of positive to negative feedback do better in their development. Babies naturally want to please. Put them in a position to succeed and be sure to let them know when they have. This will lead to more good behaviour.
When the time comes to discipline your baby for doing something unsafe or improper, make sure you do it properly. Use a sharp and firm voice. Be consistent in the terms you use, e.g. "No" or "Hot" or "Down". If they are reaching for something dangerous, hold their hand as well. Try not to be over dramatic as this can desensitize the child to your commands. Use eye contact to communicate with your baby. Infants learn to read facial expressions before any other form of communication. When disciplining your baby, combine your voice with a firm look. There is no need to be mean or scary, just be sure they understand you are serious.
Hug your baby after the moment of discipline has passed. Your baby will learn that while you don't like the specific behaviour, you do love them.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5069130_properly-discipline-baby.html
From one year to two-and-a-half
Your toddler has his bricks all over the floor and you want the room tidy. If you tell him to pick them up, he will probably refuse. If you insist, a fight will be on and you cannot win it. You can yell at him, punish him, reduce him to a jelly of misery but none of that will get those bricks off the floor. But if you say, "I bet you can't put those bricks in their bag before I've picked up all these books", you turn a chore into a game, an order into a challenge. Now he wants to do what you want him to do, so he does. He did not pick up (most of) the bricks "for Mummy"; he did not do it because he is a "good boy". He did it because you made him want to. And that is the best possible way to go. Conduct your toddler through his daily life by foreseeing the rocks and steering around them, avoiding absolute orders that will be absolutely refused, leading and guiding him into behaving as you want him to behave because nothing has made him want to behave otherwise. The payoff now is fun instead of strife for you all but the later payoff is seriously important, too. This toddler, who does not know right from wrong and therefore cannot choose to behave well or badly, is growing up. Soon the time will come when he does remember your instructions and foresee the results of his actions; does understand the subtleties of everyday language; does recognise your feelings and your rights. When that time comes, your child will be able to be "good" or "naughty" on purpose. Which he chooses will depend largely on how he feels about the adults who are special to him and have power over him. If he reaches that next stage of growing up feeling that you are basically loving, approving and on his side, he will want (most of the time) to please you so (with many lapses) he will behave as you wish. But if he reaches that stage feeling that you are overpowering, incomprehensible and against him, he may already have decided not to bother trying to please you because you are never pleased; not to let himself mind when you are cross because you are cross so often; not to expose the depth of his loving feelings for you because you have not always seemed to reciprocate. If you ever wonder whether you are being too gentle and accepting with your toddler, or anyone ever suggests that it is time to toughen up, look ahead. If your child reaches preschool age no longer seeking your approval, not feeling cooperative, not confident of loving and being loved, you will have lost the basis for easy, effective "discipline" all through childhood. At this in-between toddler stage, a happy child is an easy child. A child kept easy now will be easy to handle later.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/penelopeleach/disciplinecooperation/
Have therefore been having to say "No" a lot and try to keep calm. I have shouted at him a couple of times and have felt so guilty afterwards that I thought I had better look up some ideas....
Assessing your baby's frame of mind is the first step to implementing discipline. No one understands an infant better than the parents. Does your baby tend to lose control when hungry, tired, or off their normal routine? Many flare ups can be reduced or eliminated by making sure you have met your child's basic needs.
You should also take time to assess how your baby's actions affect you. Parents often feel pressure to be perfect all the time. The reality is that parenting is the hardest thing any of us will ever do. It is also the most rewarding. There will be times when even the sweetest baby will cause a parent to become frustrated. Think about how to deal with these frustrations before they actually occur.
Practice basic calming techniques for yourself. Take several deep breaths. Remember to put the situation in perspective, you can handle this little guy. Remember that the baby is acting naturally. It is your job as a parent to guide and teach them so they can learn. Avoid yelling and screaming, since this can teach your child that it is all right to lose control if you don't get your way. Always be aware of your state of mind. Stop yourself before you become too frustrated and take a moment to calm down. If it gets to be too much, consider calling your partner or a family member to vent a little. Associate with other parents. No one understands better than them. Carve out time during the day to rejuvenate yourself with a hot bath, some quite time alone, or by being with friends.
