Nanny and Granddad

An extra day deserves an extra post!

Wednesday 29th February 2012Friday 2nd March 2012Baggie

It only happens once every four years, and it is the first time that it has happened while I have been writing this blog, so it deserves a whole write up to itself. As you may know the leap day is an extra day added to most years that are divisible by 4 (except, of course, ‘end of century‘ years that are not divisible by 400). This is to take into account the fact that the Earth does not take 365 days to revolve around the Sun. In fact, the Earth takes 365 days, 5 hours, 49 minutes and 16 seconds to complete its journey around our local star hence the need for the additional day to keep our fragile grasp on notional time in sync with nature. Therefore our calendar repeats itself every 400 years, which is exactly 20,871 weeks which includes 97 leap days. These 97 days are divided thus: 13 times on a Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday, 14 times on a Friday or a Saturday and 15 times on a Monday or a Wednesday. In 2012 we find that the leap day is on a Wednesday, which I suppose is statistically most likely.

This is also Éowyn and Amélie’s first leap day and thus the first one I have celebrated as a father. I have celebrated nine previous leap days and have not given them much thought but as I enter double figures and because this website is all about our children and our growing pains of parenthood, momentous occasions, like a leap day should be celebrated.

So what happened on Wednesday 29th February 2012?

Our first family Leap Day found this Bagnall enclave in four different places. Lucinda at work (Heathrow airport), Amélie at Nanny and Granddad’s (Stanwell Moor), Éowyn at pre-school (Staines) and once I had dropped the girls off I headed to work (Chiswick). Lucinda had a 0530 shift start so was up at 0430 and out the house by 0500. Amélie decided that the house should all be awake at 0400 so Lucinda missed out on 30 minutes of sleep and I on 3 hours. Amélie seems to have fallen into the habit of waking up early and then crying. We have tried the controlled crying (which is difficult because listening to your child crying is never easy and her cot is still in our room) but Amélie notches it up a gear when that doesn’t work and issues forth the most piercing scream that is only usually heard when you trap your fingers in a collapsing deckchair. There is nothing wrong with her, she just wants to be cuddled. We need to address this before the lack of sleep causes us severe problems! We have a plan!

The dull overcast sky did nothing to help with the monotony of the drive into work and the heavy eyelids fighting those missing three hours of sleep however as I came off the M3 onto the A316 ahead I saw a Honda Civic. I recognised part of the registration plate as one of my colleagues and a quick hands-free conversation later he realised who was tailgating him and we continued the journey in convoy. I like the coincidental nature (possibly even synchronicity) of this seemingly mundane occurrence. For not only were our cars half a second apart (and in the same lane), we both drive the same make of car and we sit on adjacent desks (and until recently did the same job on opposite shift patterns). He drives in from Southampton and thus doesn’t really have a choice regarding road into Chiswick but I have 3 main roads I could chose from and the M3/A316 combination is the longest of the three. However, I had heard that traffic was particularly bad (it is always quite heavy heading into London at rush hour) on the alternatives so I went for the long way round, trusting that it would be the quickest, I wasn’t expecting to see anyone I knew. I have no idea of the odds involved but I would hazard a guess that they are exactly one million to one for as everybody knows (thanks to Terry Pratchett’s novel Mort) that million to one chances happen nine times out of ten.

Unfortunately nothing quite as exciting happened for the remainder of the day and after a very meeting-centric day at work I headed home really feeling the continuing lack of sleep. So once the girls were abed (after I had to play fairies and Peppa Pig with Éowyn – she has taken to wanting us to play with her and her toys before going to bed rather than having a story read to her) myself and Lucinda sat down for about an hour before heading to bed ourselves. It is all glamour and parties in the Bagnall household on a Leap Day, don’t you know!

This is a bit of a diversion from the usual write up and so there are no photos I’m afraid especially since it is only a couple of days since the last update and 18 photos! (Hey, it only happens once every four years). I will leave you now and go and put some of The Monkees’ tunes on to celebrate the life of Davy Jones, who died of a heart-attack at his Florida home on this Leap Day aged 66. Our thoughts are with his family.

Peace and Love

Baggie

Where is this year’s snow?

Wednesday 18th January 2012Friday 11th May 2012Baggie

So before we know it the mid-January hangover is upon us. Christmas is a distant memory (apart from the collection of new toys strewn across the lounge floor) and Summer an eternity away. Not that this Winter has been that hard, forecasts in the Autumn were indicating it was going to be a harsh winter, but hey weathermen and meteorologists have been wrong before. The jetstream is sitting much further north than the last few years hence our winter (at least for the southern portion of the UK) has been much warmer than recent years, shame really as I enjoy a bit of snow.

