Mink Baby Month 29

Dear Mink Baby,

You are a big sister - finally! Like you, your sister was born ten days late and like you she was born by caesarean section at Watford General Hospital. I will save that story for your sister's own blog (yes, I have decided to give you each a space - it seems fairer and simpler to me, although inevitably there will be some crossover, but then what are hyperlinks for? If you want to read about Lexi on her very own blog you need to go here.)

This blog is chiefly about you - and you have been, for the most part, so far, pretty fabulous about the whole thing.

Perhaps it is because we have been talking about you sister for so long that she already felt like someone you knew before she got here - the fact that we named her before she was born may have further contributed to the familiarity with which you treat this new baby - as though she had been here for months - of course in a way she has!

You stroke her head gently (so far no hitting), you give her soft little kisses on her hair and face and you stroke her little wavy fingers and smile happily. I'm sure jealousy is to come, and I won't be leaving you guys alone together for some time but nevertheless I am cautiously optimistic at this point.

You have been keen to help bathe and change the baby, and content to let her share your bath on occasion.

You don't want to have breakfast, you want to sit next to Lexi and give her one or both of your Spencers, which is particularly surprising as you are pretty possessive about those bears, particularly "Old Spencer" (the original bear - the more recent one is called "Other Spencer")

You used to come down in the morning, or through the door from preschool shouting "Mummy!" and now you shout "Mummy! Lexi!" with just as much enthusiasm as ever. Could this be too good to be true? I hope not...

You're doing a lot more imaginative play - you love to play funny little games with your dolls house, and like to get us to play those with you, which is always hilarious because it mostly involves getting all the dolls outside to have a picnic or a tea party, only to have it interrupted by lions, at which time all dolls must rush back inside the house and cower. This is mainly funny becuase you get so into the game that you are simultaneously entertained and quite scared :-D

There's some weird obsession you have with covering things and people with tea towels - not sure what that's about or why it sends you into fits of giggles, but the giggles make me laugh so much that I am happy to sit under twenty-two thousand tea towels just to hear them - nutter!

On the TV front I can report new obsessions - The Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

These both scare you to death and delight you. You like to follow the yellow brick road up and down the house, doing your own wonky, toddlerish version of the hopping and skipping Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. You pick up words to songs very quickly and I can see that you will be following your Auntie Izz and me into the world of childrens musical film/animation for the next ten years or so - I can't wait!

You have been a little more prone to tears and a bit more clingy than usual, but then you've also been ill with a horrible cold - you've been quite the little snot monster for the past few days - and had horrible green glue smeared all over your face and in your hair - I'm pretty sure that you've been using Spencer as a hanky, as he is looking crustier than usual. I will spirit him away sometime soon and pop him in the washing machine...

You have been happily unwrapping presents to you, from Lexi, from family and friends, as well as Lexi's presents (she doesn't mind - she's a baby, after all!)

You make some odd little remarks lately - which gives me trippy little insights into what and how you think:

Georgie: "Lexi doesn't like me, Mummy."

Me: "Why do you say that, Porge?"

Georgie: "She doesn't smile at me."

Me: "Babies can't smile when they're very little - but she will and I'm sure she does like you really."

Georgie: (Gravely, with trembley lip) "I hope so Mummy. I'm sad if she doesn't like me."

[Another conversation]

Georgie: "When I'm a big lady can I borrow your bras?"

Me: (giggling) "Perhaps when you're a big lady you can have your own bras?"

Georgie: (thoughtfully) "That would be nice Mummy, when I'm a big lady I like to have my own bras - but can I still borrow yours?"

Me: (still giggling) "If they'll fit you and if you still want to, why not?!"

Georgie: "Thanks Mum."

Christmas is coming and I can tell that preschool has been all about Christmas this week, as you have started telling us all about it. Christmas, according to you, is all about "jingling", "presents if you're good and maybe even cake!"and "sparkly pretties". So noted x I'm looking forward to hearing next weeks installment.

I'm feeling good about Christmas - we are going to spend it with your godmother Kerry's family, and I've done all my Xmas shopping and most of the wrapping AGES ago! (I was trying to bring on labour by marathon shopping sesssions you see).

You leave your current preschool for a closer one after Christmas - I hope you like the new one as much as the old one (especially because the old one is now full, so there's no going back!)

What more can I say but that I love you very very much, and continue to be amazed by the weird and wonderful sights and sounds you bring to my every day. Congratulations on becomeing a big sister - you're doing a better job of it than I ever did already, so keep it up kiddo, you always make me proud.

Love from your Minkmama xxx

Mink Baby Month 28 - Well Overdue

Hey Mink Baby,

I have been a bad Minkmama and not posted a thing for about three months - not because I haven't had time exactly, but because I have been caught up with selling our house and finding us another one to buy (job done by the way!) and also because I caught a nasty flu-type virus about three months ago that I have yet to shake completely, and it interrupted my sleep, prevented me from getting back to sleep, made me cough until I throw up and made me feel so crappy that just getting through each day was a challenge in itself. It felt at the time as though you were being really really naughty, and we have had some fallings out, you and I. On reflection however, I realise now that my perception of your behviour often depends as much on how much sleep I have managed to get as how cooperative you are being at any particular moment. So I have and do apologise for my irrascible nature over the last few weeks especially - I'm sleeping much better now and even though your baby sister is likely to interrupt that pattern, I'm hoping that as much as she is likely to wake me up often, based on past experience, I'm likely to be so tired that I'll have no problem getting back to sleep again.

So what are we doing these days?

At the moment you are being very patient with me - since I went overdue with your sister (Monday 9th November) I haven't really been going out much - I can't seem to get more than a few hundred yards without my back really hurting and needing to sit down. So we spent the mornings watching TV (at the moment Doctor Who and The Wizard of Oz are your favourites). You make me pretend cups of tea and coffee, you play with your dolls house and you have plastic picnics in the improvised tents I make for you using the sofa, the pushchair and the sofa-throw.

A Vote of Thanks to Your Grandparents

Your grandparents have been helping out A LOT, taking you while I have been looking at houses, cleaning this one for viewings, going to medical appointments and lately, just feeling too tired to move. Shopping has been done for us, meals have been cooked and all sorts. Fabulous! I'm sure I would have muddled through without them, just as so many other women have to, but I'm REALLy grateful for all their help, not just for my sake but for yours as well :-D

Mink Activities

You have been doing football on Sundays, and apparently you are coming on in leaps and bounds, cooperating with the coaches, and actually doing what you're supposed to do most of the time!

You have been going swimming with Kerry (I have been watching Amy while you guys swim).

We have gone to music a bit but I'm not so taken with that and it seems, neither are you :-D

We have seen other mums and babies and will get back to doing more of that once I feel human again, I promise!

Baby Lexi

Is still not here! You reached over and put a sympathetic hand on my arm, leaned towards me and said with a very grown up, confidential air:

"I'd go to the doctor and get that baby out, Mummy"

So funny - and so true. I'm all booked in for a C Section in one week - I tried acupuncture and nearly fainted, I'm going to try reflexology tomorrow but barring that I am SO not going to try anything (else) unpleasant to bring her on. At least there's an end in sight.

So I will try to get back to proper montly postings now, and I look forward to being a more active playmate for you in a few weeks.

Love from your Minkmama xxx

Mink Baby Month 25

Dear Mink Baby,

And now we are over 2 by one month, and the changes keep ringing - and in keeping with the cliche, the more you change the more you stay the same, which is good, because I always have enjoyed you exactly the way you are...

Why?

We had our first "Why?" this month - you wanted to eat your breakfast in front of the TV, which, as I explained, is not where we eat breakfast.

"Why?"

"Because we eat at the table."

"Why?"

"Because we eat at the table."

"Why?"

"Because we eat at the table."

"Ok!"

I think I was let off quite easy that time, I'm sure you'll demand a more creative response once we hit the main 'Why?' feature - but it was fun to get the trailer...

Baby Lexi

You have become quite obsessed with your 'getting ready for baby' books - particularly the one called "There's a House Inside my Mummy", which has to be read to you before you sleep, stay in your bed all night, come down for breakfast and go out in the car wherever we go! At least I know that you have definitely absorbed the fact that Lexi is on her way, and on some level at least, what that might mean further along the line. I'm really keen to try to handle the whole new baby thing well, not just for me but for you too - I was terribly jealous of my baby sister.

