The start of a new year..

Again apologies for not blogging until now....I have taken a new position s@ Rusty this year. I am in the office 4 days a week now rather than the 2-3 days and have just come back from being away from Duke 9 days over the past 2 weeks! Was so busy to even miss my little man at the start (I did love the uniterrupted sleep) but towards the end all I wanted too do was smell him!!

I am loving being a working mum.....even though I have to work financially I actually am LOVING it. Its who I am and all I know and being around creative and driven people drive me.

My fellow girls out there its important to know its ok to feel that you want to go back to work without feeling guilty about it....I still have the guilt's now and then but I feel I am a better person being able to commit myself to the office for those 4 days without the distraction of the constant juggle of working from home and the office.
I am truly blessed to have my dad as Dukes nanny and the bond that they have formed is just amazing to see grow.
The hours I work 7am -4pm to get home to do all the dinners and play with him before bed.

Duke is now 10 months. Its been the quickest year of my life. Crazy!
When I got home from being away hearing the words "mum" for the first time was just the best thing ever! He is now starting to stand up by himself from sitting position, crawling at top speed and here's me say "no" a lot!! Especially when he's playing with the blinds!

He is now doing so many new things but one of the most frustrating things for a mum he started doing at 9 months was refusing to be fed by anyone with a spoon....so we are now onto finger foods and lots and lots of mess much to my husbands annoyance! Our dog has blown out as she is getting fed 3 times a day too!

Also my dad has taught Duke to pee and poo in a potty yup from 9 months.....he has the time to do this during the day and he puts him on it 2-3 times a day and he hasn't changed a pooy nappy in 2 weeks! I am very impressed and my weekend potty training is slowly getting there....it freaks me out though as there is something so gross about seeing a poo in a potty than in a nappy and I always dry reach when I have to get rid of his poos down the toilet!!

One of the best buys of late especially after all the travelling/eating out we did over the Xmas new Years break is the portable highchair from Phil and Teds. It all started when we went to breaky and there was no highchairs available as people had "pre Booked" them. Clever. But no help for us so the next day we went and spent $55 and we take it everywhere now as its can fit in your carry bag!!

My next blog will be about finger food...I'm always running out of ideas as Duke still hasn't got his top 2 teeth so I'll share all of my ideas Ive come across.And lastly a big congrats to Nicola on the arrival of Rosie, Shannon on the arrival of Gisele and Claire on the arrival of Eva....its been raining girls!!

Love soph + Duke

Long time inbetween drinks...

Its been a long time in between drinks....literally.

Had my Xmas girl lunch this week it was so nice to frock up and have a few too many drinks, the girls told me how much they loved my blog so I'm inspired to write again, thanks ladies!!

Duke is now 8 months and he is now getting around on all 4s, holding himself up in push up position , clapping his hands, pulling himself up to standing position when you hold your hands out and just learning to wave.

Pooch and him have discovered one another and now love each other...especially Pooch underneath the highchair at dinner time. Duke is learning to be "gentle" as he can pull out little handfuls of pooch's hair!

He also just cut his first tooth which came with a 2 day, 38 degree temperature and the routine I have come so accustom too has stopped and we now have a different kid- sleeping dramas and whinging....hope its just a stage or can I blame it on teething??!!

THE RASH , THE TOOTH

The other day waking up at 11.30am from his morning sleep, Duke decided not to go down for his arvo sleep which he never did before as he loves his sleeps. ...he also developed a rash on his forehead and back so I rang the nurse at health direct (1800 022 222) and she said it was "Roaslie rash" http://www.drgreene.com/21_1173.html

which is common and contagious rash like a cold sore and had to just run its course....she assured me that Meningcoccol rash was purple/red and doesn't go away when you press down on it with a glass, which I needed to hear.

Duke was hysterical and crying at 6.30pm, wouldn't take his bottle and we had to drive the streets to get him too sleep....8pm finally he was asleep, he had been up for 81/2 hours poor man! he woke up 4 times that night and looked like he was in pain...what is is TEETH??? RASH?? Can't wait till he can talk and tell me what is bothering him!

Thank god the rash is gone after day 3 as the nurse said but last night he went down fine but wouldn't sleep from 12- 3am and just cried and rolled around his cot....we have both been napping today, I thought it was suppose to get easier- last night was the worst night even since he was a baby!!

Since the bottom tooth has appeared so has this little high pitched whinge which has caused him to have a husky cry for 3 days, not taking his bottles and this new thing with his bottom lip breathing in he sucks it in then pushes it out....not sure what that is?

So with the tooth and rash I'm thinking this is has been a BAD COMBO that has caused some serious sleep disruption and a sooky bub which we are not used too. We have been blessed with such a easy baby until now...patience is being tested.

I am also changing his routine too....trying to get him to have his morning nap at 9-9.30am instead of 8am and his arvo sleep 1- 1.30 instead of 12.30.

Duke has been refusing his bottle before bed then waking up so upset 2 hours later as he's starving so we are feeding him his solid dinner at 4.30 instead of 5pm and putting his bed time to 7pm instead of 6.30pm in hope for sleeping until later than 5am.

Not having daylight saving has been so hard is anyone else out there over not having it....its light and the birds are up @ 4.30am....why did we vote it out??!!

Will promie to update more often...stay tuned as I hope to say Duke has a turn around in the sleeping department!!!

Love Soph + Duke

PS Good Luck to Tania and Panda with the safe arrivals xxx

Time is flying....half a year gone already!

Haven't written for a while...been crazy working and house sitting for 3 weeks. It's amazing how time flys!!

Duke is now 6.5 months and its a whole new ball game. The baby is gone and hello independent infant.....when we got home from house sitting he was really unsettled going to bed as I think the portacot he was sleeping in for the past 3 weeks became very familiar to him and his own cot became forgien.
The dummy is back in the arvos (he now knows a sleep means missing out on play time) otherwise no sleep so I have found the Tommmee Tippee dummy for 12-18mnths its ridiculously big but he cant force that backwards in his mouth!!

At 6 months he is now aware of things and Mr Johnny Knoxville who loves being thrown around now gets scared!! His large soft toy cow on his top shelf has become scary to him as I found out as I lifted him up for him too see it as I used too....tears and his face is full of fright!
Moo Moos is in the cupboard for a holiday.

I'm still getting up giving him a bottle, he still takes a full one so until he is getting enough during the day (which some days he's not) I'm happy to get up...surely only another 3- 6 month to go I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
This is the fun age for new tricks which include sitting up, banging his hands on his high chair and clapping his hands which he starts wide hitting his hips then pulls in tight for the hand clap....too funny to watch!
Toys are now interesting....I bought him a bag of soft Underwater characters which he just loves as you get his excited about whats coming out of the bag...but he really loves just putting them in his mouth!!
He has now been for his first swim and has been underwater and loved it....have to look into swimming lessons.
Off to Bali next week with my BF for 4 nights of work and play without kids.....its going to be really hard to be away from them but I am looking forward too a full night uniterrupted sleep through...what are they again??!!
Love Soph n Duke

awww we love cool inventions!!

Love these products- all designed by a dad!!

www.brothermax.com

Duke is on solids and we love making purees- I just bought these unreal cubes which you put the puree in, freeze, then can microwave and feed straight from them as they are microwave and dishwasher safe!

Check out the bib too....such a wicked idea! They are interchangeable so you just wash the fabric part, then clip on another clean one as you get 3 x interchangable fabric bibs!

A scary moment.

Dummies. A whole another debate. Our personal view on them is what ever gets you through and its all good either way and some kids love them while others dont like them. When its 3am and you hear a cry and you can run in put one in and its back to sleep within seconds I love them.

Duke LOVES too suck and he will suck anything and everything (neck, fingers, remotes) and has done so since he was in the womb ( the nurse could tell as it came up on the monitor during my contractions) so a dummy has been a fixture in his life when he goes to sleep....wack one in his mouth and he is alseep within seconds!!

He would spit it out when asleep and when he woke he would fish around for it and pop it back in. Why deny that from him? it that all changed today....

My dad the super nanny was looking after him today and when he usually wakes we leave him in the cot for a play till he wakes fully...he usually has a chat to himself. Funny.

Dad heard him stir and left him and then he heard an unusual cry out, he ran in and Duke has wedged his dummy in ,the wrong side around in his mouth and it was stuck. dad had to force it out of his mouth and gave him a huge fright.my god how scary for him.

So warning...little men have the dexterity at 5 1/ 2 months to turn the dummy around and force it into their mouths without knowing what they are doing....the dummy has now been banned from his bed when he is awake and used in only dia circumstances!

Love soph + duke

my husband and the dogs worst nightmare!!!

Couldn't resist posting these....I could only imagine Duke off to his aunty's house to live he if had a go at doing this....

all bibs should be black..

hi guys sorry haven't written for a while...been working some solid hours and got run down from probably doing too much and not looking after myself.

had the flu this weekend and I tell you its so hard being a mum when your sick- you can't get out of bed too get too bub as every bone aches in your body and you have the sweats and runny nose...argh so heavy! All you want too do is have a kiss and a cuddle but you can't as you don't want too pass the germs on and too have a sick baby on your hands. Fingers crossed he doesn't get it.

