12 weeks

Since we will be heading Stateside soon, I am posting Ivor's monthly update a little before the actual 3 month mark.

Ivor is a whole twelve weeks old and is full of smiles, noises and wiggles. He has survived a heat wave, two rounds of immunizations, growth spurts, and a lot of time alone with mom (so he must be pretty hardy).

Ivor is getting stronger by the day and is such a physical little guy. He now sits up in his Bumbo seat, likes playing airplane, and Ross is trying to teach him to throw (or really just to release his grip). Every day he gets more interactive and learns new sounds. In calmer moments, he also enjoys reading his books and singing songs ('Open Close Them' is a favorite).

He is currently teething, which is not a lot of fun. (I confess that I nearly cried when the health visitor told me he could be in