hi

uh-oh, it's nearly been a week since I last posted...not sure how it happened but I managed to take a little unintentional break from the internet land. I did write a different post yesterday, but blogger wouldn't let me upload any photos as apparently I've reached my storage limit with google? Anyone else had that problem? And how do you get round it without having to buy more storage? 

Anyway, so there are a few things I wanted to talk about. Firstly last week I was quite adventurous, I managed to go out in the evening not once, but twice, alone with Rob looking after Theo. Crazy! Rob and I have been out in the evening for a few hours without Theo before, but I haven't ever really left them both at home to go out and do something by myself, and I was a little nervous. On Monday evening to accompanied my friend Jo to go see 'Spamalot'  as she was reviewing the show, and I thought it was a good excuse to bite the bullet and go out by myself, much to Rob's annoyance as he would have loved to go see the show! (haha) It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I made it (I was previously invited by Jo to go see the Bon Iver show in Bristol last year, and was all set to go when Theo decided to be really ill and I couldn't leave, I was gutted) 

I left Rob with some formula milk to try to give to Theo, and see if he would take it and fall asleep, but he didn't. I arrived home at about 10pm to find them both on the sofa watching a film. I think he'd had a little sleep when Rob went out for a walk with him, but apart from that Theo waited for me to get home to put him to sleep. The nights after this one were particularly bad though, mainly because he is teething badly and cutting 3 molars, but also because I think we disturbed his sleeping patterns. He became super clingy and only wanted me and just wanted to nurse all the time. I sort of got to the end of my tether a little bit, and I was getting frustrated with him. I really don't want to be in a position where I'm getting annoyed with him for feeding, so we are thinking that perhaps it might be time for a change in terms of the night feeds.

I bet you're all thinking 'oh no here we go again, another post about the sleeping situation' and you're probably right. We have been thinking a lot about it recently, and I feel I am getting to a point where I would like to stop the night feeds, and the dependency on me, and find a way where other people can settle him to sleep, and more importantly teach Theo that he doesn't need me or to nurse to fall back to sleep. I've been noticing recently that putting him to sleep by nursing has become a lot harder, and it takes him ages to finally settle down. Some of the time he doesn't fall asleep by nursing anymore, and eventually rolls over and goes to sleep by himself, so I'm starting to think that nursing is loosing some of it's magic, and doesn't work every time. And maybe it will get to a point that it no longer works and then what will we do then?!  

We are also considering the big move, of putting Theo into his own room. Up until this point I haven't been comfortable with that idea, or with anyone else saying 'oh isn't he in his own room yet?' because it's not up to anyone else. And it's just been easier to have him in the room with us, but since we made his little bed on the floor he's been sleeping a lot better, especially in the days when he is left in the room by himself with no disturbances. I feel at night that because he knows I'm there, he'll wake up more often and hear us if we move around in the bed, so we are considering moving him to his own room. I think it will also help the situation if he's in his own room and Rob can go in a settle him, instead of me. But for now these are all just thoughts and we need to see over the next few weeks how Theo is feeling and what he is showing us, because I don't want to force anything on him that he's not showing he's ready for. 

But anyway on with the rest of my week, on Saturday night I had been invited out for birthday drinks with a friend from my antenatal group. This is what I was really scared about! I haven't been 'out' for so long! I've been for a few drinks in the pub with my friends for an hour or too, or to the pub with Rob for about an hour, but I haven't been out out. Not to a bar or a club where 'young people' go...But I was excited to go. Anyway I put Theo to bed as usual and luckily he went down really easily, he woke up just before I left so I settled him back down and went out. This time he didn't wake up until nearly 11pm, and Rob was able to walk him round and lie down with him to settle him back to sleep. I arrived home about midnight, to find them both upstairs asleep. Rob hadn't been able to leave him to sleep alone, but it's a start right? In theory I probably could of stayed out a little longer, but I played it safe and only went out for a short while. But I did have lots of fun, it was great to go out and chat and have a few drinks, I left before I had enough to drink to make me feel drunk, and before some dancing commenced, but next time perhaps I'll stay long enough to throw some shapes on the dance floor (watch out Bristol....) 

Exciting times. Sorry I've been away quite a bit, I think sometimes I become a bit of a internet hermit, and have to hide away for a little while (even though I do try and keep up with all the blogs I follow) 

But hope everyone is well! 

p.s just a quick reminder to anyone who would like to sponsor Theo for his Big Toddle on the 14th of June, you can do so here. Please help us raise some money as it would mean so much to us and the children we are hoping to raise money for! We will of course be sharing photos and videos of the big day! thank you x