The start of my new life - by Blake

Monday morning didn't feel very different, I got up and went to Nanny's and mummy went to work. I had a nice day.

I came home and had dinner, daddy still didnt come home.

I went to sit on the toilet before bath time and did a very little poo! Mummy was so excited!!

On Tuesday I went to Nursery as normal. I came home. Daddy still didn't. But I got to talk to him on the phone.



Playgroup (14/12/11) - by Blake

On Wednesday morning mummy caught me helping myself to chocolate... there never used to be much in this cupboard but it seems to be getting very full of yummy things.

It was very cold so I wrapped up ready to go to playgroup.

When we got to playgroup I had to put my trousers on the radiator cuz they were wet. I didnt mind showing off my legs to every body.

Mummy and I did some painting.

And I read a book before it was time to go home.

When we got home I helped mummy to clean the house, I like using the big sweeping brush.

After dinner I went for a bath, I started to sit on the potty and read a book before my bath. I'm a very big boy. :-)



Motherhood choices (13 months) - by mummy.

Blake was 13 months on Friday... which means this time a year ago he was only a month old... This is what he looked like.

Any ways I thought I'd update you on my choices as a mother.

I wanted to cut his bottle out altogether at 13 months, so tonight I prepared his milk and put it into one of his sippy beakers. He was happy with this however he does guzzle it way to quickly and pours alot of it down himself so tomorrow I shall buy another one as the teat on this one has took a battering!

How did the dummy removal go??? Fine. He last had it the day before his 1st birthday and hasn't had it since, we struggle a little with his back teeth now coming through but if i give him some ambesol, calpol and some very cold cucumber to chew on it seems to do the trick. I would definitely recommend 12 months as a good age to remove a dummy.

And the potty introduction??? Not so fine. As I only intended to introduce the potty I'm not too bothered, except he won't sit on it full stop. We have tried a few things such as putting toys on it and taking it turns to sit on it. So now I'm not so sure whether to take it away for a while and then re-introduce it or whether to get a different one... Still figuring that one out so stay tuned for more decisions.

Our new playgroup - by Blake

This morning I sat and watched TV on my potty. I don't like sitting on it naked so mummy said I can practise with my clothes on.

Wednesday's were my favourite day because of playgroup but we had to stop going.

Now there is a new one so we will be going there every week. This is very exciting as it has an indoor and outdoor area. Nearly all of my friends were there. :-D

I love being outside... it was fairly mild today so I didnt need my jacket on until it raained.

I chilled out with my friends Nathan, Rhys and Brad-lee. I look a little bit sad because Nathan crushed my fingers trying to get on the bench, but he didn't mean to!! I am the youngest out of the boys.

When we got home I napped for a little while before dinner. Daddy went to get a tattoo so mummy bathed me, I chucked all my toys on the floor!



A stay at home day - by Blake

Today we stayed at home all day. It rarely happens. Mummy likes to get out and about every day for exercise because she refuses to get fat! But today we stayed in!

This morning we taught my teddies to sit on the potty, they are very good at it. I am not.

After lunch I went to play in the garden, I had to wrap up though as it was very cold.

When I came inside mummy set my tent up and filled it with balls so I could play in it whilst I watched the telly, mummy had to do her homework for her NVQ.

We had chicken kievs for dinner then mummy bathed me and I watched in the night garden before bed.

Today wasn't like a normal day but it was nice to stay at home and play with my own toys and watch telly all day!!

A walk down the road - by Blake

On Saturday morning daddy was at work again. I sat on the potty for the first time! I got off immediately though and ran off into my bedroom with no nappy on!

I played in the garden for a little while and crashed my car! I didnt get hurt though!

After my car crash we went to Great Nanny's for a fry up as usual!

When we got home, mummy left the front door open as were going straight back out to shopping. I took this opportunity to go for a walk down the road!

When we got home from food shopping daddy was home. Uncle Rich came round to see me, I wont see him for a while now as he is moving away to be in the police force!! I went to Nanny's again because mummy got called into work and daddy was going out with Uncle Rich.



Motherhood choices - by mummy.

My son turned 1 a week ago. So mummy introduced some changes and a few new rules.

1. No more dummy.
I chose to give Blake a dummy when he was 1 day old, he was a comfort sucker and I didn't want him finding his thumb, however I really don't like seeing 3 year old's (boys especially) with dummy's, so I decided I would wean him off of it. At about 10 months I started only allowing it at nap times and bed times. And now he is one they're gone altogether. The first day (his actual birthday) was the hardest as he was teething alot, but after showing him alternatives such as chewing on his teething toys he soon accepted that there was no dummies. And it has not been a problem since, even when he has seen other peoples dummies, hes not bothered. Yes my child is amazing. lol

2. No more day time milk bottle.
Blake has a drink of full fat cows milk out of a beaker in the morning with his cereal. His 3pm bottle got stopped on his 1st birthday. And he has 7/8oz of SMA follow on milk before bed. Once this tin is empty we will replace it with SMA 1+ for a short time. This is not to say hes not allowed to drink milk in the day, if I feel his diet one day is lacking dairy I might give him a beaker with milk in. Just not a bottle, and its not routine'd into the day. I plan to change the bed time bottle to a beaker/sippy cup at 13 months and try and introduce brushing teeth after milk, rather than before.

3. Introduction to the potty.
I held back on buying a potty in case he got one for his birthday, but will be buying one very soon. In the next few weeks I am going to introduce sitting on the potty before bath time. I don't expect miracles, this is purely so he can learn what its for and if one day he did do something in it we can give him major praises so he understands that's what he needs to do. I'm quite excited about starting this learning curve.