Almost normal

Our living room looks almost normal in this photograph!!

Life is "normal" too - I mean, Steve is recovering from a cold, Ben is halfway through, and we suspect Charley is succumbing to a sore throat.

Instead of getting dressed this morning I did this which kept me amused for a little while as Charley had a marathon sleep in his nest! Mum and dad went off to Arundel this morning, dad has been hoping to get to a particular model train shop for ages and mum went with him to keep him in check (aka to stop him spending a hundred pounds plus on an engine!) so he was a happy bunny when they arrived in time for lunch. They went home this evening before dinner, I've not heard from them yet so I'm hoping the gales didn't blow them off the motorway... It's been so lovely having them down here, and I'm so glad that mum has enjoyed her birthday weekend!

Before they set off they did two last favours for me - minded the boys while I had a much-needed bath, and looked after Ben while I went to the doctor (taking Charley with me). Got my referral to the physio which is good, I just need to phone them up now and arrange it. Really could do with something as I've started going over on my bad ankle which is never going to help, and both my wrists are suffering too now. Got the registration form to register Charley at the surgery, then I can book our 6 week check. All in order! Got to remember to phone and make an appointment to register Charley officially now though.

Our meal rota started today. I'm so so glad I asked if it could start when Steve went back to work. We've managed just about ok while he's been off on paternity leave, but I would have struggled to make dinner today. It's a fantastic blessing having a couple of weeks (at least!) of other people making dinner for you when you are adjusting to life with a new baby around, it's one less thing to have to deal with. And hopefully at least some of the people cooking for us will stay and eat with us!

Had a couple of lovely visitors today. David (a friend from the NCT class we did together over 3 years ago) and his youngest popped in while they waited to pick up Astrid, who's the same age as Ben. That was unexpected, but really quite lovely to see him! And, after mum and dad had gone, Ruth (a friend from church) popped in with a present for Charley and to collect her oven dish which has been sitting on my fridge for about a month now :) Ben knows and loves Ruth and he showed this by running away and hiding, giggling! Looking forward to pudding and wine and daft Wii games with her and her hubby later this week :)

So Ben's off his oats. He's not eaten a great deal today, or drunk a great deal either - but he's been nursing like there's no tomorrow. Wants and needs lots of cuddles, and milky ones at that. He and Charley have had some lovely shared milky cuddles today and it's been nice to sit down with them both and just relax and feel like I'm doing what I can to look after them both. Charley poor mite has either been sound asleep or unsettled. He's wanting lots of nursing but feels like he's ending up drinking too much, and then of course it comes back up. Or he gulps in air with it and gets trapped wind. But Steve thinks he might have a sore throat which is why he wants to nurse so much. Can't give him the magic pink goo for another month and a half, so thank goodness for booby milk!

Putting Ben to bed this evening I started thinking about his attachment to his toys. Since I've not been climbing into bed with him to nurse him to sleep, he's had his milky cuddle on a chair next to the bed and then chosen a toy to cuddle while I hold his hand as he goes to sleep. He's very particular about which toy it is as well! And, since getting his big bed, he's been collecting toys to keep up near his pillow. Toys he likes to cuddle to sleep are up there, generally. During the day he will often take a particular toy around with him as well and he will refer to it as Ben-whatever (I think I may have mentioned this in an earlier blip). He's daddy-whatever, I'm mummy-whatever, and Steve is big-daddy-whatever. Funny thing, attachment. And he remembers if you've said you'll do something like take his keys with us to the shop so he can "unlock" the door when we get home - and he'll get so upset if we forget!


Bedtime now.

Tomorrow's challenge is to get out to tots for the Christmas party. I don't have a small wrapped present for Santa to give to Ben though, I've no idea what I could wrap either :( It managed to pass me by entirely, that little bit of information that Steve may or may not have brought home from tots last week. Ah well. We may not even make it but I'll be very happy if we do! The short walk to and from the surgery this afternoon was pretty easy, walking doesn't hurt any more or wear me out so much so I'll keep building up distance / stamina slowly. Getting up and out is going to be the hard part, everything after that ought to be a breeze.....!