Why I chose to be a stay at home Mum

I never thought I would be a stay at home Mummy. 

I have always loved the idea of staying at home with my son but I also knew that money would be tight. I wanted to go back to work to bring in the extra income so we could have the treats, the days out and the holidays. 

That is what my head told me but my heart felt something else all together.

On maternity leave with every month that passed by I felt more and more anxious. The thought of leaving Noah whilst I went back to work was painful to me. Even though I was only going back to work part time and leaving Noah with his Nan it still didn't bring me much comfort. I still had that mothers guilt. 

Perhaps I would of felt a lot better about the situation if I was going back to a job that I liked but in honest truth I hated it. It was always a very unprofessional environment and at times nasty place to work. 

When I announced to my employer that I was pregnant nothing changed in my terms of job role in fact I felt like I was asked to do more. This I didn't mind as I did like to keep busy but I didn't appreciate being told to go up 6ft ladders at 7 months pregnant. When I mentioned that I wasn't happy about doing this as it was unsafe for myself and the baby they would make snide remarks and talk about me behind my back. You can imagine how that made me feel, especially with all the pregnancy hormones brewing up inside me. It's ridiculous because I wasn't asking to be treat special because I was pregnant I just wanted to be treat in a fair and safe way. 

At one point they were understaffed so I was over worked, not given adequate breaks, or a place to sit, my ankles swelled and I had dizzy spells. I went to the doctor and he took one look at me and signed me off work due to exhaustion. On my return to work they had the nerve to issue me a disciplinary and demoted me. This is just a few of the examples of the misconduct I experienced while I was pregnant, just the tip of the iceberg.  

I knew from the beginning that when I returned to work I only wanted to go back for three days a week. I had discussed this numerous times with the management, during pregnancy and throughout my maternity leave. They knew what days I could and could not work and It seemed like everything was agreed on so I went ahead and arranged Noah's childcare. 

Now lets fast forward an entire year. A couple of days before I was due to go back to work they called me in for a meeting. I assumed that it was just to clarify everything and to be given my rota but I was wrong. The management had gone back on everything that we had agreed and put me into work all the days I said I couldn't do. You can imagine my disbelief after a year of thinking this had all been agreed to. They led me to believe everything was fine and then decided to throw a spanner in the works just days before I was due back. 

They said they couldn't agree to my flexible working request because they were low staff which I don't think is actually a legal reason to decline. When I told them I couldn't work those days (just like I had been saying for the past year) they said the only thing they could offer me was the controversial 0 hour contract. These contracts are a nightmare which the government are actually trying to ban! It would basically mean that one week I may of been working three days and others I wouldn't be working at all. This just wouldn't work for us as a family for numerous reasons. Firstly we need to know how much money is coming in each month as we have a baby, bills, car and a new mortgage to pay for. Secondly Noah, the childminder and I all need structure and being told a day before that we are at work the next day just was not going to work. 

Taking all these factors on board I was left with no option but to quit. I feel like it just wasn't worth it. Personally I think they knew what they were doing. I don't think they wanted me to go back and wanted to push me into resigning which they have accomplished. 

To be frankly honest I don't really care because the weight that lifted from my shoulders on the day I quit was immense and I feel it's the best decision I could have made. The only regret I have is that I wish I had of taken this further because I feel like they have gotten away with every wrong that they did. But anyway I've said good bye to the only aspect of my life that caused me stress and upset and I feel like that chapter is now closed.

I've traded all that in for something priceless. I now get to spend all my days at home with my son. I am able to spend every morning, afternoon and evening with him. Playing games, reading books, cuddling up. I'm getting to see him reach all his milestones which I probably would of missed if I went back to work and it's incredible.

Not only that but I now have more time to spend on the things that I enjoy to do. I am able to dedicate more time to the blog, take part in more blogging opportunities and focus on what direction I want to take it in. I am cooking and baking more which is great because I feel like I am improving. There are also a dozen DIY projects around the house that I am tacking too.

I am sorry that I rambled on but I feel like this blog post was a sort of therapy for me. By writing and publishing the post I feel like I have got it off my chest and let it go and I feel fantastic. 

So yes, I am now a stay at home Mummy and I'm loving it!  

