{"id":104,"date":"2018-01-27T15:38:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-27T15:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=104"},"modified":"2025-04-27T14:50:14","modified_gmt":"2025-04-27T13:50:14","slug":"being-a-parent-and-the-realities-of-the-first-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=104","title":{"rendered":"Being a parent and the realities of the first year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s something you\u2019ve dreamed about for a long time, you think you\u2019re ready for it. You have friends and family with children, so you feel prepared. But you\u2019re not, because no matter what you think. This blog post will give you an insight on being a parent and the realities of the first year\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sleeping<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So many people said to me, sleep when the baby sleeps. But no matter how hard you try you can\u2019t, in fact I found that I couldn\u2019t sleep much at all. I was lucky to be able to go over my parents during my maternity leave so they could watch him. I would quite often curl up on their sofa because the night before he\u2019d been up every 3 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now at 18 months old he sleeps 12 hours a night (most nights.) However, I did spent most nights sitting at the top of the stair in tears listening to him. I would sit there for hours before he would go off to sleep. So many people had said that would help us both and I believed them. I still do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nappies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You have to have a routine. I hadn\u2019t realised this till I started to change his nappy as he got bigger. When he was able to roll over and crawl off.  Then it gets more complicated as they get bigger. Poo gets everywhere, you hold their feet as they get bigger. Most of the time you\u2019re washing and you get excited when stain remover gets the marks out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My tip: if you have a baby that won\u2019t keep still for love nor money keep him distracted with anything. Sing a son, give him a toy or have something that is safe that isn\u2019t a toy. My son loved playing with my keys, but not a good idea when he\u2019s holding them above his head. I would make up songs, it started with Old McDonald. He had so many animals on that farm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toys<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The amount of them are unbelievable and he\u2019s only 16 months old.  I feel lucky that I\u2019ve got loving friends and family around us to get him such lovely gifts. I can\u2019t complain about the amount because he loves his toys. However the small toys get stuffed and poked in the smallest of gaps. My tip is get a long handed wooden spoon. This comes in handy when that piece of Duplo or small ball gets wedged in the radiator. Yes it actually happened.  I\u2019ve spend many times getting toys from out under the sofa or behind units that cannot be moved!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"child<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Eating<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Kids eating is an education in itself. We started weaning him at 6 months <\/a>because he would take food off us which was a clear cut sign. He started not wanting milk so I started to blend foods and he loved it. I even kept a diary of the flavours he like, trying different things all the time. I spent so much time on this, because everyone said that it\u2019s the best time to get different flavours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the teeth arrive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Then you go back to square one, his favourite flavours aren\u2019t his favourite flavours anymore. In fact he hates them so much he spits them out!  You have days when you just want to just go back to giving him milk because it\u2019s so much easier to give him a bottle.  The book you\u2019re writing his favourite flavours in doesn\u2019t even exist anymore it\u2019s now in the bin because you\u2019ve given up on trying to give him food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there\u2019s the cup issue. He won\u2019t have a sippy cup because it\u2019s more fun to throw on the floor. You end up spending so much money on different cups because you think he needs a different one. When in fact all he wants to do is give you the run around!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hang in there because it does get easier temporarily then as they get older you get a different issue. Once they get used to their teeth they\u2019re normally fine. Just don\u2019t do what I did and give in to it. Stick with your decisions because at the end of the day you\u2019re the parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s so worth it when they smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Baby<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s something you\u2019ve dreamed about for a long time, you think you\u2019re ready for it. You have friends and family with children, so you feel prepared. But you\u2019re not, because no matter what you think. This blog post will give you an insight on being a parent and the realities of the first year\u2026. Sleeping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53221594,"featured_media":106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[91,5309],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogging","category-parenting"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgmcKn-1G","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":173,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=173","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":0},"title":"Enjoying the Parenting leave","author":"Annabel","date":"03\/12\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Now William is home the paternity leave can commence for Mike, we had decided that he would take it when he was discharged and home with us. This way we could really enjoy the parenting leave together. The sleeping pattern of a baby I thought was erratic but for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Parenting"","block_context":{"text":"Parenting","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=5309"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/liv-bruce-m0ovpgswk1e-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/liv-bruce-m0ovpgswk1e-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/liv-bruce-m0ovpgswk1e-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/liv-bruce-m0ovpgswk1e-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/liv-bruce-m0ovpgswk1e-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":149,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=149","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":1},"title":"Day of Discharge for William","author":"Annabel","date":"13\/11\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The nurses tell us that William will be able to come home in the next couple of weeks and it\u2019s Tuesday 8th November.