I just found this email excerpt from the beginning of the Christmas holidays and thought I'd put it here for safe-keeping:
It is nice having Gary home again – another pair of arms, ears, etc. I have actually had two short trips out of the house without my sweet baby girl this week; nothing fancy just some odd jobs in town but hey, I was refreshed when I returned just the sameJ
Chloe and Declan are settling into holidays of the hot sort – dvd in the hottest part of the day; outside play or an outing with Gary in the late afternoon while I prepare (and eat my) dinner; abc kids from 8am if they remember till 10am (although, they’ve worked out that they can both choose a dvd for the middle of the day if they forego this privelageJ); frozen strawberries; frozen rockmelon sticks; frozen yogurts; ice-cold watermelon; extended storytime at bedtime; getting grubby and/ or wet downstairs; playtime with Gary; helping in the garden; Chloe having lots of cuddles and conversations with Laura; Boggle (Chloe and me); lots of making stuff; sorting and purging from toy boxes; making and flying paper gliders and kites; riding bikes under the house…
I think Laura is enjoying watching the kids and spending some time with Gary (usually in the hammock on the verandah). She and I seem to have hit a bit of a snag feeding wise. With the other two, I had an over abundance of milk and expressed from the very beginning so I had backup in the freezer. This time, however, I was so befuddled with post birth foggy brain, I couldn’t even work out how to fit expressing into the day or night. Now, I’m facing days and sometimes just feeds (on and off) when Laura seems to beg me for the breast, then promptly screams when I put her on and flat out refuses; hmm. ...
3 months later:
Laura's 1/2 a year old and going through a feeding frenzy - about 10-12 feeds; right now as I type, too. Wow. Also some supported sitting and starting to balance with her hands on the floor; banging toys; offering her dummy to Daddy; giggling when tickled, especially by Chloe and Daddy; fascinated by Declan, noses, necklaces and mouths and her doll, and a real delight!!
