Nothing really changes...

....funny how quickly I fell back into old ways... when my lovely wonderful friends BB and miss Prada, took "mama out tonight" last week, I found myself by the bar, late at night, ordering Sambucas for us that none of us really needed... oh dear, and I thought I'd grown up a little with parenthood....

THANKS again BB and miss Prada, for a smashing night! You are the best!

...and so sorry baby E for all the future embarrasing stories you may hear about your mamma....

Take your Mama out tonight! (tomorrow)

Yippey!!! End of an era, am quitting breastfeeding tomorrow and am being taken out by two of my good London friends to celebrate in style!! First time since I found out I was pregnant in Dec07! I am giddy with excitement like a little girl...

... and at the same time scared and quite a bit sad... I have found breastfeeding such a nice and bonding thing and I will really miss it. At the same time can't wait to get back the control of my own body... I have blogged about this before, so will not bore you now -

... guess we will have to have a second baby eventually quite simply! :-)

... but for now - bring on tomorrow night! This MAMA is ready to rock n' roll! :-)

God mothers, less the god bit... and less the mothers bit...

I do not believe in god, any god at all... but I still wanted baby E to have godparents... the reason for this is simply to have 1-2 other adults apart from the family, who is paying a special interest as she grows up. I had such great exchange with my godmother, who sadly passed away before she turned 50, and who baby E is named after, when I was growing up, so was looking to give baby E a similar set up.

We are very happy with our two godmothers (pure coincidence that the two most suitable candidates that also accepted, were women) for baby E, and I am convinced that they will provide that special connection as she grows up.

The question was how to get around the god bit... I started off wanting a baptism ceremony of sorts, but couldn't get my head around it... It didn't feel right to force her into a church like that - that should be her choice when she is an adult... and also didn't want to make a too big thing out of it. A naming ceremony felt a bit too... "new age-y hippi-ish" for us... so we ended up having a lovely lunch, just baby E, the H and I and the two godmothers. Perfect!

Now the remaining question is what to call them, as there is no god involved, nor are they really mothers (yet...). I suggested pasta-parents as I do believe in the flying spagetti monster... but the H put his foot down (he is a little bit religious but funnily enough not fussed about baptism or godparents at all, he thinks it's a nice thing, but nothing he would insist on...)

Suggestions?

May I go to the gym pretty please?

What I am finding the hardest about being a mum after 38.5 years of total independence, is that I am no longer the boss of my own time.... the H is very much a teamplayer, wanting to spend time with baby E, and help me to get some "me-time" but even so, I constantly feel as if I am asking for permission to do something and obviously have to work with his schedule as well.

So the old life of being the boss of my own time is gone for the next 18 years or so... and that is probably what I am finding to be the most difficult change.

NO!

If i have to sing "the wheels of the bus go round and round" or any similarly silly song with lots of mumsy women with silly highpitched voices ever again, I WILL SCREAM

I also cannot surive another lunch/pic nic/coffee etc ONLY talking about what our babies are and are not doing.

THERE ARE MORE THINGS TO TALK ABOUT!

PS: Yep, the breastfeeding hormones are definately on their way out.....

Dummies. Not that dumb really.

I dropped E's dummy into the bag of one of the other mum's yesterday at baby swimming, and checked with the mum in question that it wasn't hers before retrieving it. She smirked (yes, REALLY) and said "no, no, my Ben doesn't have a dummy" with the emphasis on "dum". I am not kidding. The ugly, boring, repulsive woman who was desperately trying to calm her squirming, messy, screaming little boy SMIRKED.

I don't know about you, but i wouldn't call a device that gives babies comfort and fulfills their sucking needs something to smirk about... in Sweden it is called a Napp, which has no connotations to stupidness and there seems to be a much broader acceptance of using a Napp than here in the UK. Maybe if it was called something else people wouldn't have such stupid reactions to it?

Desperate Housewife

Best to never let mums and dads on maternity/paternity leave out of the house... We have had two holidays the last month, one diving, one skiing (I know, luxury and totally against the sign of the times :-) and it has been GREAT. I got a taste of my old life pre baby back as we had the in laws with us for the diving, and then took turns to babysit for the skiing trip. This was fabulous, but also dangerous as I am now climbing the walls.... Also think my hormones are leaving my body at the same rate as we are cutting back on the breastfeeding meaning I am getting back to normal. Meaning I am sooooooooooooo bored in our (lovely) house and need to get out to not become totally apathetic and just watch crap TV (such as desperate housewifes...)

Still loving to be with baby E - just going crazy in the house so need to get out a lot. Luckily it is spring in London and we have been picnicing for four hours today :-)

I think I must be the worst housewife material in the entire world... I can't even be asked to empty the dishwasher.... hope that mormor (Swedish grandmother) stays healthy and energetic for many more years, otherwise little E will not know what homemade food is....