So many changes, so little time!

He consumes my time and energy, he's a 24 hour, round the clock job - but one of those jobs you love. I have to neglect everything; friends, hobbies, potential jobs (even stay at home ones) because he requires my every waking moment. I'm itching to start reading a book or to start work on an article I've been meaning to write for a while now but I can't, I just can't! If I'm not preparing his food or feeding him, I'm changing his nappy, washing him, doing his washing, buying his supplies, entertaining him or just sat on the sofa next to him nursing my sleep deprived headache while he clings on to my trousers trying to pull himself onto my knee! It's hard work! It's tiring! I don't have any help from family members which makes it a lot harder because even an hours free moment a day would help so much. There again I wouldn't really like comments and recommendations that including other family members would entail. I can do it! After all, it's the best job in the world!
He's now asleep in his swing, yes, he still likes his swing even though legs and arms spill over the sides and the battery runs out ever so fast due to those whopping ten kilos it has to swing back and forth! A moment's peace! I can finally write in this blog and keep it updated.
Flavio has a tooth! At seven months his little bottom tooth on the right hand side sprouted and is oh so cute. He is teething so badly, he always has to bite on something and dribbles like a waterfall, I'm forever changing bibs. Recently he's not been so well, he had a fever for 4 days in a row followed by a nasty rash all over his body which the pediatrician informed us is the Sixth Disease. The trouble is the rash is itchy so he's always trying to roll and wrythe to scratch himself seeing as he doesn't know how to scratch properly with his nails yet. He was in a lot of discomfort yesterday, it must have been so itchy and he didn't sleep that night either. The ped prescribed some antihistamine drops but they don't seem to work that well as he still rubs his head and body on things after I've given them to him.
I had some friends stay over at my house a few weeks ago and it was so good to have this company for a few days. I needed a change. Flavio was so well behaved, he enjoyed being smothered with attention by his 'aunties'! I even took him to an art gallery and he was so good, he's such a good baby when we're out and about, it's like when I take him on the plane, he's as good as gold.
Well, he's seven and a half months old and life is good. It's so wonderful having a little baby, just that most of the time you're too tired to enjoy it. Like now! Sorry, I have to shoot off, he's woken up and is shouting 'ba ba baa'...

Sitting in the garden

The little hero is making so much progress!

He's like a hurricane. Every day he discovers something new and amazes me how his evolving mind is taking in the world. At just five months he sits up unassisted and loves being sat up so he can play properly with a toy. I discovered he could do this just by sitting him up and tripodding his hands so he steadied himself. He looked really hunched forward at first but I realised I was doing something right because he didn't complain at all and seemed content sat there like floppy bent over teddy bear. I was shocked at the progress he had made; just a couple of times after putting him in this position he actually looked less hunched and was able to pick up his toys and play with them (even after a few crash landings where Mummy had to come and save the day and put him back in his sitting postion). Just a day after this he sits up without tripodding his arms and has a straight back. He now takes advantage of his play mat and spends more time on his own discovering new things with his own sensory skills. I really didn't think he would learn to sit up so fast, I'm so proud of him. He always did have strong back muscles though because at just two months he would hold up his head and straighten his back whilst being held.
Now during the day he spends most of the time sat up! He likes his little walker too. He can't stand being laid down anymore, it's almost as if he's saying 'I'm a big boy now Mummy, stop laying me down!'
The speed at which he's improved manualitly is also astronomical. It seems like he went from just briefly touching a toy to actually handling it and feeling it overnight! He now grabs toys and inspects them and taps them on things to discover sounds and pressure, he's just amazing. A little head full of mutliplying explosive brain cells!!!
In the swimming pool baby has learnt to go underwater and is now so confident in the water. He forever splashes with his little arms and has received so many compliments from other Mummies at what a good swimmer he is. I'm so glad I enrolled him onto these swimming lessons, it's one of the best things I've done for him so far. He's even got a little friend who is the same age as him and with whom he enjoys splashing!
The last couple of weeks it's been unusually warm for the time of year in Rome. Short winter days full of sunshine and mild weather. It's so uplifting to be able to sit out in the garden or on the terrace at the beginning of February and actually sunbathe. I've put a sheet on the lawn where I sit baby with some toys. He loves being outside. I put his little walker on the terrace too while I sit and sunbathe (a few minutes at a time..)
A note to my little baby,
Mummy adores you Flavio, as soon as I have the time and energy I'll write a little letter that you can cherish forever like this blog. I want to remember all the little things you do. You're my little angel and every waking hour spent with you is so special. A big, virtual, timeless kiss! xxx

First proper lunch-time!

Today baby bean had his first ever 'meal'. He'd been eat a quarter of a fruit a day all this week working up to his first proper meal time. We bought the Chicco food processor last week. It was a really good buy. He's been eating blended apples and pears, having his taste of what it's like eating like a 'grown up'.

We bought all the vegetables and food on the list that our pediatrician gave us last week. We also bought some weighing scales and a new chopping board and a grater. A went to work at one and left me preparing his first 'broth' all by myself. A few chopped up carrots, a chopped up potato and a lettuce leaf! I had to leave it on a low flame for forty minutes then add a couple of teaspoons of baby rice granules. Bean was super excited, it was as if he knew what I was cooking was for him. He kept eyeing up the ingredients while I was holding him and opening his mouth!
I don't know why but at a certain point I just couldn't hold back the tears any longer. What the hell? I couldn't stop sobbing. I suppose it was because I was such an important part of bean's life until now in as much as I had kept him alive all by myself for the 14 months that he has existed (9 months + 5 outside the womb!) I'd tried so hard to eat the right things while pregnant and eat enough and also I have exclusively breastfed up until this day. I now feel as though I'm not as important, I'm not his only lifeline. He's getting more independent. All of this just made me well up and explode! Being such an important part of his life had made me stronger as a person. I did everything with him and his wellbeing in mind. I never drank even a sip of alcohol, I ate my greens, I lived for him.
Today he ate his broth. He loved it. His face was covered with it as he still doesn't know how to eat off a spoon properly yet but it made it more enjoyable! He was trying to suck and lick and kept spitting out a lot of the liquid, he was even sniffing some up his nose. I can honestly say though that he looked satisfied after his first solids. He had a bit of grated pear for dessert but he was so tired after trying to eat he just went all fussy and wanted some Mummy milk and to sleep. I don't ever want to forget those little expressions on his face whilst eating his first broth! They were priceless. I wish he'd stop growing up so fast.

