Go baby, go: Second first words


words

Newborn is still teasing us with whether his sounds are words. Don’t get me wrong, he has means of communication. He has his vigorous shouting and pointing, an ability to vote with his feet and either stomp off (from any situation he dislikes) or stand up (in his high-chair and change the dynamics of mealtimes). […]

5th February 2012

Are you looking at me?


family & parenting

The end of the world is on its way. Newborn has worked out his favourite thing in all the world. Beating Sophie, his brother and I on the list is standing. Standing and stamping (whilst clinging to a grown up finger) and being able, all of a sudden, to pick things up, stuff them in […]

1st June 2011

Woah – we’re half way there…


family & parenting

I give too much away about my Dad-rock tendencies in that post title. It almost prompts me to reveal one of my great regrets: that according to fansite sources, Springsteen had planned to play Glory Days at Hyde Park with Bon Jovi but the council pulled the plug on such a noisy late encore. How […]

25th May 2011

Strawberry Sunday: Bite me!


family & parenting

Newborn goes gaga for his first taste of fruit as we celebrate Mr Thatwoman’s 34th birthday with friends, Eton Mess and 34 (count ’em) kisses a piece from Spider-boy. Birthdays bring out the best in Spider-boy. He spends the day asking what it was like when Mr Thatwoman was ‘only 33’ and getting frustrated that […]

8th May 2011

Playing Mum


family & parenting

Some days I just can’t shake the feeling that I am somehow playing at being Mum. Playing at being an adult even. It isn’t just the constant improvisation and guesswork intricately knotted into the very fabric of parenting. The negotiations and promises, rewards and gestures, attempts at teaching lessons, endless reassurance and praise, the need […]

11th March 2011

Introductions


birth, babies, bodies, breastfeeding, words

First words are a difficult subject for me, and I don’t mean the first words said by Spider-boy (for the record it was ‘baby’, he’s such a glorious narcissist) or his brother. I mean the first words I said to my children. The first words they heard from me. I really believed, before I had […]

26th January 2011