We have a houseful of babies. Downy heads, dimply elbows. They sit in my living room, wobbly on bottoms not yet used to keeping their owners upright, investigating our old baby toys with fat hands and furrowed brows. One of them realises his mother has gone out of the room. His face crumples. He squawks, … Continue reading ‘It’ll be gone before you know it’, said everyone but you
babies
Motherhood is so much more than your milk
Hey, you. You there, with the tiny baby. You there, slogging on in a dream-haze between feed and sleep and feed. You, mama, with this terrifying new position as Centre of the Universe for the baby you made. You there, crying tears of bone-deep exhaustion into your five-day-old pyjamas. You warrior woman. You lovely thing. … Continue reading Motherhood is so much more than your milk
You can’t have one without the other
Hello world! I'm back in the land of the living after a six-day sick bug, and will be embracing this week with a kiss on the mouth. Six days! I feel like Captain [in] America, waking up after a long sleep with frosticles in my hair. Only in my case they were greasicles. My happiest … Continue reading You can’t have one without the other
The funny old thing about time
Time passes. Everyone told me it would, but of course I didn't believe them. How could I? The space inside a minute with a newborn seems so very long, because you're awake nearly all the minutes there are. And there are some images from the brand-new days of my babies that I can still see with … Continue reading The funny old thing about time
Five ways to tell you’re in baby burnout…and what to do about it
Sometimes Fridays are the best times to hold up your hands and say 'dear readers, I confess: I have been an idiot'. We have just come back from a break in Stratford-Upon-Avon - two lovely days of back-to-back theatre and eating that I will be blogging about tomorrow - and now I can say for … Continue reading Five ways to tell you’re in baby burnout…and what to do about it
Eight pounds
Eight pounds, eight pounds, eight pounds. It's all I can think of at the minute. Eight pounds is how much heavier I am than before I was pregnant. Teddy is outside now, and chunking up nicely, but I still have the weight of an average-sized baby slapped on my thighs, belly and all the other … Continue reading Eight pounds
Ten tips for winning over your fussy eater: baby edition
Timothy and I are obsessed with food. I would rather go out to eat than go to the cinema, or a party, or to buy new clothes. It's a silly thing to spend money on, since it's not like it hangs around for very long. But food, glorious food. I almost always want some more. … Continue reading Ten tips for winning over your fussy eater: baby edition
Party-planning the Pinterest way; or, how to go mad in an hour or less
Today I did that thing I said I would never do, and looked on Pinterest for reals. I looked initially because I had to research paper globe lanterns for a girls' camp we're running in July. Everyone knows that if you want to see paper lanterns in their natural habitat (hyper-decorated parties), then Pinterest is … Continue reading Party-planning the Pinterest way; or, how to go mad in an hour or less
It’s all fun and games until someone grows a tooth
We are having a teething evening. Which is to say, number one, yoghurt for dinner; number two, teeth brushing optional; number three, Calpol before bed; number four, bed, really? Bed? Thankfully we got through most of the day before Top Left decided to make an appearance. We spent Jubilee Day #1 with family, ate chilli … Continue reading It’s all fun and games until someone grows a tooth