So what has been happening in the Bagnall household in the first part of 2012. Well it is a case of getting back into the old routines. Éowyn now goes to school 3 times a week. She has only be back at school for one week so it is hard to say exactly how she is coping with this. Unfortunately, Lucinda’s work days fell mid-week on that week so not only did Dad have to take her to school each day, she was at Jo’s (the childminders) on one of the other days and we had to ask Lucinda’s dad to pick her up on two of the days. Therefore she has not spent too much time with Lucinda this past week (which is unusual and I think she has missed her Mommy). Éowyn loved being picked up by her Granddad because Lucinda’s dad has a flat bed truck and so, as three year old, it was one of the most exciting things that could have to have to ride home in the cab of Granddad’s truck (she probably will not think that in 10 years time!) and when we told her that on Friday that Lucinda would pick her up from school, she said, ‘Can Granddad pick me up in his truck?‘ which no doubt delighted Lucinda’s dad but is a bit of a kick in the teeth for Lucinda and me.

The main news though from the Bagnall household is the fact that Amélie has been discharged from the paediatrician. As you know when she was first born she had severe reflux and wasn’t feeding correctly. With hindsight it was probably part of the same problem: cow’s milk protein intolerance but at the time both aspects were being treated. She therefore was given drugs to help lower her stomach acid and relax the stomach to help prevent reflux and she was tried with a variety of artifical milks until we hit upon Neocate (which she is still on). The reflux went away but was that the drugs or was it the fact that her body wasn’t being poisoned with a chemical it couldn’t handle (the cow’s milk protein!). The Cow’s milk intolerance is being treated under the supervision of a dietician while the reflux was treated under the supervision of the paediatrician. As we suspected, it appears that the reflux wasn’t caused by any physical issues with Amélie’s digestive tract and was more than likely due to the intolerance. However, we are extremely grateful that we were taken seriously and she was fully investigated and now given a clean bill of health. We just have to hope that she grows out of the Cow’s milk protein intolerance, and we will be testing her for that again soon. The intolerance has not made her a fussy eater though and she has quite a prodigious appetite, quite often eating more than her sister!

Amélie is still not walking unaided, however Nanny Fran bought her a pushchair for Christmas and she can motor along with that at a fair pace. It is not just in straight lines either, if she wants to turn around or take a sharp left then she swings that pushchair round and tootles off in the new direction. I think that it is just a matter of confidence and as soon as she realises that she doesn’t need to hold onto something then she’ll be off. However, for some reason she doesn’t like a doll being in the pushchair and a squashy green ball seems to be her favourite passenger (you can see it in the photos below). Her vocabulary has also started to increase and I don’t think it will be long before she will start surprising us with words. She has always been a little chatty and will gurgle and mumble away to herself quite merrily (sometimes at 0300!) but the other day she drank her milk and handed me the bottle saying ‘Here you are,‘ or as close to that for my ears to interpret it that way. I know my place.

It is strange how the two sisters are quite different in temperament. Amélie is far more laid back than her older sister but at the same time quite cuddly and will wander over to you give you a kiss and cuddle then go back to whatever it was that she was doing beforehand. She doesn’t seem quite as intent on sitting down and learning but will quite happily play with you without need of the television. Éowyn is much more independent (when she knows that you are about) and will rarely give you a spontaneous cuddle but if you are not about she can get a little anxious and is always glad when you are back. She is always keen to learn and to impress you with what she knows (doesn’t that remind you of anyone?) but will easily waste an afternoon watching a film or just banal television (again, like anyone you know?). Éowyn does like her home and her home comforts especially when her parents are about. Lucinda picked Éowyn up from school last week and she said, ‘Are we going home? I like being at home and when Daddy is there it is the best place in the world!‘ The little sweetie!

I currently have a week off work (using up the remainder of last year’s leave entitlement) and Lucinda has done the same, so it really will be the best place in the world when they get back from school and Jo’s. It is not all that exciting for Lucinda and me though as we are trying to fit all the new toys into our already crowded house. There is a lot of consolidation going on and toys that have not seen the light of day or they are too old for are either heading down the charity shop or being boxed up and put in the loft. To be honest it is probably something that both Lucinda and I should be doing to our own stuff. Kids first!

Not the most exciting set of photos below but it is January and the year has only just begun. Hopefully none of you suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia and if you did you managed to survive last Friday unscathed! If you do suffer from friggatriskaidekaphobia (or paraskevideatriaphobia as it is also known), then 2012 is probably a bad year for you as there will be 3 this year, so keep an eye on April and July!

Peace and love

Baggie

Me and my old friend Mr Snowman!

