Yesterday was one of those days where time seems to speed up and no matter what you do, you're always losing the race against it.
I had an odd dream, where I was with someone and we got on a bus that took us to Denmark in less than half an hour and it only cost us 40c. As if a bus could do that.. Ah well, one can dream.
Earlier in the afternoon, my mum and I took Morgan for a stroll, involving coffeetimes. I bought her a teal cardigan, a dark blue sleeveless top/dress and teal jeans. Yay for heavily reduced prices! She wore her Winnie The Pooh hoodie for the first time today, and it fit her like a glove! 'Twas a gift from her Paternal Granny. Oh, and I also got her this cute red pinafore dress and purple long-sleeved top with a Monster face print on the front.
My precioussssss :D
I went over to my place to check the mail and tidy up a bit in preparation for our return whilst my mum looked after Morgan for me. I saw a woman drive by with a girl who was no older than 7 years, sitting in the FRONT seat, eating a yoghurt WITH A FRIGGIN METAL SPOON.
This, to me, brought mental images of horrible consequences should they be involved in a car crash.
Why is it that so many Maltese people insist on being irresponsible when it comes to assuring their children's /grandchildren's/ nieces'/ nephew's safety where cars are involved? I'm not sure if by Maltese law, booster seats are mandatory - if they're not, THEY SHOULD BE. It IS a life or death issue! Is it so bloody hard for these people to realise this?!
*/rant over*
Morgan has a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning for a check-up. I'm anxious about it. She's perfectly fine to me, but you never know what doctors might say. At least I know that the doc in question is a bloody good one. He was _my_ paediatrician when I was young, and I probably owe him my life way more times than anyone cares to remember.
I will return to posting more regularly and more interestingly shortly - promise! I just need to move back home first.
Yesterday, Morgan and - had our First Day Out. It was fun - but boy was it overwhelming and tiring!
Our day started off with my mum and I deciding to give Morgan a sponge bath.
Wet Baby! And not a very happy one!
The door bell rang just as we were done, but before we could dry her and clothe her. My mum handed her over to me wrapped up in a towel. I kept thinking "you're going to either pee or poop on me, aren't you?"
Lo and behold! I hear the trickle of pee slapping against the floor's tiles. I put Morgan down on the nappy changer to get some tissue paper to soak up the pee on the floor so as to avoid potential slips until I could clean it up. A few seconds later I notice a tiny amount of poop. I place a wet wipe underneath her bum so that she can poop freely before I clean her up again.. I gave her a couple of minutes or so, and when I saw there was no progress, removed the wipe and turned around to get something from behind me. As soon as I turn back towards Morgan, I see Mount Poop being built up on the towel beneath her.
It got a bit messy, but eventually managed to get everything under control. I suppose it was Morgan's way of telling me exactly what she thought of our stripping her down to give her a bath - and paying me back.
We then got picked up by my soon-to-be sis-in-law. We managed to get the pram in the car, car seat strapped in, and we set off, driving slowly to our destination.
Are we there yet?
We parked a couple of blocks away from the cafeteria we were going to - Mint - and so I got to push the pram in the outside world for the first time. It was daunting! Making sure I keep an eye on Morgan, looking at the pavement to avoid potholes and other possible obstacles, keeping an eye out for any pedestrians, cars and other vehicles/beings who might cross our path, looking for the nearest, safest and most convenient spot to roll off the pavement to cross the street - and keeping a conversation going. Talk about becoming suddenly aware of how often we multitask without even realising it!
We got to Mint, and luckily for us a group of people with a pram left at that very instant, clearing up an ideal spot for us to sit inside. People were chattering, an REM cd was playing in the background [which I found amusing seeing as I made a reference to them recently in a previous blog], and Morgan was hungry. This meant I had to feed her whilst trying to decide what I wanted to order for myself. That wasn't an easy task since I was focused solely on her - so I opted for the easy way out of the "I'll have what you're having" kind.
Seeing as I was focused on Morgan, it took me a while before I got round to my coffee and meal. Mel (my soon-to-be sis-in-law) wolfed down her food so as to be able to help Morgan burp whilst I eat.
To those of you who work in catering - please don't hover over my shoulder when you can clearly see I have a young child to tend to before I can focus on my own meal.
I never had reason to complain at this cafeteria - food and service are both exceptional. However, yesterday it was as if the 3 waitresses waiting on us grew tired of waiting. They invoked The Unspoken Time Limit During Which Food And Drink Must Be Consumed Lest Your Plate And Glass/Cup Be Taken Away - and that nearly happened in fact.
I missed seeing the Blond Dreadlocked Eyecandy Waiter yesterday - it would have been Lesson 1 on men for Morgan. Instead some guy walked in, and I taught her that this dude is what I call a Pretty Boy, and that she should limit herself to looking at Pretty Boys and that's it. She seemed content receiving this knowledge.
We went for a walk and after a short while, I started getting quite tired. Morgan fell asleep in the pram, and so we headed back towards the car - but not before taking a photo of the two of us.
Happily bringing the day out to an end.
