New Shoes

Nanny San got so excited at the prospect of buying new shoes today that instead of going off and doing the weekly shop we went to Clarks and brought Dylan not one but two pairs of shoes.

I have to say the service was lovely, they made it such a special occassion. Measuring up his little feet and trying on several styles before settling with the ones we did.

They even take little pictures so you can remember the day. Still to be scanned so for the time being here's a couple of pics of the wee man in his shoes.





Dylan was, as usual, a total star and once he got his new shoes walked round the shop flirting with the staff and generally enjoying his new freedom.

I felt a huge lump in my throat cause he really is developing into a little person and its finally hitting me that this is all very much for real. Its taken me a while but Im so very happy and content!

Sex Bomb

This one is for all the girls out there, who didnt get a valentines day card (like me).

My very own little sex bomb





I just know he will kill me for photo's in this blog. But hey, Im his mommie and Im allowed!!

My baby is walking.

Dylan has been bimbiling for the last couple of months, I was convinced that he was going to walk before Christmas but he just took a couple of steps and then dropped to the floor to resume his crawl.

But this last week he has been taking a few more tentative steps and tonight he walked right across the living room, raised his arms and grinned like an idiot. Suddenly he has found his feet and he is Loving it.

This video was captured a week after this post, but captures him perfectly.


My baby is a big boy!!!

Keeping your child occupied

There are lots of ways for us mums to keep our little ones busy whilst we do the things in life we are meant to be doing - cleaning, cooking, eating cookies but we have to bear in mind health and safety and the whole childhood abuse thing.

So what did I do...



It was very good whilst I let him play with the toilet roll



But once I tried to take it away

He's becoming such a little personality, knowing exactly what he wants and what he doesnt.

Work - its a big yes

Well I went into work and it wasnt too bad, it was actually quite good. I talked to Mick and laid all my cards on the table. I told him how I felt and asked for his help and support. We talked lots and were open and and grown up about the whole thing.

Not sure if it was the depression clouding my view, or just fear, but Mick was actually lovely and made the whole process of coming back really easy. He isnt the bad guy I was fighting with last year. Perhaps as Ive found myself again my perceptions of people will change. My first week was actually enjoyable, I felt as if I could do it.

Dylan loved spending his time with Nanny San and I so looked forward to seeing him after a days work. Our days off were spent just enjoying being with each other.

Say hello to the new positive Shannon. Part time ICT Tutor and full time mommie.

Back to work - Wahhhhh

Yes tomorrow is the big day! I'm returning to work, fighting with Mick the Mawanker and attempting to keep my sanity. Ive got myself organised, bags packed for Dylan and me. My uniform has been firmly placed in the bin and Ive raided George at Asda for cheap work trousers and a couple of tops that don't make me look like a frump. I'm sat here a little bit apprehensive about returning to work but no where as nervous as I was last time.

Dylan and I have been really lucky in a way to have this extra time together. I know I shouldn't be looking at sick leave as "lucky" but Ive seen him grown so much in this last four months that I feel confident he and I are both ready to face the big wide world again.

I'm feeling pretty positive. Pretty certain of what I want to be doing and where I need to be going. Now I just have to hope that Mick and NTC will let me do what I do best (No not blog and surf the Internet)but teach and interact with people - enthuse them about computers and learning.

And how is Dylan doing this week. Well he has started pointing at things and naming them. Obviously nothing he is saying as yet is really intelligible but he definitely has set words for certain things. Mum and Dad's dog is "oof" and the various cats are always screeched at with "at". I'm sometimes "mama", but more often that not I just get raspberries blown on me. K is addressed as "Da" which makes him smile no end.

He now has 8 teeth, four on the top and four on the bottom. All of which seem to have caused a sore bottom and sleepless nights. But he is now eating like a little pig and loving almost everything. The only thing he has so far "yucked" is mackerel and Lychee's. But I keep on trying them!

He is going to mum for child care. I'm really happy about it but do fear I'm going to have a child who is 8 stone before he is two as mum seems to think the best way to stop him crying is to give him his treat box (Which he already pulls out of the cupboard by himself). She also believes in old fashioned ways of child minding - this included sink bathing....



Yes that is an apple he has in there with him. Lets face it, if he's in the water and eating he wont get messy!!!

HELP!!!

Dylan the Elf

Ho HO Ho... think I might be a bit late with this one, but just found these pics and had to do a blog to show them.

At our last week of Sing and sign we had a Christams session. All the babies were supposed to come in fancy dress. Unfortunately, Jo, Annette, Suzanne and I seemed to be the only ones who were in on the secret, but with our Reindeer and snowmen hats, we sat in festive costume not careing one iota if we looked silly.

Dylan of course looked gorgeous - if slightly sulky. He wouldnt keep his cotton wool beard on and was teething a bit. But cute!!!


Could this be his first kiss with Niaomi?



I actually think he was after her dummy, but in years to come that little snippet of information will have been forgotten.

