Adapting to life with two children!

I can't believe I haven't posted since January, that's how quickly life with two children is flying by.  So I feel I need to give a bit of an update on what has been going on over the next few months, so here goes.

Life with two children

So it's taken some getting used to but I think we are now in a fairly good routine, Riley is at pre-school two mornings and one full day a week which means I get some time with Benji to really concentrate on him.  It's still quite a challenge thinking about when Benji needs his feeds and nappy changes alongside when Riley needs to go to the toilet and pick ups from pre-school on the bus!

Benji's development

So Benji is 5 months old now and doing really well.  He's growing really fast and weighs 16lbs 8oz now.  He's very different from Riley in his personality, he seems to do a lot more thinking but is such a smiley chilled out baby.  I just love seeing his smile when he wakes up in the morning. 

In the last week he has found his feet and is sitting independently for a few minutes at a time.  He can also stand up holding onto things and loves to look out the window like Riley used to.  He is also becoming much more co-ordinated with his hands and is able to grab toys and really investigate them.

He also loves songs and actions, he's just really interested in the world and is becoming a proper little person.  Can't imagine life without him around now.


Breastfeeding and weaning

So I am still exclusively breastfeeding Benji and I have to say it's not been easy but I am glad I have persisted.  I was quite ill for almost 3 weeks, I think I had the flu which then turned into a chest infection and I was really struggling to get enough fluids in me to keep my milk quality up so I just ended up dehydrated.  I am also struggling to get enough calories to maintain my weight, the same thing happened with Riley.  At the moment that's not a problem as it just means that I have lost all my baby weight and a bit extra which isn't a bad thing but I don't want to keep losing weight at this rate so I will be glad when Benji starts eating a bit. 

Which brings me onto weaning, we gave him a little bit of carrot today which he seemed quite interested in and he took a few sips of water from a sippy cup. We're going to take things nice and slowly as he's only 5 months so still early days but he is showing all the right signs, putting everything in his mouth, started sitting up and really interested in what we are eating.

Sleep and mood

So Benji has started waking a bit more in the night, not to the same extent as Riley used to but he is usually up 2-3 times for feeds and sometimes is awake for an hour or 2 in the night.  He does however settle himself and sleeps in his cot for naps in the day which to me is a miracle compared to the problems we had with Riley.  I do struggle when I don't get more than 3 hours sleep in a row and it does effect my mood, partly I think because I just need quite a lot of sleep and partly because I then worry I might have a seizure and having been seizure free for 16 months I don't want to ruin that.  I have also had to cut back on the running firstly because I wasn't well and then because I don't feel I'm getting enough sleep so it's a bit of a catch 22 because running helps my mood but if I haven't had enough sleep I don't want to risk having a seizure by running.  I'm hoping to get back to it as soon as possible as still planning to run the 2017 London Marathon.

As far as mood is concerned I feel really let down by my health visitors, I told both my GP and health visitor I was feeling low at my 6 week check.  It took them 2 weeks to even call me to follow it up and then they just left a message which I lost and so I never called them back and yet no one ever followed it up.  I was pretty high risk having struggled following my first pregnancy and also being on a medication which is linked to problems with mood.  It just makes me upset that I asked for help and they only made one attempt to see if I was ok.

Potty training

Potty training is still on going with Riley.  It's hit and miss, and always seems to be more of a hit when there is something in it for her, so at the moment she gets points for each wee and poo she does and then she buys lego from the 'Daddy shop' each evening and the number of accidents has definitely reduced!  She's still not great at telling us when she needs it but at least we are getting by, I just worry about what will happen when she starts school.  Sometimes I get frustrated but I need to remember there is always the possibility there is something physically wrong because of my meds but that can't be investigated until she is older.  So for now we just have to find a way to get by which I think we are doing.

Driving

Well I am currently applying for my licence, I haven't done a great job of filling in the form and it's been sent back twice but hoping third time lucky.  Part of me is excited to get some independence back and part of me is terrified of actually driving again after so long and also the thought that I could lose it again if I have another seizure... so not quite sure how I am feeling about it all at the moment.

