DVD

Our little dude has moved on to his next obsession in the world of DVD.

While the Toy Story trilogy is still topping the list we are now loving Winnie the Pooh too. Luckily Santa has tracked down all the films while he enjoys the one he has at the moment. Over and over again.

I must say though, I think Disney 'Fastplay' should really be called Disney 'Slowplay' considering it takes you through all the adverts....

How many times have I press that button, while half listening, thinking 'great!' That'll take us straight tithe film before he gets upset only to be taken to the adverts?

Long time no posts

Hi again, well it's been a while since my last post.... The rough side of being a parent is the sharing of viruses and this last one was a monster.

Flu symptoms quickly developed into muscle paralysis, nausea and headaches... But as a parent life still goes on and all on minimal sleep....

Well with no time for recovery I'm beginning to finally win the battle now just battling with exhaustion an impossibly cough that's triggered by breathing (huh) and a burning eye infection...

Anyway, such is life. Little Eddie is still growing at a rate of nots and more posts will follow soon....

PLUS, a review of a new seatbelt clip for safety with toddlers.... Watch this space 

A Sketch of Eddie

It's funny how I'm always creating works of art in one form or another for other people, clients and I'm asked "what portraits have you done of your son?" and "Wow, you must be drawing your son all the time, have you got lots of drawings of him?". Unfortunately, as is the case for many tradesmen who create wonderful masterpieces for other peoples homes but live in a shambles because they don't work on their own home, I have seldom found the time to really create an drawings or illustrations of Eddie as he grows up.

I am now planning to rectify this and will make more time, somehow, to catalogue and celebrate him as he grows. 

Here is a quick preliminary sketch of him. This was done late at night - just before midnight - through bleary eyes but created with grit, determination and above all love.

It's a little rough here and there but as a quick sketch I am quite pleased. It is taken from a snapshot I got of him at the back end of last year, before his second birthday, while at a friends wedding. He's looking up at the pulpit and all the fancy carvings at the front of the church and just taking it all in. I feel he looks just so tranquil, contemplative and sweet.

I will keep you posted with further artwork as and when i find the time, among looking after the family, being the taxi service, shopping, feeding times, play times oh and the occasional time when I actually get to do a little work.

Hope you like it.

Dealing with Sleep Deprivation and Stress

Having a baby is great experience but it can also be very stressful. I have found that it is very important for new parents to understand their stress triggers.

Common triggers include the basics such as work, finances and relationships but with a new baby you find you have a whole new world of challenges to overcome; learning your babies cries - is that a feed, nappy, wind? Learning new equipment such as bottle sterilisers, how to fit a nappy even. After all to many it's all completely new.

One aspect that can complicate matters further is sleep deprivation. This is simply a lack of sufficient sleep. The effects of sleep deprivation can include irritability, poor concentration, and nausea to name a few. In short, sleep deprivation hampers your ability to cope with situations that you would normally take in your stride. Some strategies to combat stress and sleep deprivation include, training yourself to sleep when the baby sleeps, exercising and reducing outside commitments. This sounds simple but in reality it takes some commitment and ingenuity to cover all your bases and find time to sleep. If you have a parent who can help get them to come and look after your babu for an afternoon and let you get some sleep - even three or four hours will make a world of difference. They can stay in the house if you can't bear to be separated from your newborn.

Positive Reinforcement

Having a baby is a very challenging time for new Mums and Dads. One area in which a new Dad can be a huge help to his partner is by using consistent positive reinforcement. The majority of new mums will experience baby blues, which are characterised by tears, feeling down and uncertainty. These feelings are usually temporary but they highlight the emotional changes and vulnerability that many new mums experience. 

Consistent words of encouragement, reinforcing the great job that she is doing and how much you appreciate her is a great way to support a new mum. This is especially important as she is learning new skills such as breastfeeding and settling the baby. This can be a really difficult experience for some new mums as there are huge expectations that it should work perfectly first time, not to mention huge pressure from midwifes on breast-feeding (but thats another story we will get to later). By focusing on positive reinforcement it reassures your partner that you understand what she is going through and care enough to support her.

Your relationship with your partner can change when your firstborn comes along. Your partner will have enough affection to accommodate another person, but she won't have the time or energy. Men are usually adept at supporting their partners, but need to find a place of their own in their child's life.