The first months

Despite all our 'experience' with nieces and nephews were we not prepared how all-encompassing having a little baby is. It is really full on in those first days (week/months) with almost everything you do revolving around Joshua either sleeping or feeding (interspersed with crying and changing nappies).

Right from the beginning he has had a 4-hour feeding schedule, that means at least 2 feeds during the night so we have been surviving on broken sleep. 

At first he didn't want to grow all that fast. In fact in the first 3 weeks he didn't grow at all and the community-nurse suggested we would complement his feeding with 2 bottles of formula per day (or rather: replace the breast with the bottle for those feeds). Part of the problem is colic and reflux that at times make him an unhappy baby. He hasn't got it in a major way, but sometimes he's arching his back and wriggling which makes you feel really sorry for him. 

The bottles got him started and he is now growing at the rate of about 150 gr. a week. He now (29/5/01) weighs 4.3 kg. and is 57 centimetres, which still makes him a little fellow (in the bottom 10% of the growth-chart).

Straight from the beginning he was very aware of his environment and could stare with big eyes around him. And he also managed to hold his head up when turned on his belly. Last month he has started smiling and gurgling, which are of course endearing features. He is also reaching and grabbing more-and-more and wriggling when he is unhappy. When he awakes in his cot (or does not want to go asleep) he can wriggle all the way (lengthwise) from the bottom to the head.

Fortunately my mum & dad were here to witness the first smiles. They have visited us (again, for the third time in 18 months) in April for 4 weeks. It was great to have them around as they helped us so much with work in the house, garden and of course with Joshua (an extra pair of hands is always useful). As they had visited before we didn't need to worry about tourist outings too much, although Lisa's parents (and Dutch friends of theirs) looked after them.

Just this week (late May) Joshua has started to lengthen his sleep at night, managing 6 hours on some occasions (hooray !). Unfortunately does his night begin at 6PM, after which he sleeps (with 1 feed in the middle) until about 3-4AM. From then on it depends: some nights he is good, other night Lisa and I play tag-team with him until we have to get up. Quite often I take him with me (out of Lisa's earshot) and am watching television or reading the paper at 6 in the morning. Roebel, the cat, loves to keep me company at that time and although she's never a lap-cat she does like to snuggle up.

Roebel is also there to inspect Joshua's baths (see on the cat-page), an activity that Joshua enjoys.

At the moment (late May) we reckon he is getting a tooth. A white dot can be seen on his (lower) gums and he is drooling a lot and tries to put his whole hand in his mouth. So far he has been reasonably happy despite this, but as with any baby can his moods swing from one moment to the next.

Growing pains

Our little boy still isn't growing much. The latest weigh-in in August (5 months old) had him at 5.7 kilo's and 64 cm's. Just when he seemed to be picking up the pace (by the end of June) he got a severe case of the entero-virus and even had to go to hospital for observation (to make sure it wouldn't develop into a pneumonia). The result was 500 gr. weight-loss and a decreased immunity making him more susceptible for the winter's colds. It also disrupted his first week(s) at child-care as Lisa returned to work in July (for 3 days a week). But once he started going he loved it. According to the daily-reports we received he is a happy & active boy, but fortunately he is even happier when one of us comes to pick him up at the end of the day.

So, he may not grow in stature (much), but he is certainly growing up. Whether day-care helped or not, but mid-July he started rolling on his tummy when playing on his activity-mat. Now he does this with reckless abandon, unfortunately still unable to roll back, which particularly in his cot sometimes causes some frustration (as he doesn't like sleeping on his stomach). More frustration as once on his back he is not yet able to move (correction: frantic wriggling gets him forward a few centimetres).  By contrast he can 'scoot' himself on his back by arching his back. We reckon it won't be long though before he starts crawling.

To help his growth and hopefully also to make him sleep better (as he still wakes up once or twice between 10PM and 5AM), we have now started feeding him solids. To our surprise he took to it like a fish to water. Hardly able to sit up straight in his chair (another trick he is getting better at: sitting) he opens his mouth and chews his food like a pro. If you're not quick enough he'll loudly point out that he is ready for another spoon. Despite continuous drawling and stuffing things in his mouth (since June) are there still no teeth to be seen. Unfortunately he still has reflux, which causes him to vomits bits of his food back up (and preferably over someone).

Laughing, talking (sometimes 'singing') are now regular endearing features he displays. It is so unbelievable to see him light up when he recognises Lisa or me. It is also scary to think that in a few weeks he'll be mobile and 'loose' in the house. Better start moving some stuff out of reach !!

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