Injection time ~ and a chance to build a few life skills!

I had been thinking a lot about the best way to give Riley her MMR and preschool boosters as to me giving a baby two injections at once seems quite mean but at least they don’t remember it after.  But take a three year old who is just developing her own strong opinions on how things in her life should work and it seems to me like a recipe for disaster.  Added to that the fact that I know vaccinations can make you feel a bit rough I decided it would be better to have them done separately.
 

Then I realised I could time Riley’s MMR with my whooping cough vaccine, it seemed like the perfect situation.  We discussed what would happen at home when I had made the appointment and that we would both be getting injections in a few weeks which might hurt a little bit at the time but would make sure we didn’t get ill.  Riley seemed happy with this and after asking a few more questions went back to playing happily.
 

So yesterday was the day and it was pouring with rain, so after a 45 minute walk to the doctors I was soaked and feeling a bit fed up (it’s days like yesterday when I really miss being able to drive).  As we entered the nurses room the nurse said, ‘did you get my message?’ I said ‘no’ and she explained most people get the two vaccinations done together as it can be quite traumatic for the child.  Riley can’t have her pre-school booster for another few months so the nurse suggested we waited.
 

I explained we had talked about what was going to happen and I wanted her to have her MMR now and pre-school next year (as in a couple of months we would be a bit busy with a new baby) and Riley then said ‘Mummy’s going to have her whooping cough injection first and then I am going to have my injection, I’m a big girl, I’m three’.  I think the nurse was quite surprised that Riley was so clued up on what was about to happen and yet not making a fuss at all.
 

Riley sat on my lap while I had my injection and then snuggled into me for hers.  She then turned to the nurse and said ‘that didn’t hurt and that she didn’t want a plaster because mummy didn’t have one’ and then she chose a sticker with a dinosaur on and explained it looked like Dub (her imaginary dinosaur) and skipped out of the room saying a cheery ‘thank you, bye’.  The nurse smiled and said if only they were all that easy!  Riley then walked home skipping in all the puddles as she went.
 

We’ve always tried to be open and honest with Riley about everything, explaining things to her in as simple a way as possible but without hiding things from her.  I think sometimes people don’t give young children enough credit for what they can deal with and maybe we shelter them too much.  It’s all about giving them the tools and support to be able to deal with what might happen in life – life’s not perfect and does have good and bad bits and part of our role as parents is to equip our children to deal with this and make sure they know they are loved and cared for no matter what happens.

For us my epilepsy means we have no choice but to talk about some difficult situations.  Things like injections are a good exercise for doing this too and I am so proud of how brave and grown up Riley was yesterday. 

Finally a buggy with a dead break :)

So it's a bit late for me but finally a buggy manufacturer has done it... produced a buggy which has a dead break built in and the buggy looks fantastic.  Well done Phil and Ted's :)

Here's the key features:

• auto stop braking system: safe & convenient
• 26 riding options to accommodate 1 or 2 newborn babies up to 2 toddlers
• rear facing double kit option
• attach 1 or 2 car seats
• cleverly engineered 'kerb pop' for ultra light handling
• lightweight at just 12.5kg and 59cm narrow
• one hand fast fold & automatic frame lock
• easy adjust tail-free 5 point safety harness with shoulder pads for comfort
• multi height adjustable handle with comfort foam grip
• premium fabric
• deeper, taller & easily removed main seat
• seat back length: 64cm 
• multiple seat positions from lie flat for a newborn baby to fully upright
• follow-the-sun hood with handy storage pockets
• one hand double kit recline
• moldable neck support on double kit (sold separately) for a younger baby
• large shopping basket
• 12” air filled tyres
• durable & easy clean plastic footwell 
• 2-mode front wheel for multi terrain: swivel or lock straight

Here's the Phil and Ted's video... 

now I can see what they are getting at but checking your phone as you push your buggy towards a railway track or adjusting your sunglasses as you walk along a sea wall... seems like irresponsible parenting to me... sort of highlights that any parent can have an accident with their child and actually because we have epilepsy we are more aware of these risks and plan better...

