Sometimes you drive me nuts…

November 24, 2015November 24, 2015 ~ marycroft84 ~ Leave a comment

Sometimes you drive me nuts dear boy

When you refuse to be polite

You refuse to say ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘thank you’

We’ve come to loggerheads over this

I’m afraid I wont give in though Bear

It’s a battle of wills and this is one I’m not prepared to give in to

Even if I have to walk away screaming inside

Sometimes you drive me nuts dear boy

When you won’t stop singing in bed at night

If you just went to sleep we’d all feel better,

Counting to ten, Bear, it doesn’t matter

Head, shoulders, knees and toes is the song of the week

Just lay down your sleepy head and all will be alright

Sometimes you drive me nuts dear boy

When you whinge at me and say ‘nooooo’

In that annoying way you do

I’ll keep reminding you it’s “no thank you”

And slowly, slowly you’re remembering

Now “no thank you mamma” makes me smile from ear to ear

Sometimes you drive me nuts dear boy

When you have a meltdown because we’re going the wrong way on our walk

I’m sorry Bear but a grumpy child won’t phase me

Sometimes you have to do things you don’t want

Or go in a direction you don’t want to

That’s life kiddo

Throw your scooter down in disgust as we’re going the ‘wrong way’ oh and then have a 10 minute paddy!

You may think I’m being hard on you Bear

But truly it’s for the best

I’m trying to help shape you into a kind, courteous little dude

Sometimes it takes everything I’ve got to not give in and let you have your way

But what will that teach you?

Damn that cute little face of yours!

Even though you drive me completely crazy sometimes

You’ll never stop having my love

Its because I love you I make you do these things

You’ll get there Bear

Kisses and cuddles after make it all worthwhile

I love you in spite of the madness

And the fact you’re driving me slowly insane

We have so much fun playing together

I want you to stay this small forever

In two years we’ll be going through it all again!

And now we’ve got another sprog

Oh crap

Second time around…

September 9, 2015September 9, 2015 ~ marycroft84 ~ Leave a comment

Now this has been something that has been playing on my mind a LOT lately as the due date creeps ever closer. When I look back to how we did things with Bear, I feel that mostly things went to plan. We were definitely blessed with a chilled baby which I know makes up for about 99% of how things are going to pan out and the other 1% are the bits you actually put into practice.

He slept amazingly (yep, probably looking back with rose tinted glasses). That sounds massively arrogant, but it’s true; he was a lazy sod that loved his sleep. By 8 weeks he was sleeping through 7-7 and I would dream feed him at about 10.30pm. Having been a nanny for 8 years prior to having him was a massive help and insight to what it would be like. I knew how much harder things would be further down the line if I didn’t sort out things early on. Hindsight is wonderful as well as a bitch! This is a very personal discussion as I know each person is so very different and we all raise our children the best we believe. However, I know sleep is so majorly important to me. I am the grumpiest person ever if I’ve not had enough. I wonder if my husband and I would still be together let alone have number two on the way if we’d not cracked onto sleeping early on.

Routine…dare I even mention the word without being pounded upon? Yep, Little Bear went into a routine I’m afraid to say. This was mainly due to forces out of our control (he wouldn’t latch for the first 4 weeks so I was having to express and bottle feed; a logistical nightmare to be honest, but I had to do it every three hours otherwise I’d have had a pump attached to me 24/7. Not as cute as a little baby I must say!) After those first weeks when he started feeding properly we were already in the swing of things. I can’t say I was particularly strict with it, however, it was etched in me from doing it for so many years, that it just worked. It fitted round playgroups, we both got a lovely long afternoon nap and he slept through at night. For us it just worked. I’m hoping number two will fall into the same routine as I think my body clock will just naturally move itself in that way whatever happens.

I shall try and do things the same with number two, but its hard to think like that when everyone tells you ‘you never get two the same’ I feel I’m already inflicting on this little bean ‘you’re surely never going to be as easy as your brother’. Obviously things will be different. We won’t be sat there focusing all our attention on this new little person, as there’ll be a bigger louder Bear demanding our attention.

So I’m wondering; what, if anything you have learnt from bubba number one and what did you do differently the second time round? What really worked for you? I’m intrigued to see what people insights are to this. Also, those that have had bubba number two (or three or four) any tips or tricks for dealing with two titches?

Little Bear at 19 months

July 20, 2015November 24, 2015 ~ marycroft84 ~ Leave a comment

I have wanted to write a little diary for LB to look back on when he is older and feel awful (mamma guilt) that is has taken 20 months for me to start documenting all those things he did. This month in particular I feel he changed and grew so much that there was so much to write about I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

LB’s 19^th month just so happened to coincide with a month off work. The family I work for had a two-week holiday, following which we had a two-week holiday to Toronto (wahoo). Whether it was because I was able to throw myself into motherhood without the distractions of work or he was going to have this leap anyway. Either way it was amazing to see him learn how to master his little body this month.

To LB,

the 19^th month of your crazy life has been amazing. You seem to be learning new words each and every day many of which we cant help but make you repeat over and over again. The way when you say bird you stick your little tongue out, when you tell us about the birds that tweet tweet you make little motions with your hands too. How you became obsessed with your lift the flap books that we would read them one after the other, that we could start the sentence on a page and you would finish it (Julia Donaldson, we love you). You loved to kiss certain pages of the books, the doggy and duck especially. Your obsession with balls became even bigger (taking you to a Blue Jays game was a massive highlight for Mamma and Pappa) your ability to catch a ball makes us all cheer, watching you throw a ball one way whilst looking in the other direction always made us chuckle. Watching your relationship grow with Auntie Holly and Claire warmed our hearts so much as we worried how it would be living so far away from them. Pappa Croft, I’m sure was particularly happy with how you warmed to Benji Doggy, as it was another point for the case into us getting a dog one day!!

You have become so much more in control of your body this month, definitely attempting some sort of running, and your climbing; oh my! You tried to climb the kithen cupboards which I watched in awe and horror all at the same time!

You love bubbles and pulling your little crocodile all about the house. Your bedtime bunny is still one of your best friends and you take great pleasure in giving it the most kisses every day (even more than Mamma and Pappa but we don’t hold that against you!)

I think so much is going off in your little head that it takes you quite a while to nod off at bedtime despite you being in bed for 7.15 you can sometimes not be asleep till 8.30! You love to chatter to yourself (or maybe you’re telling your bunny all about your day) whatever it may be, we love to listen to you on the monitor as you show us how happy your are in your own company.

Your relationship with the boys at work has changed into a new stage it seems. It appears for all the changes you went through in the month off work, the boys see you as one of them rather than a little baby and you’re playing together warms my heart. After the many struggles it feels I have gone through taking you to work, it seems to be paying off finally (why now when we only have 8 weeks left?!) We’re definitely seeing you start to play ‘with’ other children a whole lot more, recognising those friends you see often and even starting to say their names.

Oh my, you three monkeys keep me on my toes!

You finally started this month to point to Mamma’s tummy when we asked where the baby was. It even got a few kisses and cuddles. This made us so happy. Your affection has really started growing this month, with your cuddles becoming so much more (how you rub our backs and say ahh when you cuddle) and how you give us special kisses (only when you want mind, god forbid we ask for a kiss and you’re not willing!)

Little Bear, we are loving see you change into the little toddler who knows their own mind and isn’t afraid to show us. We cant wait to see what you’re going to do next, and rather excitedly we cant wait to see how you are with your younger brother/sister when they arrive.

Mamma Croft now vows to keep up a diary month by month of those little things you do and how you change. You’ve made us into a little family and for that we are forever thankful xx