Cooper was restless on his playmat today, and I realised I hadn't changed the toys hanging above him for a while. A quick swap and he was quite content. It suddenly dawned on me that he is probably getting bored in this lounge room day in day out too!
I want him to be an active, outdoors boy and have always planned to make good use of the playground around the corner. But today I had a thought... not only do I not HAVE to wait until he is running around, but it is probably better if I don't. If he gets used to the outdoors now, he'll like it much more later when he is able to play.
So I grabbed his hoody, popped him in the pram and off we wandered to the playground. I took him on the swing for a while, which he really enjoyed. I then sat him in the kiddy swing on his own... he was SO cute!!! So wished I had my camera!! He had one arm resting up on the back of the swing, hoody on, and I could just picture him as an 18 yr old in his first car, thinking he was it and a bit, lol. Next we tried the slide. It was a bit small, so I didn't attempt it myself, but just held him and slid him down it. He didn't like that one as much.
He cried a little when I put him back in the pram, but by the time we got home he was sound asleep from his hard playing ;) Got the cutest pic of him when he woke up.
I was very happy to find another way of playing that we could both enjoy. He is slowly getting more and more interesting as the weeks go by, and I'm looking forward to the fun we will have as he is able to do more.
Monday, 26 September 2011
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Sweet Dreams
Ever wonder what a baby dreams about? I do, regularly.
Just now, I was trying to settle Cooper back into a deeper sleep. He often stops waving his arms and calms down when I let him hold my fingers (aaawwww... melts my heart!). As I put my finger on his palm, he grasped it and broke out a huge grin, while still seemingly asleep. Was that because he was happy that he was holding my finger, or was it just coincidental with an event in his dream?
Moments later, the bottom lip dropped, quickly turning into quiet sobs. His face was twitching and contortioning into ever-changing expressions, eyes moving rapidly behind his eyelids. What on earth was he dreaming about? That his nappy was dirty and noone would change it? That his precious booby had run out of milk? That he had been left on his playmat or in his cot alone? Those bad dreams make me so sad, because I can't do anything to make him feel better.
His sleeping patterns have changed so much lately. He is often just having a few short naps during the day and then sleeping 12 or 14 hours overnight (waking for about 3 feeds). He generally sleeps in his cot rather than our bed, the exceptions being when I can't be bothered staying up to settle him at times when he doesn't go straight back down. But he seems to have gone backwards with his day sleeps... needs to be cuddled and not so keen on sleeping when out.
Oh, and he has had a couple of 'big boy' events this week... sitting in his high chair during tea time and graduating from the baby bath to the big bath. :-)
Just now, I was trying to settle Cooper back into a deeper sleep. He often stops waving his arms and calms down when I let him hold my fingers (aaawwww... melts my heart!). As I put my finger on his palm, he grasped it and broke out a huge grin, while still seemingly asleep. Was that because he was happy that he was holding my finger, or was it just coincidental with an event in his dream?
Moments later, the bottom lip dropped, quickly turning into quiet sobs. His face was twitching and contortioning into ever-changing expressions, eyes moving rapidly behind his eyelids. What on earth was he dreaming about? That his nappy was dirty and noone would change it? That his precious booby had run out of milk? That he had been left on his playmat or in his cot alone? Those bad dreams make me so sad, because I can't do anything to make him feel better.
His sleeping patterns have changed so much lately. He is often just having a few short naps during the day and then sleeping 12 or 14 hours overnight (waking for about 3 feeds). He generally sleeps in his cot rather than our bed, the exceptions being when I can't be bothered staying up to settle him at times when he doesn't go straight back down. But he seems to have gone backwards with his day sleeps... needs to be cuddled and not so keen on sleeping when out.
Oh, and he has had a couple of 'big boy' events this week... sitting in his high chair during tea time and graduating from the baby bath to the big bath. :-)
Friday, 23 September 2011
The 'b' word
I can't believe it... I'm gonna use the 'b' word.... I'm bored.
I've showered, bathed the baby, done 2 loads of laundry, put away the dishes, mopped the floor, planned food for tonight, been grocery shopping, had visitors for an hour, sorted through some of Cooper's clothes for the next size and made a mental list of what to keep an eye open for, tidied the living area a little and of course, fed, changed and played with Cooper.
It's only 3pm. I have 2 hours before I can make the pudding for tonight, and at least 2.5hrs before Jason gets home. What can I do in that 2 hours?? I can play with Cooper some more, but it's getting a little boring. I can clean the bathroom, but shouldn't use sprays etc with Cooper in there and he won't be happy in the lounge on his own. I can eat, but I'm sure I've eaten more than sufficient already today... seriously.
*sigh*... I guess I'll get the laundry in. Won't be dry yet, but prob won't dry much more. Then I'll read some books to Cooper and he'll prob be ready for a sleep by then. 2 hours... it isn't so long, surely!
I've showered, bathed the baby, done 2 loads of laundry, put away the dishes, mopped the floor, planned food for tonight, been grocery shopping, had visitors for an hour, sorted through some of Cooper's clothes for the next size and made a mental list of what to keep an eye open for, tidied the living area a little and of course, fed, changed and played with Cooper.
It's only 3pm. I have 2 hours before I can make the pudding for tonight, and at least 2.5hrs before Jason gets home. What can I do in that 2 hours?? I can play with Cooper some more, but it's getting a little boring. I can clean the bathroom, but shouldn't use sprays etc with Cooper in there and he won't be happy in the lounge on his own. I can eat, but I'm sure I've eaten more than sufficient already today... seriously.
*sigh*... I guess I'll get the laundry in. Won't be dry yet, but prob won't dry much more. Then I'll read some books to Cooper and he'll prob be ready for a sleep by then. 2 hours... it isn't so long, surely!
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Chubby Bubby
Cooper will be three months old tomorrow! That's 1/4 of the way to 1!! Scary stuff.
I took him to the maternal health nurse today for a 3 month check. You don't normally have one at 3 months, but she offered, and since I'm an overenthusiastic first time mum who likes having appointments to get out of the house, I thought it sounded like a good idea.
He checked in at 7.25kgs and 62cm. Charts vary, but that places him somewhere around the 90th percentile for weight and just over the 50th percentile for length. In other words, comparatively speaking, he is a bit of a boofer :-)
I'm a bit confused about clothing. According to the tags, 000 jumpsuits should fit 62cm babies and 00 should fit 8kg / 68cm bubs. But Cooper already fills the 00 suits pretty much right up! But I do love chubby bubbies :-)
I took him to the maternal health nurse today for a 3 month check. You don't normally have one at 3 months, but she offered, and since I'm an overenthusiastic first time mum who likes having appointments to get out of the house, I thought it sounded like a good idea.
He checked in at 7.25kgs and 62cm. Charts vary, but that places him somewhere around the 90th percentile for weight and just over the 50th percentile for length. In other words, comparatively speaking, he is a bit of a boofer :-)
I'm a bit confused about clothing. According to the tags, 000 jumpsuits should fit 62cm babies and 00 should fit 8kg / 68cm bubs. But Cooper already fills the 00 suits pretty much right up! But I do love chubby bubbies :-)
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Playtime developments
While Cooper was playing one day, I noticed his left arm reaching across his body to bat at the dangling toy. I was so excited! It was the first time that I was really sure that his toy batting was deliberate, not simply random arm swings and lucky connections. His movements are gradually becoming more deliberate as he bats and grabs at toys and tries to put them in his mouth.
Cooper is not a fan of tummy time, and as it was usually a bit a drama to get him there and I'm a forgetful slacker, he has had a minimal amount of tummy time. At mother's group last week, the physio showed us a couple different ways of creating tummy time. It turns out that Cooper actually enjoys the one where I lie on my back, pull my knees up and lie him along my shins staring down at me. Yay! He has had way more tummy time this week, so hopefully will start to develop some good muscles there.
He is also becoming more interested in books, much to my relief, lol. His favourite book is 'Where is the green sheep?' by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. And no, it's not just because I like it... he consistently sits quietly looking at the pages as I read the entire book, even when he is tired or grumpy. How exciting! I wonder what other favourites we will soon be discovering!
Cooper is not a fan of tummy time, and as it was usually a bit a drama to get him there and I'm a forgetful slacker, he has had a minimal amount of tummy time. At mother's group last week, the physio showed us a couple different ways of creating tummy time. It turns out that Cooper actually enjoys the one where I lie on my back, pull my knees up and lie him along my shins staring down at me. Yay! He has had way more tummy time this week, so hopefully will start to develop some good muscles there.
