Well, we’re back, survived the holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it! I would recommend to anyone that if you can get away whilst they’re little you should, even if it’s to somewhere in the UK for one or two nights.

The thing that made it really special was the quality time we got to spend as a new family. Leigh commented that he felt he got to know imogen and her way better and I admitted I did too! Although I’m at home with her, in a normal day we are so busy either seeing people, going to parent and baby groups, shopping (food as well as clothes!) and even just keeping the house together. This was the first time there were no distractions and it was great. Plus having two of us meant a shared workload and I even managed to read four books sat by the pool!

The flights were fine, despite delays both ways. The stress was all up front really, worrying what to pack. The annoying thing was that even though you have to pay a small fee for an infant, who sits on your lap through the flight, there is no additional hand or hold luggage allowance. Which means you have a miniscule amount of luggage for the parents to enable you to fit all the baby paraphernalia in!

Next time I would take our own car seat - although dubious about the care the baggage handlers would give it. We hired a car seat and used a well known, car hire brand, even though they charged more. However, they hadn’t reserved us a seat and so gave us the only one they had left which was hard plastic with no cushioning and a completely upright back. We had to cushion Imogen with clothes to help support her head when she slept and basically gave up using the car unless absolutely necessary.

We did have a couple of nights out after a few in, once I was brave enough to chance upsetting our routine. It was fine - we did her bath and sleep routine as normal and then took her out and she fell straight to sleep and not wake either time, even when we brought her home and put her in the cot!

All in all, a great holiday. However, I was very reckless the day before we went and ended up booking a flight to Switzerland to visit my friend, just Imogen and I mid week! Was feeling brave at the time but now I’ve done one flight I am panicking about how to do it all on my own! Just as I get used to one thing, another comes along - or I create another anyway! When will I learn?! I will update on how that goes in my next blog.

Well, we go on holiday in a couple of days. It seemes like a fantastic idea at the time- a week away in the sun, whilst Imogen is still relatively portable. It still does in principle, but I cant believe how much preparation it is taking, both in terms of stuff to buy and pack but also the thought process.

How many nappies? How much formula? How many changes of clothes? The amount od accessories and clothes (less of!) on the spare bed has to be seen to be believed and I have no idea how we are going to fit this into our budget airline luggage allowance!

You’d think we were going on a camping holiday in outer Mongolia, not a week in a villa in Lanzarote! I am hoping that we are over preparing and when we get there we’ll learn and realise how little we really need to take! Optimistic maybe?!

Still it’s a week away in the sun - although I think my dreams of a quiet week by the pool reading endless novels may be shattered when faced with the reality of a holiday with a baby! More updates when we get back!

Imogen has been sleeping through now for a couple of weeks- although I haven’t dared to write this before now or even say it out loud much in case it broke the spell! Since the trip to A&E we have stopped the dream feed as well as we were nervous it would come back, and so far so good! I know it won’t be permanent as she goes through the stages, but am enjoying it very much whilst it lasts! Last night we did have a little awakening, but a quick dummy sorted it – not sure how we’re going to wean those off but will cross that bridge when we get to it!