Walking update.

Image: Days old Ro, hooked on standing up constantly.

I have this neurosis about Ro. And him not walking yet. I never put that onto him or force him to walk; I've always been a relaxed parent and I like to think I have encouraged his development rather than forced it.


After all, he can say coherent words that other people understand, can string together sentences of two to three words so I am pretty happy. And blessed. 


However, he isn't walking.


I know it will be fine. I know everything's well. But he is my first child. Go easy on me in the comments ;). Please don't tell me "not to worry" because I am not worried. I don't think I ever worry unless I have reason to worry...and seriously? Telling a Mama 'not to worry', who are you trying to kid?


I'm more in distress or turmoil over his non-walking state because there are babies months younger than him happily toddling around on two legs meanwhile he's happy to scamp around crawling. Little monkey.


Both me and B were 10 months when we were walking so I am wondering where this rogue non walking gene has come from and have vague recollections of stories about my Mum's Dad (who I never met as he died when she was 12) and the fact he didn't walk until he was around two years old. My Gran also says Ro resembles my Granpa Scott, so there we have it. A rogue gene from a man I only know about from a few photos and a few hundred stories. Case solved, I think.


Ro is happy to toddle around on his knees and I am not going to stop him. I am going to encourage whatever he wants to do and if every other kid in the World is walking, dancing, twirling and running before him, let them. Um...well, you know, if he's not walking before Christmas then I am probably going to be worried, but you know...till then he can keep scamping around the floor, picking up bits of random fluff, offering them up to me and saying; "FANK CHOO!" 


And amongst the viruses we've all had, the recurring night sweats I've had, the meals not consumed and the housework gone eternally undone someone decided they might want to join this two footed World of nonsense after all...

Image: He was constantly sitting down and standing like this for ages.

Thank you for keeping my neurosis under control by standing for me, Ro!

And yes, as you can see, I wasn't joking about that 'housework eternally undone' statement.

Bad Week.

We had to go to the hospital on Wednesday.


I wasn't too scared because the doctor hadn't ordered an ambulance but I was scared at the urgency he wanted us at the Children's Ward. I promised myself that no matter what I would be there through every and any horrible procedure. It wasn't about me, it was about my son and he needed my strength. I haven't always been so stringent about these things as I couldn't be in the room when, at a few days old, he had a heel prick Guthrie test. Stupid, really, after all we'd just been through together with his birth.


B was of course there, along with his parents.


Things moved slowly but quicker than any time I have been to hospital and every time a doctor or nurse came into the room they did a good job at reassuring us.


Luckily I'd had the foresight to pack an overnight bag - but guess what? We had an awesome doctor (who is the second person to pick up on Ro's Umbilical hernia) who was confident about sending us home, along with the ward telephone number and an absolute assurance from us that we'd call if he got worse - which is a given.


I was beginning to get comfortable living with these two healthy people; happy in the fact that we don't have to rush to hospital, get blood drawn or be scared half to death with the disease of every parent's nightmares. 


I don't think smugness is chastised but I do think that I need to stop getting comfortable in all these temporary situations in life when everything can change in a minute.

A Note: 365 Policy.

I have made a big decision over the past couple of days.


My focus for this blog has changed. I want shorter posts and more photographs. I want it to be a 'check-in' spot rather than a complete observation of life. It has evolved far beyond what I expected and I'm massively over whelmed by followers from all around the World and all the support and comments that have come with.


The reasons for shorter posts? I want to give some of me back to my son and husband. I'm already a very busy person and I want to keep writing but I'm going to keep things shorter. 


Now, if you want too, follow me by all means - say you read this blog and you're too shy to follow, go ahead and click HERE to follow. I promise, I don't bite :). But Roman might...


And also, I'm really considering giving up being on Top Baby Blogs. I've seen some amazing blogs through that site but honestly? I always feel so inadequate when I realise I'm on page 6 or 7. I thought I was past feeling that way about anything but it turns out I want to be popular, too!  



Well, popularity doesn't mean I will suddenly be any happier or better off. In fact I know I won't be any better off. The fact remains that those who are way ahead of me on there just have more people voting for them - and they may even be better than me, I don't know. But what I do know is that I don't want to keep feeling anything less than incredible. So I shall mull it over.


Of course, until then, feel absolutely free to vote for me - I won't be upset. See, I'm Quinn Fabray, still trying to be Prom Queen ;).

Pretty Little...

In my quest for a new camera, I came across this pretty lookin' thing (pictured above.) Totally not what I'm looking for but I can't help talking myself into reasons why I should have a handy compact camera to take out when we're on the go...


Thing is I don't want a compact camera. It's a downgrade. And I want interchangeable lenses on a camera because I want to be able to take photos the way I like - instead of compromising with what I have now. 


But this little camera looks adorable. And perhaps I could just buy it...after all, it's in the sale!

We Have a WINNER!

The Frosted Crossbones Give-away is over and we have a winner!

Well done Elizabeth :).

You said:

Drop me an email here with your snail mail address and I will have it sent to you forth with :).

Fathers Day.

Today is B's second year running as a Dad. I feel so lucky that we can say that. I feel a tightening around my heart when I read stories of parent's who lose their children and feel very grateful indeed on day's like today.

It's genetic...

B is always busy with Roman, they are indeed the best of friends. I always pictured myself being the maniac with the buggy; trying to run last minute errands, get to places and all the while be ensuring the happiness and healthiness of the child I'd have. But we all know how that turned out. It worked out differently. B is the sole child carer. It works and we are happy so that's all that matters.

It doesn't matter that you pictured life differently and it doesn't even matter that you'd do things differently if you were able to change the circumstances. What matters is now. And happiness. And family. And days that we can celebrate the fact we are parents. That we pulled through for another year. 

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dad's; new, experienced, old, young, biological, loving and loved.

A Little Piece of Scotland: Words.

I was born, bred and buttered (har, har) in Scotland. 

I love this country; green fields, endless amounts of sheep, cows and other farm animals dotted across the land scape. And with animals comes their manure. And the smell of that manure in the air every year the farmers decide to spray the fields. From childhood the smells of Scotland were wood burning and wet leaves, soaked from the rain. The sounds of Scotland were of course the bagpipes bursting out in their almost tuneless notes across Princes Street.

 

The sights, well the sights of Scotland are so much harder to describe. Hence why I took a lot of pictures growing up and wanted a camera as soon as I could get one. 

It never ceases to stun me that so many people visiting Scotland have a lot of lovely things to say about this country that's my home. And it didn't surprise me that when I lived in London that I was very homesick. I missed families poking fun at each other to the point of viciousness (it's just our way of saying "I love you"), I missed the smell of grease floating from the chippies placed on nearly every street corner, I missed chippie sauce (and I still do!), I missed banter, I missed the accent, my parents, my family and my friends.

I remember a phone call to my Dad where I broke down and admitted just how homesick I was. His reply? "Oh Cara, it doesn't matter where in the World you live, in your heart you'll always be a Scottish lassie." And yes, he did use those words. Oh yeah and in case you've been living under a rock lassie means girl. 


I don't use a lot of Scottish slang, and there are so many different dialects that it's hard to keep up with all the slang words, but I thought it would be fun to write down a few slang words commonly used.


Aye - Yes. This is probably used the most. I even use it. Nearly every day. 
Naw/Nut - No. Again, very heavily used. 
Laddie - Boy. When I was in High School I used to use this nearly every day, now it's rare when I use it. I usually say it when I'm not thinking about what I'm saying as I think it sounds a little corny and Brigadoon-ish.
Cludgie - Toilet. 
Egit - Idiot. Heavily used by me ;).
Jobbie - Poo. Ha. Yeah this one is used by EVERYONE. When I was in labour the midwife instructed me to "push down really hard, like you're doing a big massive jobbie." Haha. We use this word every single day. I rarely ever say poo or poop. 
Tatties - Potato. 
Tatty scone - Potato scone.
Sybies - Spring Onion/Green Onion. I have only heard a handful of people (usually West Coast of Scotland) say this one.
Ya - You

Wee - Small. Trust me when I say that this is an all purpose kind of word. I recently got an Amazon £20 voucher and I exclaimed "Ya wee beauty!" - in short, this phrase means YABBA DABBA DO. Or you know, YAY! But yay doesn't cut it in Scotland, you need something with more effect. Wee is also used as a measurement of time in Scotland. As in "I'm going to be a wee minute." Or as a measurement; "Just give me a wee bit of that cake."

Tink, mink, scaff - someone unclean/poor. If someone does something rank (is rank a Scottish word, too?) then you might hear a Scottish someone saying "Ya wee mink!" 

Bum/Arse/Bahookie - Butt/Behind. I love that we have such a strong need for toilet humour in this country.

Gonnae - Going to. Pronounced: go-nay. 

Leathered - A beating. As in: "Am gonnae leather you after school!"

Braw - Good. I actually find this word very charming. "Aye it's pure braw!" Haha. We also might add "pure" on the start of the braw to emphasise the greatness of something. 

Ma - My and Mother. 

Ned - Stands for Non Educated Delinquent.

I'm suddenly stuck thinking of words and all I can now think of is rude Scottish words. So, I present to you a little snippet of my accent - sidenote: when my Sister in Law arrived in Scotland she found it hard to understand a lot of what I said, so I asked her, in the slowest voice I could muster; "do you find it hard to understand my accent?" She looked a lot confused and said; "whose Max Cent?" hahaha.

Enjoy: 

P.S: I have this picture rested on my windowsill in the living room and Roman spent a good time yesterday pointing from my Gran (his great Gran) to himself, laughing and cooing at it. Then he pulled it down and started stroking the picture. 

P.P.S: Remember I am doing a kick arse ;) give away! HERE.