August: I Was Born!

I was born on the 8th day of the eight month of 2013, in one of the warmest summers that Britain had for awhile. I don't really remember much of that day except that it had always been dark and suddenly there was light. Everything was different, I could move my arms and kick my legs. But I was too tired to do anything so I slept, with the smell of milk, close to my nose as my Mama held me in her arms the whole night. Not that she didn't try to put me in the cot, she did, a few times at least, but I screamed to let her know that I preferred the smell of her bosom to the scent of antiseptic in the bedsheets of the hospital ward. She relented and rocked me gently as I dozed off. She didn't have any sleep of course, and she wouldn't for a few nights at least.

Home Sweet Home

Daddy came for us the next day. It took him a while to sort out the car seat and Mama was getting a bit anxious, she didn't have any battery on her phone the whole night and was suffering from Facebook withdrawal syndrome. But crisis abated, we headed home where my Lola Ma had a beautiful welcome home banner waiting for me.



Visitors and Presents

Family and friends came to see us too, some from as far as Gibraltar, although I was mostly asleep. But visitors meant presents, and I certainly had loads of them! My Mama and Daddy didn't have to buy any clothes for me at all, so they can count that off the cost of bringing up a child (something I hear them mention all the time!)



Paternity Leave is Very Useful

My Daddy was very efficient while he was on paternity leave, which is two weeks here in our country. He sorted out my birth certificate, registered for my child benefits (I get £80 a month from the UK government, thanks to taxes my parents pay) and applied for my first passport.


I Have Trouble Sleeping

But not only that, he also has time to give me a bath, change my nappies and put me to bed every night.
Not that it was ever easy to get me to sleep when I don't feel like it. I'm not a fan of my moses basket either even though it's beside my Mama. I prefer to be held by her and I always wake up when I can't smell her close by or whenever I'm hungry. So they've decided to share my feeding time and my Mama had been pumping milk in the morning so that my Daddy can feed me in the middle of the night when she's too tired to get up. I still prefer her breasts but I'm a good baby so I didn't protest.


I've Been Out and About

Who says a baby's life is boring? When my parents picked up my travel system (a Graco Evo), they made sure it fits the boot of our blue Fiat Panda and can be used with my car seat so they can take me anywhere. When I was barely a week old, they took me to Bradfield, a village in the outskirts of Sheffield on a nice sunny day. We visited my late grand dad Jack's grave and admired the beautiful views of the hills and valleys around us.
We also went to town, and I had a feed under the shade of a line of trees in Leopold Square with the soft wind kissing my cheeks to keep me cool from the warmth of the midday sun. Our city is a breastfeeding friendly place and everyone does it everywhere, which is always good for a constantly hungry baby.

We also drove around the Peak District National Park, visiting some of the lovely little towns and villages around. Our first stop was Bakewell where we had a stroll along the riverside, ate lunch inside a walled garden and bought the famous Bakewell pudding to take away!

We also went to a pretty little village called Ashford-in-the-Water, just off Bakewell. By the river we watched the swans glide in the water as they travelled downstream. It was a lovely sight! We also visited my Norman ancestors' gravestones from the 19th century. It was pretty cool!
On our way back to Sheffield, we stopped off at the Monsal Head to admire the breathtaking views of the 'Valley of the Gods'. My Lola Ma was very impressed and so was I!

We've also been visiting families in Sheffield. When we went to my Lolo Deniz' house one night and he made us a Turkish meal which was nice, I tasted it in my Mama's milk. We also visited my great grandma, she made us scones and tea. Yum!
On the weekends that we haven't been driving around, we go to the park for a picnic. Our favourite spot was the rose garden, just in front of the library. Daddy likes to sunbathe there while Mama reads her book. I mostly slept after I've had my feed, the smell of the roses are wonderfully intoxicating.

That was the first month of my life and I think I quite enjoyed it. Not sure about my parents though, they looked like they were still struggling with the lifestyle change, especially at night. Good thing my Lola Ma was with us, she picked me up in the wee hours of the morning when my Mama could no longer cope with me. I liked sleeping in her bed, it's more comfortable than my cot but they were always going on about health and safety so I wasn't allowed to co-sleep. But I'm sure they will get used to it, I won't be going anywhere soon, they will have to put up with me for another 18 years at least!