Showing posts with label chloe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chloe. Show all posts
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Long time no post

Well I've been a bit lazy in my posting since Christmas. I've been feeling run off my feet and a bit stressed. Have been having many, many problems with a certain person and it's been stressing me out an awful lot.
But we had a good Christmas and New Year and have vowed the 2010 is going to be the total opposite of 2009 - which basically contained a LOT of hurt and being walked all over and laying my dreams at the door. But 2010 is going to be full of happiness and love (hopefully) and getting my and Chloe's life back on track.

I know this is a very short post but I'll definitely be posting more frequently from now on. I'll leave you with some pictures of my little lady at a recent trip to W5 with a friend and his daughter. Chloe absolutely loved playing in the water pools and the sand boxes. xx
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Happy 1st Birthday Chloe!!!!!!!!!!
You have grown so much since then. That helpless little baby has been replaced by a burly toddler. I can't believe how fast this year has gone, but also how much has changed since that first night with you. But I wouldn't change it for a second. Every hardship I have faced has been lightened by your smile. You bring such joy to everyone around you. You are a total delight to be around and I couldn't have asked for a better daughter.
Here are some of the things you do at this age:
Here are some of the things you do at this age:
You're still breastfeeding on demand, although this has greatly reduced. When you feed you either try to perform acrobatics or you lie still and just stroke my arm. It's really loving and sweet. You still have only 8 teeth but another 6 are about to burst through.You are going through a very fussy eating stage at the minute and it's tough to persuade you to eat solids at times. You will happily try anything but then you get bored and shake your head to indicate you don't want any more. Your favourite foods are pesto, olives and parma ham. Really salty and unhealthy for a baby, but shows you have good taste. You always offer me your food.
You are much more vocal now, happily babbling to yourself. You love to pretend to be on the telephone, holding it to your ear and saying 'Hiya' repeatedly into it. You lift your teddies and dolls, rock them back and forth saying 'Aww aww' presumably because I do that to you when you're upset. You always have a toy in your mouth, usually a Little People person or animal. I don't know why, you just play happily with it in your mouth. I wonder if you're copying Missi(our dog). You love to put things into a bag and take them out again. So you love the 'my first purse' that I bought you for your birthday.
You point at EVERYTHING and ask 'utts dat?' (what's that?). You're so curious about the world. I can see you noseying at everything with an inquisitive look on your face. You miss nothing. You love to point at the cat and say 'Cat' really loudly. You can point to a nose, eyes, mouth, feet and hands in a picture. It's amazing how much you know. You can also say hiya, bye, nana, papa, dada, mama, baba (for boobie), missi (which comes out like 'Issth') and yuck. You wave hello and goodbye unprompted now.
You love to dance and sing. You sing along to music all the time (albeit to your own tune). You like to push things along (your pram/footstool/trike). You are learning to run at the minute so you keep tripping over your feet and getting a bump on the head. Although thankfully we haven't had any dreadful bruises yet.
You LOVE books and will happily sit and look through them yourself. Then if you want me to read them you bring them over and set them on my knee. This is such a wonderful quality. I am so pleased you like books. You always share toys. You like to give me and others toys to hold. You have just learnt to throw a ball (albeit only a foot or so to me) and then I throw it back to you. You love that.
You like to pick pretend/invisible things off the floor and hand them to me. Then I have to hand them back. You have just learnt how to rock on your snail rocker. You can now climb onto the bed and sofa yourself. You love to sit in the dog/cats bed for some reason. You also like to find a wee nook and sit in it, like the alcove beside fireplace or under the coffee table.
You keep trying to dress yourself. For instance you will get a pair of tights and open the waist and then try to get them over your foot (unsuccessfully). Or you will get a sock and set it on your foot to see if it magically goes on. You try to pull tops over your head, but end up wearing them like a scarf. It's the sweetest thing, and shows how much you are maturing.
You squat to do a wee. I discovered this when I noticed every so often you would just squat down for a min then get back up and carry on. You also will bring a clean nappy over to me when you have a poopy nappy.
You try to wipe your own bottom with a baby wipe if I give one to you. You are totally obsessed with belly buttons. You stick your finger in mine asking 'utts dat?' You can point to it when I'm dressed if I ask you where it is. I recently showed you your belly button and you now keep poking your finger into it.
What surprises me most about you is how independent and secure you are. For instance you are not remotely bothered by the dark or being on your own. You will happily walk from our sitting room into the lounge (no lights on) and get a toy. It's wonderful that you will do this. You happily play with Lucy (your little friend) alongside you but you just as happily play alone while I am watching TV. It seems as long as you know I am about you are happy enough, and you can regularly get cuddles.
You are a very content little girl, you have such a gentle, caring nature and like to cuddle on my knee just watching TV sometimes. You truely have completed my life and I can't wait to live the rest of it with you. You are a dream child and you really will never, ever know just how much of a miracle you were. It was like God answered every single little bit of my prayers when he blessed me with you.
Happy Birthday little one. I wish you many, many more happy birthdays in your life. You deserve them.
Love always,
Momma xxx
Saturday, 12 December 2009
The Ark Open Farm
We had a wonderful time. I am a total animal lover and if I could afford it I would buy a farm. So I had a blast feeding the animals. We saw reindeer, cows, calves, horses, sheep, alpacas, goats, chicks and chickens, pigs and probably a few I've forgotten. I of course, being an avid horse lover, made a beeline straight for the HUGE cob who was stabled due to a leg injury. He was so lovely, a very gentle nature. Chloe also really enjoyed him and was happy with him nuzzling her head and petting him.
It's funny how kids pick up on their parents emotions. I was obviously comfortable around all the animals, feeding them, stroking them, talking to them etc, and encouraging Chloe to do the same, and Chloe was very happy doing so, and roared with laughter when the Alpacas where eating out of my hand, and then one stole the food container. But my friend Claire-Louise just stood back and wouldn't touch anything, clearly uncomfortable touching them. Her daughter Lucy then screamed anytime she got too close to the animals. So hopefully Chloe will end up without a fear of any animals.
But we really did have a wonderful day. We had lunch in the coffee house at the farm and it was lovely. Claire-Louise and Lucy bought Chloe a xylophone for her birthday which is great as Chloe really loves them. Then we came back to mine for coffee and then I dropped them home as I was gong out to my Scoobyireland Christmas do in Belfast this evening (which turned out to be rubbish).
So all in all an excellent first birthday.
Love you Chloe, xx
Monday, 30 November 2009
Walking and running
She is saying more words now and walking about babbling to herself. She picks up things and puts them to her ear to pretend to be on the phone - she's been doing that a while. And today, for the first time, she picked up a cuddly toy and hugged it while rocking back and forth and saying 'awww aww'. Presumably copying me as I do that to her when she gets hurt.
It is just like this little person has emerged. I love love LOVE her. I so enjoy her company. She is the absolute light of my life. I can't believe she's going to be a big one year old in 2 weeks time. It seems like only yesterday that I found out I was having her.
So I will share some photographs of my beautiful TODDLER.

