Sunday 28 March 2010

Nearly 19 months old

20 March 2010 - Callum finally walks!!!

Incredible, it finally happened. Callum decided to do more than just a few steps and walked back and forth up and down the kitchen for ages. ..and then took it further and started to walk around the house.....and then....he started kicking a ball - all in one day!! So proud of my little man. He has continued to do lots more walking too. It was starting to feel like we would never get there. Unfortunately, the video is too big for me to upload to here so if you can access my Facebook, check it out from there.

Now for something completely different...

Callum is now settling in to nursery really well. In the beginning, he was getting a little bullied by the other children as they used to steel his toys or pick on him and he wouldn't do anything about it but apparently he is now starting to be a bit more assertive. He still isn't quite himself but is coming out a little bit more each time. He is more quiet at nursery than he is at home but they saying a real cheeky side is starting to come out. They didn't believe me at first when I told them he could be cheeky but they are starting to believe it now. Apparently, he waits until they have packed up the puzzles and then tips them all on the floor. He also throws blocks from the stroller through the bars of the stairgate they have at the entrance to the room. But he only has to smile and he is forgiven.

They have had confirmed cases of chicken pox at nursery this week and we thought Callum was coming down with it too. He got a really high temperature on Friday at nursery and has been a bit under the weather and fighting a high temperature Saturday too. But today seems much better and there are no signs of any spots so looks like a false alarm. Obviously, not out of the woods yet as there is quite a long incubation period for chicken pox (as you may remember from a post I did last year when I was on chicken pox watch for a few weeks) but looks like it will be work and nursery as usual on Monday - phew! I'm worried about taking more time off work to look after him as I haven't earned any more holiday yet (I have to earn 2 days every month I work) and so would probably need to take it as unpaid leave. Also, we really want to go on holiday later in the year and I am worried I will need the days I do earn to look after Callum and then wont be able to go on holiday.

Although Callum isn't saying many clear words, you can see he is really trying to say them. He studies my lips when I say something and you can see him mouthing the word too and then he tries to say it. He has said cheese and teeth before but doesn't say them regularly.

We took Callum swimming again the other weekend. He loves it and is so confident in the water still. He stood up and jumped in from the side once and did lots of sitting down and 'jumping' into the pool (not sure how you can jump when you are sitting down). He was also getting out of the pool and back in again on his own and he was blowing bubbles. His head went under the water so many times and he just thought it was funny. We tried to not to rush to pull him up so he can learn to do it himself so was under there for a few seconds but still didn't mind...or drown! He still can't right himself but I'm just pleased it doesn't phase him.

I'm very excited that we are going to try to go on holiday abroad this year. I can't wait to take Callum on his first sunny holiday out of the UK. It has been long overdue for me too. Got to wait until September though. At least it is something to look forward too. I can picture us all playing in the pool or in the sea. Its going to be great!


Thursday 4 March 2010

18 Months

Wow! Two days ago, my little boy was 18 months old! And a little boy he seems to be now rather than a baby!

What a week. This is what was meant to happen:

Saturday - pick Stuart up from Airport as he is home from India
Monday - start my new job and Callum starts full time nursery
Friday - Stuart and Callum have day off and take me to airport. I go to Edinburgh

This is what happened:

Saturday - picked Stuart up from airport as home from India (all good so far)
Sunday - Callum suffering with his cold but we decide to take him to softplay in the morning in the hope it cheers him up. And it seems to. Then in the afternoon - blurgh! He is sick.
Monday - I go to my first day at work and Stuart has to take day off to look after Callum
Tuesday - as above
Wednesday - take Callum to nursery as Stuart has meetings and I am still on my first week. Get call from nursery and I have to go and collect Callum as feeling very sorry for himself. Continues to be sick.
Thursday - I take day off work as Callum is still sick - go to Dr and the poor sausage is riddled with viruses. Cough virus and tummy virus and virus is also making his eyes sticky. To top it all off both today (Thursday) and yesterday he has been teething too!
Friday - will hopefully go as planned as it hasn't happened yet (is tomorrow in case you couldn't work it out). I'm sad that I will have to go away and leave him when he is unwell :o(

It was always going to be an emotional week but feel like someone wanted to really test me!

I feel guilty and feel that I've not been able to make the best impression at work taking time off for looking after Callum in my first week. They have been really understanding but doesn't stop me feeling bad.

I also have huge mummy guilt for taking Callum into nursery before he was ready so we could go to work. Feel quite selfish.

So, Callum still hasn't had his full week at nursery - in fact he had less than 1/2 a day this week.

And I haven't had a full week at work yet.

On the plus side with work, I think I'm going to like it and feel like I am already fitting in well with the team. I'm sure the usual insecurities will pop up at some point but at the moment I am feeling positive about it all.

While at the doctors earlier, I asked briefly about Callum's walking and whether we needed to be concerned if he was making efforts to walk or because his left foot is slightly turned out. She wasn't concerned and says that it often happens but tends to all sort itself out in time.

Sorry, jumping back and forth with subjects but just watching Callum. The change in him over the course of the last 11 hours is quite amazing! He started the day really weak and moaning almost constantly. Picked up when he had his milk but as he threw it up halfway through, at the end and then after a second watered down bottle, went quickly back to weak and moany. Felt very sorry for himself at the doctors. He had a couple of sleeps on the sofa and on me. Then he was beside himself with teeth pain for a couple of hours. Now, after eating a slice of toast and marmite, is crawling around, laughing at himself making silly noises, wanting to do a puzzle. I hope he stays like this and this is him nearly recovered! I am apprehensive about it being the case though as this is a similar pattern to yesterday.

Right - super stinky nappy to change. Had the worst one I probably had to deal with since he was born earlier! Straight in the shower with him! They are none to pleasant right now!

False alarm, thankfully - just a smelly trumpet!