Matthew Checksfield

Me, Me, Me.... (I love it!)

My story....

Are you sitting comfortably? Good. (if you aren't then I'm sorry but that isn't really something I can help with. I only have one chair and one walky-thing, and both are made to fit me. You'll need something a little, uh, more suited to your own frame. :o)

It turns out that my mummy and daddy didn't even know I was coming. In fact I was 3 months old by the time they even noticed me there. Worrying isn't it...!? (although perhaps it is a good thing, its kind of given me a heads up to watch out for them in supermarkets. I mean if they can't tell I'm in my mummy's tummy, what hope have I got that they won't just forget I'm in the trolley and just leave me in the Bread and Preserves aisle. Or any other aisle actually.)

They went on holiday (that's 'vacation' to any of my American colleagues out there! Howdy, how are you doing?) to America in December 2005 and without telling them, I stowed away in mummy's tummy. I went on all sorts of rides and saw lots of sights and did lots of driving - 8 states in 15 days - and I even sang on the stage in the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, TN. Impressive huh?  When they came back mummy wasn't very well. She went to the doctor but they didn't notice me either. After a while, when she was still very sick and poorly they sent her to a hospital where a special lady with a tube of very cold jelly and an ultrasound machine finally noticed me. There I was, sitting there waving hello and shouting "Thank god someone has finally had the sense to look in here!!!" Bless them, they even took my photo in there and mummy has kept it for a scrapbook.

After that, they waited a while before they told everyone I was here. Another scan, another photo, more tears of fear and joy from my parents (mostly mummy) the weeks went by. I grew. I ate, slept, peed and pooed. Then, mummy still was kind of poorly so the doctors said I should really move home early. We sorted a few things out, I sped up my growing as best I could and by the time moving day came I was sat on the proverbial step, suitcase in hand ready to go. The journey was harder and more tiring than I had expected, but I made it. I tried to hold a conversation with a few people when I got to my new world, but they all just kept staring at me and chatting to me about something completely different. I raised my voice but kept getting told to "sssssssshhhh". I took the hint eventually and took the opportunity to get some kip.

Me and Mum stayed in the hospital for a few days, while Daddy missed us at home. After a while we got to come home too though and then we were all together again. Life since I got home has been nothing like it used to be although I think overall I prefer it here. I have met so many great people (and some weirdos it has to be noted), got some wonderful toys and books. I even have a whole room just for me; its called a "nursery". Why my room has the same name as somewhere they grow small plants is beyond me - grateful as I am for the space, you'd think with all the words in the modern world they could think of something unique. Anyway, its nice in there and has subtle Winnie the Pooh wallpaper on the walls and a nice pale beige carpet (clearly made to be decorated with crayons in the next couple of years, hehe!)

Since I made it here, I've enjoyed myself immensely and learn new things every day. I love my mum and dad so much and my best friend is a little girl called Chloe. She belongs to my Auntie Sara, who is my mummy's best friend. So that's convenient. The funny thing is, Chloe is pretty much the same size and weight as me even though she's been here for 9 months longer! She's very delicate and I'm very strong, we're a fantastic team. My mummy says we would create wonderful grandchildren, but I don't have a clue what she's on about (no one ever does, hehe).

Life is so wonderful, what an invention eh? I'm never going to grow up and I'm never going to stop having fun. I hope I don't run out of time like a ticket in a car park - I plan on living forever; so far, so good!

~*~

Hello World!

Can you believe that I have my own website at just 5 months old? Impressive, isn't it...

So, as I briefly noted in my opening statement I am, indeed, 5 months old. That is to say 5 months have passed since I arrived in my new home. I lived elsewhere for the previous 38 weeks (it would have been 40 weeks but moving day was brought forward by some doctors, can't remember why now!). My old home was much darker, and warmer but there was so much noise you could hardly hear yourself think!! There was my heartbeat, and my Mummy's, there was the swooshing noise that my umbilical cord made, and lots of other noises too.

Anyhoo, so here I am. New house, new look, I'm generally happy with all my choices although sometimes I think perhaps I haven't done as well as I could have on the initial training of my parents. It turns out that all the 'letting me stay downstairs' and 'letting me decide when I want to do something' was to lull me in to a false sense of security, giving me illusions of power that has recently been cruelly and unjustly stripped from me. Now, they keep mentioning the word routine and I seem to be hurled in to my cot every lunchtime and, I note, much earlier in the evening than ever before. Hmmm. I'm not entirely happy but if it keeps them placated it is worth it I guess!

Speaking of my new routine and the parental units, they are both staring at me with the sweet smiles but determined look - I think it might be my bedtime.... A quick goodbye then for now.... Speak again soon!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh.... (off I go!)