20 facts about Noah

1. Noah is 9 months old (10 months in 3 days!)
2. He was induced and born 3 days before his due date on the 12/11/13.
3. His birth weight was 7lb 2oz and didn't lose any weight on any of his weigh ins.
4. Noah was the only name we both liked and agreed on.
5. His middle name is Nicholas which is his Daddy's first name.
6. He was a planned baby.
7. He slept through by 12 weeks old.
8. He gave his first responsive smiles at just 2 months old (one of my fondest memories!)
9. Other than mama and dada his first word was hiya.
10. He is besotted with his two teddy bear comforters which we call his "kiki's"
11. He has curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
12. He's been obsessed with Spongebob Squarepants for since he was about 3 months old.
13. He is very lazy when it comes to mobility and would rather you get him to where he needs to be.
14. He loves his food and I am yet to find something he doesn't like.
15. His favourite foods are; strawberries, peas, cheese and tomatoes.
16. He is a lover of books, already.
17. He is a performer and will do things to make you laugh.
18. Noah isn't crawling or cruising yet.
19.  He loves being sung too and will clap and dance.
20. He is generally a very smiley and chatty baby but can be very bossy too!

A few people have tagged me in this post and I really wanted to do it, so there it is. I tag whoever would like to do it too!

Baby Diary: 8 Months Old

Ok seriously, where is the time going? As you get older the time just seems to be going faster. I really wish I could hit pause for a while and savour every single moment. You have learnt an insane amount this month which I will mention on your milestones. You astound us on a daily basis, you incredible being you! 

Character

You are a very cheeky and smiley baby but you are currently going through your 8 month leap (which I have found the toughest leap to date.) I've found with this leap you do have more off days than usual. On these off days you want to be attached to my hip, are rather whiny and can't entertain yourself for longer than 2 minutes. It's no surprise though as this leap is not only the most difficult but you have learnt so much in such a short amount of time so it's no wonder you are feeling rather cranky some days! 

Size
You are still wearing 6-9m clothing but I think you will be in the next size up in babygrows by the time I write your 9 month update. You are also still wearing size 3 nappies but I am thinking of moving up into the 4's in the next week or two. I still need to get you weighed but it's rather difficult at the minute being between houses. You are still long and skinny but you are solid weight. I can't believe how big you are becoming.

Health

The day you turned 7 months you woke up with your very first cold which I documented on your 7 month update. I was hoping it was going to be a quick and easy cold but it ended up turning into a nasty chest infection and conjunctivitis. You were prescribed antibiotics and eye drops for it. It took a good two weeks for you to recover fully. Other than that you have been okay other than the occasional constipation. We also have no teeth yet and no issues with teething. 

Feeding

You are still a huge foodie! You get so excited when I put you in your high chair, you sit there bouncing in your chair until you see your meal coming. You are having three meals a day; breakfast, lunch and dinner. You have a varied diet with lots of fruit and veg. You prefer to feed yourself so we now spoon feed you some foods but offer finger foods with every meal too. At the minute you adore strawberries, tomatoes and cheese but there isn't much that you don't.

You have x4 5oz bottles of milk a day. Morning, before lunch, afternoon and night. We are trying to bring the morning bottle later so we can eliminate the before lunch bottle. You were having 3 bottles a day but since living with the inlaws and sleeping in a very bright room you have been waking up at the crack of dawn for a bottle.

You drink between 6oz or 9oz of very diluted juice a day too. I am currently giving it to you in a bottle as I have misplaced all your sippy cups in the move. I need to either find what we have done with them or buy some new ones. 

Sleep

As I said in the 7 month update we have been struggling since we moved in with your Grandparents (still waiting to get into our new home) The room is very bright and hot in the mornings and you aren't a fan of the travel cot. I end up bringing you into bed with me but it's just a queen bed and you are taking up so much space these days! I think you are missing being in your cot. Hopefully we will be in our new house in the next few weeks and we can get you back into the habit of being in your own cot. Time wise you usually sleep 8pm - 8am but not through. Sometimes you wake at 2am, sometimes 4am and sometimes 6am. Sometimes once a night and sometimes twice. You've only started waking so much since the 8 month leap begun. It's like you are newborn again.

Milestones

- Sitting. I now feel I can leave you sitting unaided and don't worry about you falling. I do still put cushions behind you thought just in case. You also reach right across for toys whilst you are sitting and quickly regain your balance. 

- Crawling. You aren't crawling just yet but you can now hold all your weight on all fours. I was amazed that you could do this because although you have always had a lot of strength in your legs you haven't in your arms. I don't think you will crawl for a while though and have a feeling that you will be a bum shuffler.

- Vocal. You have become even more vocal this month. You say baba a lot, mainly when you are upset! I would love to know what that means to you. You have said mama a few times but when I ask you to say it you shake your head and smile, you little tinker!

- Feeding. You can now hold your own bottle but you are still rather lazy with it and prefer me to do it for you. You also grab the spoon to attempt to feed yourself.

- No. You now shake your head side to side. Only sometimes though and I do wonder if you know what it means as you do seem to do it in context a lot of the time!

- Movement. You seem to be reaching for everything and anything now and really contort your body in all sorts of ways to do so. Only really when you are sat up or led on your back though as you still hate to be led on your stomach. You also do a reverse "worm" to move across the floor! It's so funny to watch you do it, it's like you are thrusting!

- Clapping. You now clap your hands when we clap, say "clap hands" or if there is something you like. I had been trying to teach you how to clap for a while and the day you did it back my heart literally melted. 

- Standing. You can walk in your walker and have begun holding your weight up against the sofa for 30 seconds at a time. We are going to be practicing standing against furniture a lot this month to see how you get on. 

- Understanding. You seem to have such a great understanding of words. Bok bok, milk, juice, hiya, mama, dada, tree's, light. We now say "Where's the light?" or "Where are the tree's?" and you will look directly at them. You little clever clogs! 

- Dancing. If you are sitting up and music comes on sometimes you will bop up and down to the tune. Sometimes you will dance and clap at the same time. Absolutely adorable! 

Things you like

- SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. You still love good old Spongebob.

- Feeding yourself.

- Gadgets. Mobile phones, ipads, remote controls. Why is it that babies always want to play with things you would rather them not? Even when you buy toy mobile phones or remotes they always seem to know that it's just a toy and aren't interested!

- Sitting and playing. You love to sit with all your toys in front of you and it's so fascinating to watch you play.

- Trollies. You sat in the big boy seat of a trolley for the first time this month. You beam from ear to ear and become very giddy when you are sat in one. I think you are relishing being able to do more things now. 

- Having your nappy changed. 

- FOOD! 

- Being giddy! 

- Swings! Another first for this month was sitting in the swing. Another thing you now love! 

Things you don't like

- Having your face wiped. 

- Having something taken off you.

- Sleep. You used to love sleeping so much but we now wake frequently throughout the night. I am hoping it's the leap and you will go back to your old ways. 

We love you so much Noah Noo Noo! Lets hope this month doesn't pass us by so quickly! 

Happy Birthday Mummy

It was my Birthday yesterday and the sun decided to put his hat on for the day. I turned 26 years young and celebrated my first Birthday as a Mummy! Noah and I had a lovely lie in together whilst Nick went out to buy a new boiler for the house. I then woke up to a bacon butty and a pile of presents, which Noah helped me open. He would of helped me eat my butty too if I'd of let him!  

We spent the morning in the house then got ready to go on a little walk. The walk was a silly idea really as it was far too hot to walk. It was that hot we should of sat lounging around with cold drinks in our hands. Noah did pretty well in the heat. I slathered him in sun protection, sun hat on and kept him in the shade but the sun still wore him out. We then paid our Grandparents a visit for a welcomed cool down from the sun. 

Next up we paid one of our favourite posh pubs a visit. I ordered a cheeseburger and chips whilst Nick had a tuna melt panini, chips and salad. All washed down with Rekorderlig and Peroni. Perfect food and drink for the weather we are having. Noah was a good boy as usual and sat on our laps while we ate and drank. One of his favourite things to do is watch you eat, he is such a foodie and he finds it hilarious if you are eating at the same time as him. 

We then decided to go home to relax. It's so funny how the sun seems to tire you out. I stripped Noah to his nappy and we both fell asleep on the bed snuggled up together. We then woke up, spent a little more time together and got ready for bed properly! I wouldn't of wanted to spend my birthday with anyone or anywhere else. I had a lovely day. 