Anyway I'm getting away from the point... this looks like a fantastic buggy and at £449 it isn't ridiculously expensive either compared to other buggies.

And here's the link to the online shop:

http://philandteds.com/uk/Buy/push/navigator-Buggy#.VC2u4PmwL-s

Sleep ~ finally getting there!

Sleep... it has been a long hard slog but touch wood Riley is now settling to sleep on her own and usually sleeps through from 8pm til 7am... touch wood.  Sleeping in the day is hit and miss but I can live with that.

I thought I would share a couple of little things which have helped us on the journey to a good nights sleep...

Ok first blackout blinds - we bought easyblackout blinds which basically Velcro onto the window frame.

http://tinyurl.com/ntkgmme

The second thing was clips to keep her sheet in place... it sounds silly but when she's screaming because she doesn't want to sleep or just wriggling in her sleep, the sheet comes off and she ends up sleeping on the waterproof mattress.  Her cot is an odd size so fitted sheets don't fit.  So we got these clips and they are amazing! 

http://tinyurl.com/noaap4z

Buggi Lights

It was just the other day when I was crossing the road after getting the bus home, it was pitch black and there was me with Riley in her black buggy waiting to cross the road.  Suddenly I felt very vulnerable, I realised no-one could see us. Even if I didn't have epilepsy that would have made me think twice, but then I thought what if I had a seizure right now... no-one would see the buggy...

Then a couple of days later I saw a couple of these buggi lights on the table at work.  They seemed perfect.  I had thought about getting some bike lights for the buggy but they are such a hassle to attach.  These you just stretch the strap round part of the buggy and they are on, if you have 2 buggies you can swap them over in seconds, they can fit any sized buggy.

The lights are really bright and they have 3 settings.  They also look fantastic, really child friendly and so many colours to match any buggy.

Basically I love them, I think anyone who has a buggy should have lights on them whether or not they have epilepsy but it gives me added peace of mind that if I were to have a seizure people would see the buggy.

And if that wasn't enough they give 25p from each sale to The Children's Trust who provide rehabilitation, education and care to children across the UK who have suffered a brain injury.

You can get your set at:

www.buggilights.com

Neuro Nula - my story

I've been writing my story for a website called Neuro Nula and it's made me reflect on my experience of epilepsy so I thought I'd share it to reflect on why I started this blog:

I’m Clair, I'm 29 and this is my story…

I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 19 after having a couple of tonic-clonic seizures.  Looking back now I think I’ve had focal seizures most of my life.  I get a funny wave feeling of fear that washes over me and then my vision alters, it lasts a couple of seconds and my consciousness doesn’t really alter.  But these were only diagnosed as seizures a couple of years ago.

My epilepsy has never been severe, for that I feel blessed.  In the beginning before I started medication I had one tonic-clonic a month but soon after starting Lamotrigine I was free of major seizures for over a year.  But it’s never completely gone away, I’ll go a year, sometimes two without a tonic-clonic seizure and then for no apparent reason I’ll have another one.  I have the odd focal seizure every now and again.  I don’t get a warning before my tonic-clonic seizures and so have hurt myself a few times, I guess it means it’s always in the back of my mind – what if I have a seizure right now...

I think it helps that I have such wonderful family and friends; I can never thank my Mum and husband Rich enough for all they do to support me, from picking up the pieces after a seizure to the everyday things like giving me lifts places.  I don’t know what I’d do without them.

I think I’ve accepted my epilepsy, I know it’s something I’ll probably have to live with for the rest of my life.  I’ve also never wanted epilepsy to stop me from living my life and doing all the things I want to do and I think I’ve succeeded with that.  I went to university, got married, ride my horse and ski.  I am pretty independent, I know the local trains and buses like the back of my hand and it may take me a while but I can get anywhere on public transport!

I’ve tried to see the positive in my epilepsy, it’s a way I can help other people.  I started volunteering for Epilepsy Action, giving epilepsy awareness presentations, not long after I was diagnosed and I was interviewed for the Youth Health Talk website.  I’ve always believed talking about my epilepsy will help the big picture, reduce the stigma.  When you start talking about it people are interested and want to ask questions, I find being open about my epilepsy is one of the best ways of spreading awareness.

