Back in the swing of things

Tabitha is now completely over her jetlag.  Coming back to Australia was much worse (for her, and for all of us) than it was going over to the US.  It only took a day on the way over to settle back into our regular routine, however coming home, there were a couple nights with 3am wakeups, ready to play and take on the day.

The advice I have been given, which served us well, is this:  If the baby wakes in the night, let them play, but keep things quiet and dark, so that their body clock is still registering that it is night time.  SO from 3am - 4:30am, we had her in bed, quietly playing with some stuffed toys, in near darkness.  As soon as she started to look tired again, I put her back to bed, and she went down perfectly.

Likewise, if the baby is incredibly sleepy during the day, let them have some longer sleeps / sleep more often, but keep their room well lit with natural sunlight, so that even while they sleep, their body clock is registering that it is daytime.  We did this, and within a couple of days, things were back to normal.

Tabby was, however, sleeping much more heavily during the day, so I was able to sneak in and snap a couple of photos of her asleep, which I have not been able to do since she was a tiny baby.  She is a tummy sleeper - here she is crashed out in her Grobag in the afternoon:

Was quite disappointed by the cheesecakes we had in New York, so felt compelled to make one of my own.  For a change, I topped it with blueberries - just frozen ones, defrosted.  Added a nice sweet pop of flavour.  I will do this again.

Plans for Tabitha's first birthday party, on Sunday week, are in full swing.  I must say that it has been challenging to come home from a month overseas, and have a birthday party with 60-odd guests two weeks later!  I am keeping things simple - sandwiches, cupcakes, balloons, champagne.  We haven't invited everyone we know, limiting the guests to a few of our friends, close family, and Tabitha's gorgeous baby friends and their wonderful parents.  I hope that she will have a good time!

I found some very sweet cupcake cases.  The range of this sort of thing available now is incredible!  I remember just a few years back, being thrilled to find plain coloured cases.  I am not really a big buttercream fan - I like the look of it, but I always scrape half of it off when I eat a cupcake.  Too rich for me.  My mother and I have always preferred to ice cupcakes in classic icing-sugar-water-colouring icing.  I believe this is unfashionable these days, but I don't care!

I had these sweet invitations made from a wonderful woman on Etsy.  I fell in love with the image - it is very 'us' for Tabitha and I, with the baking and the kitten and the 50s feel.  The woman did matching cupcake toppers and a little hanging banner as well.

I'm still not sure what The Daddy and I will get Tabitha for her birthday.  Perhaps some nice books - she does love a story!  She is certainly still at the age where she will be more interested in the wrappings than the gifts.

Having a 'winter baby' is challenging for birthdays - I am a winter child myself (in fact, my birthday is two days after Tabby's, and the day before her party.  I suppose I will spend my birthday baking cakes instead of going out to dinner - probably for the next 16 or so years of my life, at least!).  Having a birthday in winter means that you must plan something indoors - no parks, no beach, no outdoor activities, no farm adventures.  Parties need to be in a house, hall or indoor venue.  

My mother was brilliantly creative, so I never felt that I missed out (circus theme with face painters, princess party with enormous gingerbread castle, nursery rhyme party with lots of games and songs, 50s party with a juke box, pajama party with 30 guests... and always the most impressive cakes!), but I do remember always being quite cross that I couldn't wear a 'proper party dress', which to me meant something with short puffed sleeves.  It was always long sleeves or a skivvy under my party dress!  And Tabitha is doomed suffer the same fate - thick woolen tights under her woolen dress for this year's party.

I suppose I ought to start brainstorming fun indoor party ideas for the coming years...