Monthly Archives: December 2013

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Notice: Holiday intermission

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Hubby, Ayla and I are heading out of town for a few days where we’ll have limited Internet access (can’t wait!!).

Anyway, this will probably mean that I won’t have the chance to upload posts to An Ayla A Day until 2014.

I will still be writing and keeping track of our adventures, so stay tuned for a massive multi-post upload in early Jan!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you all for joining me on my motherhood journey, and for being there to share in some of the ups and downs over the past eight and a half months.

Although you’re all spread out around the globe, Ayla and I, and Hubby too, feel the love and blesses you send us and we’re very thankful.

I wish you all a very wonderful New Year and a truly fantastic 2014.

xxxx

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First Christmas

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Wednesday, 25 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Eight Days Old.

Well, I think it’s safe to say Ayla’s first Christmas was a huge success.

The day started off with a sleep in (I know, awesome!) til 8.30 then Ayla was up and ready to see if Santa had come.

And he had!

Ayla’s stocking was full of little nic-nacs and there were presents oozing out from under the tree, we didn’t know where to start!

I think I even had myself believing in Santa’s magic again, even if just for a moment or two, as I walked Ayla around the tree explaining what had happened overnight.

Ayla is a very lucky girl indeed! From Santa she got a bucket of shaped blocks and a very cool push-along walker toy, and in her stocking was a couple of teething toys, a Schleich Shetland pony, some bubbles and a book about colours.

From her Mummy and Daddy, Ayla got a ladybug bouncing ball, a pop-up book called “Little Tadpoles Big Surprise”, a tambourine drum and a set of crayons with an art pad.

From friends and family Ayla got everything from gorgeous outfits to stuffed animals, from electronic learning toys to books and games.

Ayla even received a pair of genuine Baby Raybans and a beautiful butterfly bracelet engraved with her name.

Although most of our family is interstate, thanks to the wonders of FaceTime we were able to include them in our Christmas morning as they watched Ayla open her gifts.

It was great to know that despite thousands of kilometres they could still share in Ayla first Christmas, and see her face light up as her presents were unwrapped.

But after the gift giving, unwrapping and thanking was over we were off to our neighbours house for a street-party champagne breakfast, complete with bacon and eggs!

The afternoon was spent cleaning up and getting ready to go away on holidays tomorrow, and from evening to night we gorged ourselves leftovers while relaxing the couch with a wine, watching our little Baby Ayla play with her new toys.

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Christmas Eve

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Tuesday, 24 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Seven Days Old.

My little family and I have had a lovely, first, Christmas Eve together.

After a slow and relaxing morning, Hubby and I dressed Ayla in her Christmas onesie and the three of us set out with a car full of presents.

We spent the afternoon catching up with a few close friends, dropping in to see them at home, give them a gift and of course a last minute Merry Christmas kiss on the cheek.

Ayla was spoiled with love, not to mention the presents, and Hubby and I welcomed the chance to spend a few hours with some of the special people who make up our pseudo “family”.

It was late by the time we got home though so it wasn’t long before Ayla was tucked away in bed… her first Christmas Eve.

Once Ayla was sound asleep, Santa was quick to arrive! He dropped off some presents and filled Ayla’s stocking right to the brim before polishing off a slice of ginger ripple cake.

Eek! I can hardly wait for tomorrow!

Not just for the excitement of Ayla first Christmas, but because we’re so lucky to have each other and we have so much to be happy about.

And, I know our little house will be filled with all the things that matter most at Christmas time; love, happiness, peace, joy and family.

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Paper? What paper?!

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Monday, 23 December 2013 Thirty Eight Weeks Old.

Everyone’s been telling me that at Ayla’s age she’ll be more interested in the paper than the presents on Christmas morning, but I’m afraid I’m going to have to beg to differ!

We had some friends pop over tonight for a Christmas Eve Eve celebration and they came bearing a gift for Baby Ayla.

Just like when she opened her gift from “Aunty” Ali the other day, Ayla was quick to realise there was a goodie hidden inside the crinkly stuff with Santa’s printed on it.

As soon as Ayla saw a glimmer of the sparkling FisherPrice fish tank she was mesmerised, staring at the piece of present peeking out beneath the wrapping.

I had to help her peel the paper back further, and once Ayla saw the whole gift she started squealing and bobbing up and down in delight.

Paper? What paper!?

