Babytalk in Saddleworth

Just walked out of the nursery and slid down the wall in the hallway melodramatically. Bedtime was a warzone tonight. Audrey was out of sorts again - usual story - missed her naps and got steadily worse as the day turned to dusk. That or she's poorly or teething or I give up!

She ended crying on and off all day and having five mini naps instead of her usual three. All because we left the house and broke her routine I suspect. It is seriously hard to keep babies on an even keel when you have a life too!

We got up early and headed to my sister's house (today's blip pic is from one of her wedding pictures - I can't take credit - that I've had printed for my house) in Saddleworth as some of her husband's family wanted to meet her. Audrey was fine to start with but seemed to get worse and worse.

I could see myself today through my sister and her husband's eyes. I've never been up to their house with a baby (and all the baby paraphernalia) before so it must have been quite a shock as I unloaded the car boot of all my gear. Feed time alone involves military planning - getting all the food lined up ready so you can move seamlessly from one dish to the next. Their carpet was covered with packets, wipes, muslins, nappies, toys and multicoloured tupperware. Not to mention baby sick!

I've got used to it. In fact I almost don't remember life before all this so it's only when you catch your reflection in other peoples' eyes that you realise quite how much you've changed.

At one point, my brother-in-law was trying earnestly to talk to me about the latest band he'd discovered (a subject we would have spoken about at length previously), his sister was talking to me simultaneously about something baby-related and Audrey was demanding my attention. I saw the look of disappointment on his face when baby-talk won. I even apologised. The truth is, you do become a bore, you know you do, but your baby is the most fascinating subject on the earth to you. It is hard to resist letting it rule your life.

But I did come away with a new band recommendation (and very good they are too) and a promise to myself to get back into new music. I deserve to have music and Audrey in my life (and going out, and fashion, and reading magazines, and beauty treatments, and watching movies, and holidays, and....)