Thursday, 19 November 2009
Chloe walking
Chloe has been toddling for the past few weeks now but yesterday and today she has been trying to walk everywhere. She is still unsteady and so falls down a bit but she stands straight back up and continues on her way. It's like she has finally discovered that she can walk on her own. I got a couple of videos of her doing it but none of them are that great. Every time I videos her she stumbled, and then when I put it down she was walking without falling at all. Typical. So here's
wee video of her walking.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
11 months today
Happy 11 month birthday my lovely little girl. I can't believe you've been with me for almost a whole year now. This time last year I was counting down those last few days until you were born. I was so excited - buying all the bits and pieces we would need for your arrival. I remember when we collected the pushchair and the crib (which ended up being used only once). We set both of them up in the lounge and I put a teddy in the crib all tucked up - imagining how that was soon going to be you. Then your Daddy put the hat we bought you onto the teddy, lol. Oh I was so excited. Wondering if you were going to be a Christmas baby as your due date was December 22nd. I remember wandering around Mothercare just gazing at the clothes, picking what I was going to dress you in when you arrived. Chloe you will never know or understand just how wanted you were. It's such a cliche but you really were a dream come true for me and you have made my life so wonderful. I couldn't live it without you. I know I am just a guardian for your wee soul that God has given me, but I am forever thankful that He did.
Love you more than life itself.
Mommy xx
Friday, 6 November 2009
Memories
Being a lone mommy can be hard sometimes. Chloe had a hospital appointment today to get her hips x-rayed. I have dislocated hips and when Chloe was 6 weeks old an ultrasound showed a slight 'immaturity' in her left hip. Luckily it seems to be very slight now and I'm hoping she won't need any treatment, but we have to see what the consultant says.
The appointment was at Antrim Area Hospital, where I gave birth. And the last time I was there was giving birth to Chloe. Neil didn't come to Chloe's appointment as he said he was too busy, and going there on my own brought back a lot of memories.
I was told I would never be able to have kids and so finding out I was pregnant was the most amazing surprise in the whole world. My many, many prayers had been answered.
I remember going there with Neil for our first scan at 6 weeks and being so full of excitement and wonder that I was pregnant. I had so many dreams, but I was so scared something would go wrong, and seeing that tiny little bean's heart beating on the scanner was the most amazing feeling in the world.
I remember our 12 week scan, with Neil by my side. Chloe waved her arms about as if she was saying, 'hiya mommy and daddy'. Most people start to relax at their 12 week scan but I was still so scared something would go wrong. I just couldn't believe my dream of motherhood was going to come true.
I remember going there on my own for regular ante-natal check ups and sitting in the waiting room watching all the other women going through this journey with me. Some like me, were at the start of their journey, and some were nearly ready to have their baby. I remember at the start thinking that it seemed like a lifetime before I would hold my baby in my arms. I felt so jealous of those ladies ready to pop. I used to sit in the waiting room and allow myself to daydream about what it would be like to have my baby. To finally hold him/her(I didn't know the sex yet) in my arms. Oh the dreams I had about parenthood, us being a family.
I remember our 3D private scan where they told us we were having a little girl. I burst into tears. My dream came true. I couldn't believe God was so generous to give me, not only a baby, but a baby daughter. And I was so very scared that it would all be taken away from me. Surely in real life dreams don't come true.
I remember sitting in the waiting room near the end of my journey watching all the newly pregnant women coming in and knowing that they would be looking at me and thinking they wished they were at my stage, about to have their baby, and feeling like it would be forever before they finally got to that stage. And I remember wanting to say to them that I remembered the start of the journey too and that the time absolutely flew by.
I remember being at the hospital when I was 38 weeks pregnant and the doctor telling me that I was going to have my baby on the 15/12. I was so excited. So very ready to go on to this next stage of the journey of motherhood. I rushed out and phoned Neil (he was at work) and told him that Chloe was going to be here in a weeks time.
I remember coming to the hospital on the 14th December with all our baby stuff and as I walked in the doors being so very aware that when I walked out of them I would be holding my baby in my arms instead of in my belly. And I was so excited.
I remember pacing the corridors waiting to be giving the induction pessary.
I remember Neil giving me a kiss and promising to be back as soon as I was in labour.
I remember when labour started in earnest and I remember phoning Neil to tell him to get back asap.
I remember holding Chloe in my arms just moments after her birth - I had my girl.
I remember breastfeeding Chloe for the first time and it just being so normal.
I remember walking back through those doors thinking, 'Now my life is complete'.
And today I walked out those same doors and burst into tears. The crushing awareness that the last time I walked through them we were a family, now I was on my own with Chloe. I wouldn't change my journey for a second. I am so glad I have Chloe, she is the light of my life. But I am now so acutely aware that I have only myself to rely on.
It's funny how so much of my life and emotions are wrapped up in that hospital. One building. It feels like half my life is in those walls.
Monday, 19 October 2009
10 month update
Well Chloe you are now ten months old. I can't believe you are growing up so fast. It seems like only yesterday I was trailing round Mothercare daydreaming about what I would buy when you arrived. I remember the midwife handing you to me after you came out of the incubator and you snuggling down beside me and breastfeeding for the first time. I remember having trouble bonding with you for those first few weeks because your birth was so traumatic. And I remember the moment, at about 1am, when you looked up at me and smiled for the first time and I realised I loved you more than I could ever have imagined and more than words could ever describe. I love you so much darling Chloe and I'm so thankful that you are my daughter. Check out the most gorgeous cheesy grin in the picture below:

