More teeth

Emily has been quite grouchy the last few days. We put it down to the cessation of the evening feed.

However, it came to Sue's attention yesterday that Emily actually has two need teeth. Both on the bottom, either side of the existing middle-four that are there.

This would explain all manner of unhappiness on Emily's behalf, and I'm beginning to feel guilty in that I assumed it was just Em complaining about no milk.

When I picked Em up from Katharine's last night, she asked if I knew about Emily's FOUR new teeth. Apparently there's two MORE on the bottom row nearer the back.

Now I REALLY feel guilty!

Enjoying the holiday in the sun

We've now been in Spain for almost three whole days, and Emily is having quite the number of first experiences - from extreme heat to swimming pools. The last couple of nights she's been quite active during her sleep, which I take as a sign that she's processing all the amazing things she's been through.

Today we went to a Sunday market near Quesada, where Paul's folks live. We got about an hour into it before Emily gave up and just became agitated. (Sue had already given up, having been cornered in a children's clothing stall by two women who didn't seem to understand English or the word "no").

The constant sun in Em's face and the heat obviously played on her with great effect. We eventually retreated back to the car where we turned the A/C on and Sue fed her. She was quite good after that.

This afternoon, we did what most people do in a hot climate on holiday - we hit the pool! This involved - for Emily - donning waterproof nappies and a nice little wetsuit, as well as lashings of SPF 50+ sunscreen, baby sunnies and a hat. As she was quite tired and agitated from the mornings activities, there was no way the sunnies were staying on, so pool time was enjoyed through squinty eyes.

We played a few games in the water and did a bit of playful horsing around before Emily finally succumbed to tiredness and began to grizzle. A quick feed later and she was out for the count in the shade.

I think we're all having a nice laid back time, just doing things as they come. For Emily, especially, there are so many things she's experiencing for the first time, I'm surprised her mind doesn't explode.

Not fun anymore?

Emily's becoming quite the moody baby. She sits and smiles at you for moments on end, then for no reason, will turn on you like a pack of dogs on a wounded deer. There are all sorts of theories on why this is - ranging from boredom, to wind, to hunger, etc. It doesn't really help at the end of the day when you've just had 20 hours filled with a constant "whhhhhaaaaaa".

Hopefully this, like all good AND bad things, will pass ... and soon.

On a good note, Emily is either sleeping more through the night, or not making enough noise to wake me up. Having said that, I don't really need an alarm clock with her in the room. I was awoken at 6am this morning by "cooing". The perfect father out there would have taken the opportunity to play with baby, taking her into the living room to enable mummy to sleep. I just put a pillow over my ears and wished for her to fall back asleep so I wouldn't be a zombie at work.

Ah, the follies of parenthood.

Remorseless, just remorseless

So far between Sue and I, when one of us has been off our nut with tiredness, the other has held the mantle of sanity and let it prevail. These days, with the sleep deprivation that Emily has wrought on us, it's been really difficult keeping it real, as the street kids say.

The last few days, the little tyke has been relentless in her eating... and subsequent crying if point A is not fulfilled. As the non-lactating parent, I can but look on as Sue cries things along the lines of "not more!" and "aren't you full yet?" I then roll over for more sleep as she spends hours at a time giving Emily her food.

I do what I can, trying to entertain Emily to give Sue some moments to regroup mentally. It's difficult entertaining something that is essentially a remorseless eating machine, but at least I was able to get all the way through an episode of "The Fall Guy" today before her lungs tore the air a new one.

Back to the very fragile layer of sanity that is still among us.

The breaking point almost came today. We went to Mothercare to buy Emily a "Flutterbye Dreams Swing" from Fisher Price. It's a motorised swing (that takes 4 D batteries and 4 AA batteries!!!!) designed to shut your grizzling child up and entertain them with noise, lights and fluffy creatures.

It did none of these things.

Emily sat in the seat and grizzled. Sue sat on the sofa and grizzled. I sat there wondering why a child would not want to enjoy a piece of kit so obviously designed to please a child.

The search for peace continues.

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