This is Suzie. If anyone who was out with sam today knows where or when she was supposed to catch the train can they please call me on 07540 787284. She ended up coming back from London unexpectedly but her phone is out if charge and she hasn't got back yet. Mags said she left her at Leicester square and she thought she would be at Euston by 19.45 but she hasn't arrived on either of the two trains since. Any suggestions are welcome as I don't have wendy's number anddon't know who else was there. Cheers guys. x x

Overheard this week in the Kitson household...

Sam: Joey, do you think I should buy a laptop on credit?

Joey: No, you're not allowed to have a laptop...

Sam: Why?

Joey: Because you're too little.

Sam: I'm bigger than you...

Joey: But I'm little. I'm too little to go on a whale watching boat. I had to go on a helicopter instead.

Sam: So should I get a laptop or not?

Joey: Can I have an iPhone?

Mommy intervenes and distracts them both with food from IKEA...

So it's been a while since I posted. Something to do with my Mama's ridiculously over-full life, but here I am, having just returned from my first visit to New Zealand. We went to visit our friends Jemma and Ron and Andrew and Jack, who live there now, and also to see our friends Debbie and Ian get married, and have lots of parties...



This is me experiencing my first taste of proper warm weather, as I've seen very little since I was born in England in 2006. See how my negligent mother dressed me in Northern Hemisphere clothes until I threw myself in a puddle to make the point.

Once Mommy realised that she had packed for the wrong climate entirely, bought me some sandals and dug out my shorts, things looked up. We spent a few weeks in a camper van and did some pretty cool things. In the last three weeks I have taken 7 aeroplane flights, 4 helicopter flights, seen wild sperm whales, dolphins and even a wild penguin. I have landed on the top of a glacier in a helicopter and thrown snowballs with my parents in my shorts and sandals. I have walked (or been slung) through rainforests and swum in turquoise water on a deserted beach. I have watched birds of prey hunt in their natural habitats and taken one of the epic train journeys of the world. I have been informing everyone that my favourite part of the trip was picking up stones and throwing them in the stream...

Our friends Debbie and Ian got married while we were there. We had a wonderful time, and Debbie looked beautiful in her dress. We met up with lots of Mommy's friends in Nelson and had a lovely time catching up and I was spoiled rotten. Everyone agreed that I'm very sociable and friendly, and I amused everyone with my ever-increasing vocabulary. They seemed particularly amused when I told a whole group of people at a party that Daddy, earlier in the day "Opened the shower door, and screamed like a little girl..." I can be quite articulate when the moment calls for it.

I am developing my sense of humour quite nicely now, and although Mommy says she does not appreciate my obsession with bodily functions, I know she was secretly laughing when I told everyone during the wedding speeches that I was doing a poo! We are hoping that they can edit it out of the wedding video...

The journey back was extremely long and I was really good, though I got a bit bored towards the end. Coming back to England was very nice, apart from jetlag, and Sammy met us at the aiport and brought us home. I showed my appreciation by getting up at 4.00am and playing loudly with my toys so she could get up and enjoy them too.

Now we're back home, normal life is resuming. I've decided that I'm not going to go back to my nursery one afternoon a week because the staff have changed and the new teacher is miserable and doesn't look me in the eye... I was very articulate with Mommy and said I would prefer to stay at home, so we have decided that instead of nursery, I am going to go to creche at the gym while Mommy goes for a swim, and then we are going back to our Steiner school group from next week onwards.

We all went swimming a few days ago and I'm very confident in the water now. I am quite happy to jump in, although Mommy says that if I want to throw myself into the water I have to either learn to swim or use armbands. I dunked myself so well that I had a coughing fit and was sick in the swimming pool, though Sammy helpfully caught most of it on her chest and swimsuit...

So that's it for now. I'll put some photos on FB for all those who are emailing Mommy demanding pictures. Hope everyone had a lovely christmas and a happy new year so far, and you're all welcome to come visit, just give us lots of notice cos we're so busy these days...

