Monthly Archives: November 2011

A day in the life of a freelance journalist (and mum)

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

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Before I became a mum I thought I was busy. I would be in work for 5am (I was a Breakfast Journalist at a large commercial radio station), work bloomin’ hard while I was there, and then go home to have a nap at some point in the afternoon.

Occasionally I’d do a load of washing – back when I only needed to wash a couple of loads a week – and collapse for the rest of the evening on the sofa.

I had no idea what busy was.

As a comparison, I’ve done a little exercise. This is what my life looked like yesterday: Continue reading »

What’s in a name?

26 Saturday Nov 2011

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Me. Changing my name.

I changed my name recently – getting married can do that to you. The thing is, I keep forgetting.

There’s nothing like being unable to place your own name to make other people think you’re an idiot.  It doesn’t help when you forget your address in the same sentence. Bloody forms. Why do they always need your name and address anyway? Stupid passports. You’d have thought a terribly unflattering picture would be enough.

Anyway, when I married the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine I decided not to follow my new husband’s suggestion and call myself Mrs Northern Love Machine. Instead I took his actual name: Weaver. Continue reading »

A question of food

24 Thursday Nov 2011

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This time last year I was starting to think about weaning. I read a few books and about a million articles online and decided, in a rather New Age way, to try out Baby-led Weaning.

This isn’t a post about Baby-led Weaning.

No, what I would like to talk about is all those mothers who don’t have the luxury of obsessing over whether their baby will be puree fed or go straight to solids. Those mums who can’t worry if  it’s too soon to introduce a bread stick or whether all pear should be peeled, because they’re more worried about when they will next be able to feed their child, let alone what that food will actually be.

I have laughed about how messy Frog’s journey with food has been. I’ve celebrated her ability to eat (and throw) everything. I’ve sat proudly while she’s cleared her plate at a restuarant and I’ve worried fruitlessly about when she’ll get any good at using a knife and fork.

But all that’s inconsequential really. She’s always had food. She’s never gone hungry. She doesn’t even know what hungry feels like. Continue reading »

Something I am proud of

23 Wednesday Nov 2011

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There are only three people in this world who can simultaneously make me tear my hair out in frustration while laughing: my sister, the (self-proclaimed) Northern Love Machine and Frog.

She’s only 17 months but boy, that girl can play me. She rolls over with squeaks of delight when it’s time for a nappy change. She looks at me with a cheeky glint in her eye as she deliberately feeds food off her plate to next door’s dog. She delights in taking Every. Single. Book off the book shelf and then coming to find me to proudly show off her handiwork. Like I said, hair tearing frustration, but also a little bit funny. Continue reading »

17 months and still not walking

21 Monday Nov 2011

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I may have mentioned Frog’s reluctance in the moving department before. Perhaps it was my feigned indifference at her refusal to crawl until she was 12 months old. Or even, way back at the beginning of the year, her hesitance to sit up on her own. Whatever it was, the theme is a running one: my daughter will not shift.

Don’t get me wrong. She finally mastered the art of crawling about four months after all the other babies we know, and is now very good at it – speedy even. And she’s up on her feet every bloomin’ minute of the day. But she just won’t do it on her own.

I tell myself it doesn’t matter. I even write about it sometimes. I attempt this laid back approach, reassuring myself, “She’ll do it when she’s ready” and, “Lots of toddlers aren’t walking by 17 months”. But the closer we get to that big 1-7 (on the 27th November) the more I feel a little bit antsy about the whole thing. Continue reading »

Discovering Christmas at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland

18 Friday Nov 2011

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We’re a little groggy today. A late night and a huge adventure to the Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park has left us barely awake this morning.

But it was worth it.

This time last year, I was excited – desperately so. I was counting down the days until I could enjoy all sorts of festive treats with my new baby.

But while it was our first Christmas as a three instead of a two, it turned out to be pretty uneventful. No trips to see Christmas lights being turned on, no carols, no Christmas markets. And certainly no Winter Wonderland. There’s only so much five month old babies are interested in, you see. And anything that doesn’t involve milk and sleep wasn’t met with a huge amount of enthusiasm. Continue reading »

Sibling age gaps and the family planning debate

14 Monday Nov 2011

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No, I’m not pregnant. And no, we’re not planning another baby yet. But for some reason, recently I’ve found myself thinking more and more about a brother or sister for Frog.

Maybe it’s because some of the other mums I know, who have children the same age as Frog, are pregnant.  Or maybe it’s because Frog is now 16 months old, so it’s getting rapidly too late for her to have a brother or sister who is just a couple of years younger than she is.

Whatever the reason, I’m broody as hell. Continue reading »