What I really want to share with you is my experience of becoming a mum.  It is one of the most amazing things that I have done in my life.  I know some women who have decided against starting a family because of their epilepsy and I wanted to do something to help women feel more confident and supported in having a baby.  It just happened that not long after my pregnancy, Epilepsy Action started their Healthe Mums-to-be campaign which I got involved in.

I kept a blog during my pregnancy and that has grown into a Mum’s blog which I hope other women with epilepsy find useful.  If you want to read more about my story you can find my blog at www.becomingamumwithepilepsy.blogspot.co.uk.

I found out I was pregnant about a week after having a tonic-clonic seizure.  I was over the moon but terrified at the same time.  What could my seizure have done to the baby, has the baby been affected by my epilepsy medication… being pregnant and having epilepsy is pretty daunting.  At my 12 month scan I remember being so scared, but when I saw our baby and being told everything looked fine and was completely ‘average’ I was so relieved and excited, it made it all seem so real.

My pregnancy after that went quite smoothly, I was very lucky, I was already being seen by an epilepsy specialist in London who was fantastic.  I had 2 epilepsy nurses I could call anytime and my local hospital where I was having the baby was really supported.  I had a lot of extra appointments and checks, I felt really looked after.  Probably the best thing was that my friend (we’d been friends since nursery school) happened to be a student midwife at the hospital; she asked if she could use me as a case study.  It couldn’t have worked out better; she came to all my appointments and made sure all my notes were in place.  But I did feel very alone, like I was the only one going through it, I didn’t know anyone else with epilepsy who’d had a baby, that’s why I started my blog to make sure other women knew they weren’t alone.

There are lots of things to consider when starting a family if you have epilepsy, but they are no reason not to have a baby, it just needs a bit more thought and planning.  It is always best to try to plan your pregnancy, talk to your doctor about your medication, especially if you are taking sodium valproate which has been shown to have a much higher risk of birth defects as well as childhood developmental problems.  It’s important to have a plan for labour and you can discuss this with your specialist and to know that most women can breastfeed while taking epilepsy medication (although often they are told they can’t).  Most women who have epilepsy have normal pregnancies and labours and have beautiful healthy babies.

You can find lots more information in the Epilepsy Action HealthE mum-to-be campaign: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/pressreleases/national/new-campaign-provides-support-pregnant-women-epilepsy or on my blog.

From an epilepsy point of view my labour went to plan, it did have other complications, but Riley Elizabeth was born at 6pm on Jubilee Sunday weighing 8lb8oz and perfectly healthy.

Becoming a mum is both a wonderful moment but also takes a lot of adjustment for anyone let alone if you have epilepsy.  I always say to women that if they don’t feel that unbreakable bond as soon as they see their baby it is completely normal, I found it took time to build the bond, but I know that when Riley smiled for the first time I would do absolutely anything for her.

Looking after a baby when you have epilepsy is also pretty daunting.  But the most important thing to remember is you are a mum with epilepsy not the other way round.  I always carried Riley up the stairs in her car seat, I had a dead break put on my buggy, and I didn’t bath her on my own – practical things to keep her safe.  But I didn’t let it stop me being a mum.  One of the other challenges is not being able to drive, getting the bus with a newborn baby is pretty scary, my family and friends helped by giving me lifts to start with but I soon got the hang of getting buses and trains, and I lost all my baby weight with the exercise.  I think one of the most important things was getting out and about and spending time with other people, not getting isolated.  I have made some wonderful friends through being a mum, no-one judges me because I my epilepsy.

As Riley is growing up and exploring the world it is amazing to watch her and I love her so much. There are going to be challenges to face in the future, some regarding my epilepsy and some not.  But right now I am enjoying being a mummy.  I don’t know what the future will hold for us, but all I know is I am very lucky to have a wonderful husband and beautiful, healthy little girl.

www.neuronula.co.uk

Neuro Nula aims to bring people living, or caring for someone, with a neurological condition together to share their experiences, advice and make new friends in a place free from judgement and stigmatisation.

Neuro Nula will provide a safe, moderated forum, links to neurological organisations and access to the stories of people affected by a range of neurological conditions. If you would like to share your story, contact NeuroNula@live.com 

Chickenpox - another things ticked off the list!

Well Riley's now had chickenpox... 

On Sunday morning, the morning of her dedication, she woke up with what looked like a sty and as she’d had loads of sties over the last month or so I didn’t think any more of it.  But while we were at the church 3 little spots came up on her forehead and then when I changed her she had lots more spots under her nappy and a few on her back and tummy!

So far she’s been very good, she hasn’t itched them too much and although she’s had a few moans at times but considering she must be itchy and feeling a bit yuck she is surprisingly happy.  She hasn't had many spots, a few have blistered but they're all healing up now, so we should be able to get out and about soon.

She seems to have got off quite lightly I just hope she's had it bad enough that she doesn't get it again!

Riley's Dedication - Sunday 19th January 2014

We had Riley’s dedication on Sunday.  It was a truly wonderful day, exactly how we wanted it to be.  I think the fact that we put so much thought into it meant it was more meaningful than having her christened would have been because the promises we all made were true.

The church is really like a big family and Riley’s dedication made me realise that even more.  The support we had on the day and how welcoming everyone was to all our friends and family made me feel so lucky to be part of the church.

I hope that I can help bring Riley up to know God and I know that I have the support of everyone in the church to do that.  More importantly while Rich doesn't believe in God the church has made him feel so welcome and I feel like he supports me in telling her about God, before I felt we were on opposite sides, now I feel we are working together to give her a balanced view so she can make her own decision.

I’m not going to go on about god, not because I don’t believe, but because I don’t believe in pushing my beliefs on others.  But I am proud to say I am part of Horizon church and that I have a faith in God and his plan for me.  I feel blessed for all I have and although I have epilepsy (which does suck at times!) I feel blessed that I am able to do so much to help others through living with it.

I’ll post some photos of her dedication when I have some!

Horizon Church Christmas Fun

Yesterday we had our churches Christmas celebrations, my friend Emily organised ‘Muddles’ which is messy church and the hope is to reach out to families on the St.Helier estate.  It was fantastic; Riley went and made a wide range of works of art!  There were a few local families and hopefully they will tell their friends they had a good time and it will grow like that, it can be quite difficult to encourage people into a 'church'...  

Then in the evening we had carols by candlelight, we walked round nativity scenes singing a carol at each, the scenes had been painted and decorated by people at the church.  It had some very amusing moments; it made the nativity more real somehow, more on everyone’s level.  Riley stayed up for it and loved it, she has been up till 9ish a few times recently and seems to stay in a good mood and then just pass out when we put her in her cot!

I love going to our church, it feels like a true family, it accepts everyone, even if you don’t believe like Rich you are still made to feel so welcome.  My mum sort of summed it up; the people running the church are on a level with everyone else.  It’s not like they are looking down on the people they are helping.

Muddles happens once a month - the next one is Monday 26th January 2014 and is Superhero themed.  So if you fancy some arts and crafts fun come along to Horizon Church, Assembly Walk, Carshalton, SM5 1JH from 4-5.30pm. See you there!

I love being a Mummy :)

It's been a little while since I've said how much I love being a mummy :) so I wanted to put up a picture that shows just one reason why being a mum is so fantastic...

Calling all Dad's with Epilepsy

I was contacted  by a family who the father had epilepsy and wanted advice.  It was something which I had been thinking about for a while.  I have made this blog and network focus on women and while women have the added worry of the medication and seizures impacting on the baby.

But one of the biggest worries I had was actually looking after Riley and I know how much Rich is involved in Riley's life, if he had epilepsy that would be a huge worry for him and me.  I suppose it turned things around for me.  This needs to not only focus on women but also men who have epilepsy and are thinking of or already have started a family.

