The dreaded mastitis

Yes, it struck. The thing I worried about getting during the early part of Lola's life rocked up when she was 12 weeks. And it was hideous with a capital H. Bound to the bed with what felt like a nasty bout of flu, I panicked when the symptoms started as I just couldn't get my head around how the hell I was going to look after Lola while feeling so bad. We were very lucky as Paul's work were great about him taking a day off and my Dad was able to come down for a day when Paul had to go back. Thankfully it was short lived, once those antibiotics had kicked in I was right as rain.

I'd like to take this opportunity to let my friends know that I'll be there for them if they get it (or any other illness for that matter) while looking after their small babies. I know how impossible it is so please do give me a call!

A rose by any other name

Thanks to her Dad Lola has quite a few monikers. I reckon that only one of them will stick so I wanted to record the names he calls her so I can look back on this in years to come. I will keep adding to it as he seems to come up with a new one every other day:

Lollipop, Lolapop, Lola Pagola, Smile Factory (my personal favourite), Stinky Plinky, Grinny Malliny and Lola Hood (which he sings to the tune of Robin Hood, Robin Hood riding through the glen. What is he like?)

Trip to Scotland

Over the May bank holiday weekend the de Cozar Rushforths took their first holiday together up to Scotland to visit Grandparents Mike and Morag at their new home in Angus. With glorious weather to match a stunning house, we had an absolutely marvellous time. Lola travelled really well (that makes her sound a bit like a travel size bottle of shampoo) and seemed to cope exceptionally well with the new experience of flying. Her face at Gatwick airport was an absolute picture as she marvelled at the strange place we'd bought her to at rush hour on a Thursday morning with literally thousands of people wandering about. In fact the whole six days bought strange new experiences and lots of 'firsts' for the little one.

Her first trip to the beach in Crail, where Morag's parents spent many of their later years

Her first trip to a pottery barn (don't think she noticed this one though)

Her first extremely choppy boat trip, which rocked her to sleep and made her Mum and Dad feel quite sick
Her first trip to the Isle of May to see the puffins and lots of other seabirds

Och, it's Lola's first Loch (Balgavies)

In addition to all that activity we did a lot of chilling out. And with a house and garden like this, it would be rude not to...




That last picture is Lola watching England beat New Zealand in the test match. She really does love her cricket and I wouldn't be surprised if her first word was Monty or Panesar.

The garden is incredible. It has an orchard and vegetable plots and everything. Every time I wandered around it I thought about how much Lola is going to love running about and getting lost in it. It reminds me very much of my Nana Margaret and Granddad Bob's garden in that way.




So all in all a very relaxing week. The only downside was that Lola woke frequently and slept fitfully every night except the first. This could be due to many things, new bed, new environment, growth spurt - we're not quite sure. We were able to deal with the exhaustion thanks to the Grandparents being willing to take her at any opportunity in the way that only grandparents are. Thank you Mike and Morag for giving us the relaxing break that we needed and huge congratulations on a beautiful new home!

A proper introduction to London

Lola and I get out and about a lot. We meet up with friends, visit parks and check out big houses in the local area which we'd if we had endless cash. All of these activities, and more have become highly enjoyable ways to pass the days. However, up till now Lola has only really got to see the smoggy London skyline as she gazes up from her pram. Today we turned her around in the sling so she could see what was going on. Here are Paul and Lola:

leaving the house

stoppping for a quick photo and chew of the Baby Bjorn

Pausing to appreciate the view of London from Blyth Hill

Many moons ago Paul blogged about out first trip out of the house with Lola and our friend Antonia made a comment about how getting out and about with your baby is new and exciting and like seeing London for the first time all again. I know exactly what she means.

The week in pictures

Paul bottling his beer in the brewe- sorry - the nursery.


Lola happily watching me putting clothes away. Bugger, that means I no longer have an excuse to not do the laundry while I'm looking after her.


Getting ready for a bath.


Lola's shadow, which looks freakily like an embryo.


Breezy playing Lola's guitar to her (a very special gift from Uncle Ian).


Granddad Gus on morning duty.


Granddad Gus calling Nana Rosey to tell her that his granddaughter is beautiful for the sixteenth time that day.


The tapas restaurant which Paul and I went to for a very nice meal and a few too many glasses of wine.

Our first proper night out together since Lola was born was an absolute delight. And despite what people predicted, we didn't spend the entire evening talking about our daughter!

The Gettysburg address

Here is some great footage of Lola practicing public speaking:



Things to look out for:
1."I love you " in a slurred 'vowels only' dialect learnt from Daddy
2."Grades", or maybe "Grapes" which makes much more sense
3. Mummy and Daddy acting like grown ups when someone breaks the wind
4. The most offensive squeaker ever heard (I think it was an organ harvested from a muppet)

Perfect Day

The de Cozar Rushforths headed off to Dulwich Park on what felt like the hottest day of the year so far. Here's Lola chilling out with her Dad:

Showing off her new hat:

Having a laugh:

Contemplating:


Perching:

Being a bit fed up:

All in all a perfect day. And doesn't Paul look like James McAvoy in this picture? Lucky me...

