A month into my new job...

My word, my new boss is a ball braker. I thought Kev cracked the whip but even he pales in significance compared to Lady Grace. Who would have thought that something so tiny would be so demanding and take up so much of my time? I'm hoping by the time I reach six months in my new post as Mummy I get a good appraisal as at the moment I'm struggling to adjust to the all-consuming nature of this job I signed up for. I've ummed and arred about being honest about my feelings on here in the public domain but I figure getting it off my chest is a step in the right direction to processing how I feel and beginning to deal with saying goodbye to life as I knew it and hello to the future which started already one month ago.



Time has really flown- ONE MONTH OLD - Grace has passed her first milestone and it really does seem she has been here much much longer. This marker in her development has seen her graduate into Size 2 nappies, continue to thrive putting on ounce after ounce with little effort, and begin to show some real strength in the control of her head and neck muscles. This 5th week has seen some considerable change in the amount of time she is spending awake in between naps and she is becoming more content amusing herself under her play gym or on the mat looking at a colourful book or toy. My personal fave is the stuffed giraffe that plays a tune from The Sound of Music... I can't wait to teach her the words! I'm on tenterhooks waiting for her first smile... my first feedback that I'm not actually doing that bad a job at all.



Last weekend saw us reuniting with the ante-natal group now that we have all had our babies. Only baby Eleanor is younger in the group, with Toby and Amelia being the oldest at 11 weeks, so we took much comfort from the reassurance from Mums Emma and Leona that it does get easier. I'm holding onto that promise for dear life!

I did take some strength from the group in that Thursday saw us being brave enough to tackle public transport for the first time - getting the train into Leeds for a spot of window shopping and to pop into the Bank to let Grace meet her Daddy's work mates. I'm proud of the fact I only had one notable panic attack trying to navigate the train station in rush hour while Matt the Husband prattled on about the pros and cons of investing in this child trust find as opposed to that child trust fund while chomping on a banana and telling me I'm being irrational about worrying so much. So amazed that I avoided the profanities with Grace within earshot! We do love him really. (That's me and my neurotic other self, of course).

Grace having a swift half at the milk bar


One last thing. Grace's favourite thing this week, that seemed to keep her amused and content - her first trip to a country pub, The Horse & Jockey on the Sandstone Trail in Shropshire. There she met up with my Godmother Jennifer and her husband Stephen who delighted being introduced to Grace for the first time, along with my sister Bunny and her better half Steve on their way back from holidaying in Wales with the Aged P's (who were also in tow). Much amused to have my Dad consider that his Sat Nav might go out of signal from the satellite because he was driving so fast that it couldn't keep up with him. This from the man who drives no faster than 56mph to get optimal miles per gallon. Hilarious!