So, I've been trying to post an update for a couple of weeks. I started typing it on my laptop and haven't had the time to finish it yet. Sorry, people!
Please bear with me (RAWR! Ha. Sorry, I always picture a bear whenever I hear that expression :D ) whilst I'm busy being a mum and trying to dispose of the bomb that seems to continuously explode over and over again at home.
Morgan is doing really well! We've now switched from pram to pushchair, and she has started to roll over from her back to her belly and back (though she sometimes gets stuck on her belly).
Things with HSS couldn't be better!
I am happy, and Morgan is happy.
The whole point of this blog initially was to have a place where I could rant, rave, vent and declutter my brain from all sorts of worries and thoughts. Since things are going so well, I haven't had the need to write anything worth while lately.
I shall post an update as soon as I find the time, with the story of how Morgan's Other Granny's Visit went. In a nutshell, it went well.
As I type this, I'm on the way back home where I shall shortly get Morgan all cleaned up and fed before taking her over to my mum's. She willk babysit for a short while to enable HSS and myself to go buy a bed guard for Morgan. Yay for safety!
I am currently looking up weaning info - silly UK/US sites mean different things by "weaning" - in the States they use it to mean moving on from breastfeeding to anything else, whereas UK sites mean to say the intro of real food as opposed to breastmilk/formula milk.
As you peoples know, my boobs failed in the function of noms, and have limited themselves to just being decorative. This means that _my_ weaning will entail the intro of real food. According to WHO (World Health Organisation), weaning shouldn't be introduced before Baby is 6 months old. Having said that, some start weaning from the age of 4 months. Not every baby has the same needs/appetite.
Morgan is showing a keen interest in food - she has that "Dog Thing" going on where she watches interested your every move whenever food or drink is concerned.
Omnomnomnomhandnomnomnom
She is currently drinking 210ml water& 7 scoops formula every 4 hours approx. Hungry bebbeh is hungry.
Oh, and we also now have set up her travel cot to act as a playpen. It has been filled with colourful stuff - toys and such. Enough distractions to keep Morgan amused for the long period of time that is 10 minutes.
6th June 2012
She has been experiencing some separation anxiety and panics if left alone for longer than 5 minutes.
That is about it for now.
Yesterday evening, a couple friends of mine, who live a few streets away, invited Morgan and myself over for drinks and banter. We were picked up at about 7:45pm, and the moment we walked in, I warmed up Morgan's bottle and changed her nappy and sat down to feed her.
Another two couples joined us, and we had banter. It was good - the only thing I was a bit tense about was the cat who lives up to the Evil Mastermind reputation white poofy persian cats have, and the 2-yr old cute-as-hell lab/german shepherd-mix puppy they have. The cat is a cat - therefore obeys nothing and no one. He kept trying to wriggle in between Morgan and myself in more than one way - mainly metaphorically though. I guess her milk was too tempting for him. The she-pup was very outgoing and curious and kept sniffing at Morgan. My concern was the same kind of concern I had with Whiskey, my dog. Being a big, young dog brings with it a big amount of curiousity _and_ clumsiness. Thankfully, the other 6 people we were with took care of both cat and dog so that they'd keep their distance as much as possible.
I suppose I'm not one of them parents who are willing to take risks with pets and children by allowing said pet to sniff at their heart's content the child. I realise that it might be the best way to go on about it, but I am not comfortable doing it, especially with dogs I don't know and/or dogs who aren't used to children.
We didn't stay out late - by 10.30pm we were back home. Morgan was drowsy, so I put her to bed, picked a book, and joined her. Shortly after, we were both asleep. I must have been more tired than I realised I was as I slept through the alarm. She slept through it as well, so no harm done. Instead of having her bottle at 00:30am, she had it at 1:30am after her nappy change, and then crashed straight away once more.
She slept the whole night again, and woke up at about 6;30am, where I took care of her needs and got us both back to bed to sleep a bit more. She slept until her next feed was due.
I gave her a sponge-bath before feeding her, and clothed her in her first dungarees! She is adorable in this outfit, if I may say so myself! I always liked dungarees, and my favourite was an army green one made of denim - I had matching ankle boots back then too. Needless to say, Morgan owns quite a few in different sizes and will own many more.
See? I told you she's ADORABLE!
Once fed, I put her in her seat, and I managed to cook myself some food uninterrupted whilst Morgan watched the changing light and shadows through the back yard's door. She fell asleep by the time I finished eating, so I took her to the living room so that I could keep an eye on her whilst I do stuff.
After some time, Morgan started getting gas cramps, so we went to bed and snuggled up, and she fell asleep again.
Once she woke up, I changed her nappy and shortly after my mum came over. She gave Morgan her bottle, had brief banter and she ran off to go look after my dad who seems to have manflu of sorts.
Once gone, Morgan and I just chilled. She fell asleep again, and so I had some time to sort out her clothes and to relax a bit.
Now, we'll be off to her room so that I can attempt carrying on the clothes sorting process.
Single Parenthood is something there is very little knowledge about unless it affects you. At least that seems to be the case in Malta. A lot of people are under the impression that by not listing the child's father on the birth certificate, this will automatically entitle you to shitloads of benefits. The reality of it all is far from this being the case.
