May we all have our hopes, our will to try

Hello? Is this thing on?

MY sincere apologies for being gone for so long! Life is crazily hectic - I guess you knew that already though.

So, here we are.

The blog turned ONE last November. Happy Belated Birthday, Blog!

Sorry! *pats Blog's head*

Since mid-August, we have been going to, and coming from, hospital on a regular basis due to Morgan's recurring UTIs.  I believe I had previously mentioned the plan re: her surgery.  It is meant to be happening on the 5th of February.

MEANT TO.

I got a phone call from hospital a couple of days ago saying "Sorry, the operation is now rescheduled to happen on the 2nd of April."

2ND APRIL?!

Needless to say, the above picture is a perfect depiction of what was going through my head the moment I heard the news.  This meant we were increasing the chances of Morgan getting a 4th infection by delaying the operation, and thus giving a bigger time window for a nasty bug to find its way into Morgan's system and defying the daily antibiotics.  It also meant I have to try and reschedule time off work.  And another thing - it means Morgan will spend a longer period of time on the antibiotics.  I dread the day she will no longer be on the meds - her poor immune system will get quite a shock!

And to think we were so close to finally being [potentially] over and done with this seemingly never ending saga!

Ah well.

On a more positive note - Morgan turns 11 months old today! I officially no longer have a baby - she has become a full-fledged toddler.

She is constantly cruising around the house and has become a super fast crawling machine.  She enjoys:

Bath time! [10Dec2012]

Spending time outdoors [15Dec2012]

Wreaking havoc! [15Dec2012]

Playing! [Yule 2012]

Exploring [Dec2012]

Feeding herself [31Dec2012]

She is amazing - a huge handful, but fun.  She loves books and is extremely inquisitive.

So far, she says "Ħeqq!", "Mama", "Papa", "Ejja", "Baba" [bottle], "Adda" [id-dawl], "Da" [duck]. [Ħeqq being a Maltese expression equivalent to 'oh' or shrugging one's shoulders, Ejja meaning 'Come' which she usually says when she wants us to pick her up, Adda being her way of saying Id-Dawl meaning 'The Light'].

Morgan has also mastered going down the small step that leads to the back yard.  It took her a few tries, but yesterday she managed to go down the step by crawling forward.  She then started crawling up and down the stair repeatedly.

Today she took hold of my hand and went down the same step by WALKING.  This was followed by her crawling up a full-sized step to get into the wash room without any help.

I fear one of these days I'll wake up and she'll be there, packing her bags telling me she's going to move out.  I know it will happen eventually, but I'd rather it didn't happen before another 18 years or so. 

Morgan is currently 79cm [31 inches] in height, with a head circumference of 48cm [19 inches].  She is wearing 12-18 month sized clothing comfortably, and is rapidly moving towards the 18-24 month sized clothing! We, my friends, have a ginormous child.  Her feet are way too wide for 'normal' shoes - out of the 10 pairs she owns [which is more than I own myself!] none fit her.  I'm in the process of trying to figure out her feet's measurements so that I can hunt for wide fitting toddler shoes.

Next month is her birthday! I've started working on getting everything together for said occasion - the invites are designed, and supplies are increasing.  Next I'll be working on what foodstuffs to prepare, whilst trying to come up with a venue.  Our home is too small to throw a party in, I think.  Any suggestions are welcome [as long as they're not McDonald's. She's too young for that and I'd rather not encourage junk food consumption, anyway.].

Now, for the cliché section: Today is NYE.  Therefore an End of Year statement is expected.

This year for me has been one of the hardest - if not the hardest - ever.  Nevertheless, it has been the happiest year of my life.  There were so many Firsts! So many new things to learn and to experience! I went through childbirth [albeit via C-section], learnt how to look after someone else to the extent of it being a life-or-death matter, learnt how to change a nappy whilst in zombie mode,  prepare bottles and baby food, and a million other things.  I learnt the joys and the sorrows of Motherhood.  Or at least, I've learnt the better part of the first chapter of Motherhood.  There will undoubtedly be much more hurdles to overcome and a lot more joys to experience.

I also came to realise, and accept, that I have finally found my soul mate.  For the first time ever, I'm in a relationship where obstacles and problems have been thrown in our way ever since day one, however we managed to face every challenge together and become closer as a consequence.  This is probably the one relationship with the most difficulties I've ever experienced - and I'm happy.  Goes to show that communication truly is the key to keep things plain sailing.

2012 has also been the first year since the year 2000 during which I have not attended a funeral.  Having said that, my family's she-dog did get put to sleep shortly after Morgan was born, so it wasn't an entirely death-free year.  Still - I'm grateful for a break from mourning newly deceased friends and family members.  Hopefully I'm not jinxing it since there's still 13 and a half hours to go until the end of the year is official.

Another good thing that happened this year was becoming an Admin on the wonderful Facebook community known as The Pagan Mama.  It is always a joy posting stuff and interacting with the Mamas, Papas and Friends forming part of the community.  It is pretty much the closest thing to a 'mummy club' I'll ever get to - and that's perfectly fine with me!

A fair number of friends and acquaintances have also had a lot on their plate this year - people they knew or were related to passed away, a good number had to handle major illnesses and are still battling them, break-ups and a plethora of other occurrences. To you all, my beloved, I'd like to say one thing. And that's:

So, in conclusion - THANK YOU to everyone who made this year the way it was.  A special thank you goes to my wonderful man - who is the best Father Morgan could have ever hoped for, and who is also the one I hope to have with me for the rest of my days.  And ultimately, thank you to Morgan - my beautiful, inquisitive, courageous, free spirited, good, perfect, happy daughter who made my life worth living, and who made me proud to call myself Mama'.

Lots of love.

See you next year!

Panic!

Sorry, I know I've been gone for a few weeks. I'm back to work and life is hectic as hell.

During the week, if I'm lucky, I get an hour with Morgan before she falls asleep. I get more or less the same amount of time to spend with HSS if I can manage to stay awake until he gets home from work.

Needless to say, I try and compensate during the weekend but it doesn't always work out.