Walking with the girls.

Just a quick blog, and not really about anything, but this morning whilst Annette, Jo and I walked to Sing and Sign I took this picture. Just think it was gorgeous!



Sometimes when I walk with these two they turn my world upside down with thier questions. Today though we pretty much walked in silence just enjoying the park.

Bath time with bubbles.

Oh my, we had fun - Dylan is now sitting happily in the bath on his own, although he does prefer to be in his seat. I think it gives him greater security when splashing water and attempting to drown the toys, of which there are numerous all with very strange names.

K is primary bather - and the toys have names like "Freddie Frog" who comes from the Bahamas and talks in a very pronounced accent, or "Polly Penguin" who is from "Africa" (HUH!). Generally I sit on the top of the stairs grinning, listening to the chatter. Dylan gurgles, yells and giggles his way through the stories K tells him, trying his best to get him as wet as possible.

Today K called me into the bathroom to view our very own little bearded Pixie.



Things are getting easier between the two of us and I think this is reflected in our attitudes towards each other. Ive become, with the aid of my happy pills, a lot more relaxed and in relaxing the little things that would have wound me up before no longer bother me.

Get me I didn't hoover this weekend, or dust - and not for the first time. And the Bathroom is on my list of things to do, so please no comments about the lovely tiles in the background.

First real bout of sickness.

Dylan has been really poorly this last week. He had a serious bout of diarrhea. Last Saturday it was bad, really bad!

This week he has had such appalling nappy rash, caused I'm told, through the acidic pooh. I tried all sorts of creams but you know what worked best? Egg White. Yep smeared liberally over the offending area and left to dry.

We had lots of nappy time, which meant several small "accidents" but I really didn't mind cause laminate flooring can be easily cleaned.

Dylan smiled through most of the week, even though he was obviously in a lot of discomfort, today was his first "hard poo". Too much information Helen? Anyway I was a lot happier to let him go off with his dad knowing that he was getting better.

Drunken weekend.

Had a very drunken sleep deprived week and weekend with Bridget. I think the best part was actually allowing myself to get drunk and not sleep. Do the things I used to do with my girlfriends.

Chat, drink and talk crap.

Dylan suffered in no way at all. In fact the few times he woke and we brought him downstairs he entertained us quite nicely. If not for Dylan I probably wouldnt have gotten to bed at 6am on Saturday morning.....

We did a quick ticky tour round Newcastle - seeing the Baltic gallery and the Quayside (we got a ticket -BOO) and enjoyed an ice cream.

Saturday night we joined Annmarie and watched "Miss Potter" a lovely chic flic and a great way to spend the evening. Catching up with Bridget was lovely and I really enjoyed our time together. Im not sure who was leading whom astray but a good time was had by both of us.

Bridgets First Night in Newcastle

She drove through wind and howling gales. The sleet slashed against her windows and my directions were, as normal, a little bit crap. But eventually she found her way to us.

Dylan took to Bridget right away, smiling at her throughout his tea and flirting like a little flirty thang.



We started the evening quite sensibly, but two bottles of wine later, half a bottle of vodka(Just me) and a whole box of very luxurious chocolates Dylan was invited downstairs to join us.



Both Dylan and Tina were rather upset at just being given the empty box.



But soon found a way to entertain himself



Took me and Bridget at least another hour.... we should have followed Dylan's good example.

Arghhhhh

I have at least six posts but cannot get pics from Photobucket to reduce in size so am scuppered...

Anyone got any ideas.

Contact me

PLEASE!!!!

Christmas

Last year I cooked and panicked. This year mum was supposed to be cooking but went down with the dreaded lurgy... this meant I was back on for cooking so began to panic about 4.30 Christmas eve.

Luckily my gorgeous brother Shane came home from Iraq (He wasnt due home for another week or so) and he is such a fabtastic cook that he willingly took over the duties. Dad and I then sat on the sofa and proceeed to get drunk... a couple of bottles of wine later and a bottle of port and a bottle of wiskly and we were doing the "your fab", "No, jor Flab, fab" "I love you" thing.

Dylan woke the house at about 5.30 and we attempted to get him back to bed. Mum and I lay on her bed, I with my head nodding (Why did I drink so much) and mum wishing desperately attempting to not vomit. Hmmm maybe we were both trying not to be sick.

Anyway at a healthy 8.30 we groaned, moaned and drove ourselves from our beds. Dylan was put in front of his big box (Decorated about 10.30 before the port but after the wine). It had a couple of balloons in with feathers, bubbles and sparkly bits, with a few tinker toys and basic cheap but cheerful crap.



After saying to everyone "dont buy him much" Dylans pile of pressies was huge.



The mess was fantastic and feathers, sparkly bits and fun flew threw the air. Wrapping paper was, of course, the most played with thing and the big box was a total hit.

