So JJ is now 2 months old (actually more like 9 weeks and a day) and has had his first check up. He's a happy and healthy baby, over 2' long and 13 lbs 13 oz! That means he has demoted Buddy to being the smallest member of our family. Amazingly, Cleo is still heavier than JJ but give it a couple of weeks and I'm sure he'll overtake her too...
JJ got his first shots yesterday and handled it really quite well. Well, as well as a baby can handle two nurses jabbing him in both (quite meaty) thighs simultaneously with needles! A brief pause before a cry of pain was the result but as soon as I picked him up he settled right down again. Must admit I felt pretty chuffed that he was so calm so quickly. Actually, yesterday evening was one of the best times I have had with our little guy. He was very content to hang out in my arms for most of the evening. I even got him soothed when he started to feel the ache from his jabs. He just looked me straight in the eyes, took on a sleepy little face and stopped crying. It's as if he decided, yes, I am safe in my Daddy's arms. That was pretty special.
JJ has also found his voice this week. He is cooing and ahhhing, trying to mimic what E and I are saying. It's so much fun to listen to him and hear him try to express himself.
Another skill he is picking up (literally) is grabbing things. Looks like he has made the connection between his hand and his environment. I'm also sure he has picked up his Mom's trait of twiddling his hair.
Last weekend we hosted a reunion party for the couples we went to pre-natal classes with. The thought of eight babies and assorted parents initially filled me with dread (and made me wonder why I'd offered that we'd host) but it went really well. The babies were all so different and amazingly well behaved. Some small, some big, some skinny, some pudgy, some with colic, some happy little things, some bald, some hairy. Couldn't help but feel that JJ looked like the oldest and most grown up (obviously we thought he was the cutest but then all parents do don't they?) - his hair really ages him and where ever we go people think he is much older than his 9 weeks.
All the parents got to share stories, exchange tips and tricks and chat about the amazing past few weeks we'd all been through. I was nice to know that many couples had been through the same emotions and difficulties that we faced. Tip of the hat to whoever suggested bouncing while sitting on an exercise ball to soothe a baby, works like a charm and is less tiring than standing up to do it! It is probably good for me too...
Coming up we've got friends coming from Toronto this weekend and JJ will finally get to meet his other Grandparents (the British ones) next week, can't wait! Lots more good times with family and friends and I might be able to sneak in a round of golf with my Dad soon...
How long will it be before I can get a cut down 7 iron into JJ's hands? Actually, maybe I want to hold off on that, ups the chances of mayhem and destruction...
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Penny dropped
This blog hasn't turned out like I expected, but then neither has fatherhood. I was expecting it to be fun-filled and all about the amusing things that happened, people would love it, I'd get a book deal and eventually a movie out of it (actually, I think that was Julie and Julia wasn't it?). Instead, this blog has become a very honest and open account of my development as a Dad and a very useful way for me to reflect on how things are going.
I have to admit that for a while I was a bit disengaged. The initial euphoria of JJ's arrival into the world had worn off with my return to work and general feeling of not being very natural around him. Only seeing JJ in the evenings when he is fussy and tired and trying to get night time feeds with a bottle going left me feeling like JJ and I didn't have much of a connection. I was always comparing how JJ was with E and how he was with me. It must be something all parents that go out to work deal with. Your baby has an incredibly strong bond with it's Mother and a much more casual one with you. The time you have with your little one is incredibly important and can't be wasted or ignored but when it isn't all baby napping in your arms or playing happily on the playmat you begin to wonder if you are being of any use (well I did).
The last week or so have been so much better. Having time with him at the weekend when he is a happy and contented little guy also really helps. Going for a walk after work with E and JJ followed by bath time with Daddy is going great and I'm usually the one to get him down for the night too. Just seeing him smile back and coo at me makes me so much more patient when it comes to those not-yet-easy middle of the night feeds. I really do love the little guy now. I know a few more of his ways, am getting better at reading his body language and feel much more connected to him. This positive feedback gives me more confidence which makes me more relaxed and so on.
Feeding with the bottle is still tricky but as E pointed out; breastfeeding took a a few weeks of trying 12-14 times a day to become natural. At the rate of 1 bottle a night that puts me at 8-9 months from being good at it! I'm sure it won't take that long, JJ is growing, learning and getting more comfortable. A new bottle seems to help somewhat and JJ's Auntie showed us a great massaging technique that really soothes him when he's unsettled. Actually, JJ was really taken with his Auntie and Uncle and I was able to draw motivation from my Brother-in-law who, like me, had very little baby experience but took to JJ immediately.
This past weekend was fantastic. Very relaxed, no plans and a lot of time with my son. E managed a few naps, we cooked some lovely pork chops on the BBQ, the weather was warm(ish) and sunny, we relaxed in front of the cooking shows on PBS. My favourite was Saturday afternoon: I had JJ asleep in my arms, E was napping on the couch and one of our cats was being thoroughly entertained by a dried leaf blowing around on the deck. Simple pleasures. The fatherhood penny has indeed dropped...
Speaking of pennies dropping, I'm on the look out for a cool littler piggy bank for JJ. That spare change for taking empties back to the Beer Store won't be buying me coffee anymore. From now on it's JJ's.
I have to admit that for a while I was a bit disengaged. The initial euphoria of JJ's arrival into the world had worn off with my return to work and general feeling of not being very natural around him. Only seeing JJ in the evenings when he is fussy and tired and trying to get night time feeds with a bottle going left me feeling like JJ and I didn't have much of a connection. I was always comparing how JJ was with E and how he was with me. It must be something all parents that go out to work deal with. Your baby has an incredibly strong bond with it's Mother and a much more casual one with you. The time you have with your little one is incredibly important and can't be wasted or ignored but when it isn't all baby napping in your arms or playing happily on the playmat you begin to wonder if you are being of any use (well I did).
The last week or so have been so much better. Having time with him at the weekend when he is a happy and contented little guy also really helps. Going for a walk after work with E and JJ followed by bath time with Daddy is going great and I'm usually the one to get him down for the night too. Just seeing him smile back and coo at me makes me so much more patient when it comes to those not-yet-easy middle of the night feeds. I really do love the little guy now. I know a few more of his ways, am getting better at reading his body language and feel much more connected to him. This positive feedback gives me more confidence which makes me more relaxed and so on.
Feeding with the bottle is still tricky but as E pointed out; breastfeeding took a a few weeks of trying 12-14 times a day to become natural. At the rate of 1 bottle a night that puts me at 8-9 months from being good at it! I'm sure it won't take that long, JJ is growing, learning and getting more comfortable. A new bottle seems to help somewhat and JJ's Auntie showed us a great massaging technique that really soothes him when he's unsettled. Actually, JJ was really taken with his Auntie and Uncle and I was able to draw motivation from my Brother-in-law who, like me, had very little baby experience but took to JJ immediately.
This past weekend was fantastic. Very relaxed, no plans and a lot of time with my son. E managed a few naps, we cooked some lovely pork chops on the BBQ, the weather was warm(ish) and sunny, we relaxed in front of the cooking shows on PBS. My favourite was Saturday afternoon: I had JJ asleep in my arms, E was napping on the couch and one of our cats was being thoroughly entertained by a dried leaf blowing around on the deck. Simple pleasures. The fatherhood penny has indeed dropped...
Speaking of pennies dropping, I'm on the look out for a cool littler piggy bank for JJ. That spare change for taking empties back to the Beer Store won't be buying me coffee anymore. From now on it's JJ's.
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