This week just gone, I had a horrible bout of toothache which by Saturday had me in tears and forced me to take a trip to hospital in order to get the tooth pulled out. This meant I didn't get much time with Morgan as I was in no condition to look after her. Thankfully, HSS and my mum had that covered whilst I was MIA.

Today at work, I just had what you could call a panic/anxiety attack. This was due to knowing Morgan is being looked after by someone other than my mum or HSS. Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, getting an acquaintance to babysit was the only option. I had been feeling palpitations for an hour and a half, after which I was so nauseous I had to run to the toilets. This, my dearies, is what being worried sick feels like.

On a more positive note, Morgan is well, and happy. For the past week she has been trying to get up on all fours to try and crawl, but so far she's only managed to move a "step" backwards. It is a matter of days now til she manages.

Off to work again!
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone from GO Mobile

18July2012 - Bathtime fun!

If they wanna get me making toys, If they wanna get me, well, I got no choice

Tomorrow is the day I rejoin the "Real World" - and quite frankly, the "Real World" sucks.

I'm trying to figure out the effin buses that will take me to work, since the ever-so-clever new Bus Company that took over about a year or so ago decided to remove the bus stop that was the closest to my work place. 

For the coming 5 weeks, I'll barely be seeing Morgan other than whilst she's asleep - or half-asleep, anyway - and I'll see even less of HSS.  This will be followed by another 7 weeks of barely seeing HSS but thankfully, of spending more time with Morgan.  I can't wait til I'm on my proper shift so that I'll get some time with both HSS and Morgan - as it should be.

These past few months have been like a dream - spending every day with the two of them... Knowing that those days will now be over is somewhat painful.  I'm way too aware of how quickly Morgan learns new things and how quickly she's growing.  Spending time away from My Family will hurt. 

At least, Morgan will be spending most of her time with family anyway.  It just sucks being denied the opportunity to see her grow up step by step.

Cuddling up in front of the TV [1st July 2012]

I envy SATMs.  Stay-at-home-Mums, that is.  Or rather, Stay-at-home-Parents, anyway.  I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.  I know SATPs who are dying to go out in the Employment World - and Working Parents [like Yours Truly] who are dying to be with their child[ren] every single day.

I made my own bed, I know, and I will lie in it.  I have to keep reminding myself that it will be better for Morgan in the long run, this way.  I'll be able to provide for her financially much better than what I would be able to had I opted to quit my job and become a SATM. 


And yet, I can't help but wish I could be a SATM. 

Egoistically speaking, I am also what I commonly refer to as "meh" about not having as much time with HSS.  It mainly is knowing that by the time we get 5 minutes together during which we can talk, we'll both be too tired to actually make the most out of it.

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I got love in my tummy

It has begun.

"What's this?" [25June2012]

 

I woke up rather early and went out to buy supplies.  I bought her these awesome heat sensing spoons by Tommee Tippee which change colour to show you that the food is hot, some freezer tubs, and lots of different foods by Organix.  Once back home, I labelled the food fior easy recognition and put ti all away in Morgan's cupboard.

At first, I was finding it all to be way too daunting and was going to postpone the First Weaning Experience til the following day.  I changed my mind a few moments later though as I was way too excited to give it a shot and see what happens! 

HSS and I sat Morgan down in her highchair, and put on a bib round her neck.  I chose the try out this thingy here first. 

NOM! [25June2012]

I scooped up a tiny bit of food and fed it to Morgan.  I held my breath to see what would happen.

What's this?! [25June2012]

Morgan's reaction seemed to be "What's this thing she's putting in my mouth? Why can't I suck on it? What's this new taste? THIS IS ALL SO STRANGE!! AND STOP TAKING PHOTOS OF ME WHILST I TRY TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT!!!!!!!!!"

"I'm so confused!!" [25June2012]

She was hungry and seemed to like it, but couldn't get how she was meant to do it.  Her tongue kept darting in and out, dropping half of the food out of her mouth and down her cute little strawberry-shaped chin.

:D [25June2012]

HSS was taking shitloads of photos in the meanwhile, dancing around us with his phone, enjoying the scene unfolding in front of his gorgeous eyes, and yet being antsy due to wanting to try and feed Morgan himself but not really daring interrupt.


Having noticed his eagerness to give it a try, I handed over the spoon and my seat, and went camera-happy myself.

Hand-over completed! [25June2012]

The first spoonful fed to Morgan by HSS was accompanied by this tune here being hummed.  I couldn't stop giggling at the nerdiness of it all.  Poor Morgan is doomed! Muahahahaha.

"Why are you making strange sounds? AND WHY ARE YOU NOT FEEDING ME?!" [25June2012]

Morgan grew more and more perplexed but seemed to be enjoying the New Noms. 

Omnomnomnomnomnom! [25June2012]

Morgan's tongue kept darting in and out, however she repeatedly lent forward towards the spoon, indicating she wanted more. 

Food is fun! [25June2012]

It was really fun watching HSS and Morgan go through the whole process - this was one hell of a First for all three of us!

"Ok, just a little bit more." [25June2012]

After a short while, Morgan started getting frustrated at too many new things to deal with all at once - new flavours, new textures, new feeding method and new feeding equipment, and ultimately, sitting in a highchair instead of being held in our arms whilst being fed.   She was clearly hungry, and not in the mood to keep experimenting for much longer.

 

Is it time for my milk yet?! IS IT?! [25June2012]

When she started showing signs of distress, we stopped the First Meal and gave her her bottle as usual - which she drained happily.


Since then, we're trying the weaning thing twice a day - breakfast and lunch just before giving her her bottle.  With every Feeding Session, she eats a little bit more, and is slowly getting the hang of it!

On other news, Morgan's second tooth is breaking through! This one is on the left bottom side - it is either a canine or a molar, I'm not entirely sure. Tiny gums with no teeth make it difficult to say until the tooth emerges completely.  Poor girl is in quite a bit of pain lately - however thankfully the Dentinox Teething Gel seems to do the trick in soothing her.

I'm currently trying my best to make the most out of the remaining days before this week is through.  Monday is Back To Work for me.  Eh, I'm dreading it to be honest - not because I don't like the job - I do. I missed it actually!  I'm just not looking forward to spending so little time with Morgan and HSS.  Morgan discovers something new every day - at least one thing evolves in her behaviour and in her physical appearance.  Her First Word, First Crawl, First Step and a plethora of other Firsts are bound to happen at any given moment - and I'm likely to miss out on those milestones.  I wish I could be a Stay-At-Home Mum, however it is in Morgan's best interest that I be a Working Mum. 

