Sniffles

The poor Little Mite is not feeling the "Mae West" ( not the best, for all you non-rhyming, normal people out there! :-) ) I think it's an evil cocktail of teeth (will those blasted things come through already!) and a dose of the sniffles.
We are blessed with a very affectionate daughter, she's a lean-mean-hugging-and-kissing-machine and we LOVE it. But yesterday, she was even more hugg-y and clingy than ususal.

At one stage, she had had her breakfast and I was rinsing out her bowl, when I heard the most heartbreaking little whimper from the highchair. When I came to check on her, she just gave me the saddest big eyed look and there were tears rolling over her cheeks. She had the sniffles so bad that her eyes were just watering with it.
I lifted her from her chair and she just draped herself over my shoulder, one arm hanging down, the other one clenched around my neck..... Could have cried......
Later I had given her some Dozol for much needed relief and she fell asleep on my lap for three hours..... Sleep is the best thing for them when they are like this and I am always happy to add "Sleeping Aid" to the list of Multi-Tasking-Mamma-Duties.

........ Even when I was bursting to use the little Mamma's room after 2 hours.....

Sleep

Arriving at Nanny's House yesterday, I saw that the children's chair had been moved to the hallway. It made me smile because I know exactly why they were there! You see, I have a Kamikaze Baby!
Two of these chairs are made of wood and one of plastic. Little Miss is fearless and has sussed out that if you climb on top of things, you are closer to objects that are otherwise out of your reach! Also, if other people can sit on chairs, why shouldn't she? All this ofcourse makes PERFECT baby-sense! It puts the heart cross-ways in the rest of us though!
She clambers on them so fast that one blink can make the difference between Safe-Baby and Going-For-A-Tumble-Baby!
Nanny used the head and banished the chairs to the hallway. Now, she has moved the highchair to it's lowest position and Little Miss can get in and out of that safely and easily

God Bless Dozol!
The poor little Honey had been having a hard time sleeping the last few nights. Our guess is that it's her poor little teeth. (She only has two so far) So, last night, just before her evening bottle, we whipped out the Dozol. She is SO cute drinking from that little spoon. She lifts her head up for you and takes the Dozol off the spoon in tiny little sips.
It took a little while for the Dozol to kick in, but, after moaning a little bit, she slept all through the night again! Result being that I had such a great night's kip that I slept it in this morning!

That's all for today Folks!

Tea

At Nanny's house, there is a tea-set. And Caíthlyn LOVES that tea-set. She is forever stirring in the cups and "feeding" the dolls and us.
Darren then had the lovely idea to get her a tea-set for our house too. So, last Saturday we all piled in the car and off to Smyth's (Large Toy-Store) we went!
I ADORE shopping for Little Miss, be it clothes, toys, Hell, even Babywipes! Strolling around a toystore (with intent to spend mind) is SO my idea of a great time!
Toys are big business, people! You would not believe the things that are made for kids! It's actually quite a good thing we don't have a playroom as I would do some serious spending if we had the space! There are complete kitchens! Every kind of educational toy under the sun and if you have a creative kid, there's all you need to bring out the Salvador Dali in your child.
We found the desired tea-set! Happy Days!

What is it about men and kids together that makes you melt? Darren is the most interactive, loving and caring Daddy any child could ask for. As soon as we were home, the tea-set was opened and set up. There they were, Daddy and Daughter, playing tea. Barney and Zippy side by side yet again at one end and Darren and Caíthlyn at the other. Cups were stirred, plates were "filled" ADORABLE!
I had to stop myself from going "Aaaaaaahhhh" whilst sitting in the corner with the video-camera.

The last two nights she has not been going down to sleep for us. The poor little thing seems to be off. I have no idea what causes this, it could be teeth, it could be something completely different. That's the most frustrating thing about Parenthood with babies. THEY CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG YET! As time goes by, you learn to recognize some things, but then there is something that doesn't fit any of the molds and then what do you do? Do what you can and hope for the best I guess!

