Wheres my baby baby? - 5 months 2 days old

Yee haa having fun with my favourite toy

Hi All, Well Joshua was 5 months this past Sunday, and my title explains how I feel. Where is my baby baby?? Well he is still a baby but not a baby baby anymore. How sad, how fast has time flown? Hearing one of the sisters at Panorama Breastfeeding Clinic talk to another sister, I will never forget what she said 'that she just remembers the whole first year of her childs life as a blur, a sleep deprived blur'. Well at the time I thought how insensitive and how terrible that those are your memories, however now as a mom that is now a little more experienced, I can say that perhaps I understand. I am determined not to let that be me and have a little thing that I do when Joshua is really cute or does something out of the ordinary, I hold him tight and say the following: "Hold on tight, hold on tight...to this moment" and then give him lots of kisses.

You see I want to hold on to the memories and I suppose that is why I am so camera happy and why I invested in a dvd camcorder, because I know that I want to be able in someway to recapture and relive the feelings I had when I held him for the first time, when he first smiled and now as he starts to put his toes into his mouth, that little giggle when I kiss his tummy.. such precious times that slide by like sand in your hand. What a blessing to have children, I know they grow up to be stubborn teenagers and are perhaps mischievous toddlers, but really it is such a gift to be a parent. Thank you Lord for all my blessings and my healthy little boy who is almost half way to his first birthday.
xxx

I'm growing up....

Me with my dad

Me with my mom

At Melkbos Beach

Having fun in moms arms

More photos dad???

You funny dad

I'm such a poser for the camera

Sweet Dreams my Angel

Faux Pas

Oops... Just reading my blog of Mr and Mrs Humble I realised in error that the first picture is of Kristian and his 'bestman' Steven...haha I had a good giggle. Luckily most of the readers were guests but those that arent - Kristian got married to WENDY and if you scroll down you will see her walking to meet her groom. Silly me... but it put a smile on my face this morning. Have a good day all.

Mr and Mrs Humble

As most of the people that are on my blog list in fact pretty much everyone apart from cheeky monkey were at the wedding it is not much point writing about it, so thought I would let the pictures speak for themselves. It was a beautiful day and an even more beautiful venue and an even more even more beautiful bride and groom.
Here are some pics:

In the swing of things

Well I have been back at work for just on 2 weeks now and it is an adjustment working and trying to juggle time to play with Joshua when I get home, bath him, feed him and start supper all by 7pm.! Needless to say it is a challenge, but know that millions of women out there do it so... so must I. Last weekend was hectic for me as my nanny that looks after Joshua had a family emergency her son was admitted to hospital therefore she wasnt at work on Friday and I was in a predicament as our back up granny and grandpa were away in Oudtshoorn, so Clive and I looked at each other in the morning at 6:30am and said 'now what?'. Yes I have heard the 'if your child was in creche you wouldnt have had this problem' but that was not the choice I made, yes I know family emergencies happen - still damn Murphey and his Law that it was the first week I was back at work!

So pack up Joshua and his campcot (thank goodness I invested in one of these 3 weeks prior) his pram, his bottles, his overflowing nappybag and off to work we go. Luckily I have quite a large office and it is my own so he stayed in with me not disturbing anyone else. BUT what a nightmare, never again, he was out of sorts and too much to look at, I was out of sorts as how do I work while he is moaning and wants to be played with, how does he sleep while the phones are ringing and I am tip toeing around my office in case I wake him working in the dark so the downlighters dont keep him awake...! NEVER NEVER NEVER again. I would rather put in a days leave. Speaking of which I am yet again stunned over this country's policy with Family Responsibility Leave, now I know that there are people out there that take advantage but really when I heard Kristian (Wendy's hubby to be) say that they had 15 days Family Responsibility leave I almost choked on my cappuccino! We have 3 in this country 3 days out of 365!!! and some companies will only grant it for sick children or dying 'immediate' family relatives. Gavin Davis if you are reading this can you please raise this issue in parliament!!! haha only kidding!

Well from there we had Wendy's Kitchen Tea on the Saturday I had booked a pedicure at SKIN with a about to expire voucher I had received as a baby shower gift and thought how nice I can relax and Clive can look after Joshua and I can stroll around after.. not to be! Steven was fetching my hubby for paintballing (Kristians bachelors) at 11:30 so I had to race from SKIN to the parkade home to have Joshua handed over to me and sort him out pack the numerous bags and accessories you have for a baby to take him to Wendy's Kitchen Tea (which as Susan put it was outnumbered by little ones) It was a great Kitchen Tea and really well put together by Caroline but I was exhausted still from the Friday debacle and rushing on Saturday that when we eventually got home on Saturday at 6ish Joshua was ready to play and not sleep, he was all out of sorts so I threw my proverbial toys out of the cot as they say and told Clive he was to take over. I mean enough was enough, I needed a break, I was in bed on Saturday night at about 8:30 and felt much better on Sunday.

