Who you want to be

I'm running behind with the blog as we've had some difficult days this week with the teething. I can feel where one of her teeth is starting to come in now, and she's been very unhappy about it and not sleeping so well. Poor baby. It's difficult at times when she is so tired and has been crying for what feels like hours, when she won't be put down and she won't be comforted. At those times I hold her close and pace up and down the hallway for the hundredth time and I try to visualise in my head what kind of mother I want to be. Calm and patient and empathic and loving, above all loving, in the difficult times as much as in the easy, fun times. Especially in the difficult times. I remind myself that however bad it is for me, she's sure to be feeling worse. That she can't understand why she's hurting, that she can't communicate what's wrong in any other way, and that she needs her mum. I think about what a short time it is that she'll need me like this, and how soon I'll be wishing that she still did.

We spent last weekend at Nana and Grandad Thomson's house, and had a brilliant time. Audrey's first overnight trip!

I was surprised at how well she slept in the travel cot, as she's used to a swinging crib and a very set bedtime routine. It was definitely a big success! And she got to spend some lovely time with Nana...

And Grandad, who was wearing coordinating stripes!

She played helicopters with her dad.

And was entranced by the goldfish!

What an adventure!