Thank god for my beautiful husband who did the late night bottles and attended to Duke when I couldn't and a big thankyou to my dad who helped out on sat when Cj had to work. You need your family when you get sick that's for sure!

So Dukes 1st dad days was filled with snotty tissues and home cooked breaky by my husband while I was in bed...babe I owe you another dads day! He did get a cool pressie from Duke- a tattoo voucher!!

Duke had banana with apple puree today and loved it....another tip mix potatoe puree with pumpkin it takes a little of the orange out- it stains less!

And only buy dark coloured bibs not with anything that can distract little eyes and fingers while eating.....SO ANNOYING!! In fact I have pulled out my old black T-shirts and Duke wears them inside out when he eats as he is soo messy....hmmmm think thats from me!!??

ps. congrats to a beautiful friend of mine who has just found out she's gonna be a mumma!!

Love Soph + Duke

CPR and what it really means...a must read for everyone.

1st Aid. what we learnt.
PART ONE. pass this info on.

It was an article in the STM on a Sunday that really shook me to the bone. any mum I knew that read it was really moved.

A mum, went to go check on her 7 month old that was asleep during the day......she walked in and found him tangled in his bedding and unconscious.
She preformed CPR and saved his life. Thankgod she went to check on him when she did. and more importantly she knew what to do.

I couldn't get it out of my mind all weekend. Was checking on Duke every 15 mins that day.
But What would I do in that situation? Would I be calm enough to remember what to do from all my first aid courses I have done?? I carry a CPR card in my wallet and have a first aid book mounted on the side of the fridge but after reading this I wanted to get up to make sure I hadn't forgotten.
When my girlfriend organised a course specialising in children my husband and I jumped at the chance....2 x Fri nights for 3 hours. I would recommend anyone with kids and really everyone should do a private course like this.

Our instructor is an ex ambo with over 15 years is experience had given us all the ability and confidence within ourselves to preform CPR on anyone. He is brill ant and I will recommend him to anyone. His aim was to teach CPR too us in the most simplest form to make us confident to remember it in a stressful panic situation and with this confidence it will eliminate the inital panic of "i dont remember what to do"

A few things that he explained which was REVOLUTIONARY that everyone must know-
He asked us what CPR meant- the whole groups responses were "to get the heartbeat back", "to revive them", "to get them to breath again"

We were all wrong. here is what we learnt which you need to know. pass it on.

• when CPR is preformed on someone with no heartbeat they are dead- there is basically no chance that you can restart the heart with just this alone. So no not like the TV shows they will not wake up from CPR given or start coughing. The defibrillator which the Ambos have in the ambulances shocks the heart to pump again. this shocked us all.

• CPR is only done to KEEP the BRAIN alive until a defib comes. By blowing in 2 breaths and pumping 30 the chests circulated oxygen to the brain and its solely to stop brain damage until the heart can be shocked to start again.


• You have 4 minutes until brain damage sets in....so you do CPR until the ambos arrive.


• He said he has seen people do CPR for over an hour, ambo arrives and shocks the heart into beating again and they have survived no brain damage because CPR was administered until they came.

• He has seen so many situations where someone has collapsed in a public place, everyone is standing back as no one is confident to do CPR as they cant remember how many breaths, compressions ect and are scared to do it as they might get it wrong. Our teacher said that you can do nothing wrong and everything wrong by NOT doing anything. when someones heart has stopped...just breath into the mouth, see that the chest is rising (if not the airway is blocked and not tilted) and pump the heart with 30 compressions.....just that alone could save someone until help arrives. you are saving the brain.

• He told us another situation of a family who had a family member have a heart attack at home, they preformed CPR for 20 mins and he didnt wake up so they stopped CPR as they thought it was too late....5 mins later the ambos arrived, shocked the heart and revived him BUT as they stopped doing CPR the 4 mins elapsed and alive but brain dead. If the family had known that he wouldnt just come around and wake up and kept up 2 breaths then 30 compression he would have survived.


• A lot of falls and knocks that cause people to become unconcious dies from major problem- choking on the tongue. It is so important to tilt the head back that simple manoeuvre saves lives instantly.

• Easy as this- Dr ABC.

• D anger (check for danger dont put yourself in any)


• R esponse (tap them, speak to them, check the chest too see if the chest is rising. Dont check pulse as you can confuse your pulse as theres. if chest isnt rising they aren't breathing as the heart isnt pumping. )


• A irway (open airway, tilt adults back)


• B reathing ( 2 breaths, make sure chest rises)


• C ompressions ( 1 finger up from bottom of sturnum, 30 compressions, )

and don't stop until ambulance arrives ( in perth he said you could be up to 20 mins on a busy night!)

