5 July 2011

counting blessings:
- baby slept 2016-0745!
- easy to understand baby -wake, eat, nappy, play upright, eat, play, carry, sleep, wake, nappy, eat, lie down, jump one hour, sleep, nappy, eat, play, eat, carry, bath, eat, sleep-
- recipe for homemade gripe water -fennel seed infusion-
- internet! and people providing information on internet,
- parents,
- husband,
- bed,

6 best:
saw - fruit picked from own garden,
taste - wan tan hor fan (yummy!),
touch - cuddly baby not struggling,
heard - loving reassurance from husband/ husband giving support for homemade gripe water,
did - make homemade gripe water/ completed 1 leg warmer for baby,
smelt - husband (intimacy).

4 July 2011

counting blessings:
- jolly jumping baby (1 hour!)
- parents,
- sleeping baby,
- lovely husband,
- heat pump,
- "Big Trouble in Little China",
- sausage casserole,

6 best:
saw - active baby,
touch - home-made rose hand cream,
taste - sausage casserole,
heard - sighs from sleeping baby,
did - put baby into cot for afternoon nap,
smelt - chinese roast duck.

3 July 2011

counting blessings:
- supportive husband,
- loving child,
- big plate of dinner,
- sunshine,
- helpful parents,
- forgiving child,
- 5 min nap,

best six:
saw - cleared kitchen table,
taste - breakfast and lunch and dinner made by supportive husband,
touch - kiss from husband,
heard - comfort from husband,
did - helped husband put baby into bed,
smelt - fresh clean baby.

0244-0312 3 July 2011 0324

*heaved sigh*

Atilla started crying out while asleep. No amount of stroking or low level murmured words would comfort him, or penetrate his dream.

I picked him up and it seemed to help. His lower half was extremely warm, which was concerning. Investigating further, I surmised the cause to be the hot water bottle at the foot of his bed.

I carried him for as long as I could - given my state of consciousness, state of my back, his slumbering moments.

It was cute in sporadic outbursts: he turned his head from side to side, seeking available feeding comfort (futile effort as he was at my neck height and I received wet kisses).

I anticipate it will become much colder at 5 or 6 am, so I decided to put his woollen trousers on him. My actions brought him to a higher state of wakefulness.

'Nothing for it', I thought to myself (functioning on reduced sleep), 'let's put these on him properly.'

The rough handling corresponded with his full waking.

My time was now pre-occupied with a fussing uncontented Atilla; a change into fresh nappy didn't work and he ought to be good until morning.

I experienced frustration with the situation (Atilla's unsoothable fussiness + my aching back + my want to sleep + my fatigue + my reduced capability to meet Atilla's needs) and annoyance with Atilla because he wasn't going back to sleep.

It was very close.

I named my emotions. I talked through possible actions to take to soothe Atilla, and explained to myself why I didn't act.

Having heard myself out, I decided the case for inaction had less merit than taking action.

I took his new nappy off and put him on his potty. Not a jot. Wriggle wriggle. Some happy coos.

Back he goes on the change mat. Nappy goes back on. Woollen trousers goes back on, with yellow vest tucked in. Pick up. Pat pat on his back. Cuddle.

Check his bedding is suitable for him to lie down to sleep. Hot water bottle not too hot.

Put him in bed. Pat pat. Walk out of the room.

recipe: rose hand cream (jojoba oil)

1t beeswax
1/4 honey
4T jojoba oil
4T rosewater

1) put glass jar on a small folded cloth in a small pot of water.
2) put wax, honey, oil in jar.
3) heat pot as a double-boiler, blending wax, honey, oil.
4) add rosewater slowly while stirring vigorously.
5) take jar out of water and continue stirring until cool.

Comments:
* wax tends to cool faster than rosewater,
* add rosewater drop by drop (as if making mayonnaise),
* current recipe makes a mixture that separates into water and a creamy substance.

recipe: rose handcream (original from book)

1t beeswax
1/4t honey
4T almond oil
4T rosewater

1) put a glass jar in a small pot of warm water.
2) blend wax, honey, oil.
3) add rosewater slowly while stirring vigorously.
4) take jar out of water; continue to stir gently until cooled.

2 July 2011

counting blessings:
- un-moulded window-sills,
- filling healthy breakfast (poached eggs on bed of salmon, baby spinach, toast,
- family breakfast,
- family picnic,
- almond-chocolate encrusted patesserie,
- sunny day,
- co-operative husband,
- mown grass,
- stack of clean nappies,
- baby asleep for 2 hours,
- family dinner,
- fun baby,
- naked baby sitting happily on toilet seat,
- funny baby,
- time with energetic baby who entertained himself,
- sleeping baby;

six of the best:
saw - naked baby grinning while sitting happily on toilet seat,
touch - family hug/ home-mde rose handcream,
taste - poached eggs on salmon with spinach on toast,
heard - baby giggles,
did - applied clove oil to window-sills/ organised family picnic,
smelt - sunshine on picnic.