Here are a few things about you at ten months. You still breastfeed on demand but you rarely do it during the day now, just in the mornings and evenings. You're a very good eater generally and you love baby pesto and pasta. You also love yoghurt and breadsticks. You still only have 8 teeth though. You haven't had any new teeth for a couple of months now but you are starting to chew again and I think some more are coming through at the back.
You can crawl as fast as I can jog, lol. You love to climb the stairs and you have learnt to climb off the sofa, bed and stairs feet first instead of lunging head first. You wave hello and bye bye. You love to clap your hands for everyone. You are learning to point to your head when we ask, 'Where's Chloe's head?', and fingers and so on. You can cruise easily while holding on to furniture, and you can walk with your first steps pram. You point at all the things that excite you and I tell you about them. You give slobbery kisses when we ask for them. They are the most wonderful kisses in the world.
You absolutely love our miniature Jack Russell, Missi, and the cat, Toby. You get so excited when they come near you. Missi loves you as well and she's so good with you and so tolerant. She licks your feet to make you laugh and she guards you whenever strangers are in the house.
You like to look at books on your own now. You especially love the 'F is for Farm' book that your Great-Granny Wickens brought home from America for you. It's a brilliant book with different textures to feel, flaps to open and moving parts. You also love playing with you Little People playhouse. You've learnt to press the different noise buttons. However, no matter how many toys you have you seem to always want to play with either the TV remote control or my phone :-).
You wear pull-up nappies now because you wouldn't stay still long enough for me to put on regular one's. You're all go all the time. Your hair is starting to grow - you can see it thickening up. Lovely, tiny tiny curls are starting at the back. You're a very adventurous baby and you tend to try something and if you don't succeed, or you fall, you get straight back up and do it again. That is a wonderful character trait - to have a bold, try anything spirit. I'm so pleased you've got that.
You like to see how you can experiment with different body positions. For instance you will be breastfeeding and you'll try to stand on your head and feet without using your arms. All this whilst remaining attached to me having a feed. I probably shouldn't let you do that but I love seeing you learn what you are capable of doing with your body. You have all these new abilities that you are refining at the minute and I don't want to hamper your efforts in any way. Those first few steps you took with your baby walker; your face was so proud. You marched about utterly delighted at yourself, you were so chuffed at your abilities. And I could have burst with pride. Seeing you walk about with your tongue sticking out, the way you do when you are concentrating. Priceless moments, no money could ever buy.
I love you so, so much baby Chloe. (It won't be long now until I have to drop the baby bit).
Mommy
xx
Saturday, 17 October 2009
First pair of shoes

