Kangaroo Care - World Prematurity Day 2013.

"What the heck is that?" I said to the neo natal nurse when she asked me if I'd considered Kangaroo care. Evan had been born 2 days prior and was showing signs of improvement. The nurse thought it would be a good idea for me to have some Kangaroo care time with Evan. When I discovered what it meant I was practically champing at the bit to get him out of his incubator. So we did it, we had our first session of Kangaroo care.

So I sat, for 6 hours straight with my little bundle fast asleep and next to mama. It those few hours, all is sats improved, he increased his feeding amounts and he opened his eyes for the first time. He knew, he was with his mama. The warmth of his skin next to mine was the greatest feeling on earth. I had my baby in my arms.

Even Daddy had a go! 

A few short hours later whilst back in my room the most amazing thing happened, my milk arrived! I literally exploded out of my bra and my nipples burst! I remember catching it in a cup and Craig frantically running to the midwives station to get some sterile bags to put the milk in. It was an amazing feat of nature. 

The next day, I tried to feed my little man but he couldn't suck God love him. He was just too little and too weak so we gave him my milk with a NGT and he lapped it up! He grew bigger and stronger and within the week he was out of the level 1 room and moved to the nursery and I really believe it was because of Kangaroo Care and mothers milk.

World Prematurity Day is tomorrow - Sunday 17th November, for more info click here: BLISS

World Prematurity Day 2013 #GiveAHug

I’m a hugger, I always have been. There is nothing nicer than a great big bear hug from a person. That feeling of comfort as they wrap their arms around you and envelope you with warmth. So imagine my despair when my son, born 7 weeks too early couldn’t receive a hug. Rushed out of me in an emergency situation, wrapped in a towel and bundled into an incubator and moved up to NICU. I lay there, helpless, exhausted, emotional and desperate to give my son his first hug.

It wasn’t meant to be for another 38 hours, that doesn’t seem much, but when you’ve gone through the trauma of an emergency in childbirth its a lifetime. As I lay in recovery, being tended too by the medical staff, my precious newborn was spending his first few hours in a plastic box, fighting for his life and I was 2 floors away fighting for mine. My poor husband completely helpless not knowing if to stay with me or sit with our newborn. The medical staff could see his exhaustion and convinced him the best thing he could do for both of us was to go home, sleep and come back recovered and that he did. He came back to me 12 hours later, and sat whilst I lay and slept, for 38 hours. Our son spent that time, in a box learning to breathe and waiting for his hug.

The time had come, Craig was told if he wanted to, he could get Evan out of his plastic home and hug him but he declined and said “that first hug must come from mummy”. So he waited for me to wake, and wheeled me up to NICU. I still get goosebumps now remembering that journey up two flights in the lift, in a wheelchair, wires and bags all hanging from me and my desperation to see my boy, our baby, our miracle. I remember crying as he wheeled me into the ward, crying out of excitement desperate to get to his bay and there he was, ready to be taken out and given to me. Finally he was placed in my arms, his heart beat was racing, and as I put him inside my dressing gown next to my chest it steadied. He was home, in my arms next to his mum skin to skin as it should have been 38 hours previous. We were hugging, mother and son having their first hug. It’s a feeling that will stay with me for life and a feeling that was captured beautifully by our greatest supporter - Daddy xx

World Prematurity Day this year is Sunday November 17th, BLISS along with other worldwide organisations will join together to raise awareness for premature babies. Why not take a look at this link to find out some more: http://www.bliss.org.uk/media-centre/wpd/ ...........

and we still like hugging :) xx

Pre-School

 With only a few weeks until the toddler is 3, we have been sussing out where we will send the boy to pre-school. Evan’s birthday is in October which means he will be one of the oldest kids in his year. This pleases me no end. I was a November child and by the time I went to school I could read and write my own name. My brother on the other hand who was a late august baby could barely say his name. We start our kids too early in this country. The burden of education on these poor kids heads. Still that’s a whole other post so let’s get back to talking about pre-school.

We will soon receive 15 hours of assisted child care for Evan, which can be used either in a state pre-school or at a private nursery. He will start main stream school in September 2015 which means we have another 2 years at home together *yay*.

This coming year we have decided to keep him at his private nursery, at aged 3 the kids go up to the preschool room and start with some basic preschool activities. Next September he’ll start at a state preschool, we’ve decided to send him to the one that is associated with the infant school he will eventually go to.

