Mothers' Day

Years ago, when your great, great granny Gertrude was a housemaid, the young servants who worked in the grand houses were only allowed one day off a year to visit their families. That was on Mothering Sunday. Sometimes the housekeeper would allow the maids to bake a cake to take home to their mother, sometimes they were allowed to take some eggs, or some flowers from the garden or hothouse.

When I was a little girl, people didn't go into "service" any more. But the churches still marked Mothering Sunday and we made cards for our mums in Sunday School and gave them little bunches of flowers to mark the day and tell them how much we loved them.

By the time your Mummy was born Mothering Sunday had become Mother's Day. And this year she gave her Mummy - me - a special surprise. She came to visit with you and your Daddy - and so we celebrated her first Mother's Day together. Your Uncle Guy was there, too, which made it even nicer. And that's why we got your grandpa to take this photo.

By the look on your face, though, you weren't very keen of any of this. And you certainly weren't going to smile for the camera.

Peepo

Here's a little baby. one, two, three
Sits on the sofa - what does he see?
(in homage to the Ahlbergs and in memory of Janet)

What's new?

It’s February 20 and you are now 18 and a bit weeks old. You mummy has started to give you bottles during the day – you take two now – as well as feeding you herself three times. You have a bath every evening, then a last feed before bed at around 7.30. Then you sleep through until about 7 in the morning. You quite like your sleep, it seems, as you also have several naps in the day. I wonder what you dream about?

You still get very mippy in the evenings and being carried around by Mummy in the sling is the only thing that you really like then.


You can suck your thumb now – and you do when you are going off to sleep.

Mummy is a bit upset that you have got baby eczema – and when she and Daddy took you swimming for the first time last week the chlorine made it worse – but she’s got some special cream from the doctor and says it’s already looking much better.

You’ve had your second lot of jabs (and they made you yell really loudly).

You can be very charming when you are in the mood and Mummy says you enjoy Jolly Babies sessions more than you did at first.

Finn's first Christmas

You won't remember your first Christmas, so here are some pictures.

You had two sets of grandparents dancing attendance, besides your Mummy and Daddy.

Poor Daddy had to eat his Christmas dinner standing up with you in a sling.

I remember that I had to put your Mummy in a sling so I could eat my Christmas dinner, too, when she was still as new as you. But at least I managed to sit down.

Firsts for Finn

Lots of firsts last week.






On Wednesday it was the first time you went in the big bath.

On Friday you had your first jabs but you also gave your first smile ☺.

On Friday you also came to stay at Nana and Grandad’s house for the first time.

On Saturday you went to your first party (you were the only baby there) and you slept through the night (from 11.30 to seven in the morning) for the first time.

On Sunday you watched your Mummy make the pudding for what will be your first Christmas.

And then (after moaning and mipping rather a little too much through the afternoon) you were dressed in your bear suit and you slept in the car seat all the way home.

Now We Are Six (weeks)

This is you at six weeks. You look like a real baby now, not a newborn.

Growing a baby

Last Saturday was your Mummy’s birthday so we all went for a walk in Westonbirt Arboretum to celebrate. The grownups looked at the trees which were decked in the last of their autumn finery, Summer ran round in circles and barked at other dogs. You dozed in your buggy.

The health visitor who came and weighed you on Friday says you are now 8lbs 9oz so your Mummy has been calling you fatty Finn. (She’s feeling smug because she is already back in her pre-pregnancy jeans.)

But I’ve been doing my sums and I don’t think you’re fat at all. Mummy is just growing you well. My old ‘how to grow a baby’ book - it’s really called Babyhood by Penelope Leach – says breastfed babies gain on average 7oz a week. Since you are now four weeks old that means you should weigh 28 oz more than when you were born.

Pounds and ounces are more complicated than grams and kilos – but take it from me that if you add 28oz to your birthweight of 6lb 12oz you get 8lb 8oz. So I’d say you are pretty much spot on.