Strawberries cherries and an angel's kiss in spring - My summer wine is really made from all these things

Yesterday was Midsummer - also known as Litha and the Summer Solstice.

My celebration? Sweating my arse off.

I'm not fond of Summer at all - I get migraines if I'm in direct sunlight for more than 5-10 minutes.  This, in spite of wearing a hat and sunglasses.  I also start tanning very quickly - even though I'll have Factor 50 sunblock.

This year though, I'm not concerned about the effects Summer will have on me - I'm more concerned about Morgan.  Since she's Super Fair, I'm worried she'll get sunburned very quickly.  I got her a Factor 50+ Sunblock Lotion which is appropriate for babies and sensitive skin.  So far, so good.

Morgan, Summer Version [19June2012]

Morgan sweats a lot - it starts off from the soles of her feet which end up soaking wet, then the rest of her follows.  I'm obviously worried about dehydration.  I know first-hand how easy it is to end up dehydrated.  My mum suggested giving Morgan a sip of water every now and then.

This, of course, has prompted research.

Now, bearing in mind that Morgan is 5 months old, she is still exclusively on formula milk.

The following info is what I found:

"The USDA recommends discussing the introduction of water with baby's paediatrician.

The UK Department of Health recommends that parents give baby nothing but milk for the first 6 months, but advises that water may be given with solids once baby reaches 6 months of age."

So, why is giving water to a baby harmful before they reach the age of 6 months?

• A baby may "fill up" on water, resulting in him taking less breast milk or formula. This then deprives him of the nutrients essential for healthy growth and development.
• Too much water can stop your young baby's body from absorbing the nutrients it needs from milk. It can also lead to an imbalance of electrolytes.

If baby is exclusively breastfed, there is simply no need to give him extra water, even in very hot conditions. It is, of course, important to increase your own water intake and to nurse your baby frequently.  On the other hand, if Baby is formula milk fed like Morgan, Formula Milk is made up of over 80% water.  Therefore giving additional water is moot.

Once Baby starts weaning [which is recommended by the  WHO [World Health Organisation] not to commence before Baby turns 6 months old], it seems to be OK to give Baby a little water.  Having said that, giving too much water to your baby can lead to Water Intoxication.

WHAT?!
Water intoxication, also known as water poisoning, is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain functions that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits (e.g., hyponatremia) by overhydration, i.e., over-consumption of water.

"According to pediatricians like James P. Keating, MD, medical director of the St. Louis Children's Hospital Diagnostic Center, too much water dilutes a baby's normal sodium levels and can lead to seizures, coma, brain damage and death."

- derived from http://www.stlouischildrens.org/articles/wellness/water-intoxication-in-infants

 Clicky here for more info about Water Intoxication, and here for more info about Giving Baby Some Water!

Now, I know I mentioned that the WHO advises not to start weaning to babies under 6 months of age.  Having said that, every baby is different and some need/are prepared for 'solids' before they reach the 6 month mark.

Morgan seems to be one of them babies.  She has been showing a keen interest in food for over a month now, and is getting hungrier and hungrier with every day that goes by.  She is currently drinking 210ml+7 scoops every four hours - however most of the time the usual 4 hour gap doesn't elapse as she gets hungry by the time 3 hours will have gone by.

In all honesty, I'm glad that she seems to be ready for weaning early.  This way I can, maybe, be the one to try and feed her for the very first time.  If we were to wait til she turns 6 months old, I'll already have gone back to work, and her first feed would be carried out either by HSS or by my mum.

I've been doing some research about weaning and have found a brand I feel comfortable with trying out - Organix.  I will be preparing her meals myself, however it is always good to have a back-up especially when out and about.  I'll report back with updates the day we start weaning!

Oh, and this is the highchair HSS and myself got her. 

Little Miss Independent taking matters in her own hands! [22June2012]

Burn Baby Burn! Disco Inferno!

Yesterday was a Day From Hell.


In Malta we have 2 seasons - Summer [Mid-march - Christmas] and Autumn [Boxing Day - Mid-March].  It gets way too hot for my liking - and before you tell me to quit whinging and to sod off to some place else [like the ever-so-lovely UK] [[mmmmm rain]] - I did, and had to come back unfortunately.  Or fortunately, anyway.  Had I not returned, I wouldn't have My Family nowadays.

I get migraines after 5 - 10 minutes in direct sunlight.  Sucks.

Morgan seems to be affected worse than me though.  Which leads me back to the Day From Hell topic.

I ended up giving Morgan 2 baths.  The first one was due to her feeling so uncomfortably warm, in spite of being just in her nappy, that she started crying her lungs out to the point where she almost turned purple.  This happened over the span of 2 minutes.  She was inconsolable, poor baby.

We spent about 10 minutes or so bathing.  By the end of it she was giggling and gurgling happily.

Her second bath happened at the same time as her daily bath and helped her cool down enough to bear wearing clothes.  I always ensure she's clothed at night since she wriggles, tosses and turns so much that she always ends up kicking the bedsheets off her.

 

Morgan attempting to blow raspberries -[15th June 2012]

So - we've got one warm-as-hell baby.... who is also teething... and is easily bored.  Meaning I spent all day trying to keep her cool, amused and soothe her teething pains.

When she finally fell asleep, I was so tired and irritable that I unleashed my bitchiness on an unknowing victim.

I had mentioned quite a long time ago that I was irked by the lack of Nappy Changing Facilities in the shopping centre-cum-cinema that is just a few streets away from my home.  Well... I managed to find an e-mail address, and sent an     e-mail, asking whether there is a minimum age requirement for a child to go watch a movie that is marked as "U" by the censorship board.  "U" stands for Universal - meaning it is appropriate for all ages.

I also asked why there are no nappy changing facilities in the entire shopping complex, considering that they have shops selling baby clothes and accessories and also have a play area.

