Monday 31 December 2012

New Year

“Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” - Elizabeth Stone

So it's been a bit of a big year, one of those years you look back on and know your life changed from that date. Could be positive, going to Uni, or negative, losing my dad.

This year was the biggest of those life changes - and there's already been some biggies.

We learnt to live without sleep. To put three other people first in everything. To turn on the entertainment gene when every fibre in your body wants rest.

We inspired the most beautiful smiles, cleaned many bums, tickled tummys and sang far too many versions of 'Old MacDonalds Farm.'

We worried about tiny bodies hooked up to machines in hospital, worried about babies rolling across the floor, stressed about milk consumption and the regularity of poos.

We kissed soft cheeks, cradled sleepy babies and held tiny hands. We woke in the middle of the night (often) and drank hot drinks (rarely!). We've marvelled at how early different personalities develop.

It's been a privilege and the most exhausting year of my life - but worth every moment. Can't wait for 2013! It's such an adventure watching them grow. Love my beautiful babies and their daddy too. Happy New Year xxx






Thursday 27 December 2012

A trip to A&E for Boxing Day

Just after I'd posted the last blog Charlie woke up from his nap with a cough and wheezing. We rang NHS direct who got the out of hours GP to ring.

I just wanted to know when to panic. They said we should go to the Children's Hospital A&E 'reasonably soon.' That made me a little panicky!

Anyway luckily Matts mum is here so she helped Matt with the other two whilst I drove Charlie down to A&E.

We had to wait a bit to be seen so I got to do some people watching. One woman came in carrying a child of about 7. The kid had bare feet! This on a wet night in December. Maybe he refused shoes.

There were lots of coughing children so I kept the prams raincover on. We had been advised to ask for a separate waiting area but they didn't have any available.

Anyway Charlie drank a whole bottle of milk and had his first jar of food (rice pudding which he liked) so he wasnt off his food. We saw a nurse who checked his sats (oxygen saturation levels) which were 100% so that was good. Then after another hour we saw a doctor who checked his lungs, ears and throat.

She said he has a viral infection and to just keep an eye on him. She also said he was the smiliest baby she'd ever seen.

Today he's still a bit tired and slightly snotty but otherwise fine. Phew!




Wednesday 26 December 2012

Babies first Christmas

This is an excuse for cute pictures of the babies. We had a lovely day and I'm sure there will be more in the next week or so.



























Friday 14 December 2012

Catch up

It's been busy in the baby zoo hence the lack of posts. The babies are busy rolling around, becoming obsessed with their feet and making noises. Charlie makes sounds that might be words in another language. Lex squeals or makes a noise that sounds like he's straining on the loo. Beth is enjoying makes choking noises. We're so glad they are experimenting with different sounds...

Meanwhile mummy and daddy have been working out finances for mummy's return to work (there won't be any) and trying to sort childcare.

Turns out getting someone to look after three babies is both tricky and expensive. Who knew? Childminders can only have 3 kids between 1-4 so we'd be block booking them. There's not many who are totally free and if they are there might be a reason for that!

Another option is a nursery. We're on a waiting list for one up the road but they won't have spaces until July and I'm back at work in April. It's also the most expensive option but would get the kids mingling with other children which I do think is important.

Lastly there's a nanny. Great that they'd come to us but they don't really have to have any qualifications plus if they are ill you are a bit stuck. It would be the cheapest option for us though.

So that's taking a bit of work. No solution as yet. My ideal would be a nanny for most of the time then a nursery for an afternoon a week, building up as they get older. It might be a case of just taking what we can get, at least at first. Not really what you want to do with your precious babies.

Other than that both granny's have been visiting and we've been getting ready for Christmas. Should be a good one!

Pictures are:

Lex, Beth, Charlie
Beth, Charlie, Lex
Granny Cunnington helping feed the babies
Granny Cunnington after a day with the babies!