Written about a month ago:
Darling James, you are now coming up to 6 months old! I will shortly have to go back to work and put you in the nursery during the day, which just breaks my heart! I know that you will quickly get used to it and you'll probably have a fantastic time but mummy will be crying every time she has to leave you. You have been such a wonderful baby - so good natured and smiley. People comment all the time that they have never seen such a good baby! You hardly ever cry or complain and you've slept through the night for months now, letting mummy and daddy get much needed sleep!
I wanted to write down some memories of your birth before they fade altogether. The birth was a bit scary because by the time I went into the hospital you had done your first poo in the womb. It is quite common for overdue babies to do this so the doctors are well prepared to deal with it but it did make things a bit hairy, particularly as they were really busy and I couldn't get a doctor for AGES! They told me that they were worried about your heart beat and then left us to wait while we got more and more stressed. Eventually though we got a doctor to come and examine me and you were nearly ready to come out by the time they arrived! When you finally came into the world we all held our breaths to see if you would cry or not. The doctor told us that if you breathed the poo into your lungs on the way out that they would have to take you straight away to suck it out. Luckily though you let out a little cry and daddy and I were SO relieved! I can't remember the order of things already - I know that at some point they wiped you down a bit so you weren't too icky, and then you lay on my front for just hours and hours! The room was dimly lit and all I was aware of was you and daddy: it was like being in a cocoon just the three of us. I felt warm and drowsy and just blissfully happy. You looked into my eyes and we just lay there staring at each other for hours. You didn't even cry although you gurgled a little bit, and daddy and I just told you over and over how much we loved you.
Eventually the time came to go up to our room and daddy had to go home. It was 6.00 in the morning at this point (you were born at 1.00) and we put you into the see-through perspex crib that was in the room. I couldn't sleep, I was so excited - I didn't think I'd ever be able to sleep again. I just wanted to stay awake and watch over you to make sure you were safe. I won't bore you will the schedule of feeding, nappy-changing and cat-napping over the next few days. We stayed in hospital until the Monday evening (you were born on Saturday morning) and we had lots of cuddles. Having you in my arms was and still is the best feeling in the world. I just want to eat you all up! You are so gorgeous!
Friday, 5 March 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
World Book Day
This evening as I was playing with James I had Newsround on in the background (it's on before Weakest Link!) and there was a report on World Book Day. The presenter posed the question 'which is better, book or film?' and proceeded to interview two Primary school children of around 8 or 9 years old about their preferences. The first worrying thing was that the girl charged with defending the reading corner had picked 'Prizoner of Azkaban' as her favourite book. No offence to JK Rowling, but the Potterisation of children's reading habits is of great consternation to me. While it is good that they are reading at all, I get the impression that lots of kids get a bit stuck on the Harry Potter series and miss out on other fabulous children's authors such as Diana Wynne Jones, Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson etc.
The second worrying thing was that the girl fighting the film corner cheerfully admitted that she prefered watching a film of a book (her favourite also being Prisoner of Azkaban) because it required 'less concentration'. I wonder when concentration became a bad thing - is it symptomatic of our general impatience these days, our need for instant gratification?
I was also sad that she felt reading required concentration, that it was hard work, when for me it is such a pleasure and a means of relaxation. There must be so many children who share her view, and I urge them to persevere! With practice reading becomes as natural as breathing and we barely register that we are doing it. However it is not enough for the teachers to be giving them the skills to read. They need to embed these skills at home by reading for fun.
In this respect, television really is the scourge of literacy. It is so easy to flop in front of the television and watch rubbish all night. Once that screen is on we are tethered to it somehow, even though we know that we could go and do something else that would be more edifying. It saps our energy and our motivation. It hypnotises us and enslaves us. Sometimes I think it would be nice to get rid of the television altogether, but having invested in a 37" wide screen plasma jobby just before Christmas I can't see the bear going for that!
In other news the government wants schools to offer alternative sports for obese children including cheerleading, free running and martial arts. They're looking at an extra hour a week of PE for every child. Sounds nice in principle, and I am a firm believer that the obesity crisis will only be conquered by the drip drip effect, so this new initiative might well contribute to changing our attitudes towards food and exercise. On the other hand, I can't help thinking that it they took the money they're about to throw at this scheme and used it to subsidise heathy foods in the supermarket that might be a better option.
The second worrying thing was that the girl fighting the film corner cheerfully admitted that she prefered watching a film of a book (her favourite also being Prisoner of Azkaban) because it required 'less concentration'. I wonder when concentration became a bad thing - is it symptomatic of our general impatience these days, our need for instant gratification?
I was also sad that she felt reading required concentration, that it was hard work, when for me it is such a pleasure and a means of relaxation. There must be so many children who share her view, and I urge them to persevere! With practice reading becomes as natural as breathing and we barely register that we are doing it. However it is not enough for the teachers to be giving them the skills to read. They need to embed these skills at home by reading for fun.
In this respect, television really is the scourge of literacy. It is so easy to flop in front of the television and watch rubbish all night. Once that screen is on we are tethered to it somehow, even though we know that we could go and do something else that would be more edifying. It saps our energy and our motivation. It hypnotises us and enslaves us. Sometimes I think it would be nice to get rid of the television altogether, but having invested in a 37" wide screen plasma jobby just before Christmas I can't see the bear going for that!
In other news the government wants schools to offer alternative sports for obese children including cheerleading, free running and martial arts. They're looking at an extra hour a week of PE for every child. Sounds nice in principle, and I am a firm believer that the obesity crisis will only be conquered by the drip drip effect, so this new initiative might well contribute to changing our attitudes towards food and exercise. On the other hand, I can't help thinking that it they took the money they're about to throw at this scheme and used it to subsidise heathy foods in the supermarket that might be a better option.
Mother's Day
I was just laying in bed thinking that I must get a card for my step-mother for next weekend (Mothering Sunday) when the realisation hit me that for the first time, I am actually a mother on Mother's Day! I don't expect the bear will think of this by himself, so I feel a little hint might be in order to ensure I get a card 'from' James.
Meanwhile there are shocking reports of a large increase in the number of babies being born with birth defects in Iraq, with questions being asked over whether certain weaponary used by the U.S are to blame. The footage on the BBC this evening left me feeling hollow, while one BBC reporter stated that there was one little girl with spinal deformities so awful that he asked the cameraman not to film her. My heart goes out to all the mothers in Iraq and those who are pregnant and petrified of how their baby might be developing. If it turns out that we - the allies in the so-called fight on terror - have had anything to do with causing these birth defects, it will be a scandal of epic proportions. But how do we, the people, object? How to voice our disgust over this? How can we ensure that those responsible are punished? There seems to be little or no recourse. The voices of the plebians are not heard, even when millions are joined together.
Meanwhile there are shocking reports of a large increase in the number of babies being born with birth defects in Iraq, with questions being asked over whether certain weaponary used by the U.S are to blame. The footage on the BBC this evening left me feeling hollow, while one BBC reporter stated that there was one little girl with spinal deformities so awful that he asked the cameraman not to film her. My heart goes out to all the mothers in Iraq and those who are pregnant and petrified of how their baby might be developing. If it turns out that we - the allies in the so-called fight on terror - have had anything to do with causing these birth defects, it will be a scandal of epic proportions. But how do we, the people, object? How to voice our disgust over this? How can we ensure that those responsible are punished? There seems to be little or no recourse. The voices of the plebians are not heard, even when millions are joined together.
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