This week a big event happened in our house. I’m not talking about Imogen speaking her first word, lifting her head up or sitting up straight no it was in a way more fundamental than that – we tried a new brand of bottle.
Of course feeding, when you are nearly 11 weeks old, is a big deal – that and sleep are the only deals really. Everything else – even cuddles with mummy and daddy (of which she has loads) don’t even figure. When Imogen is hungry the whole world stops, and it is thankfully, the only time she sobs her little heart out.

As I’ve noted in my previous blogs we’ve been using Philips Avent bottles – the 260ml and 130ml sizes that came with the Avent iQ sterliser.

I decided, after watching several of my new yummy mummy friends feed their babies with Tommy Tippee bottles, to switch brands. Not least because there were no 260ml Avent bottle sizes in Sainsburys on the last day of its 1/3 off baby product promotion. Tempted by the deal I decided to buy the TT anti-colic version. Tommy Tippee teats are shaped to be more breast-like, so I thought Imogen would actually prefer them.

But, (and experienced mums will know what I’m going to write next) no matter how I’ve tried. I thought it may be the lighter flow that was stopping her feeding, but even after forking out nearly £5 on the heavier flow version (size 2) Imogen will still not feed from them. I guess babies, like adults have their preferences!

Wee-gate
When we brought Imogen home from hospital we had expected our cat Smartie to be a little jealous. After all she was the one who had slept in our bedroom at night, had most our attention when we weren’t working, and whose every demand and whim were met (including her desire for the most expensive cat food possible).
She seemed to like Imogen and often joins me in the evening when I’m singing and rocking Imogen to sleep.
But she obviously didn’t like being locked out of the bedroom at night… and she’s shown it by weeing on Imogen’s things – namely her car seat (a Maxi Cosi which cost Andrew’s parents £120) and her washing basket plus clothes. The other day it also appeared she had relieved herself in the bath and had missed slighly, making our bath and sink mats stink of cat wee. We tried some Get Off, an eco and people friendly cat repellent, but it doesn’t appear to have worked. We are now hoping that when Imogen is sleeping in the nursery, and Smartie has ‘her’ bed back, there will be no more funny smells in the house.

Guilty Pleasures

Now I’m not a fan of magazine subscriptions but there are times when I have to make an exception. Especially when my favourite magazine is offering itself up half price, and with the added extra of £60 worth of my favourite hair products. Grazia was offering itself for £1 a week (as opposed to £1.90) plus with four bottles of Aveda goodies (full size). I’d be mad to refuse, especially since I buy it every week.

(see www.greatmagazines.co.uk – I have to confess that I do write for some of the magazines that use this subscription service)

My other guilty pleasure this week has been to order a poncho from Ellie Gray. I’m using a 20 per cent  discount offer, so instead of £45, it’s £36. With all my maternity jeans starting to fall off me, and my usual size still a bit too tight, this looks like it could be an ideal cover up for those bending over moments! (www.elliegray.com)

We are sleeping!
We are truly blessed to have a baby who sleeps 11 hours most nights. With the odd exception of course. I’m going to make the most of it, especially before teething begins.

… most of the time
I’ve been upping my exercise and loving it, it’s a 40 minutes chill out five times a week. But I have been warned to take it easy by friends with toddlers. Who reckon that as soon as Imogen is crawling I will need some serious fat/energy reserves for all that running around. So rather than giving up exercise I’m going to make sure I eat really heathily, and I’m quite enjoying having curves for a change, I just want them to be well toned ones!