I am going to look in to having our digital camera fixed by the way so hopefully we will be able to show you some more recent pictures soon!

Little Mamma

Now that her Daddy is back to work again, Caíthlyn and I have Thursday's and Friday's all to ourselves. It took us half a day to get used to it but then we were back in to the full swing of it. The poor little sausage, she was so used to having her Daddy with her all day, every day, and then we went and changed the whole routine on her.
She was very tired that first morning and so we had lots of tears and tantrums. Truth be told, it put the sh*ts up me!
After she had a great sleep in my arms though, she was back to her loving, cheery self! Thank Flip for that!

I was doing the dishes in the kitchen when Little Miss came in with her "Zippy" (An "Early Learning Bunny: zipper, buttons, velcro) and "Barney" (Yes, the Purple Blob has infiltrated our home aswell...)
Like a real little Mamma, she lays them beside each other, next to the kitchen chair. She sits on her hunkers and chats a bit to them. Then, with a decisive nod of her head and a "ya ya" towards her babies, she gets up and gets a plastic tumbler out of the kitchen press. She closes the press-door again, every so matter of fact-ly, and croutches down again next to "Zippy". She puts her left hand under her (Zippy is a Girl) head and holds the tumbler to her lips. Making sucking noises and when she puls the cup away again she says:"Aaaahhh" Then she does the same for Barney.

I was so amazed at the TLC she exibited towards her Teddies. She was so methodical. When she went back in to the livingroom, she held them in her arms and patted them whilst saying "There, there there" (Well, she said "Tè, tè, tè" but we know what she meant!)

When I took too long finishing up the dishes, she and Barney just planted themselves at my feet on the floor. Mohammed and the mountain or what? She looked up at me with those huge, beautiful, innocent eyes which spoke Volumes. "What's more important Mamma? Dishes or me?"

Within seconds we sat on the sofa and did our shapes.........

The Best Medicine

Usually I get a lift to my BF's mother after work. Yesterday I had to "bus it" though.

My God(dess) what a nightmare! Dublin bus has the un-equalled talent to make me sick in the space of 5 minutes, imagine what I was like after 1.5 plus hours......
With a churning stomach I walked up to "Nanny's House" and there was the best medicine waiting for me. Standing next to the sofa. As soon as she saw me, the grinn that crossed her face was blinding! You should bottle the stuff and sell it! Cure for all!

Nanny is the best. We could not have asked for a better, more loving and more caring person to take care of our daughter. She has dinner for us when we come in and Caíthlyn loves her so much that leaving is never a pretty sight!

Sitting at the dinner table, having my dinner, Caíthlyn stretched her arms out to me. The Mamma will never turn down the opportunity for great hugsies! So. on the lap she went!
Ever so delicatly she pretended to take some mashed potato from my plate between her index-finger and thumb.
Pinky extended, she proceeded to "feed me" my dinner. Eyes focussed on my face to make sure I gobbled it all up. There was a puddle of melted Mamma on the chair at that point.

I know I am repeating myself but she is such a caring child! Her Nanny has a tea-set and Caíthlyn loves pretending to make dinner and feeding the dolls and us. Saying: "Mmmmmmm" and "Ja?" while doing so.
Also, she loves brushing hair. She will take my big hairbrush, which she can only just wield, and brush my hair so gently. Then she will put her hands on either side of my face and bend her face in to mine and ask "Ja?"

I just did not want to put her down to sleep last night, could have just held her in my arms and cuddled her for hours and hours! Once I did put her down, she was wide awake. She stirred a bit, but decided to go to sleep then eventually and we didn't have to go back in to her.
When I go to bed, I check on her. And there she was, head at the foot-end, snoring away softly. Could have crawled in to the cot with her. She was on top of her soft blanket. (I think she likes the feel on her cheek) so I tucked another blanked in around her.

Anyone that says Angels don't exist, should come and have a look at my daughter sleeping....

March 2004


April 2004

Apologies!

Greetings and salutations.

