D is for Daddy

My first father's Day was great!

Had a lovely day with E and JJ.  JJ thoughtfully bought me a very nice Elmo Father's Day Card and appropriately, a new coffee maker (an essential kitchen gadget these days) and we had pancakes for breakfast! Got to Skype with JJ's Granny and Grandad, family from the UK and his Uncle and Aunt in Brussels. Shame the postal strike has swallowed up the package we sent to JJ's Grandad, I'm sure it will arrive in due time...  As I type our MPs are still "discussing" the situation...

We also got to have some fun in the sun and pool with Grandma and Grandpa and E made the most amazing spare ribs (following Anna and Michael Olsen's dry rub recipe) - these went down very nicely indeed!  I even got to dress little JJ in an outfit that almost exactly matched my own (and I had been planning that for weeks in advance, I even ironed my shirt the day before) and he had the courtesy not to poop through it :)  Bubba (our new nickname for JJ) is so amazing and I am so proud to be his Dad.  I'm also really proud of E and what an amazing job she is doing of caring for JJ.  I couldn't wish for a better wife and mother for my son.

The last week or so I've been doing a lot of reflecting on everything that has happened in the past 12 months.  It's now a year since we completed our move back to Kingston.  The few months following the move were ridiculous and we don't really remember them fondly!  But here we are with a cracking "little" baby boy (someone recently called him delicious, I like that), a lovely house and jobs to pay for it all!  I am very relieved our leap of faith worked out, for a while it looked like we may have jumped a little too far...  In the words of the Zac Brown Band "life is good today" (if a little sleep deprived).

Now we are anxiously awaiting news from Belgium regarding another move back to Kingston that will see JJ being able to spend much more time with his Uncle and Aunt.  Fingers crossed!

Firsts

JJ is now just over 4 months old and continuing to thrive.  He tips the scales at 17 lbs and is almost 70 cm tall (or as his Grandad puts it; almost 40% of the way to being 6' tall).  He's had his latest shots and checkup.  He is so strong and stable now.  He is also continuing to change at such a fast rate!

We've been able to achieve several firsts in the last month or so:

• First milk via a spoon (those of you that know E and I know how important food and dinner time is to us so we're getting JJ ready to start at an early age!)
• First time in the front pack and not the car seat (which he loves as he can see so much and interact with people)
• First experiences in the Exersaucer and Jolly Jumper (again, which he loves, although drool ends up everywhere)
• First visit to the playground (and accompanied slide and swing, I think E enjoyed that part more than JJ)
• First classic thumb sucking (you know, with only the thumb in his mouth and his fingers kind of curled up rather than him trying to shove as many fingers from both hands in his mouth)
• First giggles (although these are hard to earn, E and I must not be very funny)
• First long car ride (see last post)
• First dip in a swimming pool (I think he just thought it was a rather large, not so warm, bath with no bubbles)

JJ is really developing a personality and he is incredibly social.  We recently had a few errands to run and stores to visit on a Saturday afternoon.  This used to fill us with fear but with JJ strapped into the front pack I wandered about with him all over the mall and he just loved it.  He was chatty, smiley and very happy.  Everyone that interacted with him got at least a smile (and most thought by his size that he was a 9 month old!).  I also got a good workout, carrying a big baby about really works your back!  When we were done he simply passed out in the car and had a nice nap (and we took the very scenic way home to let him sleep that bit longer).  It must be nice for not to be confined to the car seat.  He is almost big enough to go in his stroller now and I am sure he'll like that too (so will my back).

It is almost exactly a year to the day when we found out little JJ was headed our way and we really were in such a different place.  Life has changed so much, we have an entirely new focus, so much has happened.  I really could not have been prepared for this but feel like I learn a little more every day about how to be a good Dad (and husband to a new Mum).

It is amazing to see JJ first thing in the morning, when I get home from work or even in the middle of the night and see his big wide smile, little kicks of excitement and usually some accompany noises and drool.  The bond I was looking for in the early days (and having trouble with) is absolutely there and nothing (short of the bond I have with E) can match it!  The last four months have passed by in a daze.  I'm the next four and beyond will pass similarly quickly and he'll be walking and talking before I know it.  I hope that I remember as much as possible about this stage in his life, how dependent he is on E and I and how amazing that is.

About 2 hours...

That is how long JJ is happy for in a car.  Toronto is 2.5 hrs away.  Yep, pretty much 30 mins of unhappy baby on our first long car ride.  It could have been much worse and JJ was a resilient little guy, as soon as we were out of the car and at the hotel he perked up and began charming anyone within sight.  he had a good hour or so of sleep at first and then distractions kept him occupied for the next 60 mins but nothing was working for that last half hour.  To be fair, he was hungry and it was 8pm at night which is when he is usually nodding off in hid crib.

Once we were at the Hotel our anxiety lowered until we got the room next to two people who must have been hard of hearing (or they just like watching tennis with the volume all the way up and shouting at each other who they think is the best player, Federer or Nadal).  We were armed with most of things we use to help get JJ to sleep (or stay asleep) but not a fan, our white noise maker of choice.  Despite this, JJ slept pretty well (I can't sat the same for us) in his playpen (which is so much lower than his crib and a bit of a back breaker now he is packing the pounds on).  At one point we figured there must be an App for this. There is.  It is called White Noise Lite and it is excellent and free.  The following night we all drifted off to the sounds of waves lapping on the shore courtesy of my iPhone (and there wasn't any tennis on).

The weekend went really well, we had a fantastic visit with JJ's Great Great Aunt and Uncle (yep, two Greats!) and the Wedding was beautiful.  JJ once again charmed everyone he met, including the official photographer who seems to take a lot of pictures of him!  The groom's sister had her little boy there too, 1 day younger than JJ and astoundingly a pound heavier!  The following day we had a lovely morning walk to get coffee with JJ in his front pack rather than the stroller/car seat combo.  He loved it, even the local crazy at Yonge and Bloor that wanted to know all about him didn't phase him.  Next was brunch with another group of friends and Jack was on top form (after a very large bowel movement that forced a roadside diaper/outfit change as soon as we arrived at the restaurant).  It was really good to see downtown Toronto again, catch up with friends and introduce them to our "little" baby boy.  It was also fun to have an excuse to get dressed up a bit.

The trip home was just like the trip to Toronto.  I am very thankful we live on the West side of Kingston and get home that bit sooner!  At this point I can't fathom a longer trip.  Plans to go out East for a holiday this Summer have been rethought and we'll stay close to home.  JJ will obviously mature and get more used to travel but I can't even imagine taking him to the UK.  It will happen and it will certainly be an adventure but for now we'll stick relatively close to home!