Well, as Chloe started trying to walk properly I decided to get her a pair of 'big girl' shoes. Plus it is getting really cold outside and she need's something on her feet. Up until now I had been just wearing Daisy Roots soft shoes on her. They are basically just soft leather booties which are gorgeous but keep her feet warm and afford a bit of protection should she want to cruise about.
But the problem recently has been that she is between sizes. They go 0-6m, 6-12m, 12-18m and so on. The 6-12m one's are too tight now but the 12-18m one's are like clown shoes on her. So proper measured shoes it had to be.
I went with my mom to a shop called Shoebdoo which is a fabulous kids shoe shop in my local town. They do the most gorgeous shoes for all ages of children. We went with a pair of lovely fur
lined 'Startrite booties. The girl measured her feet and said she's a size 3.5G - quite wide - and we are to bring her back in 6-8 weeks to have her remeasured. They really are gorgeous. The picture's are taken on my phone and so aren't great.
Chloe's first steps with walker
Well on Thursday (15th) Chloe was having a bath when she stood up. She didn't pull herself up like she usually does, she just stood up on her own and stayed up for a while. I couldn't believe it. So when she was out and dried I gave her the first steps pram we have to see what she would do with it. She pulled herself up and then was off, marching about the house thoroughly pleased with herself. It's like someone just suddenly flicked a switch so that she could walk. She even keeps trying to take steps on her own without the walker.
It's amazing, I am so proud of her. I know every baby does this but when it's your baby doing it you're so chuffed. And you could see that Chloe was really pleased with herself. She had been cruising about the furniture for a while but didn't have any remote interest in using the pram walkie. And now she's doing it. On her ten month birthday as well!
Where did my little baby go? The little scrunched up, red baby that came out of my belly? I don't know what happened, lol. It feels like her life is flashing in front of my eye's. She is just growing up too fast.
Now she's a toddler, eek!
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Fisher Price
I believe in giving praise where praise is due. My mom had bought Chloe a Fisher Price bath toy a couple of months ago. They toy was aged 6mth+ so she was in the right age group. This toy was to be played with in the bath and part of it was a plastic ball, which was two different colored semi-sphere's stuck together with a little plastic star inside it.
I had Chloe in the bath playing with the toy and as I turned round to get the shampoo I heard her start to cough. After a few seconds I realised she was choking but I couldn't for the life of me think what on. I looked in her mouth and could see the edge of the little plastic star just at the back of her mouth. Very luckily I was able to grab it and pull it out. After getting Chloe calmed down, as she was very upset at this stage, I looked for the ball that was supposed to encapsulate the star and I found the two halves of it. It had broken in two and she had nearly choked on the star inside. Obviously this wasn't meant to be able to break.
So first thing the following morning I posted the broken toy back to Fisher Price/Mattel along with a very strongly worded letter of complaint, after all, my daughter could have died because of this. I expected to get a letter of apology back and a refund for the toy, which cost a fiver, lol.
A couple of weeks passed and I received a letter apologising and inviting me to phone to discuss how the toy broke etc. So I phoned up expecting that they were about to tell me it was somehow my fault that it had broken, but the girl I spoke to seemed genuinely concerned and said as a mark of apology they would like to give Chloe a Little People's House. I was delighted with this as I had considered getting her one myself.
Apparently the item hadn't been glued together properly allowing water to seep in and basically dissolve the little glue there was and that was why it broke in half.
This is the toy they sent Chloe. She absolutely adores it. There are various buttons to press throughout the house which make different sounds (i.e. doorbell, bath, washing machine). Chloe's just at the age now where things like that really capture her attention.
Birthday
Mum and Dad got me a laptop, a Dell Inspirion, which I desperately needed as the screen had gone in my old one and I was having to connect it to a free standing monitor. So not exactly an ideal situation.
Chloe got me a Thornton's personalised car. It's astonishing that at her age she was able to order and pay for it herself as well as sign her card to me. :-)
My bro and his girlfriend go me a box of chocolates and a gorgeous La Senza nightshirt. Neil and his mom and dad got me Next vouchers and from my grandparents I got money.
So all in all I had a good birthday. Oh and of course I got a big slobbery kiss from Chloe. The picture of her at the top was taken on my birthday and I love the way you can see all her wee teeth in it.
Wednesday, 30 September 2009
McRae Memorial Convoy