Wine,


good food,

family




and a surplus of love abounded. This was probably one of the nicest Christmases Ive had in such a long time.

Walking in the Clouds

This weekend I drove over to Cumbria to visit Shaun and Jo again. Did the usual plebbing, eating and drinking but we also took in a HILL. I'm reliably informed it was a hill by Shaun who yomped up the mountain like it was a Sunday morning stroll through a flat park, to me it felt like mount Everest. In fact I think the reason I was so short of breath was due to altitude sickness. I mean I walk on a regular basis with the pram with the girls, whats the big deal about walking up a slight incline - DOH!!!

Anyway we left the car in sunshine and headed for a peak that at the time didn't look that far way. Shaun volunteered to carry Dylan in the baby ruck sack they brought us in March and off we sauntered. Hats donned we bimbled towards the bottom of the hill.



10 mins up a "slight rise" and I had peeled off my jacket and was panting somewhat.20 mins of altitude sickness later the peak still seemed some miles away and the cloud cover was beginning to sink over the peak we were heading for.

Another 20 mins stomping through marsh land and climbing stiles and we reached the tor point.



The climb up had become really ethereal, we couldn't see our hands in front of our faces and I thought I had perhaps had a heart attack and had passed into the bad lands.

But Dylan and Jo's smiling little faces made me realise I hadn't died, I was just bally unfit.

Weekend away

Ive had such a lovely weekend. Left home on Friday and drove across to Cumbria to Shaun and Jo. The drive across was lovely even in the rain. Started to get things unpacked and then discovered the little man had hit the coal bucket.


I know I should have rushed to him and grabbed the coal from his hands but he was so full of himself I found myself reaching for the camera to capture the moment.



I lay on the floor laughing my head off. He lay on the floor laughing at me laughing at him. It was the begining of a great weekend.

Two tooth Browning becomes three tooth Browning

Yeah, little man has teethed his way through to five teeth. Two on the bottom - now very prominent - and three on the top. These top three were not as great a struggle as the bottom two. He was slightly upset and restless but there didn't seem to be as much dribbling, crying and general wakefulness as the first time.

He is obviously enjoying his new teeth as he now munches happily on his veg and enthusiastically chews and sucks his way through a slice of toast. I have also tried him out on the sweeter things in life. Chocolate isn't such a hit but ice cream made his eyes pop and he chomped his way through a bowl of ice cream and pured apple.

Ive also lost a lot of my own inhibitions about food and rather than saying "no he isn't going to have that" I'm now saying "If I'm eating, he can try it". This has been a fun stage with highs and lows but generally more highs.

Oh my - where did the month go.

Well its been a month of high highs and low lows but I'm generally feeling like the world is a much better place to be in. I'm occasionally having a bad day but they are becoming few and far between. I know I keep saying it but Dylan has really helped me get through this time. He is totally amazing and I've loved this "extra" time I have had with him going through this exciting stage of his life.

He is now sitting from standing really easily and has attempted to stand without the aid of furniture a few times. He is still wobbly bob most of the time without furniture but I believe he will be happily walking by Christmas.

He has also cut his third tooth (top right), discovered the hallway and downstairs toilet and attempted to get up the stairs. I found out he could negotiate the stairs when I pootled up stairs quickly to get his clothes this morning. I left him merrily playing in the living room with Rolly Mo and Crabby Crab. Having picked out his clothes for the day I headed downstairs to be met by a grinning elf who was obviously very proud of himself four steps up.

Nightmare - and a definite "Hello - where are the stair guards".

We spent the day with NannySan and Grandie who are the most "doting foggies". Dylan just grins and shrieks most of the time. Nap time and Quiet time are pretty non existent but he so loves them both its joyous to see.

Keefe and I are on a very even keel. We have got into a sort of routine and when he does something that I don't like I bite my tongue or, if I'm feeling strong enough to deal with it, I deal with it.

All in all the future looks bright.

For the last ten days the little man has got firmer and firmer on his feet. He still struggles every now and then with the sitting from standing thang, but on the whole he is happily charging from one piece of furniture to the next. Clinging to passing legs or just standing with his hand outstretched requesting help!

He is sooo adorable!

Whenever I feel blue I just sit and watch him. Discovering this brave new world!

Its official - I'm not post natal

I'm just depressed. Is there a "just depressed"? In a way its great. Lisa informs me I'm not post natal because of the obvious bond I have with Dylan. There is, from her observations, a lot of love between us and although I admitted to having hard days with Dylan its obvious to her that I love him and he loves me and I'm doing a fantastic job with him.

Obvious!

I wish I could see it, believe it. I still feel like I'm pretending a lot of the time. Pretending to be a mum, pretending to be coping, pretending that everything is ok. There is a dream like quality that surrounds me, but this is, obviously all part of my depression.

Obviously!!


Still not told Keefe why I'm off. He hasn't questioned my "mastitus" story. He obviously doesn't really care. And that suits me.

Obviously!!!