He is also becoming more interested in books, much to my relief, lol. His favourite book is 'Where is the green sheep?' by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. And no, it's not just because I like it... he consistently sits quietly looking at the pages as I read the entire book, even when he is tired or grumpy. How exciting! I wonder what other favourites we will soon be discovering!
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Saturday morning Heather time
I just love Saturday mornings when Jason isn't working! It's my 'me time'. Every Saturday is a little different, but it often goes something like this morning:
5:30am Cooper wakes for a feed. It is 6am by the time I put him back in his bed, and at that hour of the morning, I am of course wide awake. (I'm crap at sleeping in, even if I'm quite tired.) I wait 45min until I deem it a reasonable time to arise for a Saturday morning.
I leave Cooper in the room with Jason, both sound asleep for now, but knowing that Jase will look after him if he wakes, I head for my most favourite part of the week - long, uninterrupted shower! I get to wash and blow dry my hair without worrying about checking on a lonely bub.
This morning, Cooper is still asleep, so I don my new $12 opshop outfit I bought yesterday and head off to the supermarket. Although my hair is unstraightened (and unbrushed, come to think of it!) and my opshop skirt is a little daggy, I feel like a million bucks - hair washed and dried, new clothes after months of such a limited wardrobe and wearing my pretty shoes to boot!
As I prance around the supermarket alone at 7:30am, it is so deliciously quiet. I see another mum going solo, only her trolley is loaded to the max - she has a slightly bigger family than me, I'd say! There is a group of young guys who look like they probably haven't been to bed yet.
I get home and Cooper is STILL asleep! Good golly, is he growing again? Apart from 3 feeds, he has been asleep for over 14 hours! I get to put the towels on to wash and rehang clean ones straight away... finishing a job properly is another luxury I sometimes miss. I make a bowl of yummy porridge and a cuppa and sit down to enjoy it without trying to make silly faces at the same time.
Soon Cooper will be up for a feed. He'll have a shower with his daddy, then we'll go out for a family shopping trip. (New TV on the list today, since ours died last week.)
I'm glad I don't have Saturday every day, because I wouldn't appreciate it then. I'm not even guaranteed to get it every Saturday, as Jason sometimes has to work. So I love and treasure these special 'me time' and 'family time' days!
5:30am Cooper wakes for a feed. It is 6am by the time I put him back in his bed, and at that hour of the morning, I am of course wide awake. (I'm crap at sleeping in, even if I'm quite tired.) I wait 45min until I deem it a reasonable time to arise for a Saturday morning.
I leave Cooper in the room with Jason, both sound asleep for now, but knowing that Jase will look after him if he wakes, I head for my most favourite part of the week - long, uninterrupted shower! I get to wash and blow dry my hair without worrying about checking on a lonely bub.
This morning, Cooper is still asleep, so I don my new $12 opshop outfit I bought yesterday and head off to the supermarket. Although my hair is unstraightened (and unbrushed, come to think of it!) and my opshop skirt is a little daggy, I feel like a million bucks - hair washed and dried, new clothes after months of such a limited wardrobe and wearing my pretty shoes to boot!
As I prance around the supermarket alone at 7:30am, it is so deliciously quiet. I see another mum going solo, only her trolley is loaded to the max - she has a slightly bigger family than me, I'd say! There is a group of young guys who look like they probably haven't been to bed yet.
I get home and Cooper is STILL asleep! Good golly, is he growing again? Apart from 3 feeds, he has been asleep for over 14 hours! I get to put the towels on to wash and rehang clean ones straight away... finishing a job properly is another luxury I sometimes miss. I make a bowl of yummy porridge and a cuppa and sit down to enjoy it without trying to make silly faces at the same time.
Soon Cooper will be up for a feed. He'll have a shower with his daddy, then we'll go out for a family shopping trip. (New TV on the list today, since ours died last week.)
I'm glad I don't have Saturday every day, because I wouldn't appreciate it then. I'm not even guaranteed to get it every Saturday, as Jason sometimes has to work. So I love and treasure these special 'me time' and 'family time' days!
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Sick bubby
Well, I think we've just had Cooper's first unwellness. He was absolutely miserable yesterday. Poor bubby... he was inconsolable.