It might have just been that Ayla’s “Aunty” Kez and “Uncle” Collie nailed the gift selection, or it could be a sign of things to come.

And that on Christmas morning in two days time, we can expect our little house to be filled with gorgeous wide eyes and adorable shrieks of excitement as Ayla opens her presents.

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Guest blogger, Hubby

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Sunday, 22 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Five Days Old.

I’m still a bit under the weather and can’t think straight to save myself, so I’m handing An Ayla A Day over to a guest blogger for the night; Hubby.

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It is with great pleasure that I, Daddy, can tell everyone that Ayla is at the stage when she knows who her two best friends in the whole wide world are.

When both Ayla’s arms extend to full reach for either one of us it’s pure love and one of the greatest feelings I have ever had.

It is these little things that when we look back later on in life we realise that they were the biggest things of all.

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Thing One & Thing Two

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There are two things worth mentioning today…

    Thing One

Baby Ayla got upgraded on our boat today.

She’s now too big (and active) for a baby bouncer, so when we took her out water skiing this morning we had to find Ayla a new digs.

And, we created the perfect place! Up the front, in the shade and with a great view of the rest of the boat Ayla was happy and at home while we cruised about on the dam with some friends.

    Thing Two

We finished off the day with a Christmas dinner at a friends place, and it was here where Ayla showed her first ever sign of proper sookiness!

Where Ayla’s usually stoked to be cuddled by others tonight all she wanted was her Mummy and Daddy and she wasn’t afraid to cry for us!

It was endearing, but a little embarrassing, when Ayla started crying if Hubby or I left the room, if we put her down, or if she saw us again and remembered we’d actually left her for a moment or two while she was distracted.

I think Ayla’s clinginess was due to a combination of sore teeth, tiredness and the fact that she is now fully aware who her family is.

The fact that Ayla is usually so independent and social made meant her clinginess was very out of character, and it was a rare vulnerability we were happy to indulge for the night.

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TMI

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Friday, 20 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty Two Days Old.

Ok, so this might be TMI (to much information) buuuttttt…. Ayla did her first proper poo today!

It’s as if now she’s grown a tooth Ayla suddenly wants to eat real food and the result is, well, kinda gross.

Argh! It’s all happening so fast. Two days ago my baby got her first tooth, and today I can no longer claim she is “exclusively breast fed”.

Mind you, Ayla’s no where near eating proper meals, she just has a small sampler plate every now and then.

And it’s not like Ayla is actively seeking out or demanding meals but you can rest assured that if I’m eating something, Ayla wants it too.

I think food is still mainly an entertainment source though; it keeps her quiet while her brain makes sense of the taste, texture and fun-factor, but once Ayla’s learned all she can the slobbery scrap is unceremoniously chucked to the floor.

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Presents

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Thursday, 19 December 2013: Two Hundred and Sixty One Days Old.

With just five days ’til Christmas the pool of presents under our tree is widening.

And that raises the age old question… How much is too much?

It’s hard enough to find a hope for a balance between our gifts and Santa’s, but then there’s all the presents from friends and family.

People are so generous! It’s overwhelming and heart warming and kind, and something I didn’t account for when I planned Ayla’s first ever Christmas gift list.

So now, given the pace set by Ayla today when she got to unwrap an early Christmas from her “Aunty” Ali, it looks like our Christmas morning will extend well into Christmas night!

But it also looks like Ayla will get the hang of unwrapping pretty quickly, we’ll just have to watch she doesn’t damage the gift inside!

Can’t wait 🙂

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It’s happening!

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Wednesday, 18 December; Two Hundred and Sixty Days Old.

It’s happening!! It’s actually happening.

Ayla has a tooth.

Well, almost.

After about a week of seeing two little whitish bumps at the front of Ayla’s bottom gum, today there is a tiny glimmer of white bone peeking through!

Apparently it can’t yet be called “her first tooth” because it could still retreat back into the safety of Ayla’s jaw to await a later date.

I hope it doesn’t though!

As much as I’m anxious about seeing Ayla grow into a little kid while I watch, I would hate to think that little blade-like sucker will cut through her precious skin again.

Ayla hasn’t really put up much complaint about the cutting though; apart from four hourly wake ups at night and bit of extra irritability at bed time, Ayla’s been her usual happy self.

And, with nineteen more teethies to follow…. Thank goodness!d