As I drive a Subaru Impreza I belong to an owners club called Scoobyireland. In memory of Colin McRae's tragic death alongside that of his son and two other's, we do a Subaru convoy around Northern Ireland. I took Chloe along to this.
Had a fantastic day and over 100 Subaru's showed up for this event. As we drove through little villages people came out of their houses and stood by the side of the road, some were even clapping. It's a good tribute to a man who was the ultimate Scooby driver. And it's a sobering reminder of him and his little son, as well as his friend and another child who died in a helicopter crash on 16/09/07.
First picture below is my car, JDM Subaru Impreza STi.

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In memory of Colin McRae (39), son Johnny McRae (5), Graeme Duncan (37)
and Ben Portcelli (6).
Break from blogging
It's amazing how overwhelming being a single parent is. Even though I did all the childcare anyway I could still say to Neil, 'you watch her for 2 mins while I go to the bathroom/make a cup of tea/have a shower'. But now I have to do everything with her and I don't get a break. It's very hard at times.
And then add on top of that I'm doing A-Levels at night and have to study as well, so I'm utterly exhausted all the time. But it's made me more determined to continue with my studies so that I can become a Doctor and provide for Chloe. I never want to be in a position that I have to rely on a man for money again.
Sorry for the depressing nature of this post but I'm feeling very sorry for myself at the minute, lol. But, as they say, the only way is up.

