How to get away with murder.

diary extract March 14th 2011
Last night Albie woke up pretty much every hour. I found myself getting SO angry with him, to the point where I wanted to banish him to the garden shed. Don't worry I didn't, we probably would still have heard him from there anyway. The images on the 'Cow and Gate' advert of mother gently caressing her baby seem a million miles away from my experience, let alone how pristine she looks - how does she manage that on no sleep?! The reality is me rigidly holding a child who screams for apparently no reason, with my hair resembling that of someone who has just been electrocuted and wearing a pair of milk stained pyjamas. Put that on your advert why don't you?

I often question what abilities we are naturally born with; the whole nature/nurture debate. I can definitely say that we are born selfish, or else why has my baby not considered what having no sleep does to me or my sanity?! Another trait which I'm sure is nature is manipulation. Are babies really that clever, you say? Yes. Here's why...

As I had just reached the end of my tether this morning, I went to tend to Albie's needs, muttering something about a caffeine drip under my breath. As I peered over his crib reluctantly, I no longer saw a whinging baby but a beautiful smile. He even gave a little chuckle! It would seem that something else we are naturally born with is to be complete suckers for baby smiles. I was left cooing away at him and laughing as though I had had the best night's sleep of my life.

That kid is going to get away with murder.


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