Where did the time go? It is all just a blur, but here are a few highlights as far as I can remember:
Birth. Went smoothly, except for the cord being wrapped around Mark's neck (again). He would not have made it naturally. It took forceps to get him out through a C-section....plus a suction device that left him with a red mark on his head that he still has today.
Sleeping. We got him onto a schedule fairly early - keeping him awake during day as much as possible so he'd sleep more at night. It worked.
New Daycare. June rolled around and Damian landed in a new big boy daycare for ages 3-5. He was supposed to be accompanied each day for the first week. Except on day #2 he tells Mummy: Bye now! He kicked her out so he could play with his new friends. And that was it, no more transition pains - he just fit right in playing with the 5 year old kids. He would be exhausted most days because he'd been trying to keep up with them while playing chasing games.
New Bugs. We all got sick in May and June. Then it hit Mark, hard. V. took him to three different doctors over a week to have him double- and triple-checked. Finally a doctor referred him to a paediatrician who in turn told her to go to emergency right away. I got the call as I was about to step on a plane for a business trip....quickly ripping up the boarding pass and getting a cab directly to Children's Hospital. After 12 hours we were released (after be partially segregated because they thought he had something very serious, having X-rays (in a cruel newborn rack contraption, blood tests and urine tests). For the next week we had to catch urine samples mid-air before any further contamination - made for interesting times sitting around with sterile cups in hand waiting for the little guy to take a pee.
New Routine. We borrowed a second crib and now put Damian in the crib when he's wired. Quality chill-out time. He likes it. It seems to allow him to cool off and he feels safe there. He hasn't climbed out yet, even though he could easily hop over the barrier.
King Size Bed. Damian plunged into our room every night. We finally gave in and picked up a massive bed. He's still joining us but at least we don't get kicked all morning.
Soothers. We could not get away with giving them to Mark and not Damian. Se we reverted to soothers with Damian on condition he can only have them in his room. Each day after daycare he pops up to his room for a 5 minute soother session before anything else is done.
Typical Day:
- Valeria does night shift from midnight to 7am (normally up 2-3 times....sometimes more)
- I do late night feed then 7am feed and get rolling with Damian (milk, TV, more milk for Mark, drag him out if cranky and try to store him somewhere.....for abut 5 minutes per spot)
- finally get coffee and bagel
- V. up just as I sit and looks at me like I haven't done a thing al morning!
- I dress Damian, V. prepares his lunch for daycare
- I drive D. to daycare, V. handles M. all day long.
- I pick up D (before 4:30pm if possible)
- All home, if he's had a good/friendly day then he gets "spiky ice cream" (ice bream with nuts in chocolate)
- M. to bed at 7:05pm (practically every night - this little guy likes a schedule)
- V. prepares dinner
- Try to limit TV for D. (it is waaay tougher than I imagined)
- Maybe a walk to the park or bike ride around the block (found chestnuts tonight and played soccer with big kids - much happiness!)
- dinner, TV, brush teeth
- chaos (lots of that - insert that between every line above)
- stories, songs, chill-out (if tired)
- D. bounces downstairs 1-2 times per night to see what Mummy and Daddy are doing
- finally asleep
- crash, surf net and watch for signs of real estate meltdown, veg out
- V. goes to bed
- I do graveyard shifts until midnight waiting for M. to wake and get hungry.
- repeat.....for 4 months non-stop (so far)
I guess that explains the lack of blog posts.
Favourite quotes:
- After coming home from daycare and asking if he had been friendly (he only gets ice cream if he is friendly): "I don't remember things that don't get me ice cream." Smart kid.
- Gravel: Too gravelly.
- Sand box: A bit too sandy.
- Carousell: Too spinily.
- "Can you freeze my TV Mummy while I go for a quick paint." He then proceeds to go to kitchen and start painting on his easel. Then returned for more TV.
Favourite TV shows:
- started with "In the Night Garden" (Iggle Piggle, is favourite Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka (Daddy's favourite) and their friends.
- moved to Waylulus (strange flying creatures with big eyes and big heads). Loves the trumpet show. He also like to do yoga at the start and end of each show with these little Waybulus.
- Little Bear
- Franklin
- Bob the Builder (non-stop....I had to get the UK version 'cause the American accent version was driving me nuts)
- Mighty Machines (the lot - construction sites, demolition, gravel pits, more construction, more demolition, fir station, rail tracks, clearing snow, garbage trucks, more construction, more demolition, boats) x 100
- Caiou x 100
- Beauty and the Beast - Disney classic movie from early 1990s. He really likes it for some reason.
- Madagascar (or as he calls it, "I like to move it, move it")
