Getting out

So the weather has improved recently and as returning to work is imminent I have decided to get out and about during term time while I can because soon we will only be able to go during school holidays when it is busy.

On Sunday we went for a lovely walk through the bluebell woods (such a lovely fragrance). I carried Olivia in her Close sling and we had a lovely time looking around and being entertained by my niece and nephew and their friends. It was lovely to spend some time with Mr T as well and enjoy a picnic together.

Thursday we went for a lovely picnic with other mums from my NCT classes and we were able to try out our new sun tent. It's great meeting up with the other mums as we all have babies around the same age but do things so differently. We are generally supportive of each others choices and relish in all the babies achievements.

Today I decided that as Olivia and I were on our own all day we would go for a drive and see where we ended up. So after a quick visit to the breastfeeding group we got in the car and off we went along the M2 towards the coast. I saw the sign for Druidstone Wildlife Park and after a few wrong turns eventually found it. The car park was more or less empty so was a bit concerned it was closed but no it was just quiet.

I put Olivia in her pushchair paid my entry fee and off we went to explore. It is only a small park with some cows, deer, peacocks, chickens etc. So not a great range bit for a 6 month old baby it was fine. There was also a donkey wandering free who came up for a stroke and luckily ignored Olivia in her pushchair. We (I) had a lovely time wandering through even more bluebells in their enchanted forest complete with unicorn, dragon and Hobbits house. The animals were quite friendly although I'm not keen on peacocks but was very brave when one came over while we were eating our lunch.

Now we are home and all the fresh air has worn Olivia out who is currently napping in her pushchair under her new snoozeshade.

Everything changes or does it?

So I went into school today to liaise with my maternity cover ready for me to return next month. Olivia spent the day at nursery with her fantastic auntie Gemma. Whilst I was at school I sorted out the paperwork to apply for childcare vouchers and also caught up on some of the gossip!

I also had a chat with the head teacher who had a few things she wanted to discuss with me. the first being that one of the teachers has been signed of sick for 2 weeks but maybe for longer and so when I come back I may be teaching her class instead of going back to my class - fair enough I know the class well enough I have already taught them for 2 years - however if the teacher comes back I will be team teaching with my maternity cover and I guess a floating teacher to cover any sickness!

She then moved on to talking about next year, any primary school teacher will know this time of year thoughts turn to what will happen in September and what year group we would quite like to teach. We mentally analyse year groups which are challenges and which seem like lovely classes. What years shall I put as my choices. My only request usually is not year R and year 6! I don't mind any other year group. Well I wasn't asked this today I was asked if I would perhaps like to come out of class and do 2 part-time jobs to make a full time contract. One part would be as the cover teacher for the senior teacher release time and the year 6 booster class teacher, the other part of the job would be to become a reading recovery teacher. This was a bit of a shock as I thought they had already decided that the teacher doing my maternity cover would do this.

So now I have a dilemma do I stick to what I know and have my own class or do I take the challenge and train for this new role and develop my career further. I have no intention of ever becoming a head teacher but have always had an interest in special needs, I am already trained as an Irlens screener and reading recovery would complement this.

Also what happens if the government cut funding and my position goes? Will they find me something else? Lots of questions but exciting opportunities hopefully.

We did however come up with some great ideas to teach my class after half term with the other teacher. Our topic is Wild Things and we are going to use safari parks as our starter. I'm actually looking forward to going back even though I know I will miss my gorgeous daughter loads.

Happy Half Birthday

Tomorrow Olivia is 6 months old and I still can't believe how much my life has changed. From when I first found out I was pregnant - we were picking up our new car that day (perhaps we should have got a 5 door!). Mr T telling his dad on the phone (in-laws live in South Africa) me telling my parents and my younger sister but swearing them to secrecy from everyone else. Having to tell work when I was 6 weeks pregnant because I was struggling badly with sickness and needed my teaching assistants support should I need to leave the room quickly!

Then when she was born and the first few scary days in SCBU to first bringing her home. She slept for 5 hours solid that night it was lovely, such a shame it didn't last. We had the normal newborn issues - struggling to settle her at night, is she getting enough food, am I feeding her often enough, what to do when they get a cold etc. Our sling came in very handy in the early days to calm her down and get her to nap - they have amazing magical sleeping powers.

I used to take Olivia to church in her sling and she would sleep through an hour and half service. She went from 9 days old and I'm sure she was about 3 months old before she was awake during the service. Now she talks through the service!

She has changed in so many ways and seems to learn something new everyday. She has a range of sounds which include growling and squealing, she can sit up on her own and is very close to rolling over.

Her personality is really coming through and she is quite a cheeky little girl - if daddy picks her up she manages to shuffle herself so she is standing on his knees and then bounces up and down! She has also learnt to move caterpillar style across her cot or the room on her back. So at night I put her feet at the foot of her cot when I go in to check she is the other end of her cot!

She has taken to chewing my shoulder whenever I pick her up and hiding her head in my neck if someone talks to her, then she will turn back and smile!

We recently started to wean her baby led style and she is developing some great motor skills although it still takes a few attempts to find her mouth rather than her cheek, ear or eye! We have tried: cucumber, broccoli, pear, banana, plum, potato wedges, bread sticks, rice cakes, toast, scotch pancakes, dragon fruit and yoghurt. Tomorrow we are trying porridge pancakes. I have bought sweet potatoes and some butternut squash to experiment with as well as planning to make some casseroles so she can start having complete dinners. I'm not sure how much she is actually eating but she gets very cross if I am eating and she doesn't have anything to try.

I have also changed during this time I am back to my pre pregnancy weight but my clothes still don't fit, I am a completely different body shape and my boobs are a lot bigger still! I am more confident in my abilities and am learning to trust my instincts however it helps that I have a sister that is a nursery nurse and my other sister has two children. So plenty of advice if I need it.

In a months time I return to work full time and things will change again. I don't want to miss out on all the new things Olivia learns but I also know that our time together will be even more special. I am looking forward to seeing how things change in the next 6 months although I hope they don't pass as quickly as the last 6 months.

Quiet weekend

Well the weekend started with a whirlwind of activity. First a trip to pick up my Husbands new car (Toyota iq) so that when I return to work I can take Olivia to nursery and get to work on time without having to worry about getting Mr T to work as well. We then had to take Olivia for her swimming lesson.

She has had 4/5 lessons now and each week you can see her confidence growing. Today the babies were starting to learn the skill of holding on to the side. This should mean that they have the vital skill of finding an edge to hold on to should they ever fall into the water. This is Daddy's time with Olivia so I get the job of changing her before and after the lesson. next week I get the chance to take her in for her lesson as Mr T is at work.

We are now back home and Olivia is sleeping soundly in her pushchair (Olivia refuses to sleep in her cot during the day without a fight), Mr T is on the late shift so won't be home until after 10 tonight. So I am enjoying the peace and quiet drinking tea and eating rich tea biscuits!

Tomorrow Daddy is at work all day and won't be back again until after 10, so the plan is to go to church and hope Olivia behaves through the service (she has just stopped sleeping through the services) and then we have the afternoon to do what we like. If the weather is nice we may go to the park but forecast is saying rain. So not sure what we will do I'm up for any suggestions.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend x