After surviving the first couple of weeks without breaking Maya we were feeling a bit more confident, so when James' mum came to visit we ventured into town and took Maya for her first trip to Isaacs. Unfortunately when we got there we realised we had left the change bag at home so James had to go back and get it - and then she didn't need it at all! You soon get used to the ridiculous amount of stuff you have to be armed with just for a quick trip out with a baby! Maya slept through brunch in Isaacs and then lunch in town - very impressive!
My 33rd birthday was a much more low-key event that normal and we just had a family BBQ rather than any meals out/drinks. We had even spent our birthday money on a roof box rather than anything interesting! But we did start to get braver with our outings and lunch out and BBQs soon became a regular fixture of the summer holidays (well we had abandoned all other parts of our social life!). At a BBQ at my parents Maya was sick all over me as soon as we got there - which made me realise how stupid it was to leave the house without a spare set of clothes! She also cried through a BBQ at Anita and Liam's, although was quiet at the pub. I felt a bad mother to be sitting with Maya on my lap whilst sipping Aspells, but after 9 months of no alcohol I deserved it! We celebrated James' birthday with lunch out and drinks in Isaacs, however we did cancel our anniversary dinner out as I wasn't ready to leave Maya with anyone else.
In the middle of August we went away (a bit mentally according to most!) for a few days to James' parents holiday cottage in Norfolk. We had to take a ridiculous amount of stuff away with us and totally filled the car and roof box. Unfortunately the first night there was horrific, Maya wouldn't sleep in her moses basket and cried all night long. I tried to get her to sleep in my arms as she normally likes this at home but even then she was hysterical, and in the tiny cottage there is nowhere to escape the crying (as poor Paddy discovered). During the 3 days there we did several walks, which Maya usually was good for. She was certainly good as a hot water bottle in her sling - normally half way through a walk I pass her to James as my back is hurting, however on the beach I kept her to heat me up! We also ate out 3 times, this was generally okay except for one lunchtime where she cried the whole way through - luckily we were at the far end of the beer garden!
Towards the end of the summer we took Maya to her first beer festival - it was good and she was considerate enough to sleep the whole way through. I struggled to choose my beers wisely as I was only allowed two, and unfortunately we left the rain cover at home and it did rain a lot - sheltering in a tent is not so easy with a huge pushchair!
One thing that has really annoyed me about being a parent is other people's opinions on the choices you make. The first one definitely was the whole breastfeeding issue - must not give up; must not express, blah blah...; more recently views on the use of soothers is doing my head in! James' mum doesn't approve of them, although she has not said anything, but James didn't want Maya to use one in front of her. His aunty also said during lunch out "I'm so glad you don't give her dummies" - this really pissed me off - why do people have such strong opinions about them? Particularly when it's none of their business? If they took time to read recent research they would learn that there is evidence that soothers can reduce the risk of SIDS, and also isn't it better to use dummies rather than thumbs which ends up with needing expensive dental treatment. And if Maya gets comfort from it and it stops her crying who cares about what other people think!!
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