Dancing Queen

My family and close friends know that one of my favourite things is to put music on really really loud and dance around the room. I've been doing this since I was 11 (or so) and the people around me just have to live with it hahaha. My poor neighbours!! The woman who lives in the flat downstairs must be very patient or slightly deaf, because I stomp around like an elephant and play the same song on repeat up to a dozen times. Well, I only do it during the day ....I'm not totally inconsiderate!

Anyway, I haven't been stomping around lately. Late last year when my bump was so big that I could only sway gently. Since the Pip has been born, I have been too tired to even think about it...I just slump on the sofa waiting for his next demand.

Then today, while the Pip was napping I suddenly felt the urge to put on a bit of Rihanna and woohoo, I was prancing about the room like my old self! Things must be getting better. The old me is coming back, slowly but surely.

I was a bit concerned that the baby would wake up, but he didn't. Well, he might as well get used to it ;)

A present from my son

Look what arrived for me by post, beautifully wrapped.














A lovely leather baby changing bag. The best thing about it? It doesn't look like a changing bag.

Lots of handy pockets and a strap that fits on the Bugaboo Bee. Perfect!








Lots more pockets and compartments inside...plus a matching travel changing mat. Another great thing about it, the zips open the bag all the way so you can quickly get to the contents.

Wasn't it thoughtful of the Pip to save all his child benefit money to buy me a nice handbag for Mother's Day? And he's only seven weeks old...aaahh, children are so advanced these days :)

(There were also two breastfeeding tops, but the bag was definitely the star attraction)

Any excuse for a new handbag

My sister came to stay at the weekend and had to nip outside for a few minutes, so she asked to borrow my keys so she could let herself back in. She laughed when she saw the contents of my handbag...muslin, spare vest for the Pip, nappy, babywipes and other baby paraphernalia. No more lipsticks, mascara and yesterday's theatre tickets.

The old Katie-Ella is still around though. I'm currently lusting after this bag (sorry, couldn't grab a picture) but you need to go on a waiting list, the earliest availability is June!! Aarrghhh, can I wait that long??

5 things: Being a Mother

1. Listening to a baby crying is the most emotionally draining experience in the world.
2. You have to eat whenever you can. Because you may not get another chance to make that sandwich for a few hours!
3. You can get used to being tired all the time. People have said that I should sleep when the baby sleeps. Good advice in theory, but in practice because I am alone during the day I can never relax enough to actually sleep. I'm always in a state of high alert in case he starts crying again.
4. Breastfeeding makes you thirsty all the time.
5. Despite all the crying and the feeding and the endless changing, his cute little face is still enough to make me smile and feel that everything is alright with the world.

If anyone were to ask me - is it worth it? Well, the answer is, yes without a doubt. But be sure that you are ready. Be very, very sure...because there ain't no going back!

Week One

It's Friday night and the Pip is in his crib, hopefully settled for a few hours (fingers crossed). Hooray, I've survived a week on my own and everything was OK. It's still very early days but I'm a lot more relaxed and feeling really optimistic about everything.

At the moment, I am trying to implement Gina Ford's routines. She's quite controversial because she puts babies (and mothers!) into strict routines from the day one. Some people think that it's a bit too extreme - and some mothers believe that it's cruel to put a baby only weeks old into a routine i.e. that feeding/sleeping etc should be completely flexible in the first few months. Having said that, if a baby is hungry - of course you have to feed him/her...the routine is just to set some structure into your life.

I'm still feeling some self-doubt though - am I being a good mother? Or a bad one? Oh well, if the Pip has issues when he is a teenager, he can always blame Gina Ford.

I got you, Babe

Tomorrow Mr KE is back at work and I will be at home with the Pip on my own. Actually, I've already had a trial run because he had to go in to work last Monday. However, this is officially the end of his paternity leave so from now on...it's just me and you, baby.

To be honest, I don't think it's going to be a problem - I'm sure I'll be fine on my own. Mr KE and I have done the last few weeks without any help from friends or family and one good thing is that we have had to find our own way. There is no one to tell us how to do this or that, offering wanted or unwanted advice. As a result, we have gained so much in confidence every day.

Not that we haven't had offers of help. My parents offered to stay for a few months to help us out, but all things considered I thought that it wouldn't be a good idea. For one thing, it's a horrible time of year to be in the UK. Nasty weather and gloomy skies combined with being stuck indoors all day with a newborn baby...a recipe for stress and anxiety.

Our little family

My lovely little boy is finally here! Mr KE is still at home on paternity leave and we have spent the last few days getting to know our son. It's been tiring but we are both really happy.

I said to Mr KE today that I must be coming back to my normal self because I am starting to make lists again, haha the control freak returns. Although it would be nice to have some help, it is also nice that it's just the three of us at home on our little "babymoon". We are learning as we go along but seem to have slipped into a routine already. Yes, thank you Gina Ford!