On the town

On Friday I went out for the first time since our daughter was born. Hooray!! Lola and I had a very relaxed and indulgent day lazing about at home and it wasn't till the afternoon came and I decided to think about what the hell to wear. She chatted and smiled away at me while I tried on several possible outfits to find that absolutely NONE OF THEM fitted around my boobs. Bollocks. This was the first opportunity to wear whatever I wanted (without the need to breastfeed or consider a massive baby bump) in months - and nothing bloody fitted. Fast forward an hour or two and Paul was on the phone to say that due to a fatality at Charing Cross he was going to be late home. Which meant that I was going to be late leaving. Aaaarrghhh!! At this point I seriously considered sacking the idea off completely and just staying at home and having an early night, but no - I was going to do it. I was going to go out goddamit. So off I trotted to Clerkenwell to the lovely Sam Tring's birthday party. Here he is handcuffed to an inflatable sheep with a big bottle of cider:

and here I am with the gorgeous Cathy, Camellia and Emma - and a jug of Pimms:

I had such a great night. Earlier in the day I'd considered just popping along for a quick one, making my excuses and buggering off home - but as it happened the evening went super fast and I would have happily stayed out till the wee hours. I didn't - and got home at half 12 - a happy medium between the two extremes. Of course I missed Lola terribly, but that just made it all the more special when I finally got home and gave her a sneaky cuddle while she slept.

Thanks Sam for having a great party and getting a new mother out of the house. Wishing you a fabulous birthday.

Baby steps

A picture of Lola sleeping in her cot in her OWN ROOM for the first time. We've not quite braved the move at night time - this is her having a nap in the day, but one step at a time. It feels like five minutes ago that we were panicking that she'd only sleep in our bed...

On trend

I promise I'll stop blogging about Lola's clothes soon, but I wish I could rock the wide-leg, high waisted white trouser look like our daughter does. Perfect attire to see the gorgeous Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor and lunch at the Gipsy Moth in Greenwich. Cracking pub by the Cutty Sark.

Staying out for the Summer

The first real day of the Summer was spent chilling out at Manor House Gardens in Lee. Friends, ice-cream and cute little goslings.... can maternity leave get much better than this?

Here's Lola with Lily and Connor. Caption competition anyone?

The first time ever I wore a dress...

Lola has an enviable wardrobe - it really knocks spots off mine. Thanks to her very generous family and friends she has a huge array of clothes and accessories and we have great fun each morning choosing what she's going to wear. Till now, everything she's worn has been very baby-like - but today we shifted gear slightly and Lola wore her FIRST DRESS which caused much excitement in the de Cozar Rushforth household. Among the ladies at least ;-) Here she is modelling the gorgeous little number which Becs and Jase picked up on their honeymoon in Thailand.

The first of many!

Just like old times

It's funny how much you worry as a new parent. Lola spent the first few weeks of her life permanently attached to mine or Paul's chest and was very rarely put down. She never slept anywhere else during the daytime and I wouldn't have had it any other way. It worked very well during the maternity/paternity leave bubble, but caused a few issues when Paul went back to work. Would I ever have a shower/eat lunch/go to the toilet between the hours of 9am and 7pm again? Let alone do the housework. I convinced myself that she absolutely hated her bouncing chair and moses basket as she cried when I put her in them (to be fair she probably whimpered and I whisked her up and back in my arms immediately). The only option was to accept that that my chest would be where she slept during the day (and my life was over).

Then the unthinkable happened and (thanks to Paul) she started to go down in her moses basket. Since then we've progressed very quickly and all of her daytime naps are spent in her moses basket in the bedroom, or if we're out and about in the pram or car seat. In face she's now done a bit of a u turn - where if I do encourage her to sleep on my chest she's unsettled and won't sleep properly - so I don't do it as it would be unfair on her.

While it's wonderfully liberating to have numerous 50 minute-ish slots to myself throughout the day to either chill out or get things done - I really, really miss her sleeping on me. So imagine my pleasure when the little love cuddled up and decided to have a three-hour sleep on my chest today. Bless.

We don't like cricket. We love it.

Gentleman's Relish Amateur Cricket Club (GRACC) kicked off the season with an away match against Whalers CC in Chiswick. They might not have won (Paul or Adrian will have to confirm the score as I was, as usual, distracted by the company of the other ladies), but they had a lovely day.

From left to right: Atheer Al-Salim, Nick Hughes, Chris Territ, Bod Evans, Ollie Bartlett, Paul Rushforth, Lola Ines de Cozar Rushforth, Adrian Lightly (C), Jason Leitch, Luke.