First of all, I find it pretty demeaning that the only way to not list the father on the birth certificate is "Father Unknown". It very rarely is the case that the father is truly not known. Most of the time, it is purely a case of the Sperm Donor not shouldering his responsibilities. To me, the whole "Father Unknown" thing is offensive not only to the mother, but to the child as well. It automatically sheds a bad light on them both. In truth, this should be amended to say something along the lines of "Deadbeat Dad" which would reflect the reality of the situation more accurately.
I have been doing some research out of necessity and so I'll be sharing the information I have obtained so far with you lot in an attempt to clarify some common misconceptions.
The only benefit you get is Children's Allowance, if you're employed.
Children's Allowance is a Government Aid given to all parents - be they married, cohabiting or single. For more in depth information, you can either clicky here if your annual income is less than €23,983.00, or here if it exceeds the aforementioned amount. Should you receive Child Support from the Sperm Donor, this must be declared as it will affect the amount you receive.
If your child happens to be affected by a mental or physical disability, you may be eligible for the Disabled Child Allowance, which is over and above the Children's Allowance.
If you happen to be a Foster Parent, there is an allowance for you too that you can apply for.
Here you will find listed the Maximum amounts that are possible to be obtained weekly and annually, as well as some additional information regarding the different benefits mentioned so far..
If you have clicked the above link, you will notice something called Maternity Allowance. I will clarify this as it might be a bit confusing. Maternity Allowance is paid to you only if you're either a) unemployed or b) will not be availing herself from Maternity Leave which would usually be paid for by the employer. The application must be submitted either once yo reach your eighth month of pregnancy or within six months from the birth date.
Maternity Leave in Malta is in the process of changing. Up until last year, we were entitled to 14 weeks of paid Maternity Leave - 4 weeks of which must be taken before Baby is due. As of this year, an extra 2 weeks were added on which would be paid for by the Government at the rate of €160 weekly. To apply for these extra 2 weeks, one must collect a form from their local Social Security Office. Next year [2013], there should be another extra 2 weeks added on to bring the total amount of weeks up to 18.
So, what happens if you decide to quit your job and become a full time single parent? Well, for starters, you'll be looking at Energy Benefits whereby you can apply to receive a subsidy to help you cover the costs of Water & Electricity bills.
If you happen to be unable to breastfeed for medical reasons, you can also apply for a Milk Grant which will require an official document to be issued by your doctor, and once it is approved, it would be issued to be from Baby's birth up until s/he is 40 weeks of age.
There is also another benefit, which is the equivalent of the dole, called the Single Unmarried Parents' Allowance which is applicable only if you're unemployed or work up to a maximum of 8 hours per week and earn no more than €50 as a gross amount.
If you live in a rental property, you can also look at claiming Housing Benefits whereby you'd be given a subsidy by the government that will help you cover your monthly rent. Further information can be obtained by clicking here.
Last but not least, you can also apply for the EU Food Vouchers however I was not able to find much information about them. They normally are applied for when you've got a case of a low-income family, and are limited to items such as Pasta, Rice and some other basic foods.
You do not start receiving all these benefits immediately. The first thing that is processed is the Children's Allowance, followed by the Single Unmarried Parents' Allowance, and then followed by everything else.
To place any claims, you will need your National ID Card as well as a Copy of your Bank Statements, since any savings you have sitting in your bank account will be taken into consideration. Any other paperwork required will be asked for depending on your particular case.
If you need further information for yourself or someone you know, feel free to call on 159 Monday - Saturday from 8a.m. til 2p.m. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the lines stay open til 6p.m. Alternatively, visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov.mt. Please rest assured that any information discussed is covered by the Data Protection Act, therefore you're safe to discuss things in detail as they will remain confidential.
it is better financially to be employed. It is a matter of weighing your options - you can either provide your child a more comfortable life financially, but miss out on a heck of a lot, or be around for all the important events in your child's life but live on an extremely restricted budget. Should you have to face that decision, good luck- it'll be tough either way.
In my previous blog, I've mentioned I like crafting things. There are a variety of reasons why one should craft. It is fun, it helps you recycle stuff like old clothes, magazines, and junk mail, and it is inexpensive. I won't say it is free, because it isn't. You still need to buy certain supplies. But in the long run, it is indeed cheaper than opting for store-bought items.
Here are a few links to help you get started. If you find anything else that you may want to share, drop me a comment!
Besides from crafts, the Internet is an awesome place to help you get things that you'd normally be costing you an arm and a leg throughout the child's... well... childhood... for free.
"Such as what?" you might ask.
Such as colouring books, and workbooks to help teach your child[ren] how to read and write. All you need is to find a few minutes to download and print some material that is freely available online, et voila! Not only have you just saved yourself some cash, but you also get a say in what goes in the colouring/exercise book and what doesn't.
There is also another source I have left untapped that can be a money-saver as well as healthier - home-made weaning food. I believe that deserves a separate blog though, so I'll leave it at that for now.
Here's a few pictures of stuff I have crafted myself:
