April 1998.

Matthew has finally settled into a lovely bedtime routine. We have supper, and then he plays for an hour - or less if he's tired. We bath him and he will go into his cot awake. We have a musical cot toy which he can work, and he plays it until he is tired. Upto now I have enjoyed helping him off to sleep in the various ways he had needed over the last year, but it is nice to be able to take a step back now.

He has cut the first part of his top molars and it is obviously quite sore. His cold has got worse too so I've taken him to the doctors. He has an eye infection and the doctor says he is quite wheezy too. We have eye drops, but she doesn't think anything specific will help his chest - she just reasured me that if he seems to be finding it difficult to breathe casualty would be able to look after him, and we shouldn't worry too much. As it was I wasn't actually that worried because Matthew's breathing has been ok.

I have decided to go ahead with Matthews MMR vaccine, but only once he has stopped teething and recovered from his cold. It may be a naive assumption, but as his parent I would prefer he had the jab when he was fit and well, so his body has the resourses to cope with it.

I have been off work with morning sickness, and decided to go and visit my parents for a break. I have noticed that Matthew's vocbulary has improved with being around me all day instead of being at nursery. We have been to visit some toddler groups so he still has the chance to play with his peers, and I have noticed how differently he behaves compared to toddlers who spend most of the time with their parents. For example he is more outgoing, and wasn't unduely concerned that he didn't recognise his environment. He readily approached the other children to play, and was cooperating, passing a ball back and forth or sharing a "multiplay" toy. Whereas the rest of the toddlers his age prefered self-centered play, and stayed close to their mums. For this reason he tended to play better with preschoolers rather than his peers. However at the end of the session they had a sing-song where the children did actions with their parents, but Matthew didn't get it. He didn't like the structured approach or parental involvement and wouldn't join in! I guess this highlights beautifully some of the pros and cons of being a working mum.

I am really pleased to be spending more time with Matthew, and enjoying having my Fridays off. I think there is so much Matthew can get from me so I am pleased he now has the best of both worlds. He is thoroughly enjoying going swimming again, and I am amazed at how confident he is in the water. He isn't afraid of getting his face wet, and will blow bubbles in the water. With armbands on he can float on his tummy in the correct swimming position so I'm hopeful that he will be able to swim by the time he is two.

Matthew's first top molars are fully through and he is working on his bottom ones. I have been supprised that his teeth have come through in "batches" like this, but I think it is probably the easiest way. Now he has molars his eating has taken on a new dimention because he can chew. Now I only have to cut his food small enough for him to fit in his mouth, and he can cope with more difficult food like meat and chewey sweets!