Establish a routine for your baby. Try to stay on a schedule each day. Infants and toddlers feel secure when they have a structured environment. Knowing what is coming next makes them comfortable in their environment. Don't be too rigid with your baby's routine. You do not need to make sure your child plays the exact same way everyday at 11 a.m. Just provide a consistent time for play, for meals, and also a consistent sleep schedule.
Provide a safe environment for your baby. Discipline often begins by creating an environment that gives the child the best opportunity to succeed. Babies are curious and they want to explore. This should make you proud. Be encouraged, it is a sign of growing intelligence. However, you also need to understand that the baby cannot differentiate between a sparkling crystal vase and a toy block. In the baby's mind, both need to be touched and explored. Remove the infant's access to any potentially dangerous or valuable items. Use baby gates, childproof devices, and most importantly - common sense.
Use the discipline technique of redirection and distraction. As a baby gets older (and wiser) they will be better prepared to understand what is and is not appropriate. However in the early stages, they may just not get it. If your child is determined to grab your metal fork at the table, distract them by handing them a toy or other safe item - maybe their own soft utensil. If the baby is determined to climb up the bookshelf, go to the child and show them a ball or other favourite toy. Divert the baby's attention to a safe activity. This will prevent a melt down. In the process your baby will gradually learn that item A is not for play, but item B is for play.
Ignoring a baby's behaviour can sometimes be an effective form of discipline. Babies and toddlers learn that any attention can be good. Nothing gets Mommy or Daddy to come quicker than acting up. It will take time and insight to learn when to ignore a certain behaviour. Never ignore behaviour that is dangerous or harmful. However, if the baby is just throwing a common tantrum, you should not reinforce the action by providing the attention the child seeks.
Be a good example to your baby. If you react to frustrating situations by yelling, stomping, or in a dramatic manner - your baby will learn to respond in the same way. If you remain calm and cool, your child will learn this is the proper way to behave. If your baby bites, don't discipline them by biting back. Always think about what the child will learn from your example. Children do not need to feel pain to learn discipline.
Positive reinforcement is a hallmark of good discipline. Make sure you provide praise more often than "No". Work hard to catch your baby being good. Studies have shown that children who have a higher ratio of positive to negative feedback do better in their development. Babies naturally want to please. Put them in a position to succeed and be sure to let them know when they have. This will lead to more good behaviour.
When the time comes to discipline your baby for doing something unsafe or improper, make sure you do it properly. Use a sharp and firm voice. Be consistent in the terms you use, e.g. "No" or "Hot" or "Down". If they are reaching for something dangerous, hold their hand as well. Try not to be over dramatic as this can desensitize the child to your commands. Use eye contact to communicate with your baby. Infants learn to read facial expressions before any other form of communication. When disciplining your baby, combine your voice with a firm look. There is no need to be mean or scary, just be sure they understand you are serious.
