Catching up

Sorry, I've just not had the time to update this for a little while. 

Mia is now quite settled into her nursery routine.  She settled quicker into nursery #2 (the one I originally liked) so we have decided to concentrate on getting her into this place full time.  We have been offered another two days there, so she is now going to go to this one on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.  I told the other nursery we would no longer be requiring Mia to attend on a Wednesday anymore, just need the Tuesday, for now.  So fingers crossed a free Tuesday will come up at nursery #2 and she will be able to go there full time.  

We both agreed that this nursery is the nicest, there is more room, feels bright and airy, they do many more stimulating and developmental activities with the children as well.  Also the outdoor area is just for the children under 2, unlike the other place where the older kids who were running around kept knocking the younger kids over.  It's not fair on all of them as the older kids were getting told off and all they wanted to do was play and run around.

The carers seem to have 'got' Mia a lot quicker as well.  Mia won't sit in a highchair at nursery so they let her sit on a small chair at a small table with the older kids to have her lunch!  They think she is quite advanced for her age.  Of course she is!  She was actually eating at this place a lot sooner, she is still not really eating her lunch at the other nursery, so not sure what they are doing with her there.  Also at the other place they don't have any tables and chairs for her age, so she has to go in a highchair.

Mia doesn't really cry that much when I drop her off now and they tell me that she really enjoys herself when she is there.  The carers seem to really like her.  

So I have just been job hunting whilst she has been at nursery.  I've seen a few things that have interested me, so keep your fingers crossed.  At least I have managed to update my CV now and finally have a hair cut.  I've had it all chopped off and my hair is very short now.  Loving it.

We also finally have tenants in our place in London.  They moved in on 16th April and from all accounts it all went quite smoothly.  About time too. 

Oh and Mia now has 10 teeth!  Another molar appeared last week and has grown quite big really quickly.

Oh so quiet

My mum and brother have now left Sydney and have arrived back home in the UK.  When we got back from dropping them off at the airport it felt so quiet at home.  Even getting up the next day, it was really quiet.  Little Mia wasn't able to jump on Uncle Dan's bed in the morning.

Here is a selection of photos of when they were over there.  Click on link below.

Family visit to Sydney

Damien came with me this morning to drop Mia off at nursery no.2.  She started to get a bit upset as soon as we went into the place.  She is getting better though.  When I went to pick her up last week from nursery no.1, they said she had eaten some food and even seemed to enjoy it.  She wasn't as upset and kept pointing to go and play outside.  So hopefully she will soon settle down.

Here's a little video of Mia messing around in the bath and putting on silly smiles for Granny who was filming her.

First day at Nursery #2

Took Mia to nursery #2 today and she burst into tears as soon as I tried to leave.  It was heartbreaking but by the time I had dropped the pushchair off upstairs near the office and had come back down, she wasn't really crying.  One of the carers had taken her off to change her nappy and was singing to Mia to distract her. 

I rang the nursery at just after noon to see how she was getting on and apparently she had only eaten 4 spoonfuls of lunch, had only a 10 minute sleep in the morning (she normally has at least an hour) and wasn't really drinking her milk.  They didn't seem worried though, telling me that it is all normal etc.  I picked up her at 2.30pm and they said she had done really well and had not really cried but obviously was upset most of the day on and off, in between playing with new toys and the other kids.  

When I got there, she was having her nappy changed again and it took a couple of seconds before she realised it was her mummy coming to collect her and then when she did, her bottom lip went and she got a little bit upset.  Poor thing seemed quite relieved I had come for her.  

Mia was perfectly happy on the way home though, playing peek-a-boo with me from the pushchair as we walked home and seemed her normal self when we got home.  Not the clingy Mia we had had last week.  She went straight off to sleep tonight wearing her new pyjamas.

Photos of Mia aged 12 months

Pictures of Mia aged 12 months

Please click on link above to see photos.  I have added link to the list on the right hand side column with the rest of the pictures.

Second day at Nursery #1

I dropped Mia off at 9am again.  I had a chat with the director and she just said it is quite common for toddlers to refuse to eat in a new environment, as it's so different to what they are used to.  

Mia was fine all the way to the nursery, we were singing on the way there. Even when we got inside, she was fine.  She went off to play with some of the toys and point at the other children quite happily whilst I signed her in and got her nappies, cup and hat out ready for the carers.

There was a new carer today who I'd not seen before, she seemed nice enough and paid special attention to Mia because it was her second day.  I left a note with the carers with a list of things about Mia to help them, to help her, to settle her in.  Just things such as nap times, what she understands, notes telling them she can feed herself etc etc.  Just in case they forget this time.  These are all the things that should probably have been discussed at the orientation day but they didn't ask me anything like that.

Anyway, when it came for me to say bye to Mia, she started crying and trying to grab me so that I would pick her up.  The other carer held her and tried to distract her with some toys as I left.  It was tough.  I obviously wanted to go back in and comfort her but once you have said goodbye it is best to go, as it gets confusing for them later on when they don't know if you are going or staying. 

I've just rang them to see how Mia is getting on and apparently, she has only taken a few sips of her milk, didn't really eat her fruit this morning - in fact she spat it out and has not really eaten her lunch again.  They said not to worry but I said that I'll come down at 2pm again to collect her.  I don't think she should be having long days there at first, not until she is feeling more settled I suppose.

Mia's first day at Nursery #1

Well, it was a tough day for us all today.  I dropped Mia off at the nursery at 9am and she seemed fine at first.  I got a bit emotional as I was leaving but Mia didn't cry.  She was stood in the middle of the room, with the other kids stood looking at her.  

I got myself a coffee and came home and tried to relax.  The nursery called me at about 11:30 am to say that Mia was doing really well, had had an hour sleep in the morning and had not really cried much.  But she had refused her milk, refused her plate of fruit and was now refusing to eat her lunch.  I gave them a few tips on what to do but they called me back about 20 minutes later to say that I should come down as they were worried because she had not eaten anything and not really had much to drink either.  

I got there and Mia had her dummy in and was being held by one of the carers outside, waiting for me and looking at the trees.  We went inside and I put her in the highchair and started to feed her.  She was fine, I fed her a couple of spoonfuls then gave her the spoon and she fed herself the rest, in fact she had two meals, the pureed stuff and the proper food.  Then I couldn't find her water cup and realised the carers had left it in the bag.  So not sure what they had been giving her her water in.  

Then the carer said to Mia "Oh I didn't realise you could feed yourself." So maybe she had been trying to feed Mia and of course, Mia wouldn't have liked this and probably would have refused the food.  It's also because it is all new to her and I suppose refusing to eat is the only thing she is in control of at the moment.  The carer kept going on about Mia not having her milk either and she asked if she had it warm.  Mia just drinks milk in her cup straight from the fridge, she's not fussy.  Then I realised that I think they had been trying to give her milk from a bottle.  I had told them she drinks from a cup but they had obviously forgotten.  

Mia ate her banana and then it was decided that I would leave again and come back at 2pm.  This time Mia cried when I left.  I just went to the top of the road and grabbed a coffee and a slice of banana bread to wait the 45 minutes before it was time for me to collect her again.

I got there at 2pm and she was in the office with one of the carers with a dummy in and away from the other children.  She'd been a bit upset again. We left and she slept in the pushchair all the way home and stayed asleep until 3:30pm.

I had been told by other people that some children refuse to eat in their first few days at nursery, but I hadn't thought that Mia would do that, as she loves her food so much!