• With Baby CPR- never tilt the head back on a baby (this can block the airway), two small breaths to make the chest rise (careful not too blow too hard as it damages the lungs) and the compressions are 30 with your 2 fingertips 1/3 of the body width down.)


• In an emergency and on a mobile dial 112. The reason behind this is that no matter what service provider you are with, anywhere in the world this call will go straight to the emergency call centre. So if you are in an area with no reception on your phone, 112 will be picked up another service provider. Also if your phone is locked, putting in 112 will automatically dial and unlock the phone as in an emergency you may not know how too unlock another person 's so punch in 112 and it will unlock!

Next week I will post some more info from week 2 , email me if you would like me too pass on our instructors details

Love soph + duke

x

x

Routines- these are the easiest I've found so far!

Ok Need to share this with you all (E got me onto this) this is the easiest and less strict routines I have read so far and makes the most sense. Some of them are crazy!
Go to the link and download the PDF files on the side-

http://www.babybliss.com.au/Services/purchase.htm


Love soph n duke
xx

solids or should I say PUREE!!

As a mum, your baby's weight becomes a focus point to obviously see that they are thriving. Duke's baby doctor check up at 6 weeks was something that stuck in my mind. He was underweight. by only 200g but it has stuck with me. Its also hard not too compare your baby with others and compared to other boys his age he wasn't as big. Little Duke could breastfeed well but not for long (what the books recommended anyway) and I had no idea what he was actually getting Mls wise. Eating on the boob hasn't been his strong point but stoked we got too 4.5 months.


As soon as he showed me he wanted the bottle (milk had dried up), he has LOVED it and started to reach out, grab his bottle and guide it into his mouth to drink, and from him being in the bottom 25% percentile this was exciting for me. But if you fed him 1/2 hour too early he wouldn't drink it, but give him 20 mins and he'll cry he'll wolf the whole bottle.Like his mum he likes to eat (well ok eat and drink!)

I could also finally see how much he is taking in and he is putting weight on more consistently. Such a relief. I wanna have a chubba bubba!!
He had some strange stages on the boob which would stump me and I had rung Ngala about...sometimes he cracked it , and I mean crack it when I put him near the boob??!! So confusing at the time but looking back I think sometimes he just wasn't hungry sometimes as we sometimes are and this is evident when you give him the bottle earlier than when he actually wants it!!

So the next step is solids. most books to hold out for 6 months, "Save our sleep" said try at 4 months some rice cereal so I was willing to try anything for D to bulk out.


tried the Farax rice cereal but was happy to taste it but showed not much interest.looked gross.


Z, my bestie recommended the "Raffety's Garden" cereal. Unreal. Lets give it a crack.

I tried it first and YUM. CJ tried it- "that's good." Duke took to this like a duck to water. Fed this to him after his 7-7.30 bottle. I now secretly eat this as a snack. cant wait too try it with banana.

Duke starts too have cereal with his lunchtime bottle and at 5pm.

Next stage. Homemade Puree.

I tried the Heinz Apple puree and duke hated it. Screwed up his face, so funny. hated my apple verson too. Uh oh.

Went to Z +C's house and he had some pumpkin and sweet potato puree. Bingo. Ate all of it.

Ok it's time to pull out the unused kitchen aid for a arvo of puree. such a bugger to clean up. Made batches and froze them in ice trays for easy storage.
(It's also heaps easier to feed them with a skinny long spoon. I bought the Tomme Tippe one as it was a pack of three but heaps of other brands do them too)

Duke starts to get a bit stuffed up with all the pumpkin and cereal, the grunting gives this away as does his little poos. he has to get some fruit into him!! Tried my homemade fruit purees and looks like Matt preston trying them.

next step- back to supermarket and I take a punt on the Apple, Pear and Cinnamon.

After pouring it straight onto the spoon no mess, no peeling, cleaning up -this is the best $1.6 Ive spent in ages....and drum roll after a couple of goes Duke loves this after his dinner and has freed up his grunting! problem solved. This stuff rocks. Bought 12 packs of it today. Nice and easy what more could you want??!!

Here is rough description of a typical day in the life of Duke @ 5 mnths

6-6.30 wake

7-7.30 bottle. cereal @ 8-8.30

8.30-9 sleepies

10.30-11.30 wake and Play

11.30-12 Bottle

12.30 Pumpkin followed by apple

1pm sleepies

2-2.30 wake and play time

3.3o- 4 Bottle

4-5 nap (sometimes won't want one but needs it)

5pm Pumpkin followed by apple

5.30 duke loves us reading him books

6-6.30 Bath, bottle bed by 7pm

11pm-1.30am Bottle

Love Soph n duke

xxx