Joey x x

So my birthday has come and gone, marked by a party and a barbeque at our house, attended by all my favourite people and lots of new toys - many thanks to everyone who came. I am working on my thank you letters:o) The best thing that happened, is that while I was playing in the house with my Nanny and Grandad,a swing appeared in the garden with a seat in the shape of a duck. Now all I have to do is persuade Mommy or Samincittigazze to spend all of their free time pushing me on it. For some reason, they seem quite unwilling to do this while it's raining. Personally, I don't see the problem, and get very frustrated when they refuse.

Another new feature in our house is the piano that has appeared in the lounge. Both Mommy and Samincittigazze seem to spend a lot of time practising, and although I was a little jealous at first, and came up with a variety of new ways to divert attention from this new rival back to me, I'm starting to see the benefit now. I can play it myself (VERY gently, with ONE finger, not bashing) and as long as each practise session is begun and ended with a round of Old Macdonalds Farm, to which I can dance, the session is allowed without too much protest.

In other news, I have just returned from a camping trip on the Isle of Wight with Mommy and Daddy. I have been on the beach, and collected lots of shells, which we're going to do some art with, and I have visited the steam railway and seen some Morris dancers. I really enjoyed the camping, particularly the part where I stood in some dog poo then climbed into the drivers seat of Daddy's car. It was so funny - Mommy and Daddy washed the seat for AGES, and then Daddy had to sit on a plastic bag while we drove around with the windows open. Mommy thought it was funny too. Daddy seemed less impressed.

Another thing that has made me very happy this week is the return of Samincittigazze, who has now officially moved back in with us, after a long absence, completing a degree/flailing/visiting New York/more flailing/visiting London/more flailing/returning home for parental pampering/more flailing/reality biting interspersed with more flailing - you get the picture...

But now she is here again, my partner in crime. There is definitely a sharp increase in the amount of tea made in this house, and I now don't have breakfast until I've had a cuppa. (Returned of course if it's not in the right Thomas the Tank Engine mug). Sammy is a good person to have on side. She entertains me, and distracts me so that Mommy can shower alone. She lets me watch telly - she's going to show me "Finding Nemo" on DVD, and she gives me things like pie and ice cream. I return the favour by entertaining her back and bringing her pieces of fluff that I find on the floor.

So all in all, this being two thing, is pretty good. I'll try to blog a bit more often now.

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Samincittigazze playing merrily we roll along on the piano

To the people who keep ringing my Mommy and complaining that I don't post enough: "If you would bother to get yourself LJ accounts and comment so I know I'm not just blogging on my little lonesome, and looking like baby billy no-mates, then I may do it more often! If Mommy can do it, anyone can..." Seriously, call 1 800 samincittigazze techsupport... Works for Mommy...

Anyway, I have just noticed that it is a year since I began this whole process, and wow, what a year... I have learned to walk, talk (though I take my time with sharing the spoken words lest they should lose impact - at the moment they all look pretty impressed if I say anything at all), I have travelled on aeroplanes to America and Ireland, been to one wedding, two music festivals, three camping trips and witnessed two births. That's quite a few experiences for such a little person.

So as I approach this, my second birthday party, it is as a much older and wiser person. This year, I know that Daddy, Nanny, Grandad, Grandma, Grandpa and samincittigazze are coming to our house and there's going to be cake. I have repeatedly pointed out the cake book to Mommy and reminded her that I want the one that looks like a train. Mommy is worried that it looks rather complicated and she has a history of some non-too-successful birthday cake attempts (ask Daddy about the X Files cake with the green/black marbled icing :o/). I reminded Mommy that it's the thought that counts, and I will love the fact that she tried...

Mommy found a lovely quote in a book which said "A Mother stirs a little bit of herself into everything that she cooks for her family" and sometimes she reminds me of that and kisses me on the nose when she brings out my dinner. I go along with it because she's trying so hard, but even I couldn't humour her with the bean casserole she tried to feed me last week. I'm sure it was very nutritious and full of iron and perfectly balanced with all the right things for a veggie baby, but it stank and it looked funny. When Mommy tried to persuade me by eating a big scoop of her own, she frowned, gagged, then admitted it was horrible and we both had pasta for tea. But she is learning...She does a great tomato and lentil sauce now which renders pretty much everything edible and if she gives me a bowl of it for dunking, I eat nearly anything she gives me.