We stopped by to say hi to Mel's parents as they wished to meet Morgan, and then we headed back home where a nappy change & feed was due, followed by a ton of sleep for both Morgan and myself.
A major update for today is - I was discussing what weapon gives the most satisfaction - a machete or a sledgehammer (yay for sledgehammer!) - with a friend and I made a pun using the following video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG71yD8UUbE. I decided to show it to Morgan. She was entranced!! She was watching it quietly, and when I moved my phone slightly, she followed the movement with her eyes!
Today involved the daunting task of reassembling the Pram,Pushchair and Car Seats. I'm sure that with practise, the whole process becomes less complicated. It did involve a fair amount of swearing though.
On a positive note, I found out that I can get the wheels repaired. I purchased the 3-in-1 travel system off someone else, and the front wheels do unlock to swirl around 360 degrees - however the moment they are straight again, they lock. Also, the breaks don't seem to function. Recently a shop selling solely items of this particular brand opened nearby, so I asked my mother to check for me whether they would be able to repair one even though it was not purchased as new from their shop and they said it can be done. This means that next month, I'll be hopefully getting it fixed since this month finances are quite tight.
Tomorrow is D-Day. I get to find out whether Creature is to be born this weekend or not. I'm anxious and excited as well about it. I will post an update the moment I get home after the doctor's appointment since I haven't yet managed to set up blog postings from my Blackberry. I know it is done by sending an e-mail from the phone, however I can't seem to figure out how to sync the phone to the Blogger account as of yet. Anyone who may be able to illuminate me on how this can be done, please do.
This has been a long day. Not having managed to sleep at all last night, house chores this morning were even more exhausting. On the plus side,I managed to strip down the travel 'furniture' i.e. pram, pushchair and car seats, so that I could disinfect their fabric.
When it comes to the stripping down of such items, I would recommend to get the assistance of an experienced person, such as a friend who has children below the age of 10. The friend in question would still have a vivid memory of how it is done therefore speeding up the process. Make sure you follow attentively what is removed from where, as the reassembly will be a nightmare otherwise. If possible, get the friend to commit to come over to help you reassemble the 'furniture' should you not manage to do so by yourself.
I'm currently working on another doll - the details of which will remain secret for the time being. The reason is that I'm making 2 of the same - one for Creature, and one for a friend of mine who offered ever so nicely to make us a Nappy Bag. I'm loving the large amount of handmade items Creature is accumulating. I know s/he won't appreciate it for now, but when older, I'm sure s/he will appreciate the time, energy and effort put into the making of such items.
By the way, do you people recall the blog regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder? I came across this article,which I though may be of interest. Seems like psychiatrists are wrestling with the same question I ponder frequently myself - where does one draw the line between quirky/unusual and abnormal? Having said that,I feel that this revision is a step backwards. We'll see how it will affect people worldwide I guess.
Whether you're a passenger or a driver, you will surely be familiar with this scene:
Stressed out parent[s] trying to ignore their child[ren] who is/are busy bouncing all around the backseat, possibly kneeling on the seat facing backwards, waving at the cars behind theirs.
Locally, the concept of wearing seatbelts whilst riding in the backseat is still not that popular. The idea of child carseats even less so. Thankfully, on each and every hospital list, there tends to be a carseat listed as a requirement for when you leave hospital.
When I was looking to buy a 3-in-1 travel system, I mentioned the need of a carseat to my mum, who seemed oblivious to the need of having such a security device. She is an educated person and pretty much up to date with current events- and yet, the concept was foreign to her. The same can undoubtedly be said about a large portion of the population - especially those above a certain age.
An article I came across earlier reminded me of this topic. In it, there was mentioned that in the US, it has been reported that accidents are the major cause of children's deaths. Namely car accidents.
It is literally of vital importance that you install the baby carseat properly.
I personally don't drive myself - however 4 people in my immediate family do [actually 5, however I rarely ride with the 5th person]. This means that I will be pestering all of them to come by for us to try and fit the carseat before Creature arrives - otherwise I'll be screwed when it comes to getting Creature home from hospital after giving birth.
The more cars you familiarise yourself with attaching the carseat in, the better. You never know who might be picking you up - so if you have an idea of how to install the seat in advance, it will reduce frustrations that might arise once you have a squirming crying baby sitting in the seat itself.
If you happen to buy a 2nd hand carseat - make sure it has not been involved in an accident, and that it is not too old. If the seat you purchase does not come with a manual, do your utmost to contact the manufacturer for assistance.
Them little sprogs are expensive. That is a known fact. So, why not spare yourself unnecessary expenses whilst you still can?
Toys are a necessity for Baby's learning process - however in this day and age where technology rules, even a simple newborn-friendly toy can cost an arm and a leg. We're all so focused on being up-to-date with the latest gadgets that we forget our childhood favourites were probably the most inexpensive toys of them all.
I've been looking up fun stuff to do, and inexpensive toys to acquire, whilst I still can. Here's a list of fun ideas for Baby and you!
Anything
Seriously. Look around you and choose a few items, then show them to Baby. Take your time and allow Baby to observe them properly, whilst you explain what the item is. Repetition at this stage is important, not boring. So don't despair if you don't really have a lot of Baby-safe things.
