Not even snowed in

Walking the sheep

Inaugural snowman (sort of)

Kent snow

Call me heartless, but I have little time for anyone bemoaning being housebound because of the snow. (Disclaimer: it's my lifelong ambition to be snowed in.) When you've spent the past week trapped at home with a sickening toddler - and I mean one who kept getting more ill not one that's just really annoying - you'd long just to be stuck at home because of the snow. At least you can bundle up and go outside and play in snow; a sick toddler just has to stay indoors. And so does his Mum.

Or, rather, that's what she's supposed to do. In reality, ever since the white flakes started falling I've been desperate to get Louis outside. Fever or no fever. Not that he had a temperature when it first started snowing last week. Somehow though that changed on Saturday night, although for some reason we didn't that that detract from our Sunday mission of hunting some 'proper' snow after making do with the scant dusting that had fallen on London thus far. I guess the outing was a mistake. Pretty though the Kentish hillside was. I guess, too, that I should have stayed home all day on Monday - and Tuesday, rather than head to check out a still snowy Greenwich Park.

Five days, several high temperatures, one chesty cough, a horrid cold and an ear infection later, perhaps next time he starts to get sick I should stay put. Although that's easier said than done with a toddler. It's all very well being stuck at home if you're ill yourself: bring on the daytime telly, lunchtime duvet sessions and Lemsips. But try telling a toddler to just chill and watch a DVD, even if it is Charlie and "Lala".

For next time - for there will certainly be one - can someone please tell me what exactly you are supposed to do with a sick child under two? I haven't even managed to put him down for a nap the past three days because he'll only sleep entwined in my arms or on my chest. In "Mummy bed". Am not sure how I've just got away with a whole 90 minutes off. No doubt he's about to wake up coughing. Never mind, I'm told all the germs are good for him. Something about building up his resistance. All I can say is I hope it gets good and strong really fast. Especially as he's - gulp - got to start nursery next month.

In search of time

If today is indicative, Louis has resolved to climb more hills

Technically, I guess, one is supposed to make new year's resolutions somewhat earlier than 4 January. Or whatever date it is when I finish writing this. But seeing as I only just got round to posting my highlights of 09 I feel I'm kind of about on track. Plus everyone knows new year's resolutions never really kick in until about February.....

I often um and ah about whether to make resolutions: sometimes they can just add to one's general feelings of inadequacy (I'd already had alcohol, chocolate, crisps and a late night by 2 January), but as they kind of go with the whole liking the start of January thing, I reckon I should give them a shot. I've learnt from experience that they work best if you keep them simple. (My top year was when I resolved to get into the O.C. Seriously.)

I'm keeping them (it) simple again this year. Basically I want to find more time. For me, DJ, Louis, everyone really. My impetus was just coming off the phone with a very good friend I hadn't spoken to in probably a year. My excuse was that pretty much all of last year had vanished in a blur of trying to get Louis to sleep. That one task wiped out evening upon evening and destroyed whatever time I might have had spare in the daytime by making me too incoherent to speak. But if I could dare to hope that we might be past the worst on that front, then I should be able to make more time to do the 101 things I feel passed me by in 2009.

I'm not talking about anything grand: I might have listened wistfully yesterday to a friend telling me how he's managing to write an amazing sounding history book while holding down a 9 to 5 job, but I think I'd better save that particular resolution for another year. For now, I'd be happy just to be able to escape to the odd film, meet friends for a meal and somehow manage to visit my Dad/Grandpa/friend(s) in Scotland/Switzerland/DC/Brussels/Ealing. To make this resolution work, though, me finding more time means I need to work out how to spend less of this year operating a one-in, one-out parenting policy in this house and spend more of it with DJ.

If this week is anything to go by (he's working solidly, including through two nights until I go back to work on Thursday when he's then got four days off) then I'm going to have my work cut out. But it's still only 4 January (I've written this in one sitting) so for now, at least, I can still hope. (And while I'm at it, this resolution sits alongside the usual, namely: run that half-marathon, actually print out some photos of Louis, learn a new hobby, blog more frequently, eat less sugar, switch jobs, emigrate, make a wedding album, etc, etc, etc.........) How about anyone else?

PS Just saw this HuffPo piece on resolving to get more sleep. Another good one. Check it out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/sleep-challenge-2010-wome_b_409973.html

Looking back in fondness

If bwb was a newspaper I'd have got my reminiscing about 2009 over with by about November, such is the rush to beat rival publications to write the same stuff. But seeing it's my blog, which makes me the editor, I'll allow myself some flexibility to pause for a second to look back on the previous 12 months. I need to because Josie at the brilliant Sleep Is For The Weak, which is something of a kindred blog spirit, tagged me in a High 5 meme (am still not really sure what this actually is....) that requires me to tell you about my top five highlights of 2009.

So here goes. In no particular order.

1. Inauguration day, 20 January 2009

He might not be my President, and he might be struggling a bit just now in the popularity stakes, but no matter: being there for Obama's inauguration has to rate as a high spot, if only because we made it to the Mall on a bitterly cold day to soak up the atmosphere from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and to - kind of - see Obama getting sworn in. We being me and Louis as DJ was down the other end where all the action was actually happening. Thanks, of course, to Katy and Jason and Sophie coming with us; plenty of other (more sensible?) moms opted to watch it from the warm of their living rooms.

2. Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon at dawn

Okay, so I won't make all of these about America, but this has to be up there, if only because we've got a photo of us all looking pretty darn happy up in our kitchen so I must have enjoyed it. Again, we made it out despite the bitter cold, and come sunrise had the top spot to watch the new day break all to ourselves. Truly magical. Even if it did make Louis sick.

3. That first "Mummy"

It's hard to pick a Louis highlight; there were so many. But that first time he said Mummy, properly, was a real bright spot. Even though he made me wait for it. The only thing that topped it was when he started saying "Mummy cuddle" when he wanted a hug. Or as a get-out-of-Louis-jail card when he's been naughty!

4. Those night feeds

Well, maybe not quite all of them. But seriously, nursing Louis for as long as I did was very special. It might sound bonkers, but I particularly treasure the memories of us all snuggled up in bed together with him feeding away. Despite the fatigue, we said at the time that we'd miss it if he ever made it back to his crib. And we meant it. All the other mums (and dads) who enjoy that closeness will know what I mean.

5. That first lunch a deux

I can't resist one more from DC. Sorry London, but that's just how it goes. This one is up there because it was just one of those magic moments, the first time Louis and I went out for lunch together. It was totally spontaneous - we were on the way to the hospital for a check up after a particularly grim illness and one or both of us needed a snack. I forget which. So we went to Kafe Leopold, a particularly special DC spot (thanks again Katy) and shared their delicious cucumber salad on a table for two. Even at just on nine months old he felt very grown up and I knew I'd really look forward to many more lunches to come.

I think I'm supposed to tag another five blogs to do likewise now, but I'm not sure they'll thank me for it now we're in to January? Can someone advise? Should I just ask people what they're most looking forward to in 2010? Am not sure of the meme etiquette....

PS DJ has just roundly criticised this for missing out at least another five major highlights. So either he'll post with his top five or I might need to do another blog!

Happy 2010!

Last night's party guests

"Hammas"

New Year's Day

I like 1 January. Especially when I get a bonus day off work out of the blue (yes I know it's a bank holiday, but try telling that to a newspaper editor). It's a day when normal rules are suspended and time seems to pause before the onslaught of a fresh year starts in earnest on the 2nd. It's also a day full of hope and promise before the reality of life kicks back in. I especially 1 Januarys when they launch a new decade. This time 10 years ago we were living in Tbilisi and partying in Malindi to see in the new millennium. Fun as last night was - a NYE party for six adults and three toddlers at our house in London - I like the thought of imagining us living somewhere else in 10 years time. (I also like imagining us living somewhere else in one years time.....)

That said, for now, much as I could have fancied seeing in the new year somewhere glam, there was really nowhere else I'd have rather been than where we were, with very dear friends and an even dearer son. Thanks to the noisy fireworks in our street all three children were awake shortly after midnight so were able to join in the fun. I'd have been sad if Louis had slept through it all. Especially as he was up with us to celebrate last year. Strange to think that in another 10 years Louis will be 11 and a half. And we'll be properly old. If we're not already. Hopefully we'll all still be together, safe and having fun. Happy 2010 bwb readers.

More sprouts!

"Santa came!"

"Digger!"

"Tree"

"Ooh! "

"Hats!"

"Train!"

I don't think anyone was quite sure what to expect of Louis on Christmas Day, including Louis. Could an 18-month-old really "get" Christmas? I mean, it's all pretty bizarre, what with a tree suddenly appearing in your living room dripping with what are basically toys that he's not allowed to touch, and men dressed in red popping up all over the place: at parties, on houses, in gardens, in pictures. 

But come Christmas morning, Louis was pretty excited that "Santa came" and the "stocking" we'd hung up the night before had stuff in it to "open". Especially when Santa turned out to be a lot less fussy about gender specific toys than his Mum and brought him a "digger sand". (Am not sure what happened to Father Christmas; I guess Louis must have picked up more American than we thought.) Although he scoffed the "orange" Santa had left, he was more excited by the "money" that "Dan-dad" and G'ma Sue had stuck on Mummy and Daddy's presents. Apparently it's a Dutch tradition. Nobody tell him they're actually chocolate!

Judging by the pile of presents for Louis, no one had thought to test out the old adage that little children are just as happy playing with a cardboard box all day as a pile of presents. Not that I'm complaining. Louis' presents are all brilliant: lots of lovely, stylish warm clothes, a wooden 'sicycle', his first train set, some great Lego, books, a mini wooden toolbox, "jamas" with matching toy, and his very own "Piggle" doll that I bought him somewhat misguidedly in slight desperation at not having found anything else.  

Like his Mum, Louis took his present opening slowly to start with, but as he warmed up the wrapping paper came flying off. He made a useful present delivery man but only if the recipient didn't mind him doing their "open" for them. Somehow we stretched "open" out all day, but only after pausing for a cliff walk and an enormous lunch - Louis' second of the day. 

Lunch probably provided the biggest surprise of Christmas. Even though Louis's non meat-eating Mum relented and dished him up a smidgeon of turkey, the bird barely got a look in from Louis, and not just because there were eight different veggies accompanying G'ma P's bird. No, the biggest shock was Louis' taste for sprouts, sprouts and "more sprouts". Someone tell the sprout marketing board. Louis even has a special sprout pose when his face bunches up in excitement at the thought of yet more. I guess it means he'll be a cheap date for the rest of the festive period given that sprouts always seem to be discounted in the supermarket after Christmas. "Happy Kissmas" everyone.