News in our house this week is that I am allegedly going to start having a "bed time" and going to bed at the same time each night. I'll still be co-sleeping with Mommy, or Daddy when Mommy is at work, but I will apparently be going to sleep by myself in the evening before they come to bed. This is being billed as a very positive thing, and Mommy looks very excited at the thought, but I have yet to see what's in it for me. Mommy says that a sane, well-rested Mama is on any baby's wishlist but I suspect it's because she wants to watch season 7 CSI and is cutting me out of the action. The jury is out. Watch this space.

In other news, Mommy has just bought a seat for me to go on the back of her bike. This means that Mommy will get fit, and I am thoroughly entertained by the whole experience. I sit behind Mommy shouting "Fast! Fast! and More! when we go over the speed bumps." Mommy said she would have to pay a personal trainer a lot of money to be so motivating. So far, she is very enthusiatic. Again, watch this space.

It's very busy being nearly two...

Current Location: At home
Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: Daddy reading me Where The Wild Things Are

So with a little help from samincittigazze I have finally worked out how to post the pictures from my first proper music festival. I did go to Hyde Park Calling last year but it was very London and there weren't any tents and not many babies. Glastonbudget 2008 however, had LOTS of tents and plenty of babies, and I was very impressed by the whole experience.

It poured with rain and I got to use my yellow wellies, which are my very favourite items of clothing and I was also very glad of the Mamaponcho, which is specially for babywearing and has two hoods, one for me and one for Mommy...

I spent most of my time playing with a ball in the field, meeting other babies and sleeping in the sling. I have also discovered a new appreciation for Creole food. Mommy says I missed all the best acts due to napping, but I did wake up for the Bon Jovi thing and also particularly enjoyed the Sex Pistols Experience. Mommy thinks I have unusual tastes for a person my age.

Photos...
( Read more... )

I just realised it's been about two months since I posted.  I've been pretty busy.  We have finally got our internet connection sorted out six weeks after moving house.  Mommy says it's a good job samincitigazze isn't living here yet because she couldn't have survived this long.  We've been in our new house since March 31st and there are still no floors down in the bathrooms and there are no blinds at a couple of the windows.  It's a big job moving house.

I now have a room of my own, where all my toys are stacked neatly ready for me to play with and a massive train set with loads of engines.  Mommy thinks that it's too big for such a little person, but I agree with Grandad that you can never have too many trains.    I have a new big boy bed in my bedroom, although I still sleep with Mommy and I don't intend to stop doing that just yet, but when Mommy's working nights, I have this huge bed to sleep in with Daddy, and when friends come to stay, we're going to let them stay in there.  We have a big kitchen table now where we eat together and I have lots of space to ride my wooden bug and Nermal and I can chase each other from room to room.

Mommy has a new job, working three nights a week in a small stand-alone midwife-led unit, helping other babies be born.  Mommy likes it because there are no doctors or silly policies to interfere with the women, and most have them have waterbirths like I did, and they're really happy afterwards.  Daddy likes it because he comes up from London on a Friday night and stays in our house to look after me until Monday morning and he gets to spend loads of time with me.  I like it because when Mommy comes home in the morning, we have some milk (still loving the breast feeding) and breakfast then Mommy goes for a sleep and I go out with Daddy for a few hours.  When Mommy gets up, we all have dinner.  We had fajitas yesterday.

Next week we are going to a music festival.  It's not my first one, but it's the first one since I learned how to walk.  I have my special Peltor Kids ear defenders, so it's not too loud for me and a selection of slings for different occasions.  Ring sling for regular ups and downs between walking in the day.  Mei Tai for afternoon naps so Mommy doesn't collapse, and Hoppediz woven for good back support if I want to sleep before Mommy and Daddy do in the evening.  