First, my humble and sincere apologies for the lack of entries the last week. I just did not get the chance to "Blog" at all!

My daughter is changing before my eyes. I swear to the Big Man (Woman) upstairs that if you listen carefully, you can actually hear her grow! This is such an amazing time of her life!
It's wonderfull to see from the "Mamma" perspective (absolutely everything she does is met with praise and hugs and kisses!) but also from a psychological, anthropological ( is that even a word??!!) and linguistic viewpoint.

I can't imagine an adult picking up new things at the same speed at which our little honey is. Her dedication to learning is admirable.

Her Daddy (Who is at his first day on his new job as we eeuuhhh....... write: Good luck Honey!) spent yesterday afternoon going through shapes with her. Repetition, Repetition and Repetion is his motto. So: Triangle, Square, Circle, Star...Triangle, Square, Circle, Star...Triangle, Square, Circle, Star... And she was handing him the shapes so that he could name them. Great fun altogether! And there it was: ciwka.
The child is actualy trying the sound and rhytm of the words on for size. She kept saying these tones and you could see her thinking "No, that's not quite right..... Her vocabulary and skills are litteraly growing everyday.

She can slap your hand in a "High Five" motion and grinns from ear to ear when doing so. This great little twinkle in her eyes that I hope stays there for ever!

Also, when stacking her "Kipper" boxes and managing to keep them on top of each other, she will say: "Yeaaaahhhh!!" and clap her hands and look at you to make sure you have indeed witnessed this feat of toddler architecture.

With al this new awareness and skills, she has also gained the knowledge of "How to get what I want" Well, she has decided on the course of action that has the best chance of success according to her. She will drop herself on to the floor and sob, and sob and sob. Tears flowing over her cheeks and when you go to pick her up to comfort her she wriggles out of your arms while saying: No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!
Obviously we are not giving in to this kind of emotional blackmail (heartbreaking as it may be) but try to comfort her in other ways, without giving her whatever it was she wanted: playing with the oven, grabbing papers and who knows what else. But I have to tell you, it's tough! She will be spending three days a week with her Nanny again now. And with 30 years of childcare under her belt, I am confident that she will help put an end to this new Battle of the Wills!

This is however a small part of the overal joy of having her as a daughter.

A whole new world is opening for her and I am so proud that her Daddy and I are the ones that get to show it to her!

Happy Valentines Day to All!

Grandparents; July 2004 Visit

Pake, Beppe and Caíthlyn



Beppe, Mamm and Caíthlyn



Beppe and Caíthlyn



Daddy and Caíthlyn



Little Heartbreaker

Teddybear

I work three days a week. And on those three days, I get up at the unGodly hour of 05.45. So too this morning. When I stepped out the door, I decided to err on the side of caution and just check my bag for my purse. Not there. *rse! B*lls! Grrmmbbll!!
No purse, no busticket, no change, no way in to work...... And so I ended up watching Dr. Phil and Discovery Health at 06.30 AM, waiting for little Miss to wake up so that himself could drop me in to work. (Smart Man by the way, that Dr. Phil, no flies on him!)

I had heard her moaning a bit and at 09.00 hrs I decided to heat up the bottle and have a gander to check if she was awake.
Opening her door ever so slightly, I could see her lying on her side. Hugging her teddybear and smiling at me with a grinn from ear to ear. MELT!!
I had a Teddybear made for her at the Bearfactory and that's in her cot with her now. It wears a little T-shirt that says "I Love You" and when you squeeze it, you hear my voice saying "Mammie and Daddy love you Caíthlyn, you're our best little girl".
Cheesy, I know, but I was SO chuffed to see her all snuggled up to that bear..... Her face still all warm from her sleep and that lovely dozed look in her eyes. That wonderfull baby-just-out-of-bed smell....... EADIBLE! She gives SO much love, you can't help but adore her.

Now I am in work, missing her (them) like mad!

Sometimes even just three days can feel like too much........