I thought it was in part that I left him on his own while I had my shower - he was screaming when I got out and couldn't bear to be left on his own. I felt just aweful. It was almost a bit of a relief when I took his temperature and found out it was a bit high. The desperate need for cuddles all day was not just because he felt abandoned, but because he felt crappy.
He had a great sleep last night and temp normal again, but has still been a bit grotty today. Had some happy plays before tea and sleeping like a log now, so hopefully just about all better.
Although I got NOTHING done yesterday, he slept so well this evening that I got heaps done! :) Yay for good sleeps!
I thought it was in part that I left him on his own while I had my shower - he was screaming when I got out and couldn't bear to be left on his own. I felt just aweful. It was almost a bit of a relief when I took his temperature and found out it was a bit high. The desperate need for cuddles all day was not just because he felt abandoned, but because he felt crappy.
He had a great sleep last night and temp normal again, but has still been a bit grotty today. Had some happy plays before tea and sleeping like a log now, so hopefully just about all better.
Although I got NOTHING done yesterday, he slept so well this evening that I got heaps done! :) Yay for good sleeps!
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Grateful for sight
The world may be full of majestic mountains and glorious sunsets, but nothing makes me as grateful for my sight as my baby's beaming smile when he first catches a glimpse of me in the morning.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Itchy feet
Don't get me wrong, I love my life. But I want to use this space to record all of the memories of being a new mum, for down the track when I've forgotten what it was really like.
And as much as I love my new role of housewife and mum, I must admit that lately I've been a little restless. I seem to spend my days waiting... waiting for Cooper to finish feeding, to fall asleep, to wake so I can move. Although he is getting a bit better at sleeping on his own, he is sleeping less during the day. I find myself hesitant to start things because I fear he will wake. I find it hard to know when to do things like go grocery shopping as his sleeping pattern seems to change a bit. Although I love making silly faces and noises and seeing his delight, there is a limit to how long I can do it each day without feeling like my brain is turning to mush.
Although I don't like stress, I like having quick, achievable goals to work towards, and I'm definitely more of a morning person. Often we are washed, dressed, washing done by mid-morning, and then my motivation dies as I realise the essentials are done and we have the rest of the day stretching out with not much more than feeding, nappy changing and silly faces ahead.
I've always wanted to be a stay at home mum, but when pregnant, thought that maybe going back to work just 5 hrs a week would be good for me. I'm glad I made tentative arrangements for that, as I am quite looking forward to it. I like having a bit of structure in my week. I want to use my brain. A few days ago I looked up some Japanese language websites. Since my laptop is the easiest thing to use when feeding or cuddling Cooper, I figured that would be easier to study that way than with textbooks, paper and pens. It has been nice to have a bit of a diversion, but it still feels like a somewhat pointless activitiy, as I am not learning it for any particular reason.
I know there are other 'housewifey' things that I could do... I could use my laptop time to do things like look up recipes and plan meals, but I'm just not that interested in cooking, really. Or I could use it to learn more about parenting and thinking about how I can improve/change the way I do things with Cooper. But I'm a little over parenting books and websites. I could work harder at getting Cooper to sleep on his own and use that time to get the house tidier and cleaner. But really, who wants to live in a pristine, sterile environment? (Ok, my place is far from sterile and pristine, but I'm not particularly motivated to get it more so.)
I'm curious to see how I will feel over the coming weeks, months and years. Will I get busier as Cooper gets older? Will I get more into routine and get more bored? Will I thrive with a bit of external work in my week, enjoying the opportunity to do something 'non-mummyish'? Will things change with another baby one day?
Hmm, well, Cooper is stirring, so it looks like this waiting period (and post) are over, while I go do another nappy change, feed and re-settle...
And as much as I love my new role of housewife and mum, I must admit that lately I've been a little restless. I seem to spend my days waiting... waiting for Cooper to finish feeding, to fall asleep, to wake so I can move. Although he is getting a bit better at sleeping on his own, he is sleeping less during the day. I find myself hesitant to start things because I fear he will wake. I find it hard to know when to do things like go grocery shopping as his sleeping pattern seems to change a bit. Although I love making silly faces and noises and seeing his delight, there is a limit to how long I can do it each day without feeling like my brain is turning to mush.