Letters to Noah - Growing up way too fast

Dear Noah,

I cannot wrap my head around the fact that you are now 6 months old. It feels like only yesterday when you was born and we brought you home. Now you are half a year old and you are not only starting to look so grown up but seem to learn something new everyday. It feels like I only need to blink to notice a change in you, it's so scary. I know I will look back at this post another 6 months down the line or in 6 years time and I will think time is still flying by. I didn't understand how fast time could pass until I became a parent. It's so bittersweet watching you grow and develop before my very eyes. On one hand I am deliriously happy seeing you learn a new noise, grow another curl or master a new trick but on the other it's sad because you are no longer that tiny little baby and it frightens me because it's all happening so quickly. I am scared that if I turn away I will miss something and I want to be there for every single first. I'm also frightened of forgetting the little things. I have such a bad memory and seem to remember a lot of unimportant moments but forget the moments I really want to remember. I thank god for technology as without my phone and photographs I fear I would forget bits and pieces but I find that the photo's really jog my memory. I just wish time would slow down, just a little bit. 

You have always been such a little character but this month your personality is shining. You are such a funny boy and you are so inquisitive. At the minute everything you set eyes on you want to explore, everything is interesting to you. You constantly have a smile on your face and that smile in contagious. I can feel really crummy for no particular reason and one smile from you and it dissipates. You are so affectionate too and are learning how to express it. You will touch my face, nuzzle into my neck or hold my hand. It honestly melts my heart. 

I never knew I could love so much. 

Mummy x

  

Baby Diary: 6 Months Old

Happy half birthday baby boy. I say it every month but I can't believe it's been another month and how are you 6 months old already? These past 6 months have been the best months of my life. They have flown by, been hard work at times but every single day is filled with love and joy as I get to spend them with you. 

Character

You are still one cheeky little boy. You are a very content, happy and smiley baby, you are a dream. There will be the odd day where you are aren't as cheerful but even on those days you are brilliant! I can't complain at all. You look at both Daddy and I with such love in your eyes and we only need to look at you to receive a huge gummy grin in response. 

You had been suffering with stranger anxiety for a few months but this month you seem to have overcome it. I try not to say that out loud as I don't want to jynx it but you have come on leaps and bounds. It's great to be able to see other family members getting to know you properly and enjoying you the way that we do without you crying. It was upsetting us both that people weren't getting to see the real you but now they are and they can't stop signing your praises. It's also amazing to see how your confidence has grown with other people and just in general. We are so proud of you. 

Size

Last month I guessed that you were around 18lb but I think I was way off, I think you could be that now. You feel very stocky and solid but you are a long string bean. You have a few arm and leg rolls but only little ones, you aren't very chubby, not yet, You still fit in 3-6m vests, jackets and tops but the trousers in that size no longer fit as you have long legs. Babygrows in 3-6m fit fine on the body and arms but are way too small on your feet as they are rather long too. So your long legs and long feet are the reason why we have moved into 6-9m in some clothes. It's hard work and confusing when in two sizes especially to your Daddy! 

Health

Again all good on the health front. You haven't even had a cold yet, touch wood. You seem to be teething but are dealing with it really well. I hope this means you are a good teether. You have been constipated on the odd few days but I figured out what was causing it, banana's. You love your banana's and I was giving you half a banana with your porridge for breakfast every morning. You now don't have them as much and you have been fine. 

Feeding

I was making up 7oz bottles last month but we were wasting a lot of milk. I now make up 6oz bottles and you never drain them. You are having two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. Breakfast tends to be porridge and fruit. Porridge is your favourite food. For dinner you have a veg puree or a meal blended up followed by a pudding. I try to give you cooled boiled water with your food but you only manage an oz or two and then want milk. You still love your food and we are yet to find anything that you don't liked. I am hoping this means you are going to carry on being a brilliant eater as you get older.

You tried meat for the first time last week when I blended up our homemade spaghetti bolognese, you devoured it. We have also introduced a few finger foods this last week; banana, spaghetti, biscotti but I still feel panicky about it. You have great hand eye coordination but when you are feeding yourself instead of sucking bits of the food off you literally bite off a huge chunk and I panic that you are going to choke on it. I know there's a huge difference between choking and gagging and that it's all a learning process but I can't help that it makes me feel this way. I know I feel more confident as time goes by and I don't let you see my worry. 

Sleep

You still sleep great. Most nights it does take a few times to settle you but that is down to your dummy, it falls out, you want it back it. It's not a hassle but it's a habit we are going to have to overcome. You do have the odd night where you will wake up anytime between 4am and 6am for a bottle but then you will go back to sleep. You tend to sleep 8pm-9am, sometimes later. You sleep in your cot right beside my bed and I am guilty of bringing you into bed with me when Daddy has got up for work. 

