Alessi - 9 months

I'm exhausted.

I was warned by a lot of people that when Pip became mobile she'd be off and I'd discover a new kind of tired. Some of those people even told me with a hint of glee in their voice and a gleam in their eye, so to you I say this.
Bastards.

I mean this isn't exactly new, she was doing this last month, it's just that now she's gotten stronger and faster. I literally can't keep up. She spends the majority of her day on her feet and it annoys her no end that she can't walk unaided. As for me, unaided walking can take it's sweet time. Just having Pip cruising bombing around all day long is causing no end of trouble. We've had to block the Christmas tree in to a corner using both sofas. Our attempts at baby proofing have been a flop. They're simply not Pip proof.

She understands no. Does she always listen to it though? Ironically, no.
Most of the time, if I say no,she listens, but other times she'll just go ahead and do it anyway. And if she's feeling really cheeky she'll even turn around to me, smile, wave and then go back to whatever she was doing. It's all I can do not to crack a smile and start laughing at her goofiness. How do you start with the discipline when they just make you crack up each time??

Waving is her new favourite thing and if she hears someone saying "bye bye" on the TV she'll turn and wave to them She gives Dan a wave goodbye each morning. She's also learnt to clap so whenever she's done something she's proud of she'll give herself a little congratulatory clap. Like yesterday, she caught her own lunch. She spied a woodlouse, popped it into her mouth and gave herself a clap. This is the first woodlouse she's actually eaten. The other two I managed to fish out. Like I said earlier though, I can't keep up any more!

This photo has nothing to do with waving or woodlice, but it's here because I love it. 

She's a rowdy little goof, shouting and squealing to herself or blowing raspberries constantly. Noise is now a constant in this house and I'm trying to take it all in as this is our last month together before I return to work. It'll only be two days a week and I think it'll be great for Pip. She's so active and sociable, I think having a couple of days away from me and Dan each week will really kick start her independence and help her personality flourish.

But until then, I'll spend my time trying desperately to take photos of the little pickle that aren't blurry!

November

Source

So November. What a write off you were.

I started off the month in a right funk. I had no energy, no motivation, nothing. I decided to try and do something about it by minimising my usual distractions and taking little steps to get my mojo back. I even posted about it here.
Things were going well. I was going easy on myself and slowly I could feel myself refocusing. Ideas started to form again without having to force them. So far, so good I thought.

And then we were struck down with this sodding cold virus that's been going around. All of us. Dan first, then Pip and now me. And whilst she had the start of the cold, she was also having a bout of teething, my poor little Buddha.

We're finally finishing up with that little phase of fun and what would you know, it's the end of November and I have achieved nothing. Well almost nothing. I did take part in an Instagram photo-a-day challenge, but that's it. How depressing.

Now there's nothing left to do other than shrug it off, grab December by it's baubles and show November how a month is really done.

Just as soon as I can peel myself off this sofa..

Alessi - 8 months

I'm fairly sure I only wrote her last update post yesterday, but the calendar assures me that Pip is now eight months old so here we go.

What can I say? In short she's crawling with confidence to the closest piece of furniture and pulling herself up. There she will stand until her legs get too tired, then she will sit down with a bump, have a little grizzle, play with something (most likely to be something she's not supposed to, phone, remote, laptop etc) and do it all over again.

If I'm sat on the sofa, she'll take a break from playing with her toys, crawl over, pull herself up and depending on her mood either rest her head in my lap (aww) or blow a raspberry on my knee (....aww). Unless of course, I'm on this thing in which case she will decide that she wants to play too.

This month also saw her get her first cold. Now I can put up with a lot of disgustingness from babies, but nose goo is not one of them. Unfortunately the dreaded snot sucker was needed daily and I heaved almost daily as a result. Our house reeks of Olbas Oil although I shouldn't complain, it's about the only thing that's enabled us all to get any sleep.
So that's a first that I didn't care too much for. Here's hoping it'll be sometime before we have any other illnesses to contend with. What with it being winter though, I fear I'm being overly optimistic.

She's such a goof and her personality is really shining through now. It's fun to see what kind of person she's becoming, the things she loves (her kazoo) and the things she doesn't (strawberry yogurt - strange child).

And here she is one last time. Pippy the Ham.

Champagne Thursday

Because Charlotte told me to.

Also as it's thanksgiving I thought it would be nice to reflect on some of the many things I'm grateful for at the moment. Big and small.

The Fam

Obviously. Whenever I think of what I'm thankful for, Hubbers and Pip are at the top of the list. Always.

Being warm and cosy

Right now I can hear the rain lashing down. While I was bathing Pip, Dan had to go into the attic to empty one of the many buckets we have to catch the drips. I can also hear the wind. If we don't get flushed out of our house tonight we might get blown away instead.

Tomorrow's weather forecast 

Apparently it's going to be nice enough tomorrow afternoon for me and Pip to get out of the house for a bit. A weatherman on the telly said that so it must be true.

Chinese takeout

Some crispy aromatic duck is winging it's way to me as we speak. Feck yeah!

My dressing gown

It used to be oh so fluffy and soft. Now it's looking a bit shabby and has a bum patch. But when Pip wakes up in the night it's bloody cold and it feels like wrapping myself up in a duvet so I'll take it. Bum patch and all.

Hot chocolate

Enough said.

Crap TV shows

Merlin. 2 Broke Girls. New Girl. The Big Bang Theory. How I Met Your Mother. Judge away if you wish, I love them all.

Plans and dreams

My buoy when I'm barely keeping afloat in a giant sea of daily routine.

Our health

We have colds. Nothing makes you appreciate a cold-less baby more than when you're staring at one who has just sneezed a snot bubble.

Friends

The ones who keep your feet on the ground, put a smile on your face and a drink in your hand are nothing short of priceless.

P.S. I know I didn't use Champagne..it's actually rose wine spritzer. But it was fizzy!