And also maybe more than that, maybe I didn't consider enough what an impact it has on Rich, of his worries and so this whole thing needs to look beyond just women.

So I guess the people I hope my story will help has grown, I want to reach women and men considering starting a family in the future, pregnant women and mothers and fathers with epilepsy and their partners... it has opened my mind to the fact that the issues of epilepsy and pregnancy are far bigger than I first considered!

Tempertantrums!

Riley's definately developing her personality and she understands most of what we say, but she gets frustrated that we still don't always know what she is saying.

With that comes tempertantrums!  We had the first major one a few days ago over her dinner.  She'd been on antibiotics for a week before so I had given her the benfit of the doubt that maybe they'd upset her tummy so she didn't feel hungry so had been giving her fruit which seemed to be happy with.

She finished her antibiotics on the Tuesday, went to nursery on Wednesday and ate and ate and ate there and on Thursday at dinner time she just pushed her dinner away and pointed at the fridge.  Well I said there was nothing else and she could have a yogurt when she'd eaten her meal, so I put her down and she screamed and screamed and screamed.  I sat with her and spoke to her calmly so she knew I was there and when she calmed down a bit gave her a cuddle.  She then pointed at her dinner and proceeded to eat all her dinner and then a yogurt...

It was hard to stand my ground but I did it... I won that one, but I know there will be many more... some we will win, some we will lose!

London Epilepsy Weekend for All ~ 1st - 3rd November 2013

In a couple of weekends time it's the London Epilepsy Weekend for All and it looks fantastic.  It's a weekend full of presentations and workshops by professionals and people with epilepsy.  It will give people a chance to ask lots of questions and meet people in a relaxed environment.

It's for the whole weekend, people can go to one of both days, stay there overnight and even arive on the Friday and stay all weekend.

There's going to be information sessions on both days for women thinking about starting a family, pregnant women or new mum's.  There will be more on the Saturday as their will be a specialist epilepsy midwife there and a consultant, but I'm going to be there both days to share my experiences and answer question if I can.  There will be lots and lots of other useful information sessions but from a pregnancy and parenting point of view this is what is happening:

Saturday

11.30am to 12.10pm Kim Morley – Epilepsy specialist midwife.  Speaking on pregnancy planning, care and delivery; caring for your baby.
12.15pm to 12.30pm Clair Cobbold.  Epilepsy and motherhood – a personal perspective.
12.35pm to 1pm Dr Cock; Kim Morley and Clair Cobbold - question and answer session on epilepsy pregnancy and motherhood / fatherhood.
2pm - 3.30pm Pregnancy planning and management; care for your baby and a mums’ network with Kim Morley ESN and midwife and Clair Cobbold Epilepsy Action volunteer and a mother with epilepsy featured in the Pregnancy diaries.

Sunday

2pm to 3.30pm Pregnancy planning and management; care for your baby and a mums’ network with Shelley Brett Epilepsy Specialist Nurse and Clair Cobbold volunteer with Epilepsy Action and a mother with epilepsy featured in the award winning Pregnancy diaries.

Looks like a really great weekend for anyone interested in epilepsy.  I'm hoping it will be a chance to get lots of mum's and mum's to be with epilepsy together to spreead support and maybe start some sort of support network.  Hopefully see you there.  Click below to book your place:

https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/involved/information/weekend-for-all

Warrior Mum's ~ My story

My story is the feature of Michelle Daly's Warrior Mums blog today :) hoping that it's another way of my story helping more women with epilepsy.  There have been some wonderful comments, I don't feel like I've really done much, just told my story.  It's not a story full of drama but just about being a mum and overcoming the challenges epilepsy has thrown at me along the way... but if my story can even help just one other person then this is all worth doing :)

Have a look at Michelle's fantastic blog:

http://michelledaly.blogspot.co.uk/

Also keep an eye on the new page "other mums' experiences" I've added to my blog, there are some fantastic mum's writing for it as we speak.  If you'd like to share your experience, e-mail me:

claircaxton@hotmail.com

Nursery ~ finally she's settled

Well yesterday Riley was at nursery and she finally seems to be settling in J when I dropped her off she didn’t cry, well not while I was there.  They said she’d had a really great day and was starting to play with the other children and giving them kisses… she's even made a little friend :) She is now in Caterpillars, she’s evolved from being a Ladybird.

