I don't like it, Mummy!

Yesterday, Andrew took me on a driving lesson. It has been about 8 years since I have been behind the wheel. I was very nervous so Andrew took me to a large car-park so I could reacquaint myself with the gear stick.

About 30 minutes in a little voice perked up from the back, "I don't like it, Mummy!" Andrew responded "Don't you think mummy is a good driver, James?", "No, Daddy". "I know but she is getting better, isn't she?" "No!". "Is daddy a good driver?" "Yes" "Do you feel safer when daddy drives the car?" "Yes! Mummy is being naughty. It's not nice daddy, it's not nice!"

How's that for a confidence boost?!

Conversations with a 2 year old

Every day James is becoming more eloquent. In the last few months he has gone from stringing together a few words to having full conversations with us. Here are a few of my favourite James lines:

One morning James was drawing on his chalkboard and I asked him what he was drawing, he said "It's Uncle Robert." Then he stood back from the picture took another look and said "Nooo, it's a fish!" Apparently it can be hard to tell the difference.

Potty training had been going pretty well. On the second day James had zero accidents. But after taking him to the toilet regularly throughout the day and encouraging him to "push out the poos and wees" he finally reached his limit before dinner and cried "No Mummy, please leave James. I can't push anymore!"

A couple of days ago I was trying to dress James, which is proving to be a bit of a nightmare of late. I finally managed to get a vest and pair of trousers on him and was trying to persuade him to let me put on his socks. "Come on James. Look, they say "cool dude" on them! Don't you want to be a cool dude?" he sighed "No Mummy, I'll look ridiculous!"

My biggest worries...

When I was pregnant I never worried about labour, not that I had an easy one with James- far from it. I dilated really quickly, arriving at the hospital already 10 cm after only 3 hours 45 minutes of contractions, but I was in the pushing stage of labour for 5 hours 5 minutes in total. I pushed for 4 hours and 15 minutes before they decided he wasn't coming naturally and they would have to intervene. They delivered him with forceps. But second time round I didn't dwell on this. Baby was in there and had to come out, I didn't see any point in getting myself worked up.

However, there were two things I was really worried about. The first was what we would do with James when I did go into labour. Because I had dilated so quickly with James my midwife warned me that second time round my labour would probably be "very efficient" (How right she was!), we just didn't expect it to be quite so fast! All my worries- about who we should call, and would they come to us or should we take him to them, and what if he was upset and what if it was the middle of the night and he wouldn't settle, and what would happen when he woke up and we weren't there. All this worry turned out to be pointless! Since I had Anna Jane unexpectedly at home, we didn't need to call anyone for James- there wasn't time for anyone to get to us. And after she was born he came with us to the hospital. So many months of worrying and it all turned out fine!

The second thing I was really worried about was how James would react to a new baby. Throughout my pregnancy he had become very possessive of me. When he would see me hold another baby he would become cross. He would say things like, "No! That's my mummy". On occasion he would even tried to hit the baby I was holding. It was a real worry. How was I going to feed a new baby when my toddler was jealous? I prayed about it and asked others to pray about it too. I sought advice from parents of 2 or more kids. I read books about introducing your child to a new baby. I am so thankful to say that far from being jealous of his baby sister, James adores her. Indeed, now my biggest worry is that he might smoother her with his "big brother hugs". Generally, he is gentle and always very affectionate. It is such an answer to prayer.

Here they are- my beautiful children. This is real sibling love! I pray they will grow to really love and care for one another and be really good friends.

Happy St Paddy's Day!

Anna Jane is 10 weeks today

... and wow, what wonderful weeks they have been, after a bit of a rocky start!

On the Wednesday after we were discharged from hospital we went for her routine hips, joint and hearing test. Our midwife decided to do a blood test to check Anna Jane's jaundice and it came back showing very high levels. So we were readmitted then and there where she was put in an incubator under the lights. Thankfully, she improved quickly and we were able to leave the hospital on the Saturday. Since then her weight gain has been great and the jaundice has subsided.

She is thriving now. Such a happy and low maintenance baby. From 2 weeks old she began to give us 5 hour stretches every night. At 4 weeks this increased to 7 hours. At 10 weeks she often gives us 8 hours and is still gaining 220g a week! It's wonderful!

Anna Jane smiled at me for the first time at exactly 4 weeks old. A beautiful big smile which melted me completely.- oh and she still has all her beautiful hair. I'm hoping that means it's not going to fall out at all! Take a look at this-

James is still very much in love with her. I have no need for a baby monitor because as soon as she gives even the slightest whimper I hear "MUMMY, MUMMY, Anna Jane sad! Quick, get her Mummy- GET ANNA JANE!" He is such a sweet big brother.

We are loving being parents of two. It is much busier but also much more fun.