living arrows 28 & 29/52
July 21, 2014 by Jenni Clutten | 0 comments
Your determination and spirit make me so proud. You have a thirst for learning, taking everything in with all your senses, you do nothing by halves. You can pull up to standing and drag yourself across a room, just with the strength in your arms. It was a bit of a killer last week, as you have only taken cat naps before wanting to explore more. You fall asleep in my arms full to the brim with milk, I wait and carefully transplant you to your cot before I exhale. Then, as I quietly race down the stairs and turn to the kitchen, I place my fingers on the kettle. I hear your call and return back to my place on the sofa where you promptly fall asleep, I remain stuck underneath you. Sometimes it makes me frustrated, there are just so many things to be done, but other times I just stare down at you knowing that tomorrow your hair will be longer, your eyes will be bigger and I won’t be able to get yesterday back.
We laugh daily at your theatrical nature, recounting your version of events with your eyes, words and body. I cherish our little chats, especially as you start to remember friends and family and understanding the passing of time. I told you the story of little red riding hood from my memory a few weeks ago and you often ask ‘story mummy’. The story has changed quite a lot now, but the current version involves Nye, who is bringing a buzzby cake to his grandma, the wolf steals it, Grandad says ‘shoo away wolf’, then he says sorry and has tea and cake. When not chatting, you are ‘making cakes’ in the mud outside, offering out stones and rolling out play dough. It’s safe to say you like cake!
Water plays a major part in our life, it is always such a great way of keeping you happy. You make up your own games and sing songs, making up tunes and words if you can’t quite remember them. You love to splash yourself and shock yourself with the cold water, screaming out with joy. Today you sang humpty dumpty like we do at your swimming lessons and jumped into the bucket. You so want to splash that you jump in when you sing ‘wall’ because you can’t wait for the ‘fall’. 
A blissful moment of silence in what has been an exhausting week. I barely dared to press the shutter to capture you, terrified that I would disturb you. You continue to grow up, strong, enquiring and happy (when you’re not causing havoc by refusing to settle in your cot). You are most vocal at the dinner table. When the food runs out, or others are eating without you, you crumple your nose up and inhale and exhale deeply to show your dissatisfaction with the situation. You do it so often now that Nye does impressions of you, laughing to himself saying ‘Evie talking’.
As the nights aren’t so dark any more, I caught a lovely shot of you splashing in the bath. We love bath times here, lots of chatter and giggling between you and your brother. It’s an ordinary activity that we will no doubt do thousands of times before you grow big enough to just do it yourself. I can barely imagine those days right now but I know soon I will find myself there, with a little girl and no baby. Already there is talk of weaning, and suddenly I find myself feeling like I’m falling behind on the time scales. Then I look at your ever growing face and realise that it all happens naturally, you have all that learning within you.
I think it every week but you are just growing in every way, so quickly. We say something, you repeat it and then somehow you know it. You can remember it, even call on it at a later date. You have started using more connective words, ‘and’ ‘ has made its first appearance as well as your first “Aneurin”. It kind of seems crazy that it took you 2 years to know your full name. That will serve us right for giving you such an unusual one I guess, but at least you have an interesting story to tell people. You are happy, boisterous, busy and love to make us laugh. Anything you do that raises a smile you do over and over, trying to get the same reaction. Everyone says how happy you are, what a beautiful smile you have and we take it for granted. You are of course difficult in equal measure, because you never do things by halves.
Like most mums I am always on the hunt for a reliable spill proof bottle that I can use while we are out and about. So when I was recently asked if I would like to do a grip ‘n gulp review for Nalgene it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try a new product.
In your daddy’s arms is where you like to spend your time. He carries you round in the crook of his arm, and even has you sitting on his knee whilst he eats his dinner (one handed.) You two are bestest palls, he knows how to settle you and gives you a thousand kisses a day. When you smile your whole face lights up and your dummy just drops to the floor as every muscle extends into a gummy grin. Your happy disposition amazes us, you rarely fuss or complain you are just contented and we feel so lucky. You are now gently settling into 3 nap times during the day and we are trying to put you down in your cot so you can get used to your own room. Admittedly, at night we miss you when you aren’t snuggled up next to us in bed, but you soon return for your food.
Somehow Evie is now 4 months old and we are slowly starting to contemplate a vague bed time routine. So far we’ve played it by ear and been exceedingly lucky that she has since birth, slept in 3 hour blocks through the night, inititally from around 11/12pm until 9am. She’s awake more in the day now and I make an effort to stimulate her with conversation, play, laughter and fresh air when she is bright eyes and she now sleeps from about 9pm until 9am (waking for feeds every 3/4 hours).
Ah my little Evie you are so different to how I remember your brother I can hardly believe it. It reminds me how amazing nature is, all the endless possibilities that arise for character and temperament. They are right when they say no two babies are the same. You just love to sit up or be on your tummy, spreading out your arms and legs and determinedly holding your chest and head high. This week I felt the winds of change, you will no doubt be on the move in a month or two. Can it really already be time for you to start practicing those first moment of independence? You’re already grabbing for things and playing with your hands with purpose, what will be next?
Last Monday all seemed well until I put you in the car after a run around in the park following preschool and then out of nowhere you were violently sick. I pulled over to try and help but there was nothing I could do. It was at that moment so overwhelming, to be faced with such a task, like a sea of vomit was coming to drown us! I felt somehow ill equiped or ill prepared to see you so upset and in pain, for one of the only times since you were born, I felt lost. It was not helped by the fact that the number one target of all this had been your beloved dog, he was festering in sick and I had to prize him out of your grasp. It only made you sadder, and I wondered if I’d done the right thing, taking a beloved toy from a sick child!
You my darling are the only one who hasn’t been sick this week, you’re the smallest but clearly the strongest! Yesterday we spent time relaxing in the back garden for the first time, taking in the bright sunshine. We laid you out in front of us to try and stop the sun from getting in your eyes and you were happy to taking in the changes in light and the variety of noises. It’s Spring and it has coincided with your awakening, from a sleepy newborn bundle all cuddled up inside, to a baby adventuring out of her own cocoon more and more.
Here’s a quick and easy DIY heart photo wall that will leave you with a fantastic and personalised piece of artwork for your wall. The most difficult choice you face is where you’re going to put it!