Baby boy's first Christmas

Well it's been very hectic lately that I haven't had chance to write for a while. I'm so sorry as I'd love to write a lot more often than I do, there are always so many things that Flavio does that I'd love to write about but there's never enough time!

It was Flavio's first Christmas and we spent it with his Grandparents this year. Christmas in a snowy atmospheric England was definitely worth every minute. Grandma had bought a Santa's little helper 'Chief Elf' suit that baby looked gorgeous in and also a 'My first Christmas' red suit with matching hats.

You beamed out happiness and I'm just so glad that you are a well loved baby, Flavio, Mummy is forever looking out for you and putting you before anyone and anything in her life because she knows how important it is for a child to receive the right amount of affection and attention and this Christmas was dedicated to you! The star of the event! You received many carefully thought gifts including books that Mummy has already started to read to you and you take delight in listening to and a Whinnie the Pooh crawler that encourages you to follow him as he crawls around! Mummy doesn't want you to ever be spoilt but wants to make sure you have the right input to stimulate your creative and intellectual growth. I can see what a bright baby you are and your little personality is already starting to develop. You're feisty and passionate but so cuddly and well behaved most of the time! I love your little giggle that you do for Mummy more than anyone else when she tickles your neck or makes a silly noise. Daddy gets a giggle or two too sometimes. I'm so proud of how well you are developing and growing and I know it is all happening too fast. You're my little baby and always will be!!! You liked the tree lights this Christmas and you tried to reach for the branches when I held you near the tree. You enjoyed watching the Popcorn song on Granddad's computer sat on his knee and squealed and smiled with glee. You always like being in England as if you sense the tranquillity in the air. Sometimes it's hard work for Mummy on her own in Rome because she dedicates so much of her time on you that cooking and cleaning become quite difficult but she gets round it, you just sense that she's more serene in England. Well what can I say, just that at 4 months of age your favourite hobby is standing up! You even stand on your own when supported by something, it's amazing! You're a big strong boy and just so lovely. Mummy and Daddy are completely smitten!

lots of love,
 Mummy

Baby swimming lessons.

Last Wednesday Flavio started his first activity at just 3 months! It's advised by pediatricians everywhere and I kept hearing of these Mummy and baby swimming lessons. I just had to get enrolled on a course here in Rome firstly because I was afraid baby was building up a fear of water after those screaming bath times and secondly because I thought it would be good to get him doing an activity early on also because I worry that he sometimes becomes bored at home with the same games all the time. I was looking forward to doing this for ages, I couldn't wait to see baby in his miniature trunks splashing around! I thought it would be good to meet other Mums too in the area seeing as here in Italy they don't seem to have Mother and baby groups. Well I really enjoyed it and Flavio enjoyed it so much, it made me well up; the happiness I saw in those big eyes!

I arrived at the pool and Daddy was searching for a parking space so we rushed straight into the gym as it was freezing cold outside. Flav had been fed and changed so I was sure he'd be ok and not cranky.

We quickly got undressed in the changing rooms that were fully equipped for babies; a row of changing mats, a box for older babies and lockers for our belongings. A lady came and held you as she led me into the pool area and there they told me to have a shower next to the pool to ensure hygiene. Flavio stayed on one of the girl's laps in his trunks looking quite sheepish! Like he was kind of saying 'this is new, mummy's left me with someone else!' I went to have the shower and came back and they told me to get into the pool. It was lovely and warm! Just the right temperature for temperature-sensitive babies like mine! I knew he hated to feel cold. The girl lowered Flavio into the water into my arms. He didn't flinch at all, he was just amused and wide-eyed taking in his surroundings. She told me to pour water over his head every so often to get him used to water getting into his eyes which it inevitably will while in the pool. There were little dishes around the sides. The coach approached me from the other end of the pool and explained to me the two moves that we'd be doing today. On his front where I hold him under his arms and chest and he bobs up and down as if trying to do a breast stroke, (the way Flavio did it appeared more like a butterfly stroke he was so excited) and on his back where I hold his head on my shoulder and my hand over his chest and drag him backward as if to do a back stroke.

Even before starting the moves I could tell he loved it, his eyes were lit up and he was the only baby in the pool actually screaming with glee, at one point I felt moved by it. A finally made it to see a bit of the lesson and he took a few photos and videos. There were little rubber toys scattered about in the pool too and some tubes that I could wrap under his arms and pull him about on. He loved every bit of it. We spoke to another couple of Mums and babies and Flavio was too busy trying to swim about in the pool that one baby was particularly interested in him trying to poke him and babble to him and I was trying to get Flavio to look but I couldn't. There are seven of us in the group six boys and a little girl. She's five and a half months and is really tiny but very cute. Flavio was looking at her (!)

We were assisted even in getting out of the pool and getting dried. We got into a shower together and a girl came and took Flavio off me and dried him for me. She finished off drying him with a tube of warm air and he was looking at me with an amused look on his face. He was so funny.
 
After all that splashing about he was famished! And Daddy was waiting for us in the bar where Mummy got a nice cappuccino and brioche!