Birthday Girl

Could'nt resist. Here's our Little lady on her first birthday. The console she is playing with was a pressie from her Nanny. And yes, it is a loud as it looks! ;-)

Age

MMMMMMmmmmmmm!!!

The latest thing to have us in stitches is her enthusiastic exclaiming: "Mmmmmmmm!!!" When she sees her: Porridge Bowl, Bottle, Liga, Fruit or, wait for it: her Highchair!
Even the sound of plastic wrappers get's a "Mmmmmmm" The look of anticipation on her face is priceless! This little lady likes her grub!



Turns out Miss Thing's vocabulary is larger than we expected.... Whatever way she uttered a few cyllables last week, they suddenly made sense!
Had her in my arms (either dancing or a retrieval mission from the kitchen, can't remember which) when she stretched and pointed at the wicker lamp dangling from the ceiling.
A breathy and amazed :"Stat?" followed.
CLING! The penny dropped! We always say: "What's that?" and point. So "Stat" = "What's that?" Also : "Woo-ooo" is "Dog". Who'd a thunk it?!

I am meant to speak Dutch to her..... And I do..... sometimes... But believe you me, it's hard to keep up when there is nobody else around that also speaks the language.

Thankfully her Pake and Beppe (Grandparents) sent her "Bear in the Big Blue House" DVD's in Dutch. That, combined with a few Dutch story books should inrease the quantity of Dutch sounds to reach her cranium.

Oh, here's a pic of Caíthlyn on the Winnie the Pooh cart we got her for her b-day... dya think she likes it?! ;-)



Gonna enjoy my Cadburry Cream Mini Eggs.... MMmmmmmmm!!

Shoes

Caíthlyn spent yesterday afternoon with her Nanny and her Nanna (Grandmother and Great-Grandmother)
Off a-shoppin' they went. Seeing as Caíthlyn is spending a lot more time on standing upright, Darren and I had decided to buy her her first proper shoes this coming Thursday.

When I heard the destination of yesterday's shopping trip, I got a feeling that our trip might not be neccesary anymore..... And low and behold: I was right! :-)
Nanny has bought the first shoes for her other grand-daughters, and when I came home I saw two of these cute shoes on my Honey's feet:



The shop meassured her feet and they have a reputation for being very good. So I was well happy! She looks SO grown up with her shoes! THANK YOU NANNY!

Thank Crispie she went to sleep last night! The poor Sweetheart was absolutely knackered.

Her current routine is Bath, Bottle and Bed. But as she is getting older, we want to first go to: Bottle, Bath and Bed and then faze out the Bottle altogether. She should be drinking from a cup by now.
Truth be told, it's so nice and cosey and snug giving her her bottle that I am not entirely sure I will not have withdrawl symptomes! :-)

Teeth

Caíthlyn's first tooth took forever to make it's appearance. But for a few weeks now, there it is: shiny and white in the bottom jaw. Right at the front.
She discovered it's usefulness when munching on her Liga.

( She does not get sweets, cakes, crisps, chips or ice-cream. She also does not get anything to drink that is not water or formula. Have to keep those pearly whites pearly white! Plus, her little body has absolutely no need for those things! Baby Liga is the only "Exception")

When we saw the piece of Liga she was wielding in hand, we could see the streak the tooth left in the Liga. She will cock her head to enable best access for her tooth!

The tooth can depend on re-inforcements soon, as there is one edging to get through right beside the first one.
Truth be told, I believe there is a onslaught of teeth on the way for the poor sweetheart.
Rosey-Red cheeks that glow in the dark are accompanied by a general dip in good spirits. She is normaly such a happy little bunny but the last few days she's been clingy and just a bit out of sorts. I hope they all show soon and she can rest easy again. Baby Nurofen or Dozol can only do so much...
Her whole rythm is off. And that makes bed-time LOADS of fun! Well, for her anyway. She get's her second wind at 20.15 hrs. So when we are trying to get her to go beddie-bye-bye's, she's gearing up for an evening of chat and laughs......

Oh well, this too shall pass!