Bye bye Mr Snowman, until next year!

Like my new hair?

I like breakfast!

I like toast!

I like spaghetti

Cheeky smile!

Can I have my ball please?

Camera, please!

Dinnertime’s great!

Nothing to see here…

You can’t see me!

Don’t stop me now!

Like my hat?

Or an Angel with a wand…

Christmas is over (or is it?)

Thursday 29th December 2011Friday 11th May 2012Baggie

So Christmas is over (unless you are a part of the Eastern Christian orthodoxy that celebrate Christmas on the Epiphany – which is probably more accurate for that is when the little baby Jesus received his presents), turkey has been eaten, festive drinks have been quaffed and the presents have all been opened. I trust that you have all had a good time and that Santa has brought you all that you wished for. Well if he hasn’t it was because you have been naughty so you only have yourself to blame! Unfortunately it wasn’t quite a ‘White Christmas’, on the contrary, it was the third warmest UK Christmas on record with the mercury reading over 14°C. A veritable heatwave but you can’t have everything.

It has been a busy couple of weeks in the Bagnall household since the last update so forgive the length of this installment. It has also been fun for Éowyn for the first time has understood the basic ideas of Christmas (i.e. that Santa rides around the world on a sleigh giving good children presents) and so the magic of Christmas has been re-ignited for Lucinda and myself. Now correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that most children believe that Santa has a list of children under two headings: naughty and nice, and that in a Big-Brother style surveillance operation that he is spying on them and that only the children on the latter list will receive presents. Therefore one would hope that in the build up to Christmas those said children would be doing their utmost to stay on the latter list or indeed hope that Santa has a short term memory problem and move from the former to the latter in time for the big day. Éowyn has to be different. For months she has been very well behaved, unfortunately in the last couple of weeks her behaviour has made a turn for the worst (although not to the extent of the bad days of the terrible twos when she would spent large percentages of the time on the thinking step).

The last day of Éowyn’s school term was the obligatory Carol Concert (our first as parents – although there were very little ‘carols’ per se, more Christmas songs). I took the day off work and we were joined at the school by Nanny and Granddad. Éowyn was dressed as a sheep (the head came off half way during the concert) and delighted us by singing her heart out to every song. We were obviously very proud parents and filmed it for prosperity. When she returns in January we will be taking full advantage of the free nursery hours given by the UK government (currently 15 hours per week) and upping her days from 2 to 3. She also left school with a traditional gift – a heavy cold. Indeed in the spirit of giving she has passed it on to all of us, including her little sister – more of which later.

Christmas week started with Amélie at Jo’s and Lucinda, myself and Éowyn heading on a mystery tour. We had not told Éowyn that we had pre-booked for her to see Father Christmas at Peppa Pig World (Paulton’s Park). As she was a she a little heavy with cold she slept for the entire journey down the M3 and only woke as we entered Paulton’s Park. The Paulton’s Park Christmas world is excellent with a trip through a sleeping child’s imagination through to the North Pole to visit Santa. The path is lined with animatronic creatures (from yetis to white tigers to sleeping polar bears to dwarfs and reindeer and a whole host of woodland creatures along the way). Considering that Peppa Pig World was fully open and the cost was the same as just going to Paulton’s Park it was excellent value. However it was bitingly cold when we first got there and as the warm air gradually crept in, it brought rain. Conscious of her cold we placated her with a few of the rides before curtailing the trip short and heading back home to the warmth of the moor.

With all of my Christmas present shopping complete the week leading up to Christmas was not as hectic as it usually is, a novelty for me. It was as well as it was quite a busy week at work (with a full Premier League schedule in the mid-week before Christmas) as well as squeezing in a funeral of a friend of mine, Mike Royle, who lost his battle with cancer the week before Christmas and a couple of days before his 50th birthday. My thoughts are with his family.

It has become (or is becoming) a tradition that on Christmas Eve we host Lucinda’s parents and brother Mike and family and it was so this Christmas. With Lucinda at work all day I was charged with the honour of preparing the house and food while looking after the girls. Fortunately, Éowyn was coming out of the worst of the cold which was good, however she had passed it on to Amélie and myself. Not having the chance to feel sorry for myself I dosed myself up and just got on with it. We were fortunate that it wasn’t ‘man flu’ otherwise we would have been in trouble. So the first of the great feasts of the yuletide began and the six months of dieting were forgotten. A good evening was had by all and Éowyn was so worn out that she went to bed after everyone left and was soon asleep. Amélie however was coughing heavily and didn’t finally fall asleep until 2300.

