Tag Archives: choices

0

Rockabye Daddy

|

Friday, 21 February 2014: Three Hundred and Twenty Eight Days Old.

For the last few nights Ayla has refused to go to sleep unless her Daddy’s put her down.

It’s been a huge change for us and one that proves Baby Ayla is growing up all to fast, but as much as its made me feel a bit obsolete it’s also brought a new feeling of freedom.

While I still give Ayla her bedtime feed instead of backing that up with rocking and singing until she falls asleep the routine is now a family affair that Hubby and I share equally.

Plus, knowing that Ayla can go to to sleep at night in her Daddy’s arms means that we’re another step closer to being able to hire a baby sitter and have a baby-free night out!

It also makes me proud to see that Baby Ayla is gaining her independence and starting to make decisions about what makes her feel happy and content, not just what she likes and doesn’t like.

Growing up certainly happens fast, far faster than anyone can explain. I never thought I’d be using the word independent to describe a ten month old baby and I can hardly believe that in a blink of an eye she won’t need me at all.

0

Politics and sleep

|

20130908-093539.jpg

Saturday, 7 September 2013: One Hundred and Sixty Days Old

Two significant things happened in Ayla’s life today:

1. Ayla attended her first polling booth

2. Ayla went to sleep at someone else’s house

Ok, so attending your first polling booth might not seem very significant for a five month old, but to me it’s an important part of being Australian.

We’re lucky to have our say in how we’re governed and it’s important to Hubby and I that Ayla’s learns she has a voice and can be heard.

While one single vote among 21 million might not constitute as having a say, it represents our right to speak out, make a difference and stand up for what we believe in.

Today’s election stirred a conversation between Hubby and I about how we’ll raise Ayla politically. The decision; to empower her to make educated decisions on what’s best for her.

Now enough of politics.

The second significant thing that happened was that Ayla went to bed at someone else’s house!

We went over to a friends place for tea and decided, for the first time, to try and keep Ayla’s bedtime routine.

So, at 7.00 I gave Ayla her night time feed and by 8.00 she was sound asleep in her bassinet.

It was great! It meant I got to enjoy a nice adult dinner WITH TWO HANDS, and I even got to have a couple of beers.

When the time came to leave we bundled Ayla up and popped her (still sleeping) into her car seat.

I said to Hubby that I finally felt like a real parent, bringing our sleeping kid home after a night out.

0

Moods

|

20130828-205151.jpg

Tuesday 28 August 2013: One Hundred and Forty Nine Days Old.

Ayla reminded me about moods today… About how we can choose the mood we want to be in.

Ayla is awesome at it; she can go from sad to happy in an instant, and stay that way.

I think it must be because babies are fundamentally happy.

Most (unfortunately not all) people know nothing but happiness in their early days as babies so to be sad or angry is against the norm.

Ayla never chooses to be sad – her chosen state of mind is happy – but if something does make her upset she goes straight back to smiling within moments of it being resolved.

It made me remember what a wise man said to me once; bad moods don’t exist, unless you let them.