The musical garden

It’s in the strangest of settings, bang slap in the middle of an industrial estate but it is wonderful. The school has a frog theme, and the kids are called froglets. What I love about the school is that it is an old fashioned Victorian building with beautiful tall windows that let in loads of natural light. It’s very cosy and inviting and the staff are so kind and warm. We aren’t due to start until September 2014 but we have very kindly been invited to stay and play sessions which allow Evan to get used to the school, it’s setting, rules and all the other children. We have a great time together on Monday mornings exploring in the family room and in the giant garden!

The stimulating scenery

It is full lots of stimulating activities. The garden is sectioned into different areas, it has a wibbly wobbly walkway – great for playing “we’re going on a bear hunt”. A shed for construction play. A shed for reading and a shed for playing house. It has a music section, with lots of instruments made from old bits of tubing and pipes. A pond full of fish and frogs. Lots of activity to stimulate small minds.



A bridge for playing Fe, Fi, Fo





Playhouses



The one & only child.

I wanna talk to you today about a topic that lingers in the background and haunts me like a group of scary clowns about to do their worst and freak the hell out of me. That topic is being an only child. You see, our dear little miracle child will be an only child for us. It's just the card that God has dealt us & we have made peace with this fact of life. What we struggle with daily is everyone else's perception of being a single child. Sure, it would be lovely for him to have a little play mate to grow up with, someone to fight with about toys, sweets & getting his own way, but it just wasn't meant to be.

I have a brother, Craig has 2 one of which is his identical twin so he knows all too well about how amazing it is to have that sibling bond throughout childhood and taking into adulthood. But me, I have a different experience to being a sibling for you see, I am practically an only child. My parents waited 10 years to have my brother, so by the time my 'baby' brother was able to exercise his right in the sport of sibling rivalry I was out the door and on my way to university. We had the briefest of times growing up together, but where he was obsessed with teenage mutant ninja turtles, I was growing my impressive music collection and collecting GCSE's and A-Levels to start a new life, the first step towards adulthood.

When I look back at my childhood I think about life pre brother. Summers spent in Jersey with my cousin who also was an only child. Summers longing for a sister to play with. Summers waiting for my mum to say "you going to have a brother or sister". I was nine when that summer came and to be frank, although I was beyond excited I knew in my heart that we would have a different relationship to that of normal siblings who are separated by a few years. My brother was, & still is completely an ace kid and I love him to bits but we may as well not be siblings as we were brought up as only children.

I'm getting really apprehensive about all the negative cogitation that is associated with only children. I don't want my son to be influenced by his peers or any other adult about being an only child. It's not negative, there is nothing abnormal about being an only child. Like everything in life it's about balance. Evan will not be 'missing out' because he doesn't have a brother or sister, he will just have a different childhood. Has anyone ever said that children from families with more than 1 child are missing out? missing out on one to one time with both parents, either individually or together as a team.

Are you an only child? Do you have only one child .. how does it work in your family? I'd love to hear what you have to say.

We do all we can to positively promote the idea of being an only child & when he's old enough to understand I will explain to him why he doesn't have any siblings and I hope because he's such a great kid already he'll brush it off and say ... "it's cool mum" - I can but pray.

Our friends from down under.

Look who came to stay ... our friend Ella. She lives in Oz, her mum Jane is my cousin in law - Craig's cousin. Here is the boy with his cousins, Aunty Maz & Ella.

L-R: Matilda, Aunty Maz, Tomi, Evan, Ed & Ella

4 months - wow!

It's been 4 months since I posted to this blog ... that's a bit crazy! I could tell you that I have been really busy but the truth is, I've just been enjoying my summer with the boy.
Haven't we been lucky this year? So many lovely sunny days and so much fun has been had. We've been up to loads at  home, baking, imaginative play, swimming, painting, BBQ-ing but mostly enjoying each others company and absorbing every single minute of this sweet life with our little man.

{this moment}

{this moment}  - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember

My Toddler & his broken bones :(

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Mama & Baby Bear

Gordys 70th Birthday Celebrations!





The photos above tell the tale of our weekend away with the extended family to celebrate the patriachs 70th Birthday.

Grandad Gordy and his brood celebrated all weekend - A dad, a wife, 3 sons and their wives and children celebrated the beauty of family life. We even had time to remember our dear friends and blow a few bubbles for a special little blog baby - these are for you MM xx

{this moment}

{this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

3 Generations of Lewis Boys celebrating the patriachs 70th

International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day

Today was International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day. What's that? I hear you ask, well for babies like our little E who were born early, Kangaroo Care is essential for their development, it helps parents and babies bond and is known to be beneficial for growth.