To my surprise, I received an e-mail back today with an apology for any inconvenience I may have encountered.  I was told that there's a nappy changer installed in the Play Area Toilets [which I was unaware of their existence merely because Morgan is still too young to access this Play Area] and that there's one due to be installed in the Cafeteria area.  In the reply I received, I was assured that these facilities will be marked in a more clear manner [since clearly they aren't, otherwise I'd have noticed them!]. The person who replied to my e-mail also agreed with me regarding the Cinema needing to cater for all ages since "U"-rated movies can be watched by people of all ages.  He asked whether I've experienced any inconveniences.

I sent an e-mail back thanking the guy for his reply and for acknowledging the issues I raised and for being willing to rectify them.  I explained I haven't encountered any inconveniences as of yet - but that is entirely due to my planning ahead and timing my outings in a manner that helps me avoid having to change nappies whilst out and about.  I pointed out that Potty Training can take a long time and it is not uncommon for 4 year olds not to be fully potty trained - and that I have every intention of taking my daughter to the cinema before she is fully potty trained.  I mentioned that my not having encountered issues doesn't mean other parents haven't - but that it is likely that most of them aren't bothered with taking any action due to being used to encountering obstacles of the sort everywhere they go.

I'm hoping that this matter is rectified sooner rather than later.  It would be nice to be able to hang out in this shopping centre without having to worry about the lack of Nappy Changing facilities.

Oh - and before I forget - Thursday was a good day.  HSS and I bought a high-chair for Morgan and then took her out for coffee in Bugibba.  This was her first time there.  We are having people stop us in the street to ask how old she is and to make remarks about how beautiful she is.  I find it amusing when they tell HSS congrats on having such a beautiful baby.  To me, that means that his street cred is ruined for life.  Jokes aside - it is always pleasant in a warm-fuzzy-feeling-kind-of-way for a random stranger to recognise the love between a parent and a child - regardless of whether there are bio-links or not.

Lion King Moment :) [14th June 2012]

Cheese!

Peek-a-boo! :D [8th June 2012]

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.

Have a good day everyone!

P.s. Here's a Moving Morgan feat. HSS :)

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I've had complaints that I haven't blogged in a few days.

Sorry!

I've not been 100% health-wise, so it made juggling everything more tiring than usual.

All I have to say is this though:

I'm happy. Morgan is happy. HSS seems to be happy as well.

21st May 2012 - Happy times :D

On Saturday evening, Morgan slept over at my grandma's house.  HSS and I went out to celebrate a friend's birthday - didn't stay out late though as we were both pretty tired.  On Sunday, we grabbed brunch at Mint - whereby HSS's tastebuds were deflowered by means of the infamous Orgasmic Brownie.  After noms, we were going for a walk when I found a couple missed calls from my sis.  I called her back and she asked me to go buy nappies and Bebegel for Morgan as she had been restless all morning due to bellyache.

Off we went to the airport's pharmacy! It was the first of undoubtedly many Parental Emergencies to happen - and I'm glad I wasn't alone in this.  Once the goods were acquired, we went over at my grandma's to attend to Morgan's needs.  Eventually, Morgan and I came back home and HSS left for work.

Monday found us all in a pretty good mood, as can be testified via the above picture.  That is the first photo of the three of us.  One photo I very much cherish.  We played and cuddled all day!

Today is now Tuesday - and Morgan's Paternal Granny has arrived on the island! Her plane should have landed a minute ago.  I'm not in tip top shape as I have a very sore and swollen throat.  I think I had fever earlier, which is why Morgan is staying at my mum's for the night.  Will give me some time to try and recover as the days to come are going to be quite on the sociable side!

Morgan is teething at the moment which makes her uber drooly.  She is becoming more sociable than ever and more vocal too.  Today I kept imitating her sounds and that seemed to please her. She is also using her hands more efficiently and holds her head up straight for longer periods of time.  She still loves music and will get restless if there is no music on.  She turned 4 months old today! Can't believe time is going by so quickly!!

The way you make me feel

Motherhood, in the early years, involves mainly of trying not to get baby spew in your hair and all over your clothes, whilst soothing a colicky/gassy/bored/hurting/hungry/tired/overall cranky baby by carrying him/her on one hip/seating him/her on one leg and holding him/her with one arm whilst you attempt to do whatever needs to be done with the other hand.  All on very low levels of energy following sleepless nights.

Come sunshine or rain, health, sickness, pain - you name it - that is what the daily routine consists of for the vast majority of the time whilst Baby is awake.

There are awesome moments when Baby is in a good mood - you then get to hear gurgles, cooing, giggles, and you can enjoy playtimes.

Needless to say the ongoing threat of baby spew, amongst other things, can affect a New Mum's self confidence and her self esteem.  This tends to drive a lot of New Mums into a so-called self imposed Dry Spell.  Combine the changes in one's body with being over tired and always smelling of spoilt milk and acid - et voila!

Which is why, in my humble opinion, there is nothing sexier than a Man covered in baby spew.

Does it make sense? Undoubtedly, other mothers will understand where I'm coming from - especially those whose man refrains from holding a crying baby or from changing nappies out of fear of "breaking Baby" or some silly excuse along those lines. 

Morning noms! 18th May 2012

Celebrate good times! Come on!

Those of you who know me, know what to expect whenever the Carlton Dance resurfaces.

Yep. It is my Happy Dance!

Which can only mean one thing - good news!


I got the long-awaited phone call from work earlier today.  HSS and myself had just been playing with Morgan and I was in the process of changing her nappy when the phone call came through.  At first, they hung up by the time HSS handed me my phone.  Soon after though, the phone rang again.

MY REQUEST FOR REDUCED HOURS GOT APPROVED!

This means I will now be working 4 days a week - for a total of 30 hours.  And - I will always go back home to an awake Morgan.  It also means I won't need the daycare as much - thus, less expenses.


Then, I got told I'd be called back with a confirmation of when I'll be returning back to work.  I thanked the HR Manager and hung up.

Morgan was in a playful mood then - and she seemed to have decided that forevermore, I should take on the role of Bad Cop whereas HSS would be Good Cop.  We had an 'argument', her and I, over her wanting to suck on her hand instead of the dummy.  HSS couldn't keep a straight face.  She kept spitting out, or pulling out, the dummy, looking at him with a grin on her face, then looking at me with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, grin, and slowly move her hand towards her mouth.  Eventually, she'd put her hand in her mouth, which is when I'd go "MORGAN! No handy!" and she'd immediately remove her hand, and allow me to give her the dummy.  We kept this up for a good 15 - 30 minutes.  I must admit, I too was trying not to burst out laughing.  I need to practise my stern look and "the voice" though.

Mischief is afoot! 14th May 2012

After what seemed like an eternity, I got a call back from work.  They informed me that I will be returning back to work on the 2nd July! ANOTHER MONTH WITH MORGAN!

AND it will be paid.  I'll then have 5 weeks of working 9-6 Mon-Fri due to refresher classroom training, followed by a good number of weeks of Mon-Fri 9-3 of hands-on training, after which I'd be going on my fixed, reduced hours. Any hours I work which exceed the 30 hours weekly would be taken as time in lieu, meaning my leave will be regained rather than getting paid extra.  I'm happy doing that.

Morgan and I then went for coffeetimes and banter with my mum, followed by a quick trip top the store to buy her formula milk, then back home for bath and bottle.  she is now happily snoozing the evening away. 

Anyway - off to prepare her bottles now!

Toodles! x

Mum's the word, they say

I hope all mothers out there had a brilliant Mother's Day!

In all honesty, I don't appreciate the occasion myself.  Why limit yourself to just one day a year where you show someone you care?  My first Mother's Day was nothing short of ordinary.  It still involved nappies and bottles and baby drool.  I see love in my daughter's eyes every day, so at this present moment in time "Mother's Day" is merely an insignificant phrase.

As HSS pointed out, the moment Morgan gives me some Mother's Day gift, my heart will probably melt and I'll start appreciating the 'holiday'.

So yeah, anyway.

Things are proceeding well.  With HSS, everything is going smoothly and I'm happy.  I have Morgan, and I have HSS - I want nothing more.

Today, I'm meant to receive a phone call form work regarding my return.  I'm hoping it happens earlier in the day rather than later so that I won't have to wait around.  Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly!

So, updates where Morgan is concerned.

On Saturday afternoon, she went out ON HER OWN for the first time.

My parents took her to Valletta with them.  I was so nervous about it! They got there and back by bus, so I was concerned that the pram might topple over at any point if they didn't manage to hold it properly.  Apparently, everything went well and my dad held Morgan for about 10 seconds for the first time.  When I was told he panicked, I couldn't help but laugh at the idea of a grown man not knowing what to do when faced with amusing a child.

Morgan also had her FIRST SLEEPOVER without me on that same day!  Since it was Date Night, and my mum and grandma hadn't seen Morgan in quite a few days, I agreed to have my mum babysit rather than a friend.  This meant that I could find some time to tidy up the house and not worry about having to get home early enough to have a decent night's sleep [or rather, attempted decent night's sleep] since I didn't have to wake up for the first bottle of the day.

All went well thankfully. 

I missed her sorely though.  The house isn't a home without her.  It was way too quiet - in spite of her being a quiet baby.  I missed her tiny nose snoring the night away and her occasional whimpering.

At one point, my brain kicked into Mummy-mode without me realising it.  As I was talking to HSS, he yawned and my hand automatically shot out and covered his mouth - just like I do to Morgan.  We both burst out laughing and he started going through all the things I tend to tell Morgan whenever she yawns and I try to convince her to make sounds whilst I tap her mouth.  

Now, I'm off to face the day.  Coffee summons!

Guten Morgan :D 14th May 2012

The Name of the Game

A few days have gone by without my updating the blog. Sorry, peoples!

Things are proceeding well. Morgan is growing and growing and changing and learning. Her movements are becoming smoother, she is holding her head up more and more, and is a social butterfly. People can't help but fall in love with her.

I will have to buy a rolling pin for every birthday she celebrates, otherwise I won't have enough deterrents in my possession for her future datees.

As I type this, I'm watching a friend's 7 year old daughter play netball. This gorgeous girl has blond hair and blue eyes - and is very outgoing, curious, and fun to have around. Which is what makes it easier for me to picture Morgan in such a role. I can't wait til it is her I'll be watching.

On the other hand, it will mean time will have flown by way too quickly.

I'm cherishing every second whilst I still can.

I had a meeting at work yesterday regarding my return to work. Shit's getting real, as they say. Gods willing I will know when I'll be back and what hours I'll be working by Monday. If I get the reduced hours shift, I'll be working every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It suits me fine for the present moment in time. It will also mean that not only will I be able to raise my daughter myself with minimal daycare intervention, but I will also be able to juggle my relationship with HSS efficiently.

Speaking of which, all is fine and dandy in the HSS front. *insert Happy Carlton Dance here*

I'm going to bid you farewell for now - we're soon off for some hiking/picnic times. By we, I mean a couple of friends of mine and their offspring. Morgan is still too young to take with in such environments. Especially in such strongly sunshine-filled days. I can't wait til I'll be able to!!

Good morning! 11-05-2012

I have to say that all of this time I waited for someone like you: You are my dream

Morgan is starting to focus more on what she does - she is discovering her abilities from a new perspective! This means she ends up going cross-eyed on  a daily basis when trying to observe her dummy or her hands.

She is now pretty much wearing just her onesies all the time as the weather is getting too warm to wear layers.

Things are going well for me at the moment - HSS is a Godssend [yes, I'm aware I typed two s's there.] and I couldn't be happier.  Seems like I may have found my Not-that-white Knight and his loyal [Honda] Steed.  I know, I know. Bad pun.  I've been giggling over it all afternoon the moment it dawned on me as I was walking with Morgan to go meet my mum for coffeetimes.  It is unusual, but very pleasant, to have someone to help me out and to share things with and for a change, to be looked after.  I've been doing things on my own for such a long time, I forgot what this feels like.  Actually, I don't think I've ever felt this way before.  *grin*

I got her "two" new books - and I say "two" purely because the one with the Rainbow-winged Fairy on it is actually a pack of 4 pop-up books written by the awesome John Patience.  Morgan has got another 2 books by the same author.

