We went "oop norf" last weekend for the christening of our friend Desme's latest family addition, Anya. There were a bunch of people from my Liverpool Uni days there with partners, spouses, about-to-be spouses and kids. Lara just couldn't resist practising her favourite activity of the moment - pointing - on the group photograph.
Thursday 6 November 2008
The Liverpool Uni Happy Families Club
We went "oop norf" last weekend for the christening of our friend Desme's latest family addition, Anya. There were a bunch of people from my Liverpool Uni days there with partners, spouses, about-to-be spouses and kids. Lara just couldn't resist practising her favourite activity of the moment - pointing - on the group photograph.
Mishka survives his weekend away
Mishka was fine when we picked him up on Monday afternoon, after we'd been away in the North East for the weekend. It was reported that he'd eaten OK, and hadn't needed his buster cone on as the staff hadn't seen him scratching his poorly cheek.
He seems to have learnt some clever things from his dog-mates, he can now undo our stairgate at the bottom of the stairs, which has prevented him from coming upstairs for nearly two years, this led to a few surprise visits by him in the study and nursery this week. I made some alterations to the gate last night and now he can't open it, but whilst he was told off for doing it, we were secretly impressed that he had learnt how to defeat the gate!
It wouldn't have helped him get through the secondary gate that we have installed at the door to the nursery though, which we use when Lara's playing in there and we can't be in there full-time with her, so we weren't worried that he could get to Lara without us being there. Even if he did we've not seen anything so far to suggest he'd harm her, but of course we're not going to tempt fate.
He seems to have learnt some clever things from his dog-mates, he can now undo our stairgate at the bottom of the stairs, which has prevented him from coming upstairs for nearly two years, this led to a few surprise visits by him in the study and nursery this week. I made some alterations to the gate last night and now he can't open it, but whilst he was told off for doing it, we were secretly impressed that he had learnt how to defeat the gate!
It wouldn't have helped him get through the secondary gate that we have installed at the door to the nursery though, which we use when Lara's playing in there and we can't be in there full-time with her, so we weren't worried that he could get to Lara without us being there. Even if he did we've not seen anything so far to suggest he'd harm her, but of course we're not going to tempt fate.
Lara Update
Olga took Lara to the clinic today to get her weighed - it's been three weeks since her last weigh in. In that time she's put on 1 pound, so now she's 18lbs 11oz or 8.48kg, which is very good news. In the 6 weeks prior to her previous weigh in, she hadn't put any weight on at all, and this took her below the 25th percentile. This new weight gain in the last three weeks has taken back above the 25th line, and means what we're feeding her - a mixture of mum's milk, jar food and fresh food - is working.
We're also biting the bullet and trying to encourage her to fall back asleep herself when she wakes in the night. Previously we've "interfered" by picking her up, cuddling her, rocking her etc.. until she fell back asleep, or in extreme circumstances, or when she was ill, Olga would take Lara back to bed with her. Now we've taken the decision that we'll be in the room with her, and there might be some stroking and sshh-ing but we won't take her out of the cot unless we really have to.
We started this on Monday and so far, it seems to be working. On Monday night it took a good 45 minutes of Lara sitting up in her cot and crying while Olga watched over her before we could lie her down, and she fell asleep. That night she woke once in the middle of the night, but again rather than rush down to deal with her, we waited a few minutes and Lara got herself back to sleep. On Tuesday night Lara was able to lie down herself from a kneeling position and go to sleep, albeit on her front, so I turned her on her side, and she only woke once in the night and then some sshing worked to get her back to sleep.
Last night was the best yet - from being put in her cot at 7.30pm, we didn't need to go in and soothe her at all, and she slept until 6am, when Olga brought her to bed for a feed, and then she slept again until 8am.
It sounds cruel to sit there and listen to her cry for a long time, but actually so far, we only had to do that on Monday, for 45 minutes, and since then the crying has only been patchy and lasting a few minutes.
Famous last words...
We're also biting the bullet and trying to encourage her to fall back asleep herself when she wakes in the night. Previously we've "interfered" by picking her up, cuddling her, rocking her etc.. until she fell back asleep, or in extreme circumstances, or when she was ill, Olga would take Lara back to bed with her. Now we've taken the decision that we'll be in the room with her, and there might be some stroking and sshh-ing but we won't take her out of the cot unless we really have to.
We started this on Monday and so far, it seems to be working. On Monday night it took a good 45 minutes of Lara sitting up in her cot and crying while Olga watched over her before we could lie her down, and she fell asleep. That night she woke once in the middle of the night, but again rather than rush down to deal with her, we waited a few minutes and Lara got herself back to sleep. On Tuesday night Lara was able to lie down herself from a kneeling position and go to sleep, albeit on her front, so I turned her on her side, and she only woke once in the night and then some sshing worked to get her back to sleep.
Last night was the best yet - from being put in her cot at 7.30pm, we didn't need to go in and soothe her at all, and she slept until 6am, when Olga brought her to bed for a feed, and then she slept again until 8am.
It sounds cruel to sit there and listen to her cry for a long time, but actually so far, we only had to do that on Monday, for 45 minutes, and since then the crying has only been patchy and lasting a few minutes.
Famous last words...
Wednesday 5 November 2008
Remember, Remember the 5th of November
We're not going to do anything this year for Bonfire Night I think - how could we top last year's firework display?! Those who were privileged enough to be there will know what I mean.
We'll just keep an eye on poor Mishka in case he freaks out at the fireworks. It's strange as where we are in Wycombe you can look down onto the fireworks from the town centre as the explode.
We'll just keep an eye on poor Mishka in case he freaks out at the fireworks. It's strange as where we are in Wycombe you can look down onto the fireworks from the town centre as the explode.
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