~A Day in the Life of Bethany Hope, aged 23 days~

So, this is my life.

I wake up after an 8 or 9 hour sleep at 5.30 am(every day) and I chatter away to myself. Then Daddy comes and picks me out of the cot, checks I look okay and takes me to the bathroom if he's a teeny bit unsure about my nappy. Even though he whispers, I hear him when he talks to me in the dark! Then I get some cuddles with mummy, who always tells me she loves me! And then I open my mouth and Mummy remembers why I woke up, so I have some milk.

I do try to fall back to sleep after my drink...But if mum and dad think they can put me back in the cot they must be kidding! Do they realise I've slept all that time, alone? Now I'm the one who wants to snuggle up. Which means I miss saying bye to daddy when he goes to work at 9am. But I have a nap til about 9.30. I can tell it's time to wake up cos mummy starts making a lot of noise, she probably wants me to wake up so I can play with her in case she's bored or something...

Then I'm awake and I have more milk! I sit with mummy in my bouncer chair while she tells me how to make breakfast and cups of tea. That makes me yawn sometimes, but anyways I just watch her move so fast around the room they call the 'kitchen'. And yes mummy, I love the tiles!

After mummy's breakfast we go upstairs so I can get dressed. I try and chose my own outfits, but sometimes I ask for a baby grow so I can have a pyjama day - I don't often get my own way as mummy says I have lots of clothes that I have to wear before I grow too big for them, sigh!

So, by now I'm just about starving. It's probably about 10.30am. We sometimes sit in the lounge for this drink and mummy sings along to her music. Of course I would sing along too as I remember them from when I was in mummy's tummy. I try and fall asleep, but then remind myself, no it's daytime I need to keep my eyes open!

By 12.00 I really am tired. So sometimes I fall asleep on mummy, or go for a ride in my pram, or for a walk around the house in my pouch, or we go out in the car if there's this thing called 'rain'. Don't know why they fuss, it hasn't affected me.

I can sleep for about four hours, but mummy doesn't let me go for more than two in the day. Which is good cos I can't understand 'time' yet. So I have more milk and finish off my nap. I think we see daddy about this time. I hear his voice but try and keep sleeping so I'm awake when he gets back from work! Or we go to the shops, I reckon mummy really likes that! Or mummy's friends come round and they look at me for ages and mummy shows me off and says what a contented little baby I am- oh yeah I am!

It's coming up to four o clock and mummy and I make tea and tidy the house, she can make quite a mess!!! I ask for more milk but don't want to interrupt my focused and busy mummy too much and then wait for daddy.

When daddy comes home, it's crazy play time. We do lots of exploring and mummy talks about me for such a long time!! Then it's just me and daddy. Then I fall asleep. And soon it's bath time. Daddy usually gives me a bath, as we have so much more fun. We sing in the bath and talk about all the scientific names for our bones. Mummy wouldn't have a clue about this so it's much better that I learn properly from daddy!!! To think she used to teach science aswell...

So now it's probably about 5 or 6 pm. And I am ready for my BIG feed. I surprised mum and dad on day nine when I politely requested about 3 hours of feeding. They gave in - of course! And now this is my night routine, and it is not flexible like the rest of my day. I need a very big feed, it takes about 2 and a half hours now as I am a lot quicker. Sometimes I fall asleep during that time and as soon as I awake I continue feeding. I get really sleepy during this time. I hear mum and dad talking about their day and it feels so lovely to be the centre of attention. When it's about 8 o clock I start getting really floppy and my limbs can't hold themselves up. Yawn... So now is about a good time for me to be taken to my bed, and then I sleep for a long, long time. I think mummy and daddy eat their dinner now and then sit down to chat again or watch a movie or whatever grown-ups do.

So now it is night, and I sleep until about 4 or 5 am. My parents tell me how proud they are that I sleep so long, but it's so natural to me now. I have been doing it for 11 days and I feel great for it, my complexion looks so much better for the beauty sleep!

My days might change, I think mummy tries to get me to nap during the day, but there's really so much going on that I find it hard, plus if they think I will sleep in a cot or a pram when it's daylight.... hahaa. I like being with people and love being cuddled and the isolation of the cot is not fun, especially when there's so much to see and do.

With Love, from Bethany Hope xxooxx