taking turns

Q and I had our first conversation the other day. A back-and-forth of coos. His first lesson in taking turns.

And now a photo taken yesterday that I'm quite fond of. I can't get enough of this hat.

the "other" baby

The other day Quincy discovered the "other" baby in the mirror. He was just full of smiles. Very sweet. Along the same lines, we had afternoon tea with our antenatal group and he noticed the other babies for the first time. He was flirting with little Lucy big time.

exploring new territory

The last few days have included a lot of firsts for our little guy...

• Moving to the crib for daytime naps. (First attempt two days ago: Failure. Three long hours of crying with many many attempts at soothing, a feed, and two 5-minute naps sprinkled in. Second attempt today: Success. A ONE-HOUR nap! Third attempt again today: Another success, a respectable 1 hour 40 minutes.)
• Visiting Jeremy at work.
  
  
• Going to the city. (This adventure included a Pain Au Chocolate from Bordeaux Bakery and I can't stop thinking about it. Chocolate Almond Creamy Custard Croissant Goodness.)
  
  
• Holding a small rattle for about 30 seconds or so.
• Talking on the phone with Oma, which elicited (or is it illicited?) huge smiles on this end.
• Wearing (and thoroughly enjoying) a wrist rattle. (Thanks Auntie Marg!)
• Laughing, or at least the makings of a laugh (several huge smiles strung together with a little bit of sound--does that count?)
• Being awake during a walk.
• Sleeping for a five-hour stretch for the first time in what seems like a very long time--since my parents were here actually.

And we have enjoyed three walks in a row this week. The weather has been fantastic, so we'll probably go out again today. The dogs are seriously in heaven! No more neglect. No more guilt.

it's a gloomy saturday morning

So it's time for a little bonding and a little tele. A chance to watch a few programs recorded during the week.

Q's world at two months (in words)

(Warning: Lengthy post. Since I have yet to scrap a page about our not-so-new addition, all the detail will hopefully jog my memory when the urge returns.)

What's this little guy like at two months?

• He is a smiley, happy baby, for the most part.
• He is very alert.
• He was a spitting image of his dad at first, but now people have started to say he is a mixture.
• He follows us around the room (with his eyes, of course) and responds to sound.
• He holds his head up for a little bit, and has surprisingly done that from the start.
• He has just started mimicing us when we stick out our tongues. (A ridiculous spectacle really.)
• He coos a lot and even growled this week (accidently I suspect).
• He discovered a hanging toy today and learned to hit it.
• He is content for a little while under his play gym.
• He sneezes in sets of two.
• He has eyelashes to die for.
• He loves to be read to and seems to be really interested.
• He likes my tape of German kiddie songs, but possibly not as much as I do! (ETA: It's already getting warped. I have to find someone who still has a double cassette player so I can make some back ups STAT.)
• His favorite song seems to be "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes".
• He discovered the family photos that are hanging over the change table this week. It's cute--he smiles at and "talks" to them, but he can only see the two on the bottom, so I will have to rotate them, otherwise he will only become familiar with the V's and the A's!
• He is a dribble Fritz and has had to start wearing bibs recently.
• He weighs in at a healthy 5.38 kg.
• He is gaining more than average after a very slow start.
• He is tall, but I haven't measured him lately. Suffice it to say, he is already the length of his bath tub.
• He is suffering from reflux (like most babies), but fortunately not a serious case and by taking a few measures we are able to control it. (ETA: At nine-and-a-half weeks he seems fine, although he spills more than the average Joe I suspect.)
• He has his fair share of stomach aches (that of course break my heart), especially in the early morning hours, sometimes for as long as 4 hours, but as we found out this morning, gripe water works brilliantly. (ETA: It may have been the red beans and rice on the menu all last week!)
• He is a breeze to wind during the day, but it's impossible at night, hence the stomach aches probably???
• He likes to be "worn" in a sling or a front pack.
• He does "the Ray Charles" when he gets tired, along with all the other tired signs (like yawning, scrunching up his face, grizzling, rubbing his eyes, and making jerky movements).
• He is a co-sleeper, for now at least.
• He is good about settling himself into his first sleep at night.
• He still wakes frequently during the night.
• He is getting better about daytime naps, but sadly still loves to cat nap. If he is held, "worn", or on the move he'll sleep a good 2-4 hours easily though.
• He loves to cuddle and be held.
• He loves to be on the move, whether in the car seat or the pram.
• He digs bathtime.
• He's had two showers and loves those too.
• He just started getting an evening massage (must be nice), but I've only learned the legs so far.
• He doesn't like the sun in his eyes, but then who does?
• He gets angry at his dummy (pacifier) and whips it out of his mouth when it isn't doing it for him.
• He gets pretty warm, like his dad, but his hands are often ice cold.
• He likes shopping, very unlike his dad, and he just sleeps.
• He still fits in a few newborn things, tops but not bottoms.
• He is primarily wearing 000 (0-3 months) clothing, but at this rate, he'll be into his 00 (3-6 months) stuff in no time.
• He has just outgrown my favorite woolen jumper (wool sweater).
• He seemed to pet Berkley for the first time this week. Otherwise he isn't phased by the pups.
• He is feeding better and better all the time, although that has been the hardest part by far.
• He is becoming more and more predictable all the time, but then there are plenty of days that just throw us for a serious loop.

And now he is hungry and ready for a feed. What's new?

eight weeks on...

and we are learning more and more all the time. I talk a lot about all the good stuff, and there sure is plenty of that. But it's not always easy. Like when he wakes up for the second time at night. Let's just say I sometimes struggle to find patience in those tired hours.

What I find most frustrating is when everything is going so perfectly and then you have a bad day and feel like it'll never be "perfect" again. That's when I start over-analyzing. (Surprise, surprise!)