So what is Kangaroo Care?
Kangaroo care is a technique practised on premature babies where the baby is held, skin-to-skin, with an adult. Kangaroo care for prem babies is often restricted to a few hours per day, but if they are medically stable that time may be extended. The first time I was allowed to hold Evan, I literally had him for 6 hours straight. He was so calm & still & peaceful & so happy to be next to me. When he was in his incubator he would twitch on & off & it would freak Craig & I out thinking something was wrong. I swear that day, when I held him for all that time he was still ..... calm .... sleeping & content. I was so so so happy to finally hold him after all that time. All my dreams had come true. 

Evan had been born 3 days earlier in what can only be described as the most horrendous & traumatic time of our lives. Poor Craig endured a hellish 24 hours which resulted in the emergency birth of our son, who once delivered struggled to breathe, was grunting & fighting for his young life. I was in a hell of a state also having succumbed to the perils of pre-eclampsia that was very nearly eclampsia. It wasn't how we'd planned it in our heads, we wanted a calm birth, with Craig cutting the cord, we dreamt of being the 3 of us together, meeting one another, holding each other tight & thanking God for our miracle but Evan was whisked away to NICU & pumped full of drugs & put on a ventilator, and I was stitched up and pumped full of drugs and put into a temporary coma to recover from the trauma. It was quite literally awful - but he was here & although we weren't sure of what the prognosis was for either of us at that time, we were both alive. We were so grateful, we thanked God for keeping us safe and I slept ... I slept for a very loooong time.

3 days later, the nicu nurse said "would you like to hold Evan?" I nearly lost my lunch there and then on the floor. "Would I like to hold him? - I would LOVE to hold him" tears falling like hail stones from my eyes, I can't tell you HOW HAPPY I was to be asked that question so on the Friday, 15th October 2010 I held my son, for 6 hours straight for the first time in his life and I was on cloud nine. 

Inserting Baby E for Kangaroo Care 

Daddy having Kangaroo Cuddles

Mama Kangaroo & her Joey 

Take a look over here at my friend Kylie's blog, she too had a premmie and has blogged about her Kangaroo Care experience and it's more relevant to Kylie as she's an Aussie living in the UK :) x

This week

A few sentences of the things we have been doing, what has captured our imaginations and the things we love. 

This week, we have been ... 
:: enjoying the bank holiday with both sides of the family, a beautiful day at Bowood House in the sunshine.
:: relishing in the free time that my wonderful sister in law gave us. Taking care of Evan for the day meant Craig & I could re-connect. Breakfast/Brunch shopping gardening all the things we can't do with Evan around.
:: finding out that working mums really have a rough deal.
:: reading lots of stories, Evan currently enjoying the Topsy & Tim tales me: the night circus.
:: learning how to be patient. We could all do with slowing down a bit more.
:: eating seasonal, local produce mostly vegetarian fodder. 
:: waiting  for the sun to shine again.
:: meeting new people at a 'tweetup' 
:: anticipating a weekend of fun with the Lewis's as we celebrate the patriarchs 70th birthday! 
:: remembering that home is where the heart is & nobody loves me more than my boo 

:: wishing you peace in your heart today and all week long.

{this moment}

 {this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Evan & Chums 

Guest Post at Make Do and Push

Our lovely blogger friend Hannah has hosted our responses to her question "What's in your change bag?"

You can read it here: http://www.makedoandpush.co.uk/2013/05/whats-in-your-changing-bag-7th-may-2013.html

Take a look at Hannahs blog if you get time, she writes beautifully & posts some gorgeous photos x

A visit to Great Grandma

I'm so lucky that I have my Grandma still alive, In 3 years time I will be forty and she will be 85 so by Grandma stakes she was a youngster when I was born in 1975. I'm so glad that we managed to make Evan whilst she was still around. She was desperate to be a great grandma, having watched all her friends become one way before she did. She absolutely adores our little man & likewise he adores her. It's so cute watching them together, 2 wonderful people at different ends of the age spectrum.

My Gran lives alone just 20 miles away from us in Gloucestershire, up until recently she had a lovely black labrador called Gemma to keep her company but unfortunately illness took her too soon & now my Gran is once again on her own. She really is a marvellous woman, so independent & strong. You wouldn't think she was the age she is. She keeps herself busy by volunteering for many things, like charity work, reading for talking pages - a local paper that is put on the tape for folks who can't read or have little or no eyesight. She also helps once a week at the local school, sitting with the children listening to them read. She loves it, & equally they love her.

On Saturday we spent lunch with Grandma. She took us to a local cafe in Cam, Berryblue Cafe & Bistro It's a lovely, bright, modern cafe close to her house. Recently opened, it offers a selection of light lunches, tea coffee & cake. It was scrumptious - all of us feasting like kings for a very reasonable price. If you are in the area you should check it out.