Hug your baby after the moment of discipline has passed. Your baby will learn that while you don't like the specific behaviour, you do love them.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5069130_properly-discipline-baby.html
From one year to two-and-a-half
Your toddler has his bricks all over the floor and you want the room tidy. If you tell him to pick them up, he will probably refuse. If you insist, a fight will be on and you cannot win it. You can yell at him, punish him, reduce him to a jelly of misery but none of that will get those bricks off the floor. But if you say, "I bet you can't put those bricks in their bag before I've picked up all these books", you turn a chore into a game, an order into a challenge. Now he wants to do what you want him to do, so he does. He did not pick up (most of) the bricks "for Mummy"; he did not do it because he is a "good boy". He did it because you made him want to. And that is the best possible way to go. Conduct your toddler through his daily life by foreseeing the rocks and steering around them, avoiding absolute orders that will be absolutely refused, leading and guiding him into behaving as you want him to behave because nothing has made him want to behave otherwise. The payoff now is fun instead of strife for you all but the later payoff is seriously important, too. This toddler, who does not know right from wrong and therefore cannot choose to behave well or badly, is growing up. Soon the time will come when he does remember your instructions and foresee the results of his actions; does understand the subtleties of everyday language; does recognise your feelings and your rights. When that time comes, your child will be able to be "good" or "naughty" on purpose. Which he chooses will depend largely on how he feels about the adults who are special to him and have power over him. If he reaches that next stage of growing up feeling that you are basically loving, approving and on his side, he will want (most of the time) to please you so (with many lapses) he will behave as you wish. But if he reaches that stage feeling that you are overpowering, incomprehensible and against him, he may already have decided not to bother trying to please you because you are never pleased; not to let himself mind when you are cross because you are cross so often; not to expose the depth of his loving feelings for you because you have not always seemed to reciprocate. If you ever wonder whether you are being too gentle and accepting with your toddler, or anyone ever suggests that it is time to toughen up, look ahead. If your child reaches preschool age no longer seeking your approval, not feeling cooperative, not confident of loving and being loved, you will have lost the basis for easy, effective "discipline" all through childhood. At this in-between toddler stage, a happy child is an easy child. A child kept easy now will be easy to handle later.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/toddler/penelopeleach/disciplinecooperation/
Sunday 4 July 2010
"Is he walking yet?"
I am sick of people asking this question? Battleaxe Auntie said to my mother who said to me; "Shouldn't he be walking by now?" and it seems to be the first question people ask when they have not seen me or Jamie for a while. And of course there are the competitive mothers / grandmothers. I am thinking of the Granny at Babysigning on Thursday who said "She's only a year" after asking how old Jamie was, while her granddaughter was walking past him on the floor. She did say that she was a younger sibling and I know that many younger siblings progress at a fast pace as they have someone to copy (So there!)
Last week he walked while only holding one hand of Daddies and then at the weekend he stood up from sitting all by himself so its only a matter of days now.
He has been 'cruising' for months now and we actually thought he would be walking by his birthday as he was so quick to crawl and then to cruise. He is just so good at crawling its probably been easier - and quicker - for him to crawl than to put all that effort in standing up and walking.
And anyway, if you look on the Internet it says there is no need to worry unless they get to 18months without walking:
Over the course of his first year your baby will gradually gain coordination and muscle strength throughout his body, learning to sit, roll over and crawl before moving on to pulling up and standing at about eight months. From then on it's a matter of gaining confidence and balance. Most babies take their first steps sometime between nine and 12 months and are walking well by the time they're 14 or 15 months old. Don't worry if your child takes a little longer, though; many perfectly normal children don't walk until their 16th or 17th month.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/development/walking/
How to Help:
When holding your child while trying to make him walk, don't hold his legs or hands. Hold him by the torso. You can encourage your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of him and holding out your hands, by holding both his hands and walking him towards you, or by buying a toddle truck or a similar contraption he can hold onto and push (look for toddle toys that are stable and have a wide base of support). Because baby walkers make it too easy to get around and thus can prevent a child's upper leg muscles from developing correctly, some experts strongly discourage using them. You can also hold off on introducing shoes until your baby is walking around outside or on rough or cold surfaces regularly; going barefoot helps him improve his balance and coordination.
Jamie has a trolley (with bricks) he likes to push about and he also has a car which he can push along. Now that we are having such nice weather we have been able to go in the garden a lot and let him walk up and down the garden with his toys.
We shall see what the next few days bring....
Last week he walked while only holding one hand of Daddies and then at the weekend he stood up from sitting all by himself so its only a matter of days now.
He has been 'cruising' for months now and we actually thought he would be walking by his birthday as he was so quick to crawl and then to cruise. He is just so good at crawling its probably been easier - and quicker - for him to crawl than to put all that effort in standing up and walking.