Oh and I also hate that I don't have a third arm.

Feeding has been really hard for me. Infections and all that jazz. But we're finally at a point where I don't dread it, and I more than tolerate it. All along there were times when it wasn't painful and I got a glimpse of what I had envisioned. Now it is nearly just that, relaxing and enjoyable. I never expected it to take so long to get to this point, that's for sure. (ETA: A cause for celebration...at nine weeks we're there. I actually enjoy it now!)

All along we seem to have been so busy with appointments and classes and just keeping on top of things that we've had little time to just be. I have a Baby & You class on Monday and a Mums and Bubs movie on Tuesday morning, but other than that I am not leaving the house for the rest of the week. I am going to actually take everyone's advice and finally nap a bit. And I'm gonna work on his daytime sleeping. Maybe establish a routine, or failing that, at least some sort of pattern!

reconnecting

My cousin was here for a couple of days this week. It was such a great chance to catch up after so many years. Growing up we spent so much time together and were very close, but then life just got busy I guess. And the distance didn't help. In the last 13 years we have sadly only seen each other at our weddings. So this was a great opportunity to get reaquainted. What a treat that it was so easy. As if we'd never lost touch.

She was so thoughtful and carried an entire medium-sized rolling suitcase full of goodies. Seriously. No exaggeration. Pop Tarts galore (iced for me, uniced for Jeremy), pounds and pounds of grits, lots of licorice, and plenty of Reese Cups. Oh yeah, and 4 bottles of chipotle hot sauce. Not to mention gorgeous gifts for Quincy. She even knitted me a really cool purse. We definitely didn't deserve such generosity, but we'll certainly enjoy it nonetheless!

Plus, as you can tell, she is fabulous with babies. Once again a welcome additional pair of arms.

A great visit! Short, sweet, but freezing cold!

our television debut

What a blast! Jeremy came along as our "support person" and got to accompany us on set. Unfortunately we didn't realize he could have brought the camera with him and taken a pic of us on the couches. I'm still kicking myself about this missed photo op. Perhaps we can capture a still from video.

Anyway Quincy, our Plunket nurse, and I were interviewed by the wacky Steve who was filling in for the usual host. He made us feel pretty comfortable with his craziness. Beforehand he made reference to babies who look like they've eaten all the other babies. Luckily he restrained himself a bit during the live segment. He did, however, talk about stuff he wasn't really supposed to, like dummies (pacifiers) and bottle feeding, both of which aren't exactly promoted by Plunket. He caught me a bit off guard with "Did you love him straightaway?" Not exactly the "Is he smiling yet?" type questions I was prepared for! Quincy was so cooperative. He started fussing a bit but was pacified by my finger. And then at the end he cried on cue when Steve asked Nicola the reasons babies cry. Perfect.

We aren't likely to forget this anytime soon. We can't wait to show Q the DVD when he gets older.

And now a few pics of our big debut.

at the studios in Avalon...

hair & make up...

in the green room...

the little guy was kind of "over it" by this stage...

get this

So... the little guy and I are going to be on the Good Morning Show on Tuesday. Our Plunket nurse asked us to be the mum and bub for a segment on infant development from birth to 3 months. Cross your fingers that I don't get tongue tied and more importantly that little Q-bert doesn't cry.

And while on the subject of TV...

I introduced my parents to Grey's Anatomy while they were here. I knew my mom would like it, but I didn't expect my dad to enjoy it too. It brought us back to the days when our whole fam was into Knot's Landing...even my dad from behind the newspaper.

Anyway, here is a little ode to Grey's Anatomy. This one's for you, Stef...

oh my

what have I gotten myself into?

J hates getting his photo taken. Unless it's a silly one, that is. Sometimes I think I've got two kids on my hands!

On the Q front...

As you can see he's got jeans on. He put on a kilo in two weeks (!!!) and now fits in some of his 0-3 stuff. What fun! I know I won't always be able to dress him in whatever I choose, so I have to take advantage while it lasts.

He's smiling lots, cooing a bit, feeding heaps, and sleeping better. Since the beginning he's been very alert and holding his head up. He's got a lovely nature and certainly doesn't seem to miss a beat. Two nights ago, he was attentive for the first time while I read him "Guess How Much I Love You" and "Goodnight Moon" before bed. A treasured moment shared.

Now I understand why everyone seems to say, "Just wait until 6-weeks." I think I am really starting to "get him" and his needs. What a good feeling. That's not to say I don't have my share of frustrating moments, but I doubt those ever go away!

What else? Last night Q attended his first Beagle Club meeting. I had the committee here. We're always in need of more committee members, so if he isn't careful, he may just get voted in unawares.

This morning I had my antenatal group around for morning tea. It's a nice small group of women. It's great to share stories and get reassurance. Also as a foreigner I am not always aware of how things are done here or what services are available, so they help me stay in the loop.

Now I am ready for a chilled out afternoon. It's been a busy week.

(un)happy fourth

It never feels like the fourth here. Especially today. It was wet and wintery.
Plus the little fellow had to get his 6-week vaccinations today. He is a bit sleepy, sad, and sore.

i'm sorry, baby

Yes, that is me wiping black ink off Q's hand.
Yes, he was v. unhappy about having his little hand stamped for posterity.
Yes, he refused to unclench his fists.
Yes, I was determined to get a perfect handprint.
No, I never got it in the end.

All I got was one very sad baby and a few blotches that resemble paw prints.

Oh, and a lot of guilt.

Notes to self:

1. Don't wait until your future offspring are six weeks old to capture their hand and footprints. A sleepy two-week-old bub would be much more cooperative.


2. I must learn to embrace imperfection.


3. I must learn to embrace imperfection.


4. I must learn to embrace imperfection.