I think it helps I'm now working 9-5 it means she arrives in time for snack, then has lunch and then dinner at at 3.30, comes home and has her 2nd dinner at 6pm ~ so basically her day revolves around food!  I hope she doesn't become a comfort eater, will just have to make sure she's super active.

I think Riley is quite a shy child, she doesn’t seem to like going off to play at baby groups as much as a lot of the other children.  Hopefully her confidence will grow with time.  She’s not shy at home and with people she knows so it’s just strangers and in busy places which I can totally understand.

I have also noticed that her understanding is increasing every day.  I think she understands most of what we say, she certainly follows most instructions.  It’s nice to feel like she’s responding to you even if she doesn’t have much language to talk back (maybe that’s a good thing!).  I guess from now on we have to be much more careful what we say around her.

50 Things to do before your 11 and 3/4

50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾ is amazing Riley loves the outdoors and it’s a way of really making the most of that.  Now we have our new carrier we’re off!  How many have you done?

1. Climb a tree

2. Roll down a really big hil

3. Camp out in the wild

4. Build a den

5. Skim a stone
6. Run around in the rain
7. Fly a kite
8. Catch a fish with a net
9. Eat an apple straight from a tree
10. Play conkers
11. Go on a really long bike ride
12. Make a trail with sticks
13. Make a mud pie
14. Dam a stream
15. Play in the snow
16. Make a daisy chain
17. Set up a snail race
18. Create some wild art
19. Play Pooh sticks
20. Jump over waves
21. Pick blackberries growing in the wild
22. Explore inside a tree
23. Visit a farm
24. Go on a walk barefoot
25. Make a grass trumpet
26. Hunt for fossils and bones
27. Go star gazing
28. Climb a huge hill
29. Explore a cave
30. Hold a scary beast
31. Hunt for bugs
32. Find some frogspawn
33. Catch a falling leaf
34. Track wild animals
35. Discover what’s in a pond
36. Make a home for a wild animal
37. Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool
38. Bring up a butterfly
39. Catch a crab
40. Go on a nature walk at night
41. Plant it, grow it, eat it
42. Go swimming in the sea
43. Build a raft
44. Go bird watching
45. Find your way with a map and compass
46. Try rock climbing
47. Cook on a campfire
48. Learn to ride a horse
49. Find a geocache
50. Canoe down a river

Pregnancy Diaries won Highly Commended at BMA awards!!!

So the pregnancy awards won a Highly Commended at the British Medical Associations Patient Information Awards.  The final verdict was...

"I'm positive this resource is like a breath of fresh air for women with epilepsy (planning to have a baby or pregnant). The images give the feeling that one should treat pregnancy as normal and healthy (despite the necessary extra health worries/checks). Reading this - I get the feeling there's light at the end of the tunnel. This book is very much about maintaining a good quality of life and enjoying pregnancy despite living with epilepsy."
 
And here are a few facts I was given which show how successful the campaign has been

• Over 3,000 copies of Pregnancy Diaries sent to women with epilepsy.
   

• 3,784 individual people have viewed the Pregnancy Diaries online.
   

• 1,377 HealthE mum-to-be resource packs requested and distributed to medical professionals. [These packs included at least 5 copies of the Pregnancy Diaries].
   

• Poster presentation on Epilepsy Action’s research regarding pregnancy and parenting and the Pregnancy Diaries at the International Epilepsy Congress in Montreal.
   

• So far 9 mums have become part of the Pregnancy Diaries online, and another two are currently writing their diaries and getting ready to join up.

I also got a lovely e-mail from Nicole at Epilepsy Action giving some really lovely feedback from Mums.  It makes it all seem worth while and I am so glad I have been able to help at least a few other women.

It has been amazing contacting women from all over the world on Twitter.  So what are my plans now?

