31st August 2007

Hello

We are now in week nr 6 coming up to week 7! Its all very exciting...Reuben is putting on good weight (10lb 6oz) and well seem to cope better with the early evening colic episodes! We have had the 6 weeks check which seemed to go well, DR has fully checked Reuben and said he was very allert and happy baby...(ups he has not heard him scream his lungs out). R did manage to pee on DR's tie but then again he did want him fully nacked....I guess he just got shy and panicked....
We have been out nearly every day this week. It was good fun and the week just flew by. We managed to get my blood test done as well this morning before the Health Visitor came around to check we were fine! I needed the blood test to make sure we are not anemic(sp?!). I now have 10 days until my college starts I am a bit scared as not sure how it might be without Reuben....and need to sort out childcare too.

Today reuben was excepcionally good we had a three hours sleep (hence pics) and walked in the fresh air for quite a bit. I even managed to grab a coffee and read a book on babies by Miriam Stoppard...that I picked up in Oxfam. We cam back home he still slept for another hour and so I was very pleased. He later fed (breast fed this afternoon and evening) and had a bath...he had a bad colic after bath and we cried together for 15 minutes after which he seemed to settle. He needed comforting after all these and it took three attempts to put him down in his moses basket. I realy hope we will be turning a corner soon and he will get rid of these awful colics and wakeing so early in the morning...4:30 he is up and stays up until 9am.

More later!

XX

August Bank Holiday 2

Hello there

Today we had an interesting awakening! First of all after a really difficult day yesterday R has finally dropped off at 10ish then we did at 11. He woke us at about 1am for a feed then againg at 3:30ish....I was getting panicky thinking this is now going from bad to worse when finally he slept through til 8:30ish and we did not get up until 9ish. that was so nice. Then we had a really nice breakfast with daddy bringing croisants and champaign and enjoying the morning together as its bank holiday. BUt just as we wanted to leave to go to meet with the other NCT mums, dad and babies he had a severe belly ache episode....he was screaming the house down nothing consoled him...finally we put him in the car seat in the pushchair and he was pushed to the castle grounds during the trip he fell asleep and slept a good 1hour. He then woke and was ok until 3ish when we decided to take him home and feed him....which was ok. He fell asleep again at 5ish and Mum slept too....he then played with mummy and daddy had a bath and then fell asleep again around 9pm. We think he was much better today and hoping he is turning a corner! He is very grizzly during his sleep! Iwish he would sleep better and enjoy more deep and better sleep....we are seeing the Health Visitor tomorrow and hoping that she will give us the all ok and gove us good advice. As R has been feeding less we are wondering about his well being over all...so will discuss with midwife.

This is it for today!

XX

26th August 2007

what a day! We braved the church even we had to distrupt Reuben from sleeping! We got there and he has done a poo so we had too change him within the first 15 mins...then we screamed for food so he needed to be fed...it felt a bit wierd as we normally sleep through the service. I became anxious as he seemed very disturbed the last two days...! So after church we gone to Tesco;s to buy some colief and some food and then when we got home he wasn;t happy but we have promised Noleen to pop around to see the new place her new house! So we did but the sun was so hot and Reuben started to be a real pain...refusing to sleep...unhappy and really grizly so after an hour I felt knackered and also frustrated so we came home. He seemed to settle in better at home but unfortunatley it dis not last he was difficult all afternoon and evening. At one point I started to shake from tiredness, hunger and just frustration at not being able to setle him so I then went to bed and JOn took him for a ride which he enjoyed and slept through. HE fed very often today! We are still trying to persevere with the boob feed but he is better and happier with the bottle...except it seems to be still coming up after 1 hour! We are desperate to see the Health Visitor and the drs about this problem and difficulty feeding, winding and afterwards.....I believe this is why he is unable to sleep either. He only sleeps if he is elavated....

Yes, I am quite desperate at this point! So there is hope but also fear of the night to come and tomorrow....

Will update soon!

One nice thing that happened today was when Dorothy (an eldery lady in church) has come to see us with a pressie. She knitted a really nice cot blanket for R and I was so overwhelmed by her saying the moment she found out I was pregnant she started knitting me a blanket. Its not so much the gift but the love and care she has shown as well as the work she must have put in it! I don;t have a grandma here....but she is certainly been adopted as one!

25th August 2007

Hi! Reuben has been a sweety this week! He discovered he can suck his thumb and he can put his hand in mummy's clevage...much to my suprise he seems to demand the boob even though there is not much milk there. He still suffers with bad colic so we do suffer with him. Its horrible not being able to help when he cries so hard! I just feel like failing him but he does love being close to me which is why the picture above has been taken. After having mums and babies around on Thursday he had a good sleep but did not really want to wake properly just grizzeled and wanted me in the end we both collapsed on the sofa downstairs until daddy arrived home at 7:30-8ish pm. Sadly Reuben has not established yet a rountine except that he wakes up early in the mornings at 4ish to feed and does not really sleep until 9ish ....
We had a nice weekend so far! I had reflexology, a good bath and a nice walk today in Rochester. We had many friends dropping by, in and we enjoyed a busy day!

MOre later..................

Going to bed as its 10:30 late for me....he has been asleep since 7ish he must be starving as his last proper feed was 3:30ish! SCREAMING BABY SHOULD WAKE AT 1ish!!! HEEEELLLLPPPPP

21 August 2007

Today Rebuen Michael Smith is 5 weeks old! He is very sweet! Today he was the baby from heaven....enjoyed Cameron and mum Natalie;s visit and slept his way through the visit but then he did wake in time to say hello to Cameron and play a bit together on the carpet! IT must be feeling interesting for him to hear some other baby's voice. He did not seem to mind in fact he was quite enjoying it I think....
THese pictures were taken a week ago (1month) by Anita our friend who is a professional photographer! That day we did not expect pictures to be taken so....I think thats why I love them....and the black and white ones are fantastic too!
We are struggeling still with feeding....Reuben and I are trying to work out some routine where we can both sleep and both enjoy each others company. So far Gina Ford;s book has given us some good ideas...he was in bed tonight at 7pm and is still sleeping at 10:05pm. Soon he should (theoretically) have a nappy change and a feed and then sleep until 7am tomorrow morning....well that is all theory I am afraid he might get hungry and want feeding every hour!! That would be just too hard two nights in a row....but as a hungarian saying quotes "ne fessuk az ordogot a falra" meaning don;t pain the devil on the wall....as in don;t imagine the worst! So....lets see and hope that he is turning a corner getting older and wiser!

more tomorrow!

XX M

18th August 2007-the first visit of the grandparents Smith and aunty and uncle Watt

Hello

We had special visit yesterday from Grandad and Grandma Smith...and also aunty Suzanne and uncle Stuart Watt. It was so exciting to see everyone! Reuben was in his element. Got very excited and slept loads (he loves when people are around and are chatting). Mummy was very tired in the evening so asked daddy to help Reuben to sleep and so all three of us went to bed...an hour later mummy woke up and there it was R on daddy;s chest and both sound asleep it was such a beautiful picture! R was a bit grizzly all night...this morning woke with much noise and discomfort but after a good bath he setteled. We went to church where we got a nice blessing and slept in the sling during the service...
Cheryl (Godmother) has popped in this afternoon and R has been so good mummy even managed to sort out some things for the college...which she starts in September.

R is smiling more and more, he seems to be awake more but when he sleeps he sleeps longer periods too which is nice. THere is no obvious pattern yet...we are still perseveering with the breast feeding although he seems to settle better when bottle fed ...

more later!

16th August 2007

Hello

We have managed to get to the bumps now mums and babies group! It was really good! we had two days without granny and Rebeka so we could get used to each other! Me and Reuben had some difficulties first day yesterday we cried and screamed and now we have got used to each other better and to the space and quite aound us! I find it amazing that I feel so many new feelings that I never thought I would! being a mum has brought with it that constant lump in the belly called worry no matter what my "pumpkin son" is doing. If he sleeps I wonder if he can breath ok, if he is warm, maybe cold....if he is awake and quite I wonder if he is ok...should I talk to him or perhaps not disturb him....if he cries I worry its hunger, sickness, wet nappies etc...if daddy picks him up I wonder if he does it right or should he be more gentle should he do this or that....its like being on a constant look out! If we are out and about I worry that the wind blows to hard, the sun is too hot and the rain might be too cold....gosh this sounds like I have gone bonkers! But I am generally just amazed at all these new protective and slightly pshychotic feelings and instincts. Never the less its nice....when R cuddles up to me and looks into my eyes with his deep blue ocean like eyes I am lost of words...(yes even me can get lost for words) and I would do it all over again....

The pictures are those of R today with Jasmin and Cameron! Unfortunaley Thomas and mum Stella left too early before I had the chance to take a photo! xx M