I am soo excited for Wendy and Kristians wedding on Saturday a night out whoo hoo!!!
Am disappointed that Catherine Davis will be missing it as she is stuck in the UK but that is another whole story - shame poor Gav thinking of you - know you must be missing them.
Well I am off now
Have a great week all
xxx

It's Official

Hi all it is official.... I am now a Working Mother. Damn! Being back at work is not great, but have found that it is (so far - we are only 3 days in) not as bad as I thought it would be. I pictured myself sobbing at the front door and mascara streaming down my cheeks by the time I got to work, and surprised myself that it didnt happen. Yes I felt emotional in the car on the way to work yes I miss him terribly in the day, and yes I probably overcompensate when I get home and do absolutely nothing but play and cuddle him till bath time and sleep time.

A large part of being able to do this is that I had Meriam with me for a month and a half and she knows how I do things and Joshua has gotten used to her so I feel comfortable leaving him with her. Of course huge doses of prayer that all will be well goes into the equation as well. And I have to let go and trust that he will be fine, however I am watchful and aware of his moods / patterns etc. so will still be keeping tabs on that.

Joshua is growing so fast, I loved Pia's post which was in Your Baby last month too, on wishing someone had told her about last moments. So mindful of this every moment I am with him I am trying to suck it all up into my being so that I will never forget it. He is already only down to 2/3 breastfeeds a day compared to sole breastfeeding. I had to put him onto formula 3 weeks before I came back to work as I just could not express enough to store up and would not be able to express 3 feeds a day at work. Let me tell you I dont miss that breast pump as good as it was! But he loves his bottle and knows it when he sees it and the hands already go out with moaning of course. It is amazing to see how has evolved from that tiny little baby who just slept and drank. I am sure it is only going to get better as he gets older just please Father Time not too fast. He is now on some rice cereal and is loving it though I am only giving him very little just to let his tummy get used to it.

So this mom has to get back to work now ...... I leave you with some pics of the cereal eating..

Joshua & Mommy Day - 28 July 2008

Josh playing at Gymboree with mommy

Bubble time

With dad singing 'Grand Old Duke of York'

The birthday boy - Matthew Brooker

The Cake

At the beach with Lily and Wendy

With Merriam our nanny

Josh chilling

On his way out to the party

Mom and Dad and me at Gymboree

What was that ma

Gorgeous Lily

Josh with Lily's glasses on - all wrapped up

Ms Model with her glasses on

Wendy singing at the table :-)

The title of my post is Joshua day it is my last day alone with my baby today, his nanny is off today to the clinic and we are home alone as we were when he first came home from hospital. So I have dubbed today Joshua and Mommy day. He currently has a cold with a cough so am going to phone the paedetrician today to see whether he wants to see him, there is no colour to the mucous no fever and he is still drinking fine. I have read up on internet and apparently there is no medication that can be given, but we will see if the paed wants to see him.

We had a wonderful weekend although am so ready for summer as we have had enough of this cold weather! We went to Matthew Brookers 1st birthday party on Saturday at Gymboree whichwas great fun. Last week Clive celebrated (well not actually he said 31 is a pathetic no.) During the day while he had to work I met up with Wendy and Lily and we had a lovely walk down at the beach, and stopped for a coffee, where Joshua tried Lily's glasses on :-) He is such a good baby and am enjoying this age so much.

Then on Saturday night I went to meet little Sarah Cobley for the first time - yay she is gorgeous and has such blonde hair, am so pleased she is finally home!

Well I am off now as I have lots to do today ..... play and play and play with my little angel.
xxx

4 Month old mark is a coming…

Hi all sorry for the delay in posts, have being trying to enjoy each and every moment with Josh as I am back at work first week in August…sigh…double sigh! But yes reality is starting to hit me, today especially. I popped out to Canal Walk today without him and found myself racing around the shops because I just wanted to be home with him. Have been feeling a little bit emotional today about it all, am trying to be strong and know that I am not the only mom out there that had to go back to work…but still know that I will miss him terribly during the day.

Joshua will be 4 months old on the 24^th July – 1 day after my hubby turns 31. I am not sure of the milestones, but my little boy loves to stand preferably sitting and then I pull him up and say ‘Tada!’ Or ‘Superman’ to which I get huge grins and he straightens his little legs all stiff and starts to move his legs forward. When I took him to the clinic I showed them how he loves to stand and starts to step forward, and they said to me he will walk early…but we will see he still has to master crawling. He has also started talking….wow my boy must be a genius…only kidding talking as in his own baby language almost singing in a way...very cute! He is also starting teething. The classic drooling, rosy cheeks, gnawing on his hand on my finger. In fact you can see one or two teeth in his upper gum that are there waiting to coming down I suppose, shame it must be quite sore, he has been relatively good and am just using Ashton and Parsons powder at the moment. Many people have asked when I am going to start him on solids and this is a much debated issue at the moment, the WHO (World Health Organization) is now recommending infants only start solids from 6 months, but know that some babies start the cereal as they just are not full enough on the milk, I would be interested in some feedback from the mommy bloggers.

Tomorrow we have a pediatrician appointment and so will hear how he is doing from that perspective – at the clinic he weighs a whopping 7.040kg, so is doing well. I am pleased that he is still having 3 breastfeeds in the morning, midnight (actually about 2am) and evening and then 3 bottle formula feeds during the day. Some people have said that some babies don’t take the breast after having the bottle so am pleased that he is still having both.

Another milestone in Josh’s life is that he has just migrated out of his moses basket / bassinet into his campcot in our room now as he was just getting too small for that thing! I know he must go to his cot in is own room but with breast feeding in the middle night I must say selfishly it is easier for me and can keep an eye on him.

July and August is another month of much ado about a lot - going on that is. I am looking forward to two things mainly: Sarah Cobley coming home! Dying to meet her and have her come home and meet all of us and enjoy her beautiful nursery and for mom and dad Cobley to have their little girl all to themselves. And secondly to Wendy and Kristian's wedding, It will also be a night out for Clive and I which will be nice.

Other than that we have a lot on the horizon trying to sell our house to move to a bigger one (in this market!) and fitting in time with friends and Josh while still on Maternity Leave.

xxx

Weaning and things....

Me and My Teddy

Playing on my Tum

Hmm - I'm a thinker

Is this all I get to eat?

Fun in the big bath

Well here I sit at the PC late at night when I should be in bed getting rest as I know I am going to be woken by Josh at about 11:30pm / 12:00pm. Although last night was a good night he went down at 6:30 woke at 01:30am and then again at 05:30am, but who knows if tonight will be the same, normally it is 11 or 12:30 then again at 4:15/4:30 and again at about 6:30/7:00. I really need to do some research on whether this is all considered the norm as I have pretty much allowed him to set his own rythym. He is quite set on his bath time routine though and starts to get very irritable and moody at about 5:15 pm or so as he knows bath time is between 17:30 and 18:00, I end off the bath with a bit of massage singing his favourite "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" very softly and then he knows it is time for food which at the moment is still breastfed.

I have started weaning him from the breast for the 10ish am and 1ish pm feed. The reason I use the words "ish" is because he seems to want to have breakfast promptly at 9:30 and lunch at 1:00pm and it doesnt matter if he only ate at 7am via breast he still wants the bottle at 9:30am, which has me tearing out my hair when will he stretch, he has never stretched 4 hours apart from the very beginning, he has always been a maximum wait of 3 hours between feeds but more commonly 2.5hours in the day, the night time he is very good with. Initially he did not really like the bottle and even less so accepting it from Meriam our nanny, I think he associates feeding with smelling mommy, so thanks to Heather's advice we now place a blanket that I have held him with over her shoulder and voila he takes the bottle from her. Now I sit and wait for him to make poos as you need to watch this when on formula... sigh the joys... and the colours sorry to be graphic but it is amazing at the things you now have to consider!!!

In addition Meriam our nanny and I have started a first aid course a level 1 plus as we do infant cpr and choking in it too, it has been really informative and the second and last session is tomorrow, I now know how to perform cpr on an adult and baby and what to do if a baby / toddler is choking. It is something we think we will never need, and yet can save a life if we just knew what to do. I can definitely recommend it to any new and old moms !!

Here are some more pics of Joshua ... he is just getting so adorable now and he knows me so well his face lights up and he makes noises when he sees me it is the most rewarding thing, sometimes I force myself to go out and when I come back I have missed him so much it is the most rewarding thing to come back to that cutie pie face.

3 Months is a coming

Hello everyone I turn 3 months old this Tuesday 24th June 2008, and am getting so big and clever, here are some pictures to show you.

A big welcome to baby Sarah Cobley born 18th June 2008, we know you are in good hands and cant wait until you are out of hospital to meet you personally - photos are just not good enough!

More good news is that my Nanny Meriam has started and she is absoloutely great so far, so that is a HUGE weight off my shoulders - Yay!

Can you see the resemblence - its me - many moons ago

Joshua at just on 3 months - taken today

What Mom?

Its a sin to be this cute...

After my 2nd set of injections on Thursday - eina

Moms a bit messy but hey we were playing...

Kisses for my angel

xxxxx