Being a first time parent is rewarding, fulfilling and hard. I have been skimming through “manuals”, asking fellow mums, trawling the internet, reading parenting magazines- all in order to find out how I join the ranks of super-mums, but it is all very confusing.

The information out there is so overwhelming that I now rely mainly on instinct and (what I have of) common sense. In addition I have a panel of yummy mummies whom I trust and whose babies seems healthy and happy and importantly: they answers my emergency text messages in a flash.

I have asked about everything:

• Little H’s poo has changed from pesto to mustard- should I stop feeding her banana?
• She is in a very foul mood, can it be the teeth or is she already rebelling against her parents?
• Do I dress her as a boy?

This question is especially relevant today as it happened again. An elderly lady asked: “what is the name of this cute little boy?” – A boy? Does little H look like a BOY??

To prevent such situations and to save such ladies from embarrassment when I answer “HER name is… “ I have started to dress Little H in a pink hat regardless of temperature, and with no thoughts on the color scheme of the rest of her outfit. But there are still nearsighted and colorblind pensioners out there so I have to stop fussing over this and worry about more serious mummy business, such as porridge or vegetables for Little H's lunch tomorrow?

Perhaps I should have done what is customary in Spain, and something which would have made Amama Socco, my mother in law, very happy. Perhaps I should have pierced Little H’s ears as soon as she got out of the hospital? This way she would easily be recognized as a little Senorita. With Little H's ears bejeweled in fresh-water pearls it would never be a question of her gender. Funnily enough, when I sent an sms asking the the yummy mummy panel of their thoughts they advised against it…..