Fifty-four

I am nearly a week late posting this, which is indicative of how my life feels right now - there is not enough hours in the day to do all the things I need to do. But we get by and even if I'm just hanging out with Ada, or we go out for a walk, we're having a good time (it's just things like study and this blog which get pushed down the list)

Last week we had our ups and downs. She had her twelve month old jabs as I mentioned and it was hard. But then the next day it was like they had never happened and she carried on her merry old way. 

On Sunday we went to an 'indie poptots disco' which was basically a guy playing music from his laptop that parents would know and we could makes fools of ourselves, dancing with our babies and no one would mind, because if we're all acting silly, no one is acting silly, right?

Afterwards we went to back to Emily, Dave and Max's house and had a lazy Sunday afternoon drinking and chatting and watching the babies play. It was a grey day so it nice to spend it inside with friends

Fifty-three

This week was a good week. My dad, Ada's Poppy, came over and whilst I had to work Monday to Wednesday, we had the next four days off. We went for walks in the park, went to go swimming but it was cancelled, trips to the farmers' markets and had a pub lunch.

Ada has been so sweet and affectionate this past week. She absolutely loves her dad and there are lots of 'Dad-dads' (not very many mums though...). Dave and I have had terrible coughs at the moment and keeping each other awake at night so one of us, usually Dave, will sleep in the living room. Ada usually wakes up around six o'clock and we will bring her into our bed and she will sleep for another hour. This week, because it is just me in there we are able to have a lovely snuggle first thing in the morning. She will hold my face in her soft small hands and beam her smile at me. Lately if I ask her to give me a hug she will (although it could be entirely random though)

Fifty-two

Whoa baby! You're one already? That has come around quickly. As cliche as it sounds it feels like only yesterday Dave and I found out I was pregnant, and now we have a one year old baby. 

We had a birthday party for her yesterday but today we booked a lunch at The Bolingbroke for Dave, Ada, my Dad and I. Unfortunately  my Dad fell ill so couldn't make it, so it was just the three of us. 

Ada had her first pub meal (messy spaghetti) and her first real taste of sugary cupcakey goodness. She was in heaven. It was a really wonderful lunch (thanks Jessi and Aaron) which will all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Ada hadn't napped all day, but by the time we left around two she fell fast asleep in the buggy and we had a leisurely winter stroll home through Clapham Common. 

A perfect way to celebrate her first birthday.

What do you mean it's all gone?

Fifty-one

We just returned from our best baby friend - Poppy's - first birthday. Ada had, for the longest time, a love/hate relationship with Poppy. Poppy absolutely loved Ada but Ada would have none of it. This culminated on New Year's Eve where Allie (Poppy's mum [or mom]) and I thought it would be really nice for them to have a little play and bath together before going to bed and the adults could really have some fun. Ada had other ideas. Any time Poppy came vaguely close Ada would have a meltdown. The bath (together) did not happen. 

But today Ada was great. Poppy was great, but she always is. Ada was happy to leave Dave and I and play with all the babies there. It was really great.

The past few weeks have been first birthday party after first birthday party and it has been really fun. I've looked forward to going to every one of them, but now the realisation that it's Ada's birthday next is starting to dawn on me. I'm not sad that she is growing up, more just sentimental. I'm excited to see what the next year brings, and how much she grows, what she does, what she is interested in.

We also have made so much progress in our swimming classes. About four or five months ago Ada was really upset in quite a few lessons and steadfastly did not want to go to her swimming teacher, Kirsty, when she would do underwater dives. Instead I had to 'swim' her to Kirsty (and not vice versa). This year she has been amazing. No crying before she gets in, doesn't get upset when Kirsty holds her. It makes for a fun time for both her and I.