Happy 1st birthday gorgeous boy | A year with Arlo.

It doesn’t seem like 12 months ago (it feels like a hell of a lot longer!) when my big bruiser was handed to me – this big baby with his huge head, swollen eyes, burst blood vessels and a very serious face. I remember thinking he was such an ugly little thing and yet I loved him instantly, even before my eyes had cast all over his chubby little fingers and toes.

I’d been so worried about how I would feel towards this new baby and in the final weeks before my due date I was so anxious to how our family would change, I wrote all about those feelings here. When you have a child you love them with love that you don’t even know exists – so how can you possibly love another with that same overwhelming love? I really don’t know how, but you do.
So now here we are 12 months after my mother’s day baby was born and how has life changed? Well aside from the fact he’s brought so much love into our family, he really does feel like the final piece – our completed set. [Which is a good job because LagerDad is now well and truly snipped.]

• He’s definitely not as advanced as his sister was, but perhaps that’s just my lack of encouragement to get any kind of movement going.
• There’s no doubting he is a proper mummy’s boy.
• His cry is piercingly loud. His voice has an extra loud volume button. His smile lights up the room.
• He started sleeping at around six months and oh how we cheered. Thank you Sleep Zombie lady and all hail the Sleepytot bunny!
• The waterfalls of sick stopped, he still remains on Staydown milk and I can now wear black tops again without too much fear of having white patches all over them.
• He has his 4 front teeth, one to the side and two molars – he’s the epitome of a man though and he doesn’t cope well with the pain of the teeth cutting.
• Sofia can do no wrong. He laughs at everything she does, even when she’s hitting him in the face.
• He has commando crawled once or twice but he doesn’t make a habit of it.
• He’s strong. In mind and body.
• His favourite toys are a rattle which he sometimes shakes, mainly licks and frequently hits himself in the face.
• He goes to nursery once a week and he seems to love it but he still cries at drop off.
• He’s completely in love with Gramps, sometimes I think he actually loves him more than me.
• He laughs a lot now, but still reserves the real belly chuckles for his sister. It often sounds like he’s going to wet himself – and he probably is.
• We tried to get rid of the dummy when he was about five months old, we lasted two weeks and he still didn’t give in so we gave it back. He thought he’d won the lottery.
• He’s already in 12-18 month clothes.
• He has to ‘twiddle’ something when he’s sleeping – its either his snuggletot or Ernie the Elephant.
• Before he falls to sleep he’ll have a party in his cot, he’s often up there at least 30 mins just crawling about behind his bars and shouting before deciding to finally nod off.  He’s generally a front sleeper.
• He doesn’t lay still for a nappy change, which is really interesting when he’s done a number 2
• Because of his reflux, he’s been pretty much fully weaned since about 7 months. His favourite foods are hot cross buns, sausages and mash and cottage pie. And he loves a snack. I’m still yet to discover a food that he doesn’t like. Which is probably why he’s a unit. He weighs 10kg.
• He cruises around tables and couches, but he’s not steady
• He’s a real lazy boy
• His personality is pretty easy going but he has a huge temper when he chooses too
• He’s cheeky – even though he can’t talk, you can see he has a naughty glint in his eyes
• His favourite hobby is…eating. And chasing his sister around in his walker.

And the one who grew him…
The one everyone forgets as they coo over the baby – me!
So how am I a whole 12 months post partum? I’m good, I’m still knackered but then that’s nothing new. We’re fully into the swing as life as a family of four. Sofia was definitely the guinea pig whereas Arlo has sort of just been dragged along to things – proper second child syndrome. Saying that though, he’s a real loving mummy’s boy which I can’t deny I love. Sofia and LagerDad aren’t massively affectionate so having a little cuddle bundle is definitely appreciated. I’ve been back to work for five months and really enjoy the balance of part time working.
Aesthetically I still want to lose about half a stone and I need to get back into exercise as that’s fallen by the wayside since I’ve been back at work. I’m not being too hard on myself either, quite simply because I love eating junk food – and do so often. In mind, I’ve started to get more mindful – life is such a rush all the time and I wanted to make a conscious effort to make more time for me, even if for just five minutes.