Although I don't like stress, I like having quick, achievable goals to work towards, and I'm definitely more of a morning person. Often we are washed, dressed, washing done by mid-morning, and then my motivation dies as I realise the essentials are done and we have the rest of the day stretching out with not much more than feeding, nappy changing and silly faces ahead.
I've always wanted to be a stay at home mum, but when pregnant, thought that maybe going back to work just 5 hrs a week would be good for me. I'm glad I made tentative arrangements for that, as I am quite looking forward to it. I like having a bit of structure in my week. I want to use my brain. A few days ago I looked up some Japanese language websites. Since my laptop is the easiest thing to use when feeding or cuddling Cooper, I figured that would be easier to study that way than with textbooks, paper and pens. It has been nice to have a bit of a diversion, but it still feels like a somewhat pointless activitiy, as I am not learning it for any particular reason.
I know there are other 'housewifey' things that I could do... I could use my laptop time to do things like look up recipes and plan meals, but I'm just not that interested in cooking, really. Or I could use it to learn more about parenting and thinking about how I can improve/change the way I do things with Cooper. But I'm a little over parenting books and websites. I could work harder at getting Cooper to sleep on his own and use that time to get the house tidier and cleaner. But really, who wants to live in a pristine, sterile environment? (Ok, my place is far from sterile and pristine, but I'm not particularly motivated to get it more so.)
I'm curious to see how I will feel over the coming weeks, months and years. Will I get busier as Cooper gets older? Will I get more into routine and get more bored? Will I thrive with a bit of external work in my week, enjoying the opportunity to do something 'non-mummyish'? Will things change with another baby one day?
Hmm, well, Cooper is stirring, so it looks like this waiting period (and post) are over, while I go do another nappy change, feed and re-settle...
Monday, 5 September 2011
Dedication
Yesterday was Cooper's dedication service. He had a joint dedication with Felicity, which made the day even more special. A friend who came along said that her best friend, who I've met a number of times, said to pass on congratulations, God bless, best wishes or whatever one was supposed to say at these type of events. It made me laugh, although I was touched by her thoughtfulness.
It made me wonder what people know about the purpose of such events. Indeed, I'm sure different parents have different reasons too. I thought I'd share the three reasons why I wanted to have a dedication service for Cooper.
To commit Cooper to God's care.
It is reassuring to know that there is someone who loves our son even more than we do, and who will be there even when we can't be. A dedication service gives the opportunity to formally and publicly acknowledge that although Cooper has been entrusted to us, he actually was created by and belongs to God. We committed ourselves to doing the best we can to raise him with a knowledge of God's love and according to his values and principles.
To ask for God's help with raising Cooper.
We are fallible humans and will no doubt make many parenting mistakes, but we took the opportunity to ask for God to give us wisdom, patience and all that is needed in child-rearing.
To declare our commitment to Cooper.
We made the promise to Cooper that we will do our best by him, and no matter what life choices he makes, even if we don't like them, we will always love and accept him.
The purpose of doing this publicly is to ask for the support of our church 'family' as we become parents and for their support and role-modelling to Cooper as he grows.
It is so special to be able to be part of a community and to have the all-powerful God to call on for help too! It was an added bonus to be able to dedicate Cooper to the father of all creation on Father's Day too!
It made me wonder what people know about the purpose of such events. Indeed, I'm sure different parents have different reasons too. I thought I'd share the three reasons why I wanted to have a dedication service for Cooper.
To commit Cooper to God's care.
It is reassuring to know that there is someone who loves our son even more than we do, and who will be there even when we can't be. A dedication service gives the opportunity to formally and publicly acknowledge that although Cooper has been entrusted to us, he actually was created by and belongs to God. We committed ourselves to doing the best we can to raise him with a knowledge of God's love and according to his values and principles.
To ask for God's help with raising Cooper.
We are fallible humans and will no doubt make many parenting mistakes, but we took the opportunity to ask for God to give us wisdom, patience and all that is needed in child-rearing.
To declare our commitment to Cooper.
We made the promise to Cooper that we will do our best by him, and no matter what life choices he makes, even if we don't like them, we will always love and accept him.
The purpose of doing this publicly is to ask for the support of our church 'family' as we become parents and for their support and role-modelling to Cooper as he grows.
It is so special to be able to be part of a community and to have the all-powerful God to call on for help too! It was an added bonus to be able to dedicate Cooper to the father of all creation on Father's Day too!
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