Well I have a few ideas... I am getting involved in a pregnancy and parenting with epilepsy workshop at Epilepsy Action's weekend for all on the 1-3 November 2013 in London.  Here's a link to get more info about the day itself and I will post more when I know more about what's happening.  At the moment it would seem that it will probably be on the Saturday but I will be around both days :)

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/involved/london-weekend-november-2012

I was also thinking of having a page on this blog for other women to tell their stories and add their contact details if they want.  If you are interested in adding something to the page then please e-mail me, is great to hear from other women.  My e-mail is:

claircaxton@hotmail.com

15 Months ~ where are we at?

Just a quick note to say...  she's completely weaned!  Last weekend I stopped giving her a bedtime feed and instead she had a cup of cow's milk.  And we haven't really had any tears, I think it helped that our bedtime routine was always: breastfeed, bath/wash, story, sleep so we just took out the breastfeed and added a cup of milk to her story time.

On Saturday she had a tummy bug, (which I then got on Tuesday!) I almost gave her a feed again as I was worried she'd get dehydrated, but we stood our ground, it had to happen sometime and we'd already done Friday night.  So that's it, no more Mummy milk.  I feel a bit sad about it, she doesn't need me anymore!  But at the same time it's quite nice knowing I don't necessarily have to be there every bedtime, I can go out earlier :)

Also in the development news... Riley's walking round the furniture now pretty quickly and walking holding onto one of our hands!  I'm not too fussed about the walking, I can keep up with her while she's crawling when she's walking it'll be a bit more difficult!  I just want her to be able to go where she wants which is why I was so desperate for her to crawl, I know she'll walk in her own time.

As for communication, I think in the last 2 weeks she has really moved forward, although she doesn't say many clear words, her understanding has really improved, she follows a lot more instructions.  She's also started using sounds consistantly.  Like she say "di di" and waves when people go.  I really feel like she can communicate more with us and that is a huge step in my books :)

Words for Life

I just wanted to share a website that I think is fab. It's basically a book website which revolves around the importance of developing a child's language skills.  It is split into milestones and then ways in which you can encourage development for each age group.  Basically full of exciting ideas to keep you busy and help your baby develop :)

While doing some market research for my work I came across a few parent blogs that I thought were great.  This one reviews books (going along with my belief that reading to your child is really important) but on top of that she makes "book bites"... food based on the books she reads!  It's such a good idea and something I will definately be doing with Riley when she's a bit bigger and wants to help cook rather than just want the food and just doesn't understand why it has to be cooked first!

Children's Books For Grown Ups

Our Weekend Away in Somerset

Last weekend we had a fantastic weekend away.  We visited Rich's god mother in Somerset and then went down to Bournemouth to visit one of Rich's friends and play in the huge sandpit (the beach!) and the massive swimming pool (the sea!).  It was great to get away as a family and we did lots of things, saw Bison, played in 2 soft play places and explored a castle :)

But... yes there is a but... Riley scared me beyond anything I could imagine.  We were all sitting eating dinner, Riley was on her booster seat attached to a chair.  She must have suddenly kicked the table because she went over backwards on her chair onto the slate floor!  The chair broke and she screamed, but within 5minutes she was happy again pointing out the dogs and crawling round the garden... but I couldn't believe she was ok.  I have to admit I spent the whole weekend worrying that she could have a bleed in her brain or a neck fracture.  It just happened the next day she was teething really badly and was really unsettled.  I kept thinking we should go to A&E but with it being an hour and half round trip and knowing they would probably do scans and stuff I knew in my heart of hearts I was over reacting.

But it was at that point I realised I was a city person, I may not think so because we don't live in central London but at the end of the day our closest A&E is 15minutes away and if it had happened at home we would have been straight there even if she seemed fine.  That makes me feel safe, I couldn't cope being in the middle of nowhere especially with the added fact public transport is so limited.  It is lovely to get away for a few days but I'm always a little relieved to be home.

But the most important thing is Riley is fine, no damage done, just terrified me.  I will leave you with a photo of Riley on Bournemouth beach... just to prove she was ok :)