This is a picture of Chloe with my wee brother Peter
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Conked out.
Great-Granny's house
The other day we were at my Grannys house. We were in the back sitting room instead of the front so this was a whole new room to explore. Chloe loved the patio doors and was fascinated by what was outside.
And she decided to display her appreciation by giving them a big kiss. (You can see my Granda power-hosing the patio in the background)


She saw the TV on the cabinet and decided to try to get to it without Mommy telling her 'No'. The excitement.

'Yay, I reached it!'

Over to the sofa where Chloe has decided 'I want to get into Mommy's bag. I know there's loads of cool stuff in there.'
And finally a good old game of peek-a-boo behind the curtain.


Monday, 31 August 2009
Brush my teeth Mommy
Chloe now has 8 teeth and I had been using Dentinox toothpaste which comes with a little toothbrush with rubber bristles that you put over your finger. Chloe loved getting her teeth cleaned with that - the toothpaste doesn't foam the way adult ones do and it tastes like apples. But as she got more teeth I thought I should start to use a proper toothbrush. So I bought a baby Oral B one and tried it with her. She loves it even more than the rubber one. When she see's me getting ready to clean her teeth she lies back and opens her mouth. So cute. I clean her teeth on my bed with her lying back against the pillows. She doesn't spit the toothpaste yet so there's no need for it to be done in the bathroom. It's easier like that.
Here's a picture of madam getting her teeth brushed. It's not a great picture though.

Here's a wee picture of Chloe in a dress that her Auntie Amanda bought her. Amanda is my brother Pete's girlfriend.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Chloe - 8 months old
Chloe was 8 months old yesterday so I though it would be nice to do an update on her development.
Dear Chloe,
'What mess Mummy?'

You're at such a wonderful age at the moment, you bring joy to every day. I have honestly never come across a baby who is as happy as you. You rarely cry, you just smile and giggle all day. You're so pleasent and easy going. I'm very relaxed with you and don't impose a routine so maybe that's part of the reason you're so relaxed.
You're still breastfeeding on demand although you have cut down quite a bit since starting on solid foods. You breastfeed in the morning, when you take a nap and then you feed on and off in the evening until you fall asleep. You eat 3 meals a day and you love everything. You eat anything that's put in front of you which is great too see. You weigh about 21lbs now.
You are still sleeping in my bed.
You have 8 teeth now - one broke through this morning. You rarely fuss when teething. Indeed the only reason I looked for a tooth today was because of your dribbling! You're a very dribbly baby when you've a tooth coming through.
You have been crawling from 6 months and just before you turned 7 months you started standing up whilst holding onto things. And just today you cruised for the first time. You were standing holding onto the bars of your playpen(on the outside) and you decided to walk along. It's amazing to see you developing so fast. You just seem to want to walk. Indeed, from the moment you started crawling you would crawl 2 hands, 2 feet at times. (Pic belows is you cruising)

You clapped hands at 6 months and you wave hello and goodbye and have been doing for about a month. At 7 months you started saying 'Hiya' whilst waving. I guess this is because I always wave at you and say 'Hiya Chloe'. So that was your first word. Your second word was 'Dada'. You say this in response to him coming home from work. And on Friday you decided to say your third word.........'Yuck!'. Lol. I couldn't believe it when you said that. You were trying to eat my car keys and I would usually take them off you and say, 'Yuckie'. And so, as I went to take them off you on Friday you said, 'Yuck'. You've been saying it constantly the past few days. You love to hear your own voice. But still no sign of you calling me Mama. You had been saying Mama for a while a few months ago, but it was babbling as opposed to calling me it. So I'm still to hear it.
Your favourite book at the minute is Playtime Poppy Cat . You're favourite toy at the minute is this Dolly. You also love this Heimess wooden teether. I keep it in the pram for you. It's great when you're teething.
You love the bath. I just bring you in with me in the evenings and you splash about.
I love you baby girl!
Mommy x

'What mess Mummy?'
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