A New Big Girl, Peppa Pig Room With A Big Girl Bed

A temporary but beautiful wall has been put up in your room, to make some room for the Lex and you, Porge Face, as the elder child, get the room that is slightly bigger, with the window. Daddy has painted it for you and this week I'm going to Peppa Pig it for you. I managed to get you a free toddler bed and we splashed out (!) on a bed guard, which will hopefully keep you in the bed while you sleep. We are toddler-proofing your room and the baby gate that will keep you from fishing in the toilet, disturbing Lexi or climbing into bed with us has been ordered from Mothercare. I'm looking forward to these weekend changes with a mixture of excitement and dread - there's something reassuring about popping you in your cot, from which you cannot escape. But these things have to be done :-D

I tell you about your Peppa Pig room and you make this fantastic expression of dramatic awe - your mouth a giant, stretched O-gape, your eyes like saucers and you exclaimed loudly and slowly:

"WOOOOOOOOW!"

On a slightly older child it would look like you were hamming it up, but you are totally entranced by the idea of this big girl, peppa pig bedroom - I hope the reality doesn't fall short of your expectations, especially now we have built it up so much!

I was a bit worried that you wouldn't take to the idea of a new room but you don't seem to care where you sleep - you are happy to sleep in Lexi's room and the fact that it has no window often means that you sleep really late - I'm tempted to brick up your window but no, I won't, don't worry...

Shrek

Shrek is your new TV obsession. I tried it as you didn't seem to take to Disney stuff so far (Aladdin - too scary, Jungle Book - boring, although you LOVE the book, Cinderella - Scary.)

We would watch Shrek and Shrek 2 all day everyday if you had your way - thank god it's funny! I have ordered Shrek 3 because otherwise I'm going to go nuts, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy how much you enjoy them, and also the fact that the increased length of these features, compared to say Peppa Pig) is such that I can get on with other things safe in the knowledge that you are glued to the sofa and not busily undoing all my good work....yet!

You love the dragon in Shrek - first you seem to enjoy being scared of it while they're looking for it and then once it's attacking everyone in fine dragon style, you declare:

"I love dragon! I want to cuddle him!"

I have tried to explain it's a girl dragon but you're having none of it!

You also particularly love Donkey and the Fairy Godmother in Shrek 2.

I know that some people say that kids shouldnt be allowed to watch any/too much TV but you talk so animatedly about the characters, what they feel, what they're doing, why etc. that I genuinely can't help but feel it's not all bad. I woudln't let you watch it all day, but once or twice isn't going to hurt you, I don't think - so there!

As always I continue to love you more than ever, and although I enjoy spending time with you whenever I do, my favourite time of day is when you've just woken up, when you seem so pleased to see me and start a new day, and insist on my listing your breakfast options, even though you clearly know them by heart (if I leave one out, you make me say them again!)

We listen to breakfast radio and I chair dance to music while you happily shriek:

"No! Don't dance, Mummy!"

and then I stop and pretend to sulk and you start chair dancing, and shoot me a mischievious look until I exclaim:

"No! Don't dance, Georgie!"

It's kind of a tradition that happens around meals now, and I don't know which of us enjoys it more!

You rock, and you are my best Georgie!

Love from your Mink Mama

I'll put some pics up soon (as always I'm behind, but to be fair, the bedroom hasn't been done properly yet, so I can't take pics of that yet!)

Mink Baby Month 24 & Birthday Pics

Dear Georgina,

You are now 2! Not such a Mink Baby any more!

We had a fantastic time over your birthday weekend, particularly on the 5th, when we had over fifty people come and celebrate the event with a summery BBQ.

You continue to amuse and amaze us with your articulate little observations and funny little mannerisms. You very often tell me that you can't do something I need you to do because:

'I'm busy, Mummy!'

which never fails to make me laugh.

In May and June, and now with increasing tendencies towards deliberate manipulation you tell us:

"I love you!"

which is lovely, even when it's intended to result in a second ice cream or delay bed time.

'Not yet' is what you say when we remark that it's either bed time or time to change your nappy.

I also love the fact that you like to sing 'Baa baa black sheep' to your baby sister, into my belly button, which is very sweet. What is also sweet, but less comfortable, is your desire to keep your baby sister well-fed, by means of breadsticks, inserted into my belly button. Crumbs in new places. Not a good feeling...

The fact that you still think chins are called beards cracks me up, especially when you hurt your chin and demand that I kiss your beard better!

Suffice it to say that we love you more than is should be possible to love anyone and look forward to all that your third year has to bring (including nursery - LOL)

Love from your Minkmama

Georgie's 2nd Birthday BBQ Photos

Georgie's party outfit stayed on for about 3 seconds. 3 seconds after that she was in the pool


Nanny


Lucy, Richard, Grandad, Kerry, Amy, Ellie, Leah, Oliver, Lisa & Paul


Graeme, Danny, Amber, Louise & Liz


Steve & Pam


Beth, Ruby & Lisa


Steve, the Godfather


Hollie & Georgie


Georgie, Jackie, Ollie, Tom & Richard


Auntie Izzie


Lily and Louise


Sam & Georgie


Leah & Ellie


Kerry & Amy


Amy and Milk Moustache


Linda & Dante


Oliver & Gill


Dante, Danny, Ollie, Tom, Tom, Millie and possible Hollie..?

Month 23 - New Forest Holiday With the Wells Family, June 2009

Feeding the ducks at the farm




Feeding the baby goats




Trampoline Trouble Maker!




Jumpin' Georgie!




Tractor Time




Daddy




Gossiping with goats




Scaling great heights




Swinging with Spencer Bear




Merry Go Round




Georgie and Iggle Piggle




The smallest Mr Whippy they did....apparently?!




and it's gone!




Apple Juice and Pooh Bear




Kerry and Amy




Turtle



Big Fish




Kerry and Amy




She loves those helicopters




And the cars



And the horses




And the Tweenies




Disreputable Hot Tubbers

Mink Baby Month 21

Hi Mink Baby,

I'm still pretty rubbish with the photos - I have some on my phone which I will upload at some point, please forgive me for being so remiss and also for the lateness of this post once again - pregnancy seems to drain all of my get up and go - although I am thinking of you all the time, a part of me, an unconscious but necessary part, appears to be concentrating on knitting together your sibling. Don't worry, I'll regain my focus eventually!

So what have we been up to since last I posted? All sorts of things my dear :-D

You are getting chattier and chattier and where there were one or two words in a stream of babble, we are now coming to a stage where we often receive a whole sentence or two with the occasional indistinct word thrown in.

You like to dance with me in the kitchen; to eat your food with a fork (you take great delight in stabbing your food, while saying 'Stab it!'); to drink from a big girl cup (and spill it all over the place); to chase and be chased around the table (when you want to play this game you shout 'Get you!' and then take off at high speed, giggling like a nutter;) to do pull-ups on the fridge (I think you're actually trying to open it); jumping in muddy puddles (thanks to Peppa Pig for that one); to drag a chair over to the sink and wash your face in dirty washing up water and half a dozen other mad things of this kind.

We have left behind the dreaded Higgledy House, and I have been able to safely delete it from our Sky Box. Your love for Peppa Pig has not diminished, matched only by your love of (old stylie) episodes of Winnie the Pooh. Sadly we only have two of these - luckily the Sky Box should not run out (please don't let it break down!) & Thomas the Tank Engine is another of your favourites.

You keep hurting yourself - today (Easter Sunday) you tripped and smashed your face into Nanny and Grandad's metal gates and on Maundy Thursday you slipped running to get back onto Gran and Gramps's slide and came home with a great big lump on your forehead. You're pretty tough though - nothing seems to slow you down for long!

Your devotion to football (or 'Kick the Ball', to give it its proper name), shows no sign of waning nor does your habit of bumping down the stairs, which takes ages. It's almost never worth picking you up though, because you get very angry about that indeed. So we have to threaten you with being picked up in order to get you up and down the stairs. Bizzare! If someone were strong enough and fool hardy enough to cart me up and down stairs I would so be in that. Anyway...

You have been pretty tolerant of all the sofa dwelling of the last few weeks - I haven't thrown up with morning sickness but I have been feeling pretty icky on and off, and also sleeping a really lot. Sometimes you let me sleep for a bit and snuggle in with me, only waking me to change to the next set of Peppa Pigs. Other times you are having none of it and rip the blanket off me and shout "Get up Mummy! Wake up! OUT!"