Christmas morning started with the girls giving Lucinda and me the best Christmas present ever: a lie-in (until 0830)! Very well received and thank you girls. So at 0830 Éowyn popped her head around our bedroom doro and said, ‘Mommy, Daddy, Santa has been and he has left me lots of presents. Am I allowed to open them?‘ That will probably be the last time she asks however we were not cruel but said that we would take the sack of presents downstairs to open them in the lounge. She was very pleased with her Cicciobello doll but her Woody (from Toy Story) was the number one favourite toy on Christmas day and would later come to Nanny and Granddad’s for Christmas lunch.

Éowyn was very good with her presents, clothes were given short shrift but the toys were looked at and filed for future playtime. After she had opened all of her presents we allowed her to help Amélie open her presents. As all siblings throughout history Éowyn found Amélie’s presents far more interesting that her own but that did not last long when we threatened to give Amélie Woody if Éowyn didn’t let Amélie have her presents back.

As I mentioned above, Christmas lunch was around Lucinda’s parents (a short walk to the end of the road) where a feast for 18 had been prepared. It also gave Éowyn the opportunity to play with her cousins who re as good as gold with a sometimes stroppy but always bossy three year old. After lunch was mass present opening with five cousins (Amélie was feeling poorly and spent the best part of the day cuddling either Mommy or Daddy). It was manic and I spend most of the time trying to keep an eye on what present she was opening so that we could thank the correct person later. Needless to say both we spoilt so a big thank you to everyone who bought them presents.

We left shortly after the present opening to take the girls back home. Éowyn was ready for bed after such an exciting day but Amélie was beginning to worry us. Her face looked sallow and she was feeling very sorry for herself and just wanted to be cuddled, which is not like her. She had not taken that much food over the previous days and her cough was sounding as bad as ever. We decided that if she was not better in the morning we would take her to the walk-in clinic at the local hospital. The next day (Boxing day in the UK) is traditionally Sales day and Lucinda had decided that she wanted to go to two of the bigger sales available in Staines, Next and Debenhams. So with this in mind we retired early.

Lucinda was not prepared for the sales the next morning, and will need to sharpen her elbows if she is going to go next year. The sale at Next started at 0600 so she arrived in Staines at 0545 (I told you she was getting up early) to be greeted with a queue that stretched half way down the high street. It took her over 2 hours before she even got into the shop but made good of the time she was there and came back with many of the things that she had gone there for. She then made it a double whammy and wandered into Debenhams to find the last of the sale items she had wanted (indeed it was the last one left in the store). So it was after 1100 when she finally arrived home laden with shopping bags.

Meanwhile I was becoming more concerned with Amélie and struggling with the cold myself. Amélie however was very lethargic and not her self at all. She was taking very little liquids and refusing most solids and I was worried that she was becoming dehydrated. When Lucinda walked in, she could see my concern and with the eyes of someone that has been away for a couple of hours agreed that we should take her to the walk-in clinic. I stayed at home with Éowyn and Lucinda took Amélie off. The waiting room at the clinic was almost as bad as the sales. Every seat was occupied and it was mainly babies so they couldn’t jump the queue by playing the baby card. When the doctor examined her he was concerned too. He said that she was borderline dehydrated and realising that Lucinda was very concerned attempted to get Amélie admitted to the local hospital (St. Peter’s where she was born). However when he ‘phoned the registrar at St. Peter’s and described the symptoms they said that she was not bad enough to be admitted (I am assuming that they must have limited staff over the Christmas break and possibly many admissions, so unless it was life threatening they would not admit any more). The doctor was very good though and wrote a fast track letter for us with the proviso that unless there was an improvement – not even a worsening but a definite improvement – in the next 24 hours we were to go directly to St. Peter’s armed with his letter. Well Amélie must have understood, for as she arrived home she began to eat and drink her milk (neocate). She was not going to be admitted to hospital.

A quick day in the office on the 27th was followed by a visit from Nanny Fran and Aunties Liz and Mary. More presents were exchanged, although Auntie Liz forgot her’s and so Éowyn’s and Amélie’s (and Lucinda’s and my) Christmas will be extended another couple of weeks. Do we mind – I don’t think so!

So, the year draws to an end and we are trying to work out where all the extra toys are going to fit in our modest house. Amélie, thankfully seems to be on the mend; Éowyn is beside herself with all the new things to play with, and Lucinda and myself are just knackered. We are proud that we were are getting better at this Christmas thing and were far more organised this year than last (which in turn was far more organised than the year before that, and so on and so forth) but are still a long way from making an excel spreadsheet and ticking all the boxes (does anyone ever manage that?).

Work and family beckon but before I leave you, I trust that you all had good Christmasses and may the Bagnall family be the first to wish you all the best for 2012.

Peace and Love

Baggie