M is for...

...the month of March (obviously)

It is also for...MORE.

I have more teeth.  This month I have sprouted 3 more making 6 in total.  I tend to produce teeth quite covertly and these were no exception.  Mum noticed this time when I was a bit grumpy and then I nibbled her arm leaving more teeth marks than she expected!

I am putting on more weight.  I now weigh 9.5kg, more than 10 times my birth weight!  Apparently, you are supposed to double your birth weight.  That wasn't such a challenge for me but if you count the weight I was when I went home last April (around 4kg) then I'm doing well.  This weight gain has meant M+D cannot carry me in the Baby Bjorn anymore and carrying me in their arms is cuddly but they go all puny and get tired far too soon.  My friend and namesake Arthur, and his Mum recommended a backpack type carrier and I've been nice and comfy in that. M+D can both carry me around for ages now!  Thank you Artie!

M is for Mauritius!

We (M+D and I) went on holiday this month.  None of us had ever been to Mauritius and in celebration of one year since my early arrival and Dad's birthday and Mum having been at work for nearly 6 months, off we flew.  Mauritius is MARVELLOUS.  The sun shone everyday.  I went swimming everyday. I tried lots of new foods including curries, rice crispies and sorbet, everyday.  I got lots of hugs from the lovely staff at our hotel and from many of the guests too.  We went to the 7 Coloured Earths and saw giant tortoises.  Whilst we were there, several honeymoon couples from India came up and asked M+D if they could have a cuddle and picture with me.  I tried to be as accommodating as I could be and didn't complain too much.  Apparently, it is good luck to cuddle a baby on your honeymoon and they thought I was super cute (naturally!!!) and so wanted a hug.

M is for minus too.  (I know it's a bit tenuous but bear with me!)
This week the oxygen concentrator and the cylinders that I needed when I was first home from hospital were finally removed.  The doctors thought it best I hung on to it over the winter in case my lungs didn't cope well with chest infections in the cold weather.  I have managed to survive the winter without a single admission to hospital and I've not needed steroids or oxygen.
I also have less hair having had my first haircut.  Dad had become slightly distressed by the hair growing over my ears and so took me along to meet his barber, Vic.  I watched Dad having his hair cut and then it was my turn.  I only had a little take off the back and sides but M+D both think I look more grown-up for it.  I'm not so sure.

First haircut in a special chair

M is finally for mimicking.  I am now starting to copy facial expressions when Mum pulls faces at me.  I also copy her when she claps at me.  This amuses her no end.  Along with this, I am babbling away and saying 'da da' and 'ga ga' and 'doh-doh' (in honour of our trip to Mauritius).  Still no 'ma ma' yet but that hasn't stopped M+D trying to teach it to me.

So, another month has been and gone and I am approaching my second first birthday at the end of April.  More hospital appointments to come so I'll let you know how they all go...

love to all

Arthur xxx

Fantastic February

Hello to all!

I hope everyone has had as good a February as me!  It looks like many of you have been busy checking out my blog.  Over 100,000 hits since my musings began last year.  Thank you.  And thank you to George from the Nursery for my birthday card and thank you to PJ for taking an interest in my story too.  I hope you continue your training to help Mums and babies out there.

I've been very busy with nursery, swimming, visiting friends and family and more hospital appointments.

Splish splash

I've settled in well to 'Blue room' at nursery and I have established my sitting so I can play and reach for things.  M & D are beginning to learn that my reach is further than they think.  Hee hee. The staff at the nursery have helped me make M&D a Valentine's day card and also managed to make sure I wasn't covered in as much glitter as the card.  Dad and I also made a card for Mum too.  Dad couldn't quite manage full handprints but my thumb prints were super cute!

I had another hospital appointment on February 14th.  My kidney doctors say I am thriving and I keep getting heavier and longer and my head is growing too.  It is still a bit behind my length on the centile chart but getting bigger nonetheless.  Mum says that she and Grandad P don't have enormous heads so may be I'm just taking after them.

Another appointment followed the following week.  This time with the Community Paediatrician.  My lovely physio thought it would be a good idea to get me 'in the loop' for community follow up so I, and M&D, can get help with planning my schooling and possible occupational and speech and language therapy.  She said I was 'spot on' with my social skills for my corrected age of 10 months but that my gross motor skills were a bit behind at 8-9 months. Nothing too horrid and she was pleased I wasn't showing any signs of abnormal movements or asymmetry so that's good.

I have started another term at swimming and now we are swimming through hoops and gliding underwater (with the help of Mum).  Apparently, we will do a Mexican push and glide at the end of term when all the Mums and babies push off from the wall underwater, one after the other.  Sounds cool!

We have been busy driving up and down the M1 too.  Firstly, we spent the weekend with some of Dad's oldest friends in Leicester.  It was very pretty with the countryside covered in snow.  I managed to avoid a snowball fight but Dad got beaten by the other children.  It was so nice to see M+D and their friends enjoying themselves and having some time to relax and do nothing.  And I got snuggly hugs and playtime with 5 different new young friends.

Me and snow!  Wrapped up snug as a bug.

Another weekend, we drove back up the M1 to Mum's old school so she could give a talk to students there about being a medical student and junior doctor.  They seemed to like her talk and I got to see where she went to school and to see Granny W and Grandad P and Nana.  We all headed a bit more north the same weekend to Hebden Bridge to visit more friends for the night.  We went for a walk in the Yorkshire hills and I had a bit of roast beef.  Generally I chewed it and spat it out and dropped it on the floor.  I'm still learning how to let go of things in a controlled way and I've only got 3 teeth but I'll get the hang of it soon enough. Then over 4 hours on the M1 home again. But now I have a big car seat which lets me see where we're going so I was able to talk to M&D all the way!

Nice and warm inside after snowball fight

Granny W came down to babysit one day too.  The nursery had a training day so she came to look after me so M&D could go to work.  She brought me some new toys to go with my electric xylophone.  I got a drum, a laptop and a mobile phone.  I like playing with Mum's computer and phone so now I have my own.  They don't seem to let me Skype to people like Mum's but the buttons are easier to press and they all play music and have flashing lights.

Dad earned some man points by demolishing the enormous headboard/shelf thing in their bedroom.  It was attached to the wall by more screws than most people would deem necessary and Dad managed to remove it without taking the bedroom wall down too.  Well done Dad.  The room looks so much bigger now and there is room for more pictures of me on the wall.  Fab. Next task is the garden which has a non-Arthur friendly pond.  Watch this space....

I've now met some of Mum's new work colleagues too.  She and I went to a party in West London for the 40th birthday of one of her Consultants.  There were lots of people and it was quite noisy but I took it all in my stride (and lapped up the attention) and everyone thought I was super cute (naturally).  Mum was very pleased I didn't scream the place down but she did realise that I am now over 9kg and holding me for a while makes her arm ache!
 
I've had a slight eye infection, probably as a result of rubbing snot from my nose into my eyes.  I've battled on (as usual) even when M+D have had to clean my eyes as my eyelids were stuck together.  To thank them, I have kindly given it to Mum so now she has sore eyes and can't wear her mascara or contact lenses.  This is apparently a big deal in Mum world!

1st March 2011 - times (and weights) have changed

As for me, I've got over my third cold of the winter and my eyes are less gummed up. Still, plenty more bugs at nursery if you look hard enough!!

love to all,
Arthur
xxx