Happy Birthday Tom!

Can you really believe Tom is 1 today? I can't! So much has happened in the last year, but it has flown past so quickly, even though 3.5 months are a sleep deprived haze (I'm sooooo glad that came to an end)

So, we have had a good day. Tom spent the morning playing with Granma and Pop Pop on their bed and then refused his breakfast as has become usual.

After his morning nap we went to get Tom weighed - he is back over 20lb again yahoo, only just, he is 20lb 1oz. Then off to Wellington for an early lunch at the pub prior to Gymbabes (doing a catch up session in advance of one of the ones we miss when in Japan). He was naughty for lunch, kept spitting it out. Managed to get some down him, but not a great lot!

Gymbabes was ace, he was a happy little fellow. Got through the songs at the beginning really well (normally he squirms and grizzles a little) and then crawled around like a looney exploring the equipment. He went through the tunnel about 5 times, up and down the small wedges as if it was no effort at all, and he even made it up the big wedge, clever boy. We all had a lovely time, me, Tom, Matt, Granma and Pop Pop, all of us were exhausted at the end. Tom fell asleep in the car home, Pop Pop fell asleep on the sofa and the rest of us put our feet up. (Matt now understands why we visit Costa on a Monday).

Once Tom was awake from his nap he came downstairs and opened some presents. (Big present opening day is Saturday when all grand parents are here). He did manage to pull the paper off some of the bits, but on the whole wasn't that fussed. He got some lovely stuff. A tool bench from Simon, Clare and Jake (which Matt and I enjoyed a lot), lots of puzzles from his Great Nanna, a blanket and knife and fork set from our neighbours and toys and clothes from various friends and relatives.

He was a cheery chappy, crawling all over the place. He crawled into the kitchen for dinner which he ate without a fuss (first time in ages) in fact I had to make him some toast as he was still hungry after he had eaten everything I had prepared for him.

Just as he was finishing dinner, Hannah and Becca from number 55 came round. So he got another couple of rounds of happy birthday. Mum made me buy some cup cakes as I hadn't made him a cake for today (still yet to make a cake Saturday) so we put a candle in turned the lights off and sang again. He didn't blow the candle out, but he had some of the cake which he smeared around his chops (third bit of chocolate cake in a week - hope he doesn't get used to it.)

He then had another little play, then bath, bottle (cows milk today for the first time - which he took really well) and bed. He was very tired when he went to bed - it had been a very busy day.

Today I don't have to express - YAHHOOOOOOO, it has got very very boring doing it. I have done it every day since he was 6 weeks old (except when I had my last fever when I just couldn't face it) It will be cows milk before bed from now on, although I will continue breast feeding first thing in the morning and in the afternoon. I wonder how much milk I've expressed in the last year - probably mind boggling amounts - one for Matt to work out I think.

What have I learnt this year?
+ Babies aren't scary, they are lovely, cuddly little souls
+ Never have principles about anything, they will find out and make your life so difficult you have to go back on them
+ I will never take a good night's sleep for granted ever again
+ I'm enjoying being a mum much much more than I ever dreamed I would.
+ Building a network of friends with babies the same age as you is the most important thing. I would have struggled big time without their support. Thank you everyone, I really am very lucky to have such great friends.
+ A thousand other things - how to change a nappy, how to make baby food, how to breastfeed, how to mop up sick, poo and snot the list will go on and on.

We are in the middle of a really happy time at the moment, we are all reasonably well, Tom is changing daily and we are enjoying watching and helping him learn new things. It will be interesting to see what next year brings...