You nap frequently throughout the day but only cat naps. I wish you just had one long nap in the afternoon rather than three 20 minute naps but at least you nap!  

Milestones

- Laughing. You have been laughing for a few months now but we would have to tickle you most of the time to get one tiny laugh. On occasion you would laugh if we did something funny. Now you do it even when we aren't even trying to make you laugh. I tripped over yesterday and you ended up laughing your head up. 

- Confidence. You seem to have gained a lot of confidence with other people this month. When out and about you would be shy and reserved and sometimes cried. Now you give people smiles and chatter away to them. 
- Blowing. Not only do you blow bubbles but you just blow into thin air now and make a "puhh" noise when doing so. It's very cute. 

- Coordination. You are spot on with your coordination pretty much. When you reach for something its straight into your hand and then straight into the mouth. You now not only reach for things but push your body in the direction of the item that you want. 

- Vocal. You have been vocal from a young age and everyone commented on how well you were doing. Even though you have always been vocal there's times where you have a quiet spell and I really have to pry babbles out of you. This month lots more noises and sounds have come into your vocabulary. You have such an adorable voice. 

- Learning. Not only do you know your name but you are starting to recognise the odd word. Bottle, bok bok, dodo. It's amazing to see what you are learning week by week. 

- Sitting up. You are getting more steady and confident when it comes to sitting but I think we are going to be a while yet. You still can only roll front to back and are happy to be lounging around, you are very lazy. This month I am going to try to make you practice more. I know you are happy enough sitting on my lap but you need to learn Mr! 

- Movement. You can be sat in our lap or on the play mat and if there is something you want that is out of reach you make attempts at trying to reach for it. When you are sat on my knee and spot something that you want you will lurch forward to try and grab it. I now have to have a firm grip on you at all times! 

- Playing. You have always loved your toys but are finally really getting to enjoy them. I only have to place a couple of toys in front of you and I have made your day.

- Awareness. You seem to be paying attention to every little detail now, everything is becoming more interesting and you want to explore it all. 

- Food. You have been trying a lot more different foods this month and you sampled meat for the very first time last week. I made you spaghetti bolognese and it was the first time you have had a "proper" meal with us. As in a meal I've cooked for Daddy and I and you have had some blended up (before I added any salt) So your first home cooked meal was spaghetti! I bet it tasted so much better than just veg puree's that I've been making you!

Things you like

- Mummy and Daddy. We are still your favourites, naturally.

- Animals. Dog or cat when you see a live animal you get so excited and a huge smile appears on your face.

- Food. You are such a foodie! Especially when it comes to banana's and porridge.

- Other peoples food. It's begun. Whatever we are eating or drinking, you want it. When you notice we are eating you will stop whatever you are doing, even if you are drinking a bottle. You stop and reach out for some. Your Daddy was eating his tea the other night and put the spoon to his mouth, you thought it was coming to you so you sat there with your mouth wide open!

- Teddy's. Any size, shape or colour. You love them all. They are good for cuddles, sucking, chewing, biting, wrestling and chatting!

- Diet coke cans. This is a weird one and no you aren't having any! The minute you see us with a diet coke can your eyes light up, you get excited and want some. You don't get some. If you see a can on the table you will try to reach and grab it. If I put the can in front of you you will take it and attempt to drink it! Little naughty. You do this with most food and drink but especially with diet coke cans.

- The mirror. You love to look at yourself and other people in the mirror, you find it hilarious.

- My iPhone. You see it, you want it.

- Cuddles in bed. One of my favourite things too. Whether we are sleeping or just relaxing, we love it don't we Noah.

- Spongebob. You have been Spongebob mad from a few months old and you are still obsessed. As soon as you hear his voice or the theme tune you eyes are straight on the TV, transfixed. 

- Mummy and Daddy's laugh. When we laugh it makes you laugh and smile. It's amazing that you now associate laughing with a smile and laugh back. When did you learn that?!

- Holding hands. You are a little cutie. 

Things you don't like

- Sudden loud noises. I don't think the average adult likes them so it's no surprise that you don't either. 

- Getting dressed. Yes you still hate your arms being put in those sleeves. 

- The car. You used to love the car but now you tend to get bored easily and want out. 

- You don't like it when we walk out the room and leave you even if it's just for one second. You don't cry but you will call out or shout at us. When we come back in you give us a great big smile. 