Oldest & Youngest members of our family feasting.


Afterwards, we went back to Grandmas & had a walk in the orchard where she used to take her dog. We played Billy Goats Gruff on the bridge & chased the butterflies. It really was a lovely sunny day.


Playing Billy Goats Gruff



Chasing Butterflies



We then came home for a quick cuppa before it was time to go & we got chatting about TV. I told her about a show I was watching called 'The Village' - have you seen it? My Great Grandpa fought in WW1 as did his 2 brothers, unfortunately they didn't come home & I asked her about them. Much to my surprise she was able to show me photographs of them both, I wish I'd taken a photo of them to share with you. It was very emotional seeing their faces in these photos. So young & so full of life. Creul, wicked war.

Samuel Edwards - died in France, December 1915 aged 30.

Charles Edwards died in Turkey, August 1917 aged 21.

My Grandpa George fought in the final year of WW1 & did his brothers proud, he won a bravery award for going over the top & taking some German soldiers as POW's. The very thought of that goes against all my beliefs of humanity but at that time, that's what he was there to do and for that reason he makes me feel very proud. Grandpa George - I wish I'd met you maybe we'll meet again & just maybe you are having a ball with your brothers in heaven, I hope so.

Happy Birthday Matilda Mae x

Today is the 2nd of May. 

On the 2 May 2002, the Lewis family welcomed a long awaited little girl. Charlotte Emily, after having a family full of boys she was a breath of fresh air, today she turned 11. We are so lucky to have watched her grow into a feisty, happy & healthy little girl and in a few weeks we will be celebrating her special day with her.

Charlotte - 18 Months

Our friends over at Edspire should also be celebrating today, for exactly one year ago they welcomed Matilda Mae into their family, but this isn't meant to be. Matilda was taken too soon, taken by SIDS. 

Matilda Mae - 7 Months

It seems so sad that we are happily celebrating our beautiful nieces special day, when a family so dear to us are still mourning the loss of their precious little girl. Evan and I took time some time away today and went out to remember Matilida Mae in a way that's become her thing. Blowing bubbles. From now on, when I see bubbles, I see that beautiful little face. Fly high little girl ... you are so loved, loved by so many xxx

Bubbles for MM xxxx

My blog .. my dear blog

Readers

Where have I been? My real life has taken over lately & I just haven't had time for blogging. This is a terrible thing for me to admit but I have just been too darn busy! Since the Saturday I last posted I've:

~ applied for a new job
~ re-landscaped my front & back garden
~ bought a new pair of glasses
~ worked too darn hard, for not much gain
~ been ill
and finally
~ have been enjoying family life with my boys

I promise to rectify this & make more of an effort. I shall start with a blog post about our day at the sand park! But for now, here is a {this moment}

{this moment}

 {this moment} - A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Lady Arabella Atherton

This week .........

A few sentences of the things we have been doing, what has captured our imaginations and the things we love.

This week, we have been  ...

:: enjoying our walk in the woods on the gruffalo trail, exploring all the wood has to offer & spending time with those who love us the most.
:: relishing family life & all that it brings. We are in a sweet spot right now, so it's more important that we take time to love each other, care for one another & hold each other close.
:: finding new ways to work together as a team. Toddlers are hard work, toddlers are challenging, toddlers push the limits of your patience, but they are oh so loving, giving, funny & oh so happy.
:: experimenting with new foods - cream cheese & jam sandwich anyone?
:: learning to jump. We're almost there!
:: riding my beautiful bicycle. A fair weather rider - that's me.
:: waiting for my new glasses to arrive with baited breath! they are beautiful.
:: singing lots of new songs thanks to the song sac. Who knew that would be such a good idea?
:: feeling inspired to think of new ways to reach our inner creative souls. More on that coming soon.
and finally
:: remembering that even though we have rainy days, we can still play outside and have fun. Muddle puddles are the best! "Everybody loves muddle puddles" 


:: wishing you peace in your heart today and all week long.

Song Sac

For the past few days Evan has been singing "Daddy put your hand in, Daddy put your hand in, sing a song, sing a song" I have tried endlessly to get him to tell me what he is singing but with little success.

I thought maybe he'd picked it up from show me show me his favourite TV of the moment ... but no! ... I thought he'd picked it up from one of his many cousins ... but no! .... he'd picked it up from nursery!