So looking forward to www.glastonbudget.co.uk.  They promise decent music, decent food and decent beer (for  Daddy, obviously!) at sensible prices.  Promises to be a good weekend.  Mommy and Daddy both decided that we wouldn't go to any of the really big festivals because they are a bit busy with lots of people and they didn't fancy it anymore anyway.  Mommy said that all the things they would normally be doing at festivals like that would not be appropriate with me in tow anyway, and that going to festivals with me is a very different experience, but just as much fun.  Don't know what she meant by that, but I know we're camping in the family field, and they intend to bath me in a washing up bowl.  How undignified!

Will post piccies on my return...Apologies to all those people who messaged me, as I have only just found the messages.  I will try and respond, but we've been quite busy round here.



 

Tags: baby-wearing, breast-feeding, co-sleeping
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Cat demanding extra crunchies in the background

Welcome welcome welcome to the new arrival and tons of love and congratulations to Davina and Simon.  Thoughtfully timed between multiple illness and house-moving chaos.

:o)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Current Mood: jubilant

So everyone in the house is sick.  My nose is stuffed up, and I can't stop rubbing it, and it's leaking.  My throat hurts and I can't eat. Not even cheesy pasta, which is how Mommy knows just how rough I feel.  I keep on coughing and the only thing that helps is if Mommy carries me in contact  with her the WHOLE time. Even while she's washing up/ cleaning.  I'm also getting new teeth (seriously, do we honestly need more teeth!) which is just impossibly rubbish timing.  I'm wearing my amber teething necklace (which Mommy is not entirely convinced about but figures can't do any harm...presumably the placebo effect doesn't work with babies?) I'm also having Calpol and Mommy is making me honey and lemon drinks, which are nice.

Mommy is sitting on the sofa feeling poorly, and samincittigazze has only come out of her room twice today, once for food and tea, and once just for tea.  She must be very sick if she has gone without tea.  All we have heard from her bedroom is the X files theme tune occasionally.

The upside is that Mommy can not go to work tonight (feel the sighs of relief from samincittigazze) because she is too poorly, so she can keep me company when I wake up every half hour in the night.  Last night  we found an arrangement that works where Mommy stands up and rocks me til I fall asleep then she sits bolt upright on the bed and I sleep on her shoulder.  This really helps, although she kept forgetting and trying to lie me down next to her, so I had to remind her by screaming til she started again with the rocking.  

Here's hoping we all feel better in a few days as we are moving house in less that two weeks and there is a LOT to get organised.

Current Location: Glued to Mommy, in turn glued to sofa.
Current Mood: sick
Current Music: Intermittent XF theme tune from Sammy's room

Mommy and I have just returned from Texas today, where we have been visiting Uncle kevin, Auntie Stephanie and my cousins Emily and Kieran.  They're on a big working holiday thing in the USA and we hadn't seen them for eight months.  Emily, Kieran and myself have all grown alot and it was great to see them again.  It took us twenty five hours to get home, just me and mommy.  I didn't think it was such a big deal, what with the sleeping in the sling, then sleeping on the plane, then having some breakfast and running round the airport terminal for five hours, then sleeping in the sling some more while Mommy fetched the suitcases.  Funny though, she looks quite tired...

Emily and Kieran have kittens called Martha, Rose and Snowball (RIP Doctorcat o:( ) and a swimming pool, and Guitar Hero.  I've also discovered lots of new foods and drinks. Personal favourites are Coca-cola, M&Ms and Macdonalds fries.  These are things that I am never allowed at home so Uncle Kevin and I made it our little secret. Mommy said there is too much junk food and not enough vegetables in Texas, but I like it this way...

Nermal was very pleased to see us when we got home, although  somehow, under the care of Sammy and Nanny, she now has the dimensions of a large football.  Mommy suspects Nanny of giving her gourmet catfood.  So between all the fast food, the M&Ms and the cat treats, we are all apparently getting sorted from Monday...

Ho Hum.  Back to reality...

Tags: jetlag...
Current Mood: awake