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Growing Rough & Tumble babies

4/11/2016

17 Comments

 
Baby Little Bear in washing basket dad's turn blog
Your first newborn is tough to look after. And not because of the sleepless nights, feeding troubles, and poo explosions. It's because nothing in life had ever prepared you for these things, and their constant wearing away at your normally well rested self. You're sub-consciously wondering when your weekend will come, or if the baby has an off-switch. When will you get to sleep! When will you shower! Then you clock that it's only been a week (felt like a month), and you've got the rest of the next 20 odd years to do... at least.

Fast-forward 8 months into parenting... It starts to feel like you can do this, and it's getting pretty fun. It's like you tasted your first pint of bitter (beer for non-Brits) 8 months ago and it was disgusting, but now it's turning out pretty refreshing and has become your drink of choice.
A few months back I posted on how amazing it was that your unresponsive little potato of a newborn becomes a practiced yoga master in such a short space of time. Well, no surprise, it gets even better. Not to say he's easier to look after, no. He's now more than a full-time occupation.

​The little trolls have a habit of doing away with one problem and then quickly giving the poor unsuspecting first-time parent another one. When will it end! The tough stuff like battling colic and being terrified of breaking the baby goes away, but you get some new things. Little Bear now has some serious opinions. Not just that all solid food is disgusting, but he now demands that Pappa never leaves his play area, and continues to read the same book again and again (or scream), or hand him balls to bounce.


[I say 'Pappa' I'm now being referred to as 'daddy' despite our attempts at only talking Swedish... Who am I kidding, he calls everything daddy, and I've been called 'babba', 'mummy' and fart noise in the last hour]
Pappa: 'Stop chewing on that coaster Little Bear'
Little Bear: 'Stop cramping my style!'

Pappa: 'No you can't eat the DVD'
Little Bear: 'What else is it good for? Oldie'

Pappa: 'I'm just going to make myself a coffee'
Little Bear: 'NO! Come here! Make me fly! NOW!'

Pappa: 'Let me just finish this blog post'
Little Bear: 'Pick me up now or I'll bite your toe'

Pappa: 'Stop trying to get through the gate'
Little Bear: 'Why are you always following me? ... Looser'
Baby Little Bear cruising dad turn blog parental leave
​I was hoping I'd get till he was a teenager before this started.

His newly discovered mobility means that the second his nappy's off he must attempt a gymnastic vault off the changing table. Holding him back from such a plummet prompts some surprised shouts and stamping his foot on the table. The only solution is to make fart noises on his tummy as giggling is better than a vaulting. But somehow the foot is always strategically aimed at the fresh poo in the old nappy. Not that his foot is the worst of him by this point after the wriggling.

Even pre-crawling, the wriggling was getting bad. He wont stop. It started when we were in Sweden a few months back. Whatever soft play area we'd make for him, he'd fidget and wriggle his way strait to the hard floor on the edge (way more fun as grown-ups keep pulling him away from it). By the time we got home, his once perfect jungle gym which could keep him content on his back for what seemed like hours, became the object of destruction.

First it got a baby-rage attack, with a bear growl his strong little arms managed to tear of the toys, with dolly and robot being innocent casualties in his Incredible Hulk moment. Shortly after, he rolled out of the jungle gym, and began dragging it across the floor... Ok, so it was time to upgrade his play area. In the last month he's also started crawling like a pro, making the whole thing more of a challenge.

The new play area I built took up half the living room, and has since expanded to the entire living room as he scurries around hiding ball-pit balls in various places for Pappa to step on. It temporarily expanded to the dining area and the kitchen several weeks ago, as we watched him make a b-line for the robot-hoover, switch it on, then attack the fire-extinguisher and finally head for the stairs... A fence was erected an hour later.

A few weeks later, after frequent tumbles when he started crawling and cruising, the floor was covered in foam squares. We are in fact losing our adult living room rapidly. Apparently parents aren't allowed their own things.

He now crawls over to me from the other end of the living room to bite my feet (I think this is him trying to tell me he wants to be held). After a giggle and two seconds in my arms, he then fidgets round and continues his gymnastics practice from the changing table and tries to dive head first into the coffee table, only to find himself put back on his mat and start the process over again. You'd think he'd tired of this level of activity, but he just starts giving bad attitude rather than falling asleep. 

It feels like this is the toughest and most fun stage of a baby, but then I thought that about when he was newborn too, and I'm pretty sure I'll think that when he's trying to walk, and when he's a toddler. Simply because it's new, and you quickly forget about the tough stuff you went through in the past.

Head bumps, getting stuck under the coffee table, attempts to escape from his pushchair, but he's getting all the more fun to be around. I don't go very long without thinking, 'shit, how did he learn how to do that!' Wouldn't miss this for the world.

17 Comments
Catie link
7/11/2016 12:01:31 pm

It is hard this stage because you can't stop looking for a moment. But it is super fun. I love that you are trying to raise your son bilingual. Don't give up!!! Mine are english/dutch speaking. Thank you for linking up to #EatSleepBlogRT

Reply
Dave
9/11/2016 09:51:59 am

Dutch and English is a handy combination. Good luck!

Reply
Fridgesays link
7/11/2016 09:52:45 pm

#eatsleepblogrt yup it's the parent trap : every stage you think is cuter and better and tbh it probably is. We decided to teach no early and didn't bother with stair gates or plug socket protectors, he has made it to three so it seems to have worked,
You can only sponge pad them for so long - best of luck with your mini ninja

Reply
Dave
9/11/2016 09:53:19 am

True, and he still finds ways to tumble in the small spot you didn't pad!

Reply
Jaki link
8/11/2016 12:17:46 am

What a great little post. I remember those days like they were yesterday and now I'm submitting primary school applications! #marvmondays

Reply
mainy - myrealfairy link
8/11/2016 07:40:44 pm

aahhh what a great post and such cute pictures too:)

Mainy

Reply
Kaye link
9/11/2016 05:40:50 pm

Every stage is so amazing with your first and that first year just flys so fast. I now have a 3 year old and every stage that comes seems like the best stage. And now I have a newborn, it's bringing back how amazing those initial stages are too. Thanks for linking up to #MarvMondays. Kaye xo

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Mary link
11/11/2016 09:10:58 am

It seems like this stage and all others happen so fast!! Cute pictures and great blog :D

Reply
Heather Keet link
11/11/2016 09:17:15 am

Unresponsive little potato...my new favorite description for a baby! #ThatFridayLinky

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Sarah Howe link
11/11/2016 12:09:31 pm

Aw I do hate to tell you...it just gets harder! I'm a mum to a 6 week old and a 3 year old. Newborn doddle!!!! Toddler...doesn't listen, messy, demanding. The irony!! X #thatfridaylinky

Reply
suz link
12/11/2016 09:22:33 am

He he. All the stages of your child growing up are good but your son is at a great age. Great post :-)
#fortheloveofBLOG

Reply
Ali Duke link
12/11/2016 11:34:11 am

Lol, I don't think any stage with kids is easy. When they start moving around, life really gets interesting lol.
#fortheloveofBLOG

Reply
Sam link
12/11/2016 10:41:09 pm

Ah such a lovely post and the pictures are so cute
#fortheloveofBLOG

Reply
Lucy link
13/11/2016 01:24:37 pm

Sounds like he is at a similar stage to my daughter. I can't believe how quickly they can move about, especially when you're not looking! #ForTheLoveOfBlog

Reply
Nige
13/11/2016 08:29:44 pm

Definitely a tough age but for me it's my favourite Thanks for linking to the #THAT FRIDAY LINKY come back next week please

Reply
The Pramshed link
15/11/2016 09:57:27 pm

Ah this is such a nice age when they finally start doing stuff, and I'm with you that it feels like their toys and baby play pens take up half your house. Thanks for linking up at #fortheloveofBLOG. Claire x

Reply
Barrie Bismark link
8/12/2016 05:58:01 pm

I call this the danger stage. All they want to do are things that can kill them! Enjoy it though. It goes by so quickly. I actually kind of miss it now. #sharingthebloglove

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    I'm Dave, dad of Little Bear. Also known as 'Pappa' to the little man as we try and bring out his Swedish roots

    My wife and I are sharing the troubles and joys of bringing up Little Bear equally. This is about my half of the time being responsible for not breaking the baby

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