At Evans nursery they have a 'Song Sac' .. what's that you ask? Well, it's a bag full of props which prompt a child to sing a song. The sac at nursery has:
a rabbit for 'Peter Rabbit had a fly upon his nose'
a monkey for '5 cheeky monkeys swinging in a tree'
a farmer for 'old McDonald'
a soldier for 'The Grand Old Duke of York'
a bus for 'Wheels on the bus'

The children sit in a circle and sing
"Here's the song sac, here's the song sac,
What's inside? What's inside?
(childs name) put your hand in, (childs name) put your hand in,
sing a song, sing a song"

The idea is that the child pulls out a prop from the bag, and they sing the song (together) associated with that prop. It's a wonderful idea and Evan loves it! Take a look at the video above to see our song sac at home.

The beginning of a new week

Good morning - Tuesday already! WOW - the weeks are whizzing by at the moment. Where did that weekend go? Did you have a nice one? We did -  We spent ours with family visiting, outside in the fresh air - in the garden, in the woods on a Gruffalo trail - wherever the sun appeared to briefly warm the cold April air, and just generally enjoying being together. Since Evan arrived, our weekends revolve around him & his needs. Occasionally mummy or daddy will have a day to themselves, reconnecting with our life before Evan but it's not long before we yearn to be back together - all three of us, just us three.

 

I'm the moment where I feel aware of the fleeting nature of this time in our family life. It won't be forever - it won't be for much longer, that our little baby will no longer become dependent on us for all his needs. He's already taught himself to play on his own, he already knows when & if he wants to nap. He taught me a new song from nursery this weekend and when I asked him if he wanted a sandwich or pasta for lunch his response was "erm .... let me think?" These moments make me chuckle & proud watching my little boy become a little person.

 

I feel things changing. It is good change, an exciting change, watching him grow. But noticing it all happening, I want more than ever to feel my feet firmly planted on the ground, watching and loving what is right now. We seem to forget to notice things when our lives are so busy. I'm going to spend more time, watching, reflecting, observing & absorbing this precious time with our precious little miracle.

 

I promised to tell you about his start in life didn't I? I'm not ready to share that with you yet, those memories have been locked away for safe keeping but when I'm ready I will share it all with you. For now here is a glimpse of how far he's come.

2 days old in NICU - 2 years old!

 

Oh look ...... oh no ........ it's the GRUFFALO!!

I'm so excited to share this post with you all. Yesterday, Daddy, Evan & I were joined by Annma & Pops & we went for on the Gruffalo Childs Trail!

The Gruffalo Childs Trail at the Dean Heritage Centre is a woodland trail of a series of wooden carvings across the forest, depicting the adventures from the best loved childrens story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. 

The Gruffalo sculptures have been beautifully carved by resident chainsaw artists Clayton Ryder and Gil Parnham, using locally sourced redwood from the Forest of Dean. They are truly special & depict the characters wonderfully. We arrived at the centre to be greeted by a 6 foot Gruffalo as we entered the site. We then began our trail, at first Evan was a bit unsure but he became really excited when we showed him the Gruffalo house.

Exploring the Gruffalo house with Annma, Pops & Daddy

The attention to detail in this wooden hut was brilliant. It had been built slightly crooked & inside we we saw photos of the food that the gruffalo likes to eat. "Roasted Fox" & "Owl Ice Cream" & "Scrambled Snake" we also saw his fireplace & some rather funny family portraits. If you look closely at Daddys feet in the final frame, you will see the gruffalos bed.

After leaving the house we started the trail. The creators had really put a lot of effort into the walk, helping to capture the imagination of its young audience. It's here the story began, "the gruffalo said that no gruffalo should ever set foot in the deep dark wood" & just as we read the first part of the story up popped the gruffalo & the gruffalos child.

A bit further along the trail we were able to read the rest of the story, each part of the story being told in different scenes. Evan squealed with delight as he found each of the characters & we read him the next part of the story until we got to the end & saw the gruffalo & his child fast asleep.

After all the gruffalo hunting & a bit of playing in a wonderful children's playground we were all hungry so we took ourselves off to the cafe for lunch. We passed over the bridge & climbed the stairs to eat "Roasted Fox" ........ (mummy had a jacket potato). After lunch we tottered around the rest of the centre which houses a collection of artifacts & interesting pieces depicting forest life.

This was a really magical day, it helped that the sun shining. Evan had a wonderful time wondering around the site, looking for the gruffalo. The centre had thought of everything & even had a play table downstairs with all sorts of gruffalo related crafts for you to take home. The gift shop, as you would expect was full of gruffalo goods & I couldn't resist these finger puppets.

We've read the gruffalo & the gruffalos child a few times since buying them & it helps bring the story alive. I'm so glad I bought them. We shall be taking them to playgroup tomorrow & sharing them with the children, I hope they love it as much as we do.