 

Today I finally heard back from my workplace.  I've got a meeting on Friday morning to discuss my working hours and what training I'll need to refresh my memory and learn new things.  Fingers crossed!!

Morgan's Paternal Granny shall soon be coming over! Can't wait!

Also, in June, my very good friend Kathryn will also be coming over - it will be way exciting to introduce Morgan to her!! My Partner in Crime [PIC] Laura should also be visiting us soon - that'll be interesting and fun!

All in all, life is good right now :)

 

Winds of change

Knock knock!

Anyone home?

Sorry guys, I know I promised I'd update before the weekend was over, and I haven't.


I've had complaints for not blogging lately - my sincere apologies! Life got in the way.

Since too many days have gone by, I'm unable to do a day-by-day breakdown at this point in time since things are a bit hazy.

All you lot need to know is this:

Following the blog were I left off with saying I was going to go out in the evening, and red shoes had been unexpectedly acquired, things have changed. A LOT.

Guess who's in a relationship?

Yep.

This Mama here has found herself a Homo Sapiens Specimen willing to put up with her insane ramblings and silliness and constant worries about Morgan.  Said HSS has already made an appearance in past blogs under the guise of a very good friend - namely in my entry about how a friend took ~Morgan and myself to hospital for her Chromosome count, or the one where a friend of mine was discussing Asperger's and Autism with me.  This HSS here has been there for me from day 1 of my knowing him - which was whilst I was still 6-ish months pregnant.  He was the one to take the trouble to install Linux on a pc, set up an FTP server on it, upload all of his music, and link me to it just so that I could download a handful of tunes to my phone whilst in hospital awaiting Morgan's birth to happen.

We talk a lot - and he knows Morgan will forever be my number one priority - and he is fine with that [as it should be].  He is also aware that after having been screwed over in the past, I need to take things slow - and he is fine with that too.  In a way, I feel as if I'm dating for the first time ever.

I have no idea how I'll juggle Work, Parenthood and Dating once I'm back to work to be honest - I'll figure it out somehow.  Surely I am not the first person to have to strike such a balance!

Oh, and HSS has also decided I need to learn how to drive.  So far, we've survived the first lesson in one piece.  If everything goes well, in about a year's time I might be officially a Menace Behind The Wheel and one of them Infamous Female Drivers.  Hopefully, with better skills than most.  And eventually, with a VW Beetle to call my own.

So - an incident where I screwed up royally last week:

I took the garbage out, and for once I forgot my phone and key inside.  BAM! The door slammed shut - locking me OUT and Morgan IN.  PANIC!

I rushed up and down the stairs leading to my upstairs neighbours' house twice in a frenzy trying to figure out what the hell I was meant to do.  A guy owning a garage across the street saw me panic and came over to ask what's up.  I told him I had been locked out and my daughter was inside.  He lent me his phone whereby I called my bro, asked him to log into my Facebook account and look for someone who knew my friend Rose's number as she had my spare key due to having been over at my house for a few days that week.  Eventually, he managed, and agreed to go pick up the key from her workplace.  Luckily I had already made plans with my bro's fiancee to come over for lunch - meaning she got here after about 15 minutes of my having been locked out, and she kept me company.

It took some hour or so until my bro, my mum, Rose and her son showed up - way more panicked than me - with my key.  The moment I opened the door I rushed to the kitchen where I found Morgan sitting quietly in her Rocker, waiting for me.

Yo! [4th May 2012]

As you can see in the above pic, Morgan is finally big enough to wear the Batman long sleeved top that my  friends Andy and Kyrie had sent her! She's now wearing 3-6month sized clothes, and they fit her like a glove.  Having said that, she's wearing just her onesies most of the time as the weather is starting to get too warm.

Oh, and last week, Morgan got given the cutest outfit ever that belonged to another Fae child called Faith.  Here's a couple of pics:

My Morgan The Fae with Rose :) 29th April 2012

My Ginger Faerie :) 29th April 2012

Oh, and just in case you were wondering about HSS - here is pictoral evidence of his existence:

I admit, part of the reason I was not blogging is that I originally created this blog as a place to vent whatever was on my mind.  Since he reads the blog, I wasn't about to post my internal conflict as to whether I'm better off preserving the friendship or attempt taking it a step further.  I'd have needed to keep it generic which would have probably proved to have adverse effects on it all.

My internal conflict consisted of the following - is it too early to date?  On the one hand, I've been dumped back in September by Morgan's sperm donor.  That's about 9 months ago more or less.  On the other hand. she is just 3 and a half months old.  Being a Single Parent is confusing, I must say.

I've met a lot of raised eyebrows - some people seem to think I'm a bad mum for wanting to give it a shot with someone who seems genuine.  They seem to think I ought to lock myself up and throw away the key and just be a 24/7 mum and nothing more.  It also seems to be beyond their comprehension how on Earth I can have a Date Night once a week, and still be a good mother.   I've also had people coming close to calling me a whore and accusing me of dating this guy and that guy.

Honestly? Fuck the whole lot of judgemental pricks.

Once you stop being shocked, read on, and you'll understand where I'm coming from.

Being a Single Parent means you don't have the luxury of having a partner to walk life's journey with you.  It means walking down the street pushing the pram/pushchair on your own whilst seeing other families walk by.  You get used to it, but it never stops hurting.  It also means that you have to do ALL of the parenting on your own without being able to vent about the rough patches to someone who'd know exactly what you're going on about.  Yes, there are friends.  But friends and a partner are not one and the same thing support-wise.

Yes, I'm also going to go there and point to the Elephant In The Room by mentioning that albeit it might suffer a lot, non-Single Parents also have the luxury of having a sex lfie, and a cuddle buddy.  Single Parents don't.


I fail to see how wanting to have someone in your life makes you a bad person.  Yes, you need to keep your priorities straight and you do need to be careful who you let in as they'll be part of your and your child's life.  You need to hone your communication skills and tell things exactly as they are to ensure you're all on the same page at any given point in time.

To conclude, I'll leave you with this:

I'm happy, Morgan's happy, We're all happy.  That is all that matters.

A brief note-cum-update

We're ok.

