A year ago today...

...we saw James for the first time, as a little 3.9cm long blob on a screen. I still think that the words "I can see one baby, with a heartbeat" are the best words I've ever heard - that feeling of relief that there was a real baby in there was just amazing. It was brilliant seeing him swimming around and making out the pixellated heartbeat.

From this:

to this:

in just 365 days.

James's first Christmas

We're back home after a busy but fun Christmas.

On Wednesday night we had our friends' Christmas dinner, rearranged after we had to cancel on Saturday because of the snow. We had lots of fun, ate, drank and made merry, exchanged secret santa presents and presents for the babies and a good time was had by all.

Thursday morning Andrew, James and I set off for his parents in Wiltshire. There was still loads of snow there and it was really pretty. That evening we left James with my MIL and went out for dinner at the pub in the village, our first evening out together without the baby since he was born. We had a lovely time, really good food and it was a proper treat. 

Friday was Christmas eve - Andrew, his brother Richard, his sister Fiona and her boyfriend Jon had some or all (in A's case) of their Christmas shopping to do so various parties headed into Bath. I was meant to be looking at boots for me to buy for Andrew with him, and he tried on a couple of pairs, but didn't get very far and he was anxious to get on with other shopping,so I headed off. I bought myself a pair of snow boots to replace my old ones which had disintegrated (should guarantee we get no more snow this winter...). I used a gift card from Millets which I had because I bought my mum some wellies from there for her birthday but had to return them, and in the meantime my card had been cancelled so I couldn't get a refund. Then I went back to A's gran's house (where we had parked) and had a coffee with her. She came over in the afternoon and spent the night. In the evening we had a nice dinner and then a never-ending game of Trivial Pursuit. A fair bit of bridge was played at odd intervals too.

On Christmas day we all got up and opened presents about 11ish. From A's family I got an orchid (which I have all but killed by stupidly leaving it in the car overnight at -10 degrees, duh), a bottle of Baileys, a couple of books and lots of nice smellies. James got some nice toys. It's such a cliche but of course he liked the wrapping paper far more than the presents! 

Andrew and I took him out for a walk down the lane in the snow - we didn't like to take him in the sling while it was icy so all the walks we've had over Christmas have been with the pushchair, which slightly restricts things as you can't go into fields as they mostly have stiles etc. It was stunning weather, cold and frosty but with lovely sunshine and the valley looked beautiful all covered in snow. Christmas weather as it should be!

After a light lunch we all set off (in three cars) for oxfordshire where A's aunt, uncle and two cousins live. There was lots of snow there too. We had a game of Monopoly before Christmas dinner in the evening - the traditional turkey, Christmas pud etc. James was exhausted after that so I took him off to bed before we opened the next lot of presents (we got chocs and a pizza stone, and I got 7 odd socks all in different colours and patterns). Then we played Scattergories followed by Articulate. There were 12 of us so proper large scale family Christmas games!

On Boxing Day it was freezing - the temperature outside at 9am was still -8 degrees. After a leisurely breakfast some of us went out for a walk round the village, which is really beautiful - all thatched cottages, frozen duck ponds and a pub with proper Boxing Day mummers. After cold turkey for lunch Andrew, James and I set off for Sussex to my grandparents' house.

We got there at 5ish and opened the third lot of presents! I got lovely cheques from my grandparents, a nice cardigan, a new London road map, a mug that looks like an Arran jumper, nice smellies and other bits and bobs that I can't think of right now! James got piles and piles of toys from various aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins - luckily some of them are for when he's a bit older so he can have a steady stream of new toys! 

On Monday morning my grandparents, Andrew, James and I went out to the meet of the local hunt, though they weren't hunting as the ground was still too icy. There were a couple of huntsmen in pink coats on horses and all the hounds, so at least it looked pretty without the killing foxes bit! The hounds came and licked James and he was pretty entertained. 


In the afternoon we played bridge with my grandparents for ages. My uncle and his partner and their daughter came round for dinner and it was lovely to see them.

Yesterday morning I went round Tescos with my mum and my gran looking for bargains (there weren't many), followed by a rather wet walk with my dad and James in the sling finally as it was less icy. Then after lunch we packed up the car and came on home.

We started giving James odd bits of food over Christmas, having given into pressure from family even though he's not quite six months. I want to do baby-led weaning so it's mainly been a case of giving him sticks of cucumber to suck on, and a green bean, but I did give him a dab of mashed potato. He wasn't sure what to make of it! I will buy some bananas and maybe some baby porridge tomorrow and start the odd bit here and there. He is 23.5 weeks, so not far off the recommended 26 weeks, and he;s now sitting well in his high chair, reaching for food and putting it in his mouth so I reckon he's ready. 

Families - I love them all dearly, and am very lucky to get on so well with my in laws, but it can all be a bit of a trial. It was lovely to see them all, but it is also brilliant to be home, in our own house quietly! All over for another year.

James at 19.5 weeks

James is now four months old and I've been meaning to start a blog since way before he was born, charting my pregnancy and his babyhood. But I've just never got round to it. I reckon it's never too late and while I have a rare few minutes of peace while he naps, I've set it up.

I don't suppose this is going to be terribly interesting - it's more for my own benefit than for anyone else, so that I can look back and see what he was doing at different times.

James will be 20 weeks on Sunday. Yesterday he weighed 8.16kg, or 17lb15oz. He's been going through the four month sleep regression and waking every three hours or less for the last few weeks, but I have my fingers crossed that he might get through it sometime soon...

This morning I took him to a children's book event at the children's centre, and bought a book for my little cousin. We walked back via the snowy park and I took a couple of pictures:

This afternoon we went to breastfeeding group, probably for the last time as it's changing to a different time and place next year and I don't exactly need to go for the support any more. Our friends Jo and her baby Jacob were there and the babies giggled on the floor together - I hope Jo won't mind me posting this:

Things James is doing at the moment:
He's recently begun to giggle, especially when I kiss his face and tell him which bits I'm kissing in a silly voice ("I kiss your nose! I kiss your chin! I kiss your eyelid!").
He picks up toys with both hands, more by good luck than by good judgement, and puts them in his mouth. He doesn't yet reach out for a toy I hold out.
He loves watching mobiles move above him and watches entranced.
He can lift his bum up while lying either on his front or his back.
He will lie on his front propped up on his forearms for a couple of minutes before getting cross.
He loves to sit in his bouncy chair and watch me doing things around the house, especially if I sing to him.
He likes it if I read poems with a strong rhythm, such as those in When We Were Very Young.
He likes watching TV for a few minutes at a time.
He is teething, and has rosy cheeks and sore gums. He likes to grab my or Daddy's finger and shove it into his mouth to chomp on.