And anyway, if you look on the Internet it says there is no need to worry unless they get to 18months without walking:
Over the course of his first year your baby will gradually gain coordination and muscle strength throughout his body, learning to sit, roll over and crawl before moving on to pulling up and standing at about eight months. From then on it's a matter of gaining confidence and balance. Most babies take their first steps sometime between nine and 12 months and are walking well by the time they're 14 or 15 months old. Don't worry if your child takes a little longer, though; many perfectly normal children don't walk until their 16th or 17th month.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/development/walking/
How to Help:
When holding your child while trying to make him walk, don't hold his legs or hands. Hold him by the torso. You can encourage your baby to walk by standing or kneeling in front of him and holding out your hands, by holding both his hands and walking him towards you, or by buying a toddle truck or a similar contraption he can hold onto and push (look for toddle toys that are stable and have a wide base of support). Because baby walkers make it too easy to get around and thus can prevent a child's upper leg muscles from developing correctly, some experts strongly discourage using them. You can also hold off on introducing shoes until your baby is walking around outside or on rough or cold surfaces regularly; going barefoot helps him improve his balance and coordination.
Jamie has a trolley (with bricks) he likes to push about and he also has a car which he can push along. Now that we are having such nice weather we have been able to go in the garden a lot and let him walk up and down the garden with his toys.
We shall see what the next few days bring....
Thursday 1 July 2010
Three Years On...
Yes, I have now been writing this blog for 3 years. I no longer dwell on what happened prior to September 2008 - although that does not mean I have given up on the idea of suing the hospital just yet!!
Two Year summary at: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.com/2009/07/two-years-later.html
To be honest, the last year has been a bit of a blur. Jamie has grown up very fast and changes happen everyday. I am scared that I may have missed writing about some of them on my blog, but I have learned to appreciate that it is the time spent with Jamie that is the most precious. These days will never return and although my house is not the clean palace it once was, mummy is not the slim (I wish!) fashionable, fit girl she once was, and that novel I keep saying I am going to write still remains no more than a pile of paper, I would not have it any other way!!
In the last year I have learnt a lot about friendship; we see more of some people and less of others. When you have a baby to consider, those 'friends' for whom the effort was all on your side will slip away without you even noticing! My social circle has more 'Yummy Mummy's' in now and we have started to organise nights out every few months as a group. The value of baby groups cannot be underestimated. When you have had a bad night you will usually find someone there with a similar experience. When you have a child, other people with children (and don't forget Grandmothers) will always smile at you in the street and often speak as well! Its like some form of secret society.....
We did find weaning difficult - I felt overwhelmed with all the information!! But now at nearly 15months Jamie is just about on track. He eats with his fingers and has a similar diet to mummy and daddy; although we do still give him some of the 12month+ meals during the day to ensure he has a 'balanced' diet. We do need a no spill bottle for his juice however. I have seen the one I want as some of the girls at BabySigning this week had one.... He is on full fat milk now which he drinks first thing along with his weetabix, as well as last thing at night. Oh and he loves chocolate (thanks to Grandad) and so we make sure he brushes his teeth - currently standing at 10.
Pointing is Jamie's thing at the moment. We are not sure who started it, but I have a suspicion it was Nanna! Books are his favourite thing to point at and he will listen to the same story over and over, or until he finds something else to point at! And he has started to actually watch the TV. He loves In the Night Garden but we do try to restrict his viewing.
He isn't exactly speaking yet but we are beginning to understand some of what he says and I think he understands a lot of what we say; 'doggy,' 'pussy cat,' 'juice,' 'mummy' etc. He also has begun to grasp what some things actually 'do' i.e. like pushing a button starts the music or sets off the intercom. He has started to understand what goes where; like the rose on the end of the watering can nose, or the pieces in the jigsaw.
The De-cluttering continues on a new level every month. Just as you think you have moved things out of reach, Jamie learns a new skill. His new trick is to pull a chair out so he can climb on it and onto the table! No wonder mummy drinks (or she would if she had the time to go and buy it!). I still find it stressful leaving Jamie. Consequently we don't seem to have gone out much lately; although I have stopped crying when we do!!
Mummy is getting more chilled about things and is slowly loosing weight. I did not get to pre-pregnancy weight for Jamie's 1st birthday (new years resolution) but am still hoping to reach it very soon. In the last few weeks I have started walking a lot more in readiness for the St Barnabas Midnight (6mile) Walk on the 17th July, See: www.justgiving.com/JoBoStBMidnightWalk and hope to continue walking once it is over.
