Tag Archives: father

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Poppy

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Saturday, 2 August 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Twenty Four Days Old.

Ayla met her Poppy for the first time today, when he arrived for a visit over the long weekend.

Ayla was beside herself with exhaustion by the time we got to the airport, pooped from having severe tummy problems that prevented her from napping and tired her out to the max.

Normally when Ayla is ready for bed or just woken up she refuses to go to anyone except Hubby or I, but when she met her Poppy at the airport she reached out for him like a long lost friend.

I was really surprised, but of course I shouldn’t have been; one look at my Hubby and his dad standing side by side it was like a mirror image, just a little more “snowy” on the right!

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Playing favourites

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Thursday, 24 July 2014: One Year, One Hundred and Fifteen Days Old.

We adults might not play favourites to our kids but Ayla is SUCH a Daddy’s girl!

When Daddy drives down around the corner each evening Ayla screeches and starts running along the fence line, stopping when she reaches the end of the concrete to wave and dance on the spot while he comes in the driveway.

Daddy also has the most luck with feeding Ayla. I might try for ages to get a spoonful or two in, then Daddy takes over and the whole serve is missing in what feels like moments.

Ayla’s started to want her Daddy more often when she’s hurt, tired or hungry too lately. I always thought that a Mummy cuddle fixed everything but for Ayla at the moment it’s a Daddy cuddle through and through.

Then tonight when Daddy left the house and Ayla stayed behind with our babysitter her little lip quivered, then she cried and called out to him at the front door as he drove off.

The babysitter said she distracted Ayla and the tears were gone after a minute or two, but all night whenever Ayla walked past her Daddy’s work bag she pointed at it and said “Dadda?”

Admittedly Ayla did walk up to a photo of me on the TV cabinet and say “Mumma” but that was probably just cos she didn’t want to play favourites 😉

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Greatness

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Saturday, 8 March: Three Hundred and Forty One Days Old.

Ayla is changing. She’s getting bigger, louder, smarter and more active every day.

Hubby’s been working and training such long hours that he’s missed a bit of Ayla’s recent development and today I think her sudden “kid-ness” hit him like a tonne of bricks.

He was amazed by Ayla’s love of music which she was really showing off today, her voluntary cuddles and kisses, and Ayla’s moments of quiet calm when she’s just happy to sit or lie beside us.

After they’d been hanging out in the bedroom for a while Hubby reappeared with a huge grin on his face and a smiling Ayla in his arms.

“She’s so awesome babe! Look at her!”

My heart wanted to burst.

Ayla wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting but I knew what he meant; to us, Ayla is so amazing, so wonderful, that we just want to bask in her greatness.

PS – if you haven’t already, please vote Ayla as the cutest baby in Australia and help her win a People’s Choice Award in the Bonds Australia Baby Photo Comp…. Thanks in advance! Click here to vote

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Rockabye Daddy

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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.

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The good, the bad and the awesome

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Tuesday, 11 February 2014: Three Hundred and Sixteen Days Old.

There were lots of firsts for Ayla today that went the full spectrum: the good, the bad and the awesome.

THE GOOD:

Ayla had her first trip to the osteopath today. I took her because of the clicky left shoulder she’s had since birth and to investigate if there was any reason behind why Ayla has been rubbing the back of her head.

Ayla was pretty good considering the osteo rubbed and poked her while we tried to keep her still, but he said Ayla’s back and shoulder (which he thinks may have been strained in utero) is now cured and I’m to keep an eye on the tight muscles at the back of her head.

THE BAD:

Ayla had her first bout of sea sickness today. It’s Hubby’s week off so we went for a quick fish in the harbour this morning but by the time we got to the spot the wind had picked up, the sky had become overcast and the ocean was choppy.

Although Ayla had been fine on the drive out as soon as we pulled up anchor she started to look queasy and sorry for herself, Ayla even had a tiny little spew! Hubby gets sea sick too so he knew what she was going through and before long we headed for calmer waters where Ayla returned to her usual self and recommenced crawling around the deck.

THE AWESOME:

Ayla caught her first fish today! Well, kind of… She was sitting on Hubby’s lap with her hands on his fishing rod when he got a bite. Hubby was on, and Ayla kept her hands on the rod while he reeled it in. Within seconds up came a Golden Snapper!

I don’t think Ayla had any idea what had just happened though, because as I scrambled for the camera and Hubby wrangled the fish one handed, Ayla kept her eyes glued to the wet, flapping sea creature with a glimmering hook in its mouth trying to decide whether to touch it or not.

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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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The bond

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Monday, 16 December 2013: Thirty Seven Weeks Old.

Over the past two days I’ve watched as the bond between Ayla and Hubby has grown stronger before my very eyes.

Ayla’s always loved her Daddy, but until now her devotion has only really surfaced in the morning when he gets her up for the day, and in the evenings when he comes home from work.

But over yesterday and today Ayla has started to seek him out for cuddles and playtime, comfort and closeness.

I think it’s because Ayla’s at the age now where she wants fun and entertainment, not just food and care, and who better to give her that than her Daddy.

They’ve read stories, watched the cricket, shared meals together and collected eggs from the chooks. Hubby’s rocked Ayla when she’s been tired, and Ayla’s reached for Hubby with both hands outstretched.

It’s come at a perfect time too. I’ve not been feeling well so to be able to lie in bed listening to the noises of Hubby and Ayla playing happily down the hall has been bliss.

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My favourite thing

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Monday, 25 November 2013: Thirty Four Weeks Old.

My favourite thing in the whole world is watching Ayla and her Daddy hang out together.

It’s Hubby’s week off this week which means we have lots of father-daughter fun ahead of us, starting with today’s swimming lesson.

Ayla has really started to get the hang of swimming these past few weeks, and today it was Hubby turn to get in the water with her and share her excitement.

Ayla kicks almost the whole time she’s swimming now, she can hold/hang onto the side all by herself, she goes under the water and swims back up without us holding her, and she’s a gun at grabbing items from below the surface.

Ayla has also become most confident baby in the pool – even happier than babies who are a year old, or who have been going to lessons longer – but I guess it’s not surprising given that Ayla spends about an hour a day in the water; splashing and kicking just never, ever, seems to get old for her.

So, by the time today’s lesson was over I wasn’t surprised to find myself wondering who had the biggest smile on their face; Ayla from all the compliments she was getting from the other parents and the instructor, or Hubby on seeing for himself what a great swimmer she is!

 

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Happy to be home

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Saturday, 16 November 2013: Two Hundred and Twenty Nine Days Old.

I think Ayla was happy to be home this afternoon.

Even though we had a great time away, when I put Ayla down in her spot on the couch with a couple of toys it was as if we’d never left.

And when I put her on her change table she went crazy, grabbing at the mat, the fluffy white rug underneath and her teddy bear, trying to kiss and cuddly everything she could.

But best of all was when Daddy snuck up on her while she was playing on the floor.

Ayla stopped dead still when she heard Hubby’s voice, and when she saw him her face split into the biggest smile.

And then as her picked her up and nuzzled into her neck Ayla’s legs started kicking in sheer excitement and pure happiness – it was beautiful.