\u00a0 We\u2019re both in shock, but very happy.\u00a0 We don\u2019t need any equipment because our little man is breathing by himself and confidently wolfing back his 2 hourly\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Parenting"","block_context":{"text":"Parenting","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=5309"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fe-ngo-bvx3g7rkots-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fe-ngo-bvx3g7rkots-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fe-ngo-bvx3g7rkots-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fe-ngo-bvx3g7rkots-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/fe-ngo-bvx3g7rkots-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":329,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=329","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":2},"title":"How to Parent with a Sense of Humour","author":"Annabel","date":"13\/02\/2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Nothing prepares you for parenting which is a shame, how has no one written a book about the truths of parenting? How children can drive you insanely angry one minute and in tears the next. Well actually many have written books, blogs and recorded podcasts. But the one thing you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Parenting"","block_context":{"text":"Parenting","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=5309"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/danilo-batista-skqz_wvdp5k-unsplash.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/danilo-batista-skqz_wvdp5k-unsplash.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/danilo-batista-skqz_wvdp5k-unsplash.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/danilo-batista-skqz_wvdp5k-unsplash.jpg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":828,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=828","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":3},"title":"Cruising the Norwegian Fjords with a Toddler Tornado","author":"Annabel","date":"22\/05\/2019","format":false,"excerpt":"There are two types of people who go on cruise holidays: those seeking relaxation, and those who accidentally bring a hyperactive two-and-a-half-year-old. We, proudly (and somewhat deliriously), fell into the second category. From the moment we stepped onboard, it was clear this was not going to be a serene, cocktail-sipping,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=91"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alonso-reyes-lwfdbz4d6ne-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alonso-reyes-lwfdbz4d6ne-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alonso-reyes-lwfdbz4d6ne-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alonso-reyes-lwfdbz4d6ne-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/alonso-reyes-lwfdbz4d6ne-unsplash.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":805,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=805","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":4},"title":"School Residential Trip Survival: What We Did When the House Was Childless","author":"Annabel","date":"21\/04\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"When our nine-year-old left for their first school residential trip. What I didn\u2019t expect was just how strange and quietly emotional the house would feel without them. Two nights doesn\u2019t sound like much. In the grand scheme of parenting, it\u2019s barely a blip. But those 48 hours gave us a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogging"","block_context":{"text":"Blogging","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=91"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/at.webp?fit=680%2C331&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/at.webp?fit=680%2C331&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/at.webp?fit=680%2C331&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1043,"url":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?p=1043","url_meta":{"origin":104,"position":5},"title":"How I Almost Shared My Birthday with My Baby","author":"Annabel","date":"29\/09\/2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I was six months and a week pregnant. It was my birthday, yay happy birthday to me! I had cakes ready in the kitchen to take into work the next day as it was an office tradition.\u00a0 However that next morning, something was occurring and I was desperate for the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adulting"","block_context":{"text":"Adulting","link":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/?cat=54614915"},"img":{"alt_text":"silhouette of pregnant woman in profile","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pexels-photo-32154879.jpeg?fit=902%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pexels-photo-32154879.jpeg?fit=902%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pexels-photo-32154879.jpeg?fit=902%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/pexels-photo-32154879.jpeg?fit=902%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/annabelwrites.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/kelli-mcclintock-2m4b_nfzus-unsplash.jpg?fit=6000%2C4000&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/53221594"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=104"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":518,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/104\/revisions\/518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/annabelwrites.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}