I know I am so bad not writing for so long. In my defence – I have been busy. Now I shall try my best to give an update on the adventures of Martha. Martha is doing well, she is still exclusively breastfed and thriving on it. She will be 24 weeks old on Saturday and will get her first bit of real food (though she has already licked apples, bananas and orange juice).

On Mondays Martha goes swimming with Dave and I. We attend a free swimming class for babies, the first 15 minutes are spent singing songs and swishing Martha about in the water and the final 15 minutes are for play. She absolutely adores it all and squeals with joy throughout.

Every other Wednesday Martha goes to the local breastfeeders anonymous group at the library, where she smiles at other breastfeeding babies and I get to eat scones. When we are not at breastfeeders anon we go to a parent and toddler group.

Most days we take the dogs for a walk in the afternoon. Martha loves to watch the dogs, especially when they are wrestling with each other. I think that Martha really wants to dig her fingers into the dogs’ fur – Gracie is having none of it and scarpers every time she sees a baby limb move, Maya is more accepting of being touched by a baby (she is just glad of any attention these days).

Martha despises housework and computing. She reserves her foulest screams for when either of these activities may be taking place (please note she is currently asleep and doesn’t realise that I am using a computer). She doesn’t mind baking and helped make soda bread and a coconut and raspberry loaf cake yesterday. However, when it came to cleaning up the mess I had made while baking, she protested very loudly.

And that’s all for now folks.

Martha and the Rabbit Tail from Zoe Bowyer on Vimeo.

My little one is upstairs in bed babbling away. I am just catching a moment before her contented babbles turn into cries. I know that when I go up to her she will give me a giant smile. This makes me happy.

Yesterday little Martha and I visited with Martha Snr. Due concern was given for Martha Snr’s possible pulled muscle/lung pain – it was one or the other, though most likely a pulled muscle caused by a coughing fit. Then Martha Snr went back to laughing and enjoying little Martha’s company. Socks and bootees had to be removed as little Martha was nearly 9 weeks old and Martha Snr had not yet seen her wee feet.

Then a neighbour arrived and Martha Snr put on the best show I have seen in a long time of someone who could possibly be at death’s door. She even managed to hoick up some phlegm, she may even have been saving it up for this very occasion. The neighbour rubbed Martha Snr’s back and sympathised will her, suggested she take herself to the doctors and get some antibiotics for they would sort her out.

*My maternal grandfather

I would say that every person who reads this blog is already aware that I have had my baby. Just in case there is anyone out there who does not know – I had little Martha Amy on 19 September. We have spent the last 4 weeks getting to know each other and it is bloody hard work, but very rewarding.

The dogs were extremely interested in her when she arrived home. We sat her in her car seat on the floor and both Gracie and Maya sniffed and licked her. They were very gentle. When Martha cried both dogs started vibrating in fear – they have since got used to the sound of crying.

winding, originally uploaded by waveneyavenue.

Naturally I haven’t had much on the way of free time and I haven’t yet learned the art of multi-tasking feeding and typing. Though we have got to grips with sleeping and knitting or reading.

4 today.

I have a new hobby – sleeping during the day. It is brilliant! The dogs love it too, we all pile up on the bed and rest a spell.

If it is quiet here it is because: I have been away; I am sleeping; I am working; I am talking about bathrooms; I am knitting; I am walking the dogs; I am eating my dinner.

I am slowly gathering together all the basics I will need for the arrival of my baby. Some stuff is bought and some is made. I threw together a quick homemade version of this. Dave wasn’t very impressed by it, his attention was only held for a couple of seconds. He reckons a boy would never be engrossed by something so silly. I said, just you wait to see your wee idiot son playing away with it! Actually, I didn’t really say that, I said something a lot less PC and had myself a hugh, wobbling belly laugh.

I managed to complete two knitted garments last week. One was a little cardigan for the baby and the other was a bolero for me. I am very happy with the bolero, although it is far too warm for the weather we are having. Really this is bra and panties weather – or is it just me that feels so, so warm?

On Saturday Dave and I went to a basket weaving class near Portaferry. I made this and I am very proud of it!

Yesterday I was at a training course in Craigavon. I don’t normally mingle with others in my field of work so I found it strangely reassuring that everyone, everywhere is exactly the same. The same old stories of being passed over for promotion. The same old complaints about insincere praise. The same old bitterness everywhere. And in every single break we had the majority of people became glued to their mobile phones, except for one person who brought a book. I too brought a book but had left it in my car, so had to make do with texting Dave. Anything but talk to other people!

The drive home was hot and sticky – I removed most of my clothes when I got into my house.

Back in work today I find more people are discovering I am pregnant. Nobody looks me in the eye anymore, they all talk to my bump. I guess this is normal and I should just get used to it.

Over the weekend we took the dogs to Waterfoot beach, a place normally deserted except for a few hardy dog walkers, but which on Saturday was packed with kiddies and their sun-worshipping parents. On Sunday we walked up Trostan from the Glenariff side, another normally quite place, but which on Sunday was positively hiving with people. We even encountered a guy on a bike – Trostan is not exactly easy biking territory being surrounded by boggy ground.

Needless to say our holiday was very pleasant. We stayed in a cabin in the woods in the Dordogne. It was bliss. We ate tasty food, we relaxed, we rafted on our little lake, we fed carp our leftover bread.

On our return we stopped over a night in London, where we visited the Cybercandy shop near Covent Garden (Hannah would love this place). We bought Hot Tamales, Jelly Belly Jellybeans and Watermelon Jolly Ranchers (which proudly proclaim on their packaging that they are both ‘Naturally and Artificially flavored’, so they are twice as good as other sweets!)

We ate lunch/dinner in Wahaca and then went to stay with London Aunt. The following day we were treated to a delicious brunch with London Aunt, her hubby and Ganching. A very pleasant morning was had.