Best Laid Plans….

On Sunday I had plans to write. It was Saturday evening and my dream-Sunday lay just a few hours of sleep away. All of my columns for the coming week would first be drafted, and then I'd format them all into the computer ready for publication. Then, if there was time, I had intentions of rummaging through my Writer's Market and finding a couple of publications I could send queries on a few ideas I have. As usual however, when plans are made, something - or in this case, someone - happens, and plans are hastily remade to take account of the new circumstances!

Jake has been sitting up unaided for a few weeks now, but can't easily get himself up to that position if he is lying flat. Therefore, he has been safe to leave lying both in his crib and pram (baby carriage) because he couldn't move very far. Obviously our bundle of energetic joy has been holding out on us and practicing when we weren't looking because on Saturday evening we were given a command performance of his skills that we hadn't seen before. In shocked amazement we watched our little one pull himself not only up to sit in his crib, but then to standing. This was obviously not going to be a safe place for him to sleep anymore, so we put him into his pram for the night. We knew he'd be safe there because we had taken him out earlier in the pram and despite many attempts; he couldn't sit up himself once he was flat. Well, we thought we knew! We hadn't reckoned with the stubborn determination of our son. Within a few minutes of laying him into the pram, he was sitting up smiling at us as he reached forward, then grabbed the handle of the pram and pulled himself up like some Roman chariot rider! Of course, babies are well known for great timing, and ours is no exception. This display took place at 10.00 pm - all the stores were closed and we frantically went through our options for sleeping places for the night. Finally, a safe place was found. We carried Jake's play-pen in the bedroom and put him in there. Despite knowing that he couldn't come to any harm in it, I still slept with one eye open watching in case of danger!

Next morning my dreams of writing were completely forgotten as we first collected a roof-rack from Mikael's parents (ours was stolen with our car a few months back - the car came back the roof rack didn't!), and then crossing our fingers to find a suitable cot, we went to the only store open on a Sunday that sells baby equipment. Our luck was in. We found exactly what we were looking for and soon had it home and installed where Jake's crib used to be. Now our little climber looks like a criminal as he looks out accusingly at us from behind his bars. I really don't think he's thankful that we've saved him from falling on the floor at all - and since he has decided that he wants to sleep sideways across the cot, he complains loudly that the cot isn't as wide as he'd like - but that's ok. I can live with this whining because at least I know he's not going to fall out and injure himself in the middle of the night. As for my writing - well there's always next week ……..!

Katie-Anne, 2001