Last week was my last week working at the Library Services and I do miss it, but what is nice is that Grandma and Granddad are still going to have Jamie for me during the week so I can catch up on things. In return for Auntie Hannah having had Jamie every Thursday, we are now having cousin Noah on a Monday.... Not sure about whether I will get another job or whether we can afford for me to not have one, but I have continued to keep a record of how much we spend: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-will-it-cost.html
What about a brother or sister? We are not trying but we are not, not trying?
Two Year summary at: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.com/2009/07/two-years-later.html
To be honest, the last year has been a bit of a blur. Jamie has grown up very fast and changes happen everyday. I am scared that I may have missed writing about some of them on my blog, but I have learned to appreciate that it is the time spent with Jamie that is the most precious. These days will never return and although my house is not the clean palace it once was, mummy is not the slim (I wish!) fashionable, fit girl she once was, and that novel I keep saying I am going to write still remains no more than a pile of paper, I would not have it any other way!!
In the last year I have learnt a lot about friendship; we see more of some people and less of others. When you have a baby to consider, those 'friends' for whom the effort was all on your side will slip away without you even noticing! My social circle has more 'Yummy Mummy's' in now and we have started to organise nights out every few months as a group. The value of baby groups cannot be underestimated. When you have had a bad night you will usually find someone there with a similar experience. When you have a child, other people with children (and don't forget Grandmothers) will always smile at you in the street and often speak as well! Its like some form of secret society.....
We did find weaning difficult - I felt overwhelmed with all the information!! But now at nearly 15months Jamie is just about on track. He eats with his fingers and has a similar diet to mummy and daddy; although we do still give him some of the 12month+ meals during the day to ensure he has a 'balanced' diet. We do need a no spill bottle for his juice however. I have seen the one I want as some of the girls at BabySigning this week had one.... He is on full fat milk now which he drinks first thing along with his weetabix, as well as last thing at night. Oh and he loves chocolate (thanks to Grandad) and so we make sure he brushes his teeth - currently standing at 10.
Pointing is Jamie's thing at the moment. We are not sure who started it, but I have a suspicion it was Nanna! Books are his favourite thing to point at and he will listen to the same story over and over, or until he finds something else to point at! And he has started to actually watch the TV. He loves In the Night Garden but we do try to restrict his viewing.
He isn't exactly speaking yet but we are beginning to understand some of what he says and I think he understands a lot of what we say; 'doggy,' 'pussy cat,' 'juice,' 'mummy' etc. He also has begun to grasp what some things actually 'do' i.e. like pushing a button starts the music or sets off the intercom. He has started to understand what goes where; like the rose on the end of the watering can nose, or the pieces in the jigsaw.
The De-cluttering continues on a new level every month. Just as you think you have moved things out of reach, Jamie learns a new skill. His new trick is to pull a chair out so he can climb on it and onto the table! No wonder mummy drinks (or she would if she had the time to go and buy it!). I still find it stressful leaving Jamie. Consequently we don't seem to have gone out much lately; although I have stopped crying when we do!!
Mummy is getting more chilled about things and is slowly loosing weight. I did not get to pre-pregnancy weight for Jamie's 1st birthday (new years resolution) but am still hoping to reach it very soon. In the last few weeks I have started walking a lot more in readiness for the St Barnabas Midnight (6mile) Walk on the 17th July, See: www.justgiving.com/JoBoStBMidnightWalk and hope to continue walking once it is over.
Last week was my last week working at the Library Services and I do miss it, but what is nice is that Grandma and Granddad are still going to have Jamie for me during the week so I can catch up on things. In return for Auntie Hannah having had Jamie every Thursday, we are now having cousin Noah on a Monday.... Not sure about whether I will get another job or whether we can afford for me to not have one, but I have continued to keep a record of how much we spend: http://grumpymumtobe.blogspot.com/2010/04/what-will-it-cost.html
What about a brother or sister? We are not trying but we are not, not trying?
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