I've been a bit too busy and preoccupied with a plethora of things to be able to blog. I promise I'll catch up on the updates before this weekend is through - even if just partially!

Morgan is having her last bottle of the day as I write this. She has her 2nd inoculation tomorrow - so not looking forward to her crying in pain! Hopefully she won't be feverish later.

Morgan wore her first short sleeved top today! *happy dance* Her arms looked like porcelain due to their extremely white colour! She is cooing and gurgling much more nowadays.

I love spending time with her more than ever. I am not looking forward to my return to work - speaking of which, I'm _still_ waiting for them to get back to me re: working hours. *grumbles*

There are new developments in my life, but I won't go into them as of yet. Let's just say, things are better than what I could've hoped for at this present moment in time.

Anyway, I'm off for now. Good night!

Lead me into temptation

Yesterday Morgan and I spent a pretty relaxed day. In the morning, we played and just enjoyed each other's company, then in the afternoon we met up with my mum for coffee.

Following coffeetimes, we came back home. I bathed Morgan and my mum fed her whilst I gathered our things and we slowly made our way over to my grandma's house.

On our way there, we witnessed quite an impressive sunset. The sky seemed to be on fire.

Photo doesn't do it justice!

Once we got to my grandma's house, I cuddled Morgan for a while as she watched the soap opera with my mum until she fell asleep. I tucked her in bed, and got ready for a night out.

Gods, I missed the mosh pit! I hadn't been to a punk gig in ages - and whilst I was in hibernation, it seems like the vast majority of punks vanished off the face of the island. I think there were about 30 attendees. It was a good night, nonetheless. Some drunk Irish dude started rambling on about Crass - just because I happened to be wearing a Crass t shirt. He kept saying how much he had been wanting to find a t shirt like mine for himself, and asked where I got it from. At one point I told him I wasn't about to take off my t shirt and give it to him - it wouldn't fit. Which is when he stopped the ramblings.

I caught up with a few old friends, and after the gig was over and the venue locked up for the night, a good friend of mine gave me a ride back home. I managed to stay out until the end! Yay!

As soon as I arrived home, I grabbed a bite and snuggled up to Morgan and fell asleep.

This morning, Morgan and I had some cuddles before I made my way over to my place for some house chores.

Smileytimes!

On the way home, the unthinkable happened. I bought a pair of red peeptoe heeled shoes for myself. I'd have never thought I would ever own a pair of red shoes as I think it takes some balls to wear them. They're not simply shoes - they're a statement.

Ah well. Never say never I guess!
 
Oh, and I succumbed into temptation. I smoked a cigarette. Nearly choked half to death over it. I plan for it to have been a one-off though. I don't want to become a smoker again.

Now, I'm off to continue tidying up. I won't finish all the chores today for sure as I'm pretty knackered, but I'm hoping to make some good progress.

Toodles!

Three is the magic number

The day before yesterday was one of them days where Morgan's bellyache meant she needed to be held all day long. There were a couple of times when I had to put her in her seat or rocker. That resulted in her crying her eyes out.

I managed to de-weed a small part of the back yard, sweep the back yard and the kitchen floor, and prepare her bottles.

Later on in the afternoon my mum came over for a short while - just as Morgan had drifted off to sleep. She obviously woke up the moment she heard the front door close.

Once my mum left, Morgan and I just spent the rest of the evening cuddled up.

Yesterday was a better day for Morgan. This meant I could put her in her seat next to me whilst I did some crafting. I'm working on a couple of teddy bears at the moment. The plan is to make as many toys as possible, and then sell them. It is merely a plan though - not sure if it'll be put into action. I can try.

My mum came over, and this time Morgan was wide awake, so they played and danced a bit. Morgan and I then spent the rest of the evening watching movies and playing.

Smiley morning! [19th April 2012]

Today, Morgan woke up in a better-than-usual mood as she kept smiling without my needing to say a word to her. I fed her at about 5:45am, then again at about 10am, and once more at 2:15pm. In the meanwhile, we napped, played and watched movies. My brother also paid us a brief visit, seeing as he was in the neighbourhood. It was good to catch up with him as nowadays, what's with us having different life schedules, we don't get to see each other that often.

After her 2:15pm bottle, we made our way over to my grandma's house. We stayed for about 3 hours and then headed back home. We made a pitstop at a cafeteria nearby for coffeetimes with my mum, who decided to walk us home.

Once back home, I bathed and fed Morgan, and we watched another snippet from the movie we're currently watching (The Good Witch's Family.. We watched the previous three already). She then crashed soon after, so I've been doing stuff ever since. Now about to change her nappy, feed her, and tuck her in bed.
 
Oh, almost forgot. We've been "arguing" for the past three days as she keeps spitting out her dummy and sucking on her hand, prompting me to tell her "no", remove her hand, and give her the dummy again. I'm finding it hard to keep a straight face especially since she seems to think it is a game and therefore smiles and chuckles at my reactions. That, of course, makes me giggle in return.
Anyway, off to complete the bedtime routine! It is quite a slow evening, so I might as well join her.

Six Six Five - The Neighbour Of The Beast

Thursday 12th April:
So, what happened today?

Morgan woke me up at about 5:15am wanting to be fed. We finished the cleaning up and feeding at about 5:45am and we slept some more. She then woke me up again at about 9:15am with a backfist flying in my face.

I stayed in bed next to her, watching her sleep until it was time to feed her.
 
Once fed she nodded off again so I put her in her rocker, and she woke up soon after. She was quietly playing with the dangling toys, so I managed to grab a quick bite, do some laundry and prepare her bottles.
 
We then spent the day playing and watching movies. This was our Quiet Day In, which was much needed. Going places with Morgan can be very tiring - both mentally and physically. Being aware of my surroundings all the time to ensure she's safe is just as tiring as pushing the pram uphill or holding it still on the bus.

Friday 13th April:
We woke up at around the same time as the previous day, and we watched more movies. My plan was to have another quiet day in, however plans changed the moment my mum came over. She immediately started to hint I should go out so that Morgan can sleep over at their's.

I tried to ignore the nagging, but eventually gave in. I told my mum I'd bathe Morgan before we leave, but my mum insisted I should do it once at my grandma's house lest Morgan catches a cold. With a sigh, I agreed to do it her way. BIG MISTAKE.
 