Baby him/herself
Having a sister 9 years younger than me means I've had daily exposure to a Baby already. One of my favourite memories from both my childhood and from interacting with my sister back then was simply playing tickling games, or pointing out different body parts, or peek-a-boo.
My mum still recalls quite fondly the hours we used to spend playing peek-a-boo back in the day. Only in my case, the words to accompany the game were "Open" and "Closed".
Songs and handplay are fun and will last for a good number of years, especially once Baby knows what the words mean.
Paper
It isn't just Micah who is featured in the above video that finds tearing up paper amusing. It seems to give babies a sense of satisfaction to create permanent change in such a simple manner.
This means one thing - keep all important paperwork out of Baby's reach.
Torches
Besides from being a convenient tool to have lying around, a torch can provide various sources of amusement. Babies can find it fascinating just to see the light going on and off, to begin with. Followed by chasing the light, and later on, playing with creating shadow puppets.
Boogie!
This is probably one of the cheapest source of amusement of them allCrank up the volume to your - that's yours and Baby's - favourite tunes and dance all over the place with Baby in your arms. As s/he grows older, the dancing will evolve in something s/he'll be able to do unassisted.
Travels
Most babies tend to like the whole travelling experience - so if you drive, sometimes all it takes to amuse your wee one is to go for a ride. If you, like me, don't drive, you can either ask someone to be the chauffeur or hop on a bus and make sure Baby can watch the changing scenery.
Also, a trip to the airport to watch planes take off and land can be quite amusing!
Boxes & Wrapping Paper
Sometimes people end up being disappointed when they give some expensive toy to Baby and s/he seems to be more interested in the wrapping paper and/or box it came in than the toy itself.
Wrapping paper is all colourful and provides different textures for Baby to be fascinated with. If you give a gift to a baby, make sure it is wrapped - that is probably the only time in a person's life where they'll truly appreciate the wrapping paper.
Boxes, or the other hand, are marvellous. They can provide endless hours of fun for children up until their late childhood years. After all, a box is rarely ever a box. It can be a hide-out, a ship, a car, a plane, a train, a house, a workshop bench, a shop counter and a million other fun things!
Canned Foods
To tie in with the above-mentioned boxes, once your child is older, they may enjoy playing Make Believe and pretend to be a shop keeper. I know it used to be one of my childhood favourites, much to my mum's desperation at seeing the larder being emptied, only to have to reshelve everything all over again once play-times were over and done with.
Building a fort
Be it a pillow fort, or a makeshift tent, this tends to be a childhood favourite with young children. I must admit I still love the idea myself up to this very day and age!
There are a lot more games that are inexpensive and fun - all you have to do is let your imagination run wild. If your imagination isn't as fertile, or you get stumped, a quick Google search will provide you with several ideas. In the meanwhile, you can clicky here for a never-ending list of ideas.
This morning I woke up to an article on the local newspaper about some 13 year old boy who asked for a book over a Kindle for his birthday. "Big deal," was my initial reaction, along with "At least the love for books seems to still exist within a small proportion of the younger generations. Maybe not all hope is lost."
It always is pleasant to see a child reading a book. It is an unusual sight nowadays. I don't blame the parents though. Not entirely. Books have become so expensive nowadays, you would think they are a luxury. For example - a simple board book [i.e. a book consisting of less than 10 pages, made out of thick cardboard, with minimal words and colourful picture, aimed at babies/toddlers.] can cost anywhere between €8 and €15. [go to www.xe.com for a currency conversion if you live outside the Euro zone]. That, my friends, is silly expensive. How are you meant to teach your child how to read and what the joys of reading and book ownership are all about? Bookstore owners [as well as toy store owners who mark educational toys at silly prices] need a healthy dose of reality. With the income most households have, and the expenses they have every month, most cannot afford to buy more than one book every... 2? 3 months?
With such expensive pricing being placed on what should be a child's gateway to other worlds... their faithful companion, friend and teacher.... it is no wonder that so many parents don't even bother and would rather plop their child in front of the idiot box, also referred to as TV.
I myself am a bibliophile, and have every intention of passing on this quality to Creature once s/he is born. What I don't intend to do, however, is to fill his/her head with all the Happily Ever After nonsense. I know, shocking isn't it? What I mean by that is - I find Fairy Tales so much more enticing in their original format rather than the lovey-dovey unrealistic Disney influenced modified versions. If you're still confused, I would suggest looking up The Little Mermaid. The proper version. The one with no Happily Ever After. You know, the one with suicide and murder involved in the picture.
I can only hope that parents do some shopping around, and perhaps try to find the cheapest possible option to stock up their children's libraries. Charity Shops, Car Boot Sales, Bazaars, The Internet - all feasible options. Don't deny your child the joys of reading. Try to include it in your budget. And never be afraid of giving a book as a gift. Check with the parent/a family member whether the book you had in mind might already be sitting on the child's bookshelf though. Getting duplicates can be frustrating for a child. And getting book vouchers can be frustrating for the parent[s] due to the majority of book shops on this island having a very limited stock of interesting titles.