I feel bad that we have had to stay in so much but it can't be helped - sometimes you have to do what you have to do. My guilt has been eased somewhat by the fact that four days a week you spend the afternoon with well people who dote on you and actually take you out!

Flump the Foetus is at about ten weeks gestation. We have a booking in appointment at St Albans City Hospital this week, for bloods etc and we have elected to have a sexing scan at 17 weeks instead of paying for a 12 week scan ( no 12 weeks scans are available to us, which is wrong in my opinion but there we are.)

Anyway, that's it for now. I'll get on that photo thing eventually Minkster.

Love you lots!

Your Mink Mama xxx

A selection of belated photos from March, April and May 2009

Izzie & Georgie


Daddy & Georgie


Crayons in the kitchen


Mummy & Georgie


Painting


Mummy & Georgie


Iced Smoothie anyone?


Gran and Georgie


Daddy, the hoover and Georgie


Taking it easy on the sandpit


Chilling out - Georgie, Spencer and Seska

Mink Baby Month 20

My dear Mink Face,

I have virtually no photos for this blog, not because I don't want to take any but because you are so rarely still these days that it's nigh on impossible to catch more than a blur of top knot and a flash of cheeky white teeth!

Today youwalked from Morrisons to just near the station, which has to be a record. You pushed Spencer in your mini buggy for most of it, so happy to be allowed to walk like a proper little girl.

I was very impressed, and also left in gleeful anticipation of all the sleeping you would have to do later on in the day, to make up for all that physical activity.

I do treat you a bit like a large dog in that respect - I spend my mornings trying to wear you out - we walk as far as possible (it's also eco-friendly and economical), we go to parks, to the gym/creche, to soft play and all sorts to keep us busy and make sure that we don't just watch TV.

The only problem with this strategy is that I am wearing myself out too, so where I used to use the time when you were asleep to do housework, catch up on work for www.minkbaby.co.uk etc., now I just collapse on the sofa and often fall asleep too!

If you're wondering why this is, it's really quite simple - little Mink Baby, your mummy is pregnant! We haven't told many people yet because it's so early. I am only about four weeks gone so far, and so while it isn't a secret on the one hand, it seems early to be shouting from the rooftops - which I want to but also want to not tempt fate (as if that makes a difference).
If all goes well, you can expect a brother or sister around 10th November 2009. What do you think of that? Nothing right now I'd imagine, as we haven't even started to think of how and when we should broach this issue with you. I'm pretty sure that I don't have a massive readership, and so I think it's reasonable to not leave it out of the blog, but to anyone who finds out this way, don't be offended if we didn't tell you ourselves, it's a tricky thing, that's all :-D

Anyway, I'm doing ok so far (touch wood) - I'm not very sick at all - which kind of worries me! There's just no pleasing me really is there? With you, little Porgina, I was very sick from about 3 weeks until 16 weeks or so. I felt a bit sick last week but now I'm fine. I hope it's a good sign, maybe a sign that I'm carrying a brother for you. Not that I care what sex it is. But I know your daddy would love to have one of each, you see.

You are really cracking me up at the moment - we go searching for lions when we're out, and you seem half complicit with this play acting and half sucked into a world of ducking and hiding and being quiet in case of lions. You told me a story today about lions, eating chocolate pudding, chasing a busy bee, that landed on your nose, and then was hiding. Not the most cogent, linear tale I ever heard, but to me it was still the sweetest thing ever.

You are into cuddles at the moment and you seem to have worked out that cuddles are well received as you keep trying to gain possesssion of my wallet, keys and phone by asking to cuddle them. It's funny to watch until you realise that your credit cards have been strewn all over the house, your money is in the bin, your keys are nowhere in sight and your phone is not only gone but also off!

You have hooked on to concepts relating to possession. You label certain items (like my keys, phone and wallet) as 'Mine!' and you extort everyone to 'Share!'. This command is often shouted at someone who has something you want and is frequently followed by an attempt at snatching the object of your affections as quickly and as brutally as possible. The true meaning of share, then, elludes you for now.

You have started eating off big girl plates, using a spoon and a fork, feeding yourself with reasonable accuracy.

I love you Mink Face, please stop watcin Higgledey House!

Your Minkmama xxx