Halfway there, Morgan started getting restless as she wanted her bath and to be fed. I turned on the music on my phone and stuck it in the pram for her to listen to. The moment she heard Mr Mercury sing "Its a kind of magic," she stopped all the fussing. My mum was impressed by Morgan's musical tastes!

Once we reached our destination, I immediately bathed Morgan and fed her right after. She started getting cranky after her bath and feed, so I turned on the music again, and once more she stopped all the fuss and fell asleep within a matter of minutes.

I decided I should try going out since Morgan was settled. And so out I went!

There was a 50s/60s party going on which I decided to check out... I didn't last an hour there. Went to my usual haunt instead - and bumped into a friend. We hung out for a while and at about 2am I made my way home.

 
4 and a half hours. Not bad.
 
Once home, I hopped into bed and snuggled up with Morgan.

Saturday 14th April:

We woke up relatively early, as the plan was to go to Medieval Mdina. This is an annual event spread over two days where the old capital city is transformed into a Medieval Fair with sword fighting, music, lots and lots of food, street vendors etc. Museums also have reduced prices to encourage locals and tourists alike to go in and have a look at whatever is on display.
 
The weather was rather uncertain, so it took us a while before summoning up the courage to attempt our outing. But, attempt it we did.

We got to Mdina at about 12:30pm and we walked around for a while, pausing every so often to watch whatever activity was going on. We managed to catch a show by a sicilian group of flag-bearer-waver-thingmabob group. The weather was still playing up and suddenly it started to drizzle. My mum, Morgan and I ran into the Priory Cafe for lunch.

The Cafe is quite impressive. Considering how old the whole of the city is, and that Malta is bursting full of history, it is not uncommon for said history to be found in layers. Literally. When I went into the restroom to change Morgan's nappy (alas, no nappy changer was available, so the pram had to make do as a surface for the nappy changing business.) I noticed that there was a glass pane to the side, creating a sort of balcony effect. When you look over the 'balcony' side of the restroom (this section only contains the sink.. The toilets are behind closed doors), you get to look at what's underground. And what is underground is an alcove of sorts with what seems to be a female Roman Statue lying down.
 
Right after lunch we roamed around the streets again. We met a good friend of mine who happened to be over here on holiday (visiting family) and caught up. We watched the last tune by a german folk band called Liudon Incorruptus, followed by an illusionist's performance and a sword fight. Morgan fell asleep in my arms after a while, however she did seem to be captivated by the performances!

Soon after, we made our way out of the city, caught the bus and made our way back over to my grandma's house.
Having had quite a struggle all day against the strong winds dominating the island all morning, both Morgan and I were quite wiped out, so we decided to stay for the night. Morgan fell asleep at about 6:30pm and slept til morning (with the exception of when I woke her up to feed her).

Sunday 15th April:

Once awake, we took it easy all morning, as the weather was still a bit unstable- or so the weather forecast claimed.

In the early afternoon, we headed back home. The journey back here was rather hectic, as it was still rather windy and silly me wore a dress. This meant I had a few Marilyn Monroe moments. Someone's day was made as a consequence. Ah well. If one can't laugh at themselves, then life surely would be way more stressful than it already is.

Once home, Morgan and I just cuddled up and played until bedtime.

Monday 16th April:

Monday morning, I got Morgan fed and cleaned up and we made our way over to my Grandma's. Shortly after we arrived, my mum showed up. I needed to run off for a few brief moments as I had to go check out a piece of furniture from some guy who lives round the corner from my Grandma's house.

I didn't have a mobile number for the guy and the doorbell didn't work, so I stood on the corner waiting for him to show up. As it happens, I started singing "Figaro" in my head whilst I waited. That seems to be my permanent "hold music", so to speak.

After about 10 minutes of standing on the corner feeling like a lady-of-the-night, if you catch my drift, I see the door open. The guy was in the house all along!

I had a look at the furniture, thanked the guy and went back home. I'm afraid it was a no-go, mainly due to it having S-shaped legs. I'm paranoid about it potentially toppling over once Morgan starts walking. I can't really anchor every single piece of furniture here since it is a rental place, otherwise the house will start looking less like a human residence and more like a slab of cheese.

I then got extremely pissed off due to matters which I won't divulge here. Let's just say that people's communication skills need a major upgrade at times.
 
I decided it was time to go home, and so I put Morgan in her pram, and went to get another bag from the other room. I wasn't away for even 10 seconds, but upon my return I peek into the pram only to find Morgan with her index finger stuck up her nostril.

I couldn't stop laughing. Thanks to Morgan my mood went from murderous rage to hysterical laughter in 0.001 seconds.
 
My mum tagged along, and stayed with us whilst I bathed Morgan. Soon after, she bade us farewell. Morgan and I got to chill for the rest of the evening. She fell asleep shortly after though.

I woke her up at about 11.30pm to clean her up and feed her, and then both of us got to call it a night.

 Morgan snoozing! 16th April 2012

Tuesday 17th April (a.k.a today):

Morgan woke me up at about 6:45am to have her nappy changed and to be fed. Right after feeding her I prepared her bottles for the rest of the day and made myself a coffee.

Morgan decided she wanted to stay up after being fed, and so we went to the living room where we got to play a bit. She nodded off in my arms about an hour later though. That meant one thing - time for me to catch up on blogging! It is now 8:43pm and I'm not done typing away yet!
 
She slept right through to her next feed. Just as we were about to finish the feed, my soon-to-be sis-in-law showed up for a long overdue catching-up-over-coffee session. Morgan got to play a bit with her beloved Auntie Melzy, and we discussed her pending wedding related topics.

Playtimes! 17th April 2012

 

Shortly after she left, my mum came over with goodies. She stayed at mine for about an hour and then got picked up.

Morgan's evening feed wasn't due until 8pm, however usually it happens between 6pm and 7pm, before which she's accustomed to having a bath. Routine won her over and by 7pm she was crankily demanding her bath and bottle.

Onesie turban :D

As usual, she passed out right after being fed.
 
It is now 10:02pm. By the time I upload this entry, it'll be time for her last feed of the day. Therefore I bid you all good night!