I hope this next month doesn't fly past us so quickly as at this rate you will be 1 year old before we know it. You make us ever so proud every single day and are the best thing that has ever happened to us. We love you so much. 

The smile that melts my heart

I remember back when you were two months old and you began smiling, that first responsive smile absolutely melted my heart and I remember welling up. You Daddy recorded the moment on my phone and you can hear my voice breaking as I am talking to you because you were smiling back at me as I spoke. I will remember that moment forever. 

We are so lucky because you are such a smiley, happy baby. We just have to look at you and you reward us with a big beautiful smile. You are now 5 1/2 months old and my heart still melts every single time you smile at me, I don't think that feeling will ever wear off.  

Every morning I wake up to a big cheesy grin and it is literally the best way to start every morning. I love you so much Noah, keep those smiles coming! 

First afternoon apart

Today has been a first for Noah and I, it's our first afternoon apart. The longest I have ever spent away from him was when Nick and I went to see the Hobbit a few months back and we were both itching to get back to him half way through the film. 

My Mum comes to visit us on one of her days off work every week. She doesn't drive and lives a couple of towns away so when she does visit she has to take at least two different modes of transport to get to us. That's dedication. She does it every week, rain or shine. Then Nick and I take Noah round on her other day off, so she see's him twice a week. But each time she see's him he is with me and she hasn't had much quality time, just the two of them.  

She came today as usual and lightheartedly said to Noah "I'd love to take you back home for the afternoon, but your Mum won't let me." I looked at him sat on her lap smiling up at her and said "You can if you want." I didn't have to say it twice. The look on her face, I'd made her day. It wasn't planned and a spur of the moment thing and I am glad that we did it. 

Noah is currently suffering with stranger anxiety (which I will be blogging about soon) and my Mum is one of the only people he is fully okay with. He did used to cry with her too but she persisted with him, didn't let it put her off and now he is smitten with her. I wouldn't of let her take him for the afternoon if he wasn't. 

I got all his things ready and she didn't waste anytime, they were off. I did feel a little strange packing his nappy bag up knowing I wasn't going with him but it was only for a few hours. 

My Mum has been keeping me updated with everything they have been doing and has been sending me lots of photo's. She's taken him on the train, took him shopping, went on a walk and went to feed the ducks with him. The train and feeding the ducks are a first for Noah. Here are some of the photo's she has sent me-

I should of spent my free time relaxing but instead I spent the day cooking and bleaching the kitchen! He is currently with my Mum whilst I am writing this post but once I click post we are setting off to pick him up! I'm so excited to see him! 

How old was your little one when you first spent time apart? 

My mini me

Back in October while I was pregnant I wrote a post called "Daddy's double or Mini Mummy" because throughout my pregnancy I was always wondering who our baby would resemble. For the entire nine months I was trying to imagine his face inside my tummy. He had a name for nine months and I so wanted to put a face to that name.

When Noah was born everyone commented on how much he looked like Nick. We even nicknamed him Nick Jnr or NJ as he really was Nick's double. Now as he is getting older he is really starting to look like me when I was a baby. I think the resemblance is uncanny but I may be biased because I secretly wanted him to look more like me. Why is that? Why do we like it when people say our children look like us and actually feel a little hurt when they say they don't. Or is that just me? 

What do you think? Is Noah a Mini Mummy? I think so!  

Noah's first Easter

The past couple of days have been so much fun, I've loved every second! Nick has been off work with us for the bank holiday and Easter weekend and we have taken full advantage of the extra family time! 

On Good Friday we took Noah to the zoo for the very first time. It was a lovely sunny but awfully busy day! We can't wait to take him back when he is a little older so he is able to enjoy it more. 

Saturday we introduced Noah to paints and made some beautifully messy Easter cards (which I will be blogging all about soon). We then spent the afternoon at the park with Noah's Auntie, Uncle and Cousin which he loved! 

Easter Sunday we got up and I gave Noah his Easter present which was a cute bunny teddy in a basket. I had intended on making him an Easter basket but thought he was too young but by the time I realised I could make one suitable for his age it was too late. I was trawling through dozens of shops in town and there was hardly anything left. Next year I will have to make an extra special one as I love the whole occasion gift basket traditions that I've seen so many people do.

We then spent the afternoon visiting my Dad, his partner and my two brothers for a catch up. They had bought him a lovely teddy bear for Easter which Noah instantly took a liking to as he loves his cuddly toys. Then it was off to my Mum's for tea with my other brother and sister. My Mum was a bit unconventionally and made us a curry for a tea, which was delicious! My Mum had bought him some Easter gifts too, books and a teddy! He's a very lucky boy. 

Today we have had a rather chilled out day in comparison to the past couple of days. The three of us had a lie in till around 10am and then we relaxed at home till after lunch time. We went on a lovely family walk in the woods. I took my DSLR and got some snaps too (which I will also be blogging about). 

Who knows what we will be up to tomorrow! We are thinking of going somewhere on a day out though as it will be Nick's last day off before he has to return to work but I would be equally happy having a lazy day with his busy we've been lately! 

What have you guys been up to over the Easter break? 

Baby Diary: 5 Months Old

How has it been another month already. Watching you grow before my eyes is so so bittersweet. On one hand I love seeing you learn and grow every single day but on the other I am sad that you are no longer my tiny little baby and are becoming so big! I think this feeling is only something you understand once you become a parent as I never understood it before. 

Character
You are one in a million. You are such a good boy, well for Mummy and Daddy anyway! You really make other people work to gain your trust and you don't really give smiles away for free to people you don't know. You are going through a long phase of suddenly crying when you are in someone else's arms but once you are back with me you instantly stop. It's lovely to know that you just want me but it's also a bit awkward when you are crying your eyes out when someone only wants a cuddle! You are really cheeky and are always smiling. You have this really cute shy side smile that you do when you are feeling coy and it totally melts my heart. You are so giddy and chatty but really know what you want and how to get it too! If we do something you aren't happy with you aren't afraid to tell us.

Size

I'm a bad Mummy cause you haven't been weighed for a while, I'm going to take you down in the next week or so. I guesstimate you are around 18lb? You are still wearing 3-6m but I find the arms can be too long or fit perfectly yet the legs are too short. You have long legs like your parents. Everyone still comments on how big you are but I don't think you are otherwise you would be in bigger close sizes and you aren't yet. You have really bulked up this month though and are getting lovely arm and leg rolls! 

Health

You've had another good month. We took you for your last set of injections and you cried for about 5 seconds and that was it. By the time we got into the car you was smiling and babbling away. You have started teething a lot more this month though but seem to be dealing with it well, for now. You always have your hands in your mouth and you are constantly drooling. 

Feeding

I was making up 7oz bottles last month but we were wasting far too much milk. I now make 6oz bottles and you never drain it. You have around 30oz a day with two meals. Your puree's aren't really replacing any feeds though as you always finish a meal with a bottle! I tend to give you mashed banana or fruit puree for your breakfast with a bottle and then lunch of veg puree. If we don't have lunch we have a porridge supper. It all depends on how you are doing in the day. You have taken to solids like a duck to water and you really enjoy it. You make "om nom nom" noises and get excited when the spoon is coming to your mouth. Your favourite foods are mashed banana, porridge, butternut squash, pear puree and apples. We are going to carry on wish a mix of puree and mash until 6 months and then we are going to introduce finger foods.  

Sleep

You are still a brilliant little sleeper, we are so very lucky. You generally go to bed by 9pm and get up around 9am. Usually without a feed. We had about a week where you were thrashing about at night time and waking up for a feed, which was so unlike you. We took this as the "4 month sleep regression" and just took your lead. Thankfully it looks like it was a short phase as you are back to your usual ways now. Last night you slept for 14 hours! You are still napping great too, little cat naps here and there but they are naps none the less! 

Milestones

- Laughing. You started laughing last month but only when we tickled you but this month you now laugh at us, at what we are doing! You are still making us work for those giggles but when you do laugh its like music to my ears. The loveliest sound in the world. 

- You now know your Name! Which is pretty amazing considering how many nicknames we call you; Noah Noo Noo, Noo, Noo Noo, Noobie!

- Touch. You now grab and touch my face which is insanely cute until your little talons gore a hole into my cheek! Or you decide to grab my nose and try to pull it off! And don't mention my hair! I'm going to have none left you little monkey! 

- Coordination. You are a lot ore coordinated this month. Now when you grab for something you rarely miss. You can guide items into your mouth too. 

- Feet. You have discovered your feet this month. You lay on your back and grab your feet. You haven't figured out that you can put them in your mouth yet though. 

- Jumperoo. This month (in the last few days) you have learnt how to jump in your jumperoo. You have been going in it for a good month now and would just have a wriggle about but over night you seemed to learn how to jump in it and you don't half go full throttle when you are in it. Sometimes I think you are going to fly out! 

- Rolling over. You haven't mastered the roll yet but are slowly getting there. If I put you on your front you can roll from your belly to back (when you can be bothered) If you are on your back you can manage to roll on your side but you haven't achieved a back to front roll yet. We have wood floors so we recently bought you a huge play mat so you can have more space and freedom to explore and grow. 

- Sitting up. You are very strong and steady when it comes to sitting. You can sit with only a little bit of support from us. You are still a bit wobbly but you are getting there. I wouldn't be surprised if you learnt to sit before you learnt to roll over. 

- Standing. You now like to stand and bare your weight on your legs when we hold you. Last month when we did this you would just try and sit down. You have the cheesiest grin on your face when you are standing like you cannot believe what you are doing.

- Movement. You can be sat in our lap or on the play mat and if there is something you want that is out of reach you make attempts at trying to reach for it. When you are sat on my knee and spot something that you want you will lurch forward to try and grab it. I now have to have a firm grip on you at all times! 

- Playing. You have taken an interest in toys for a few months now but this month your fascination with them is growing. Now that you are more coordinated you are able to play a lot better. Even if everything just goes straight into your mouth. 

- Self soothing. You are getting the hang of self soothing, no thanks to me. I would happily sit with you until you fall asleep. Holding your hand, stroking your face, singing to you, rocking you etc. Which is for selfish reasons as I like to do it. But Daddy usually puts you to bed and has been letting you self settle and you have been fab. You sometimes thrash about but you don't make a murmur and if you cried we would be in there with you as we both don't feel comfortable with letting you "cry it out." 

Things you like

- Mummy and Daddy. It's safe to say you have favourites. You have always been a well socialised baby but often cry when with other people. You are at your most happiest, playful and loudest when you are in the company of Mummy and Daddy.

- When Daddy comes home from work. When you hear the front door open at 5:30pm you turn your little head towards the door and wait. When Dad appears and says his hello's you always give him big big smiles and then go all coy like you are shy. It's one of my daily highlights as I am sure it's one of yours and Daddy's too. It warms my heart.

- Food. You cannot get enough food. You are getting fed up of milk and often only drink 3oz to quench your hunger or thirst and then will whine for food. You now have two meals a day and sometimes even three. You favourite foods are porridge, bananas, apples and butternut squash.

- Comforters. I think you are going to be one of those children who carries one everywhere! You need to have one in your arms or one against your face when you are sleeping.

- Remotes/ Mobiles/ Gadgets. I think we have a geek in the making. A gadget geek! I am sure babies aren't supposed to be so interested in these things. You have all these brightly coloured, interactive toys and they could all be lead out in front of you but the moment you spot that boring black remote your eyes light up! You get so excited and will even push your body in it's direction to try to grab it.

- Kisses on your neck. One thing that usually gets me one little giggle is a big wet kiss on your neck! You also find it very funny when I whisper in your ear.

- Yourself. Nothing is more entertaining than watching yourself on video. I have this one video in particular from a few months back that you find hilarious. You flap your arms about and make the funniest of expressions. You also love looking at yourself in the mirror.

- The cats. You have really noticed them this month and when they walk past you will stop whatever you are doing to watch them and then give a big cheesy grin. You like it when I get your hand and stroke them, you get very excited. The cats are also warming to you too but are still a little scared. I wonder what goes through your head when you see them?

- Scout. I recently bought you an interative puppy called Scout who talks, sings, counts and plays music. You adore him. The minute I got him out the box you loved him. During the day we tend to use him for nap times. You self settle a lot now with the help of Scout and his lullaby music.

Things you don't like

- High pitched noises/laughs. A sudden change in anyone's voice seems to scare you and makes you cry your eyes out. 

- Getting dressed. You still hate getting dressed especially when it comes to tshirts! 

- Bibs. You don't mind your face being cleaned with a wet baby wipe but clean your mouth with a bib and we are in the bad books. 

- Not getting fed fast enought. If there isn't another spoonful of food at the ready, you aren't happy!

Noah Nicholas you don't fail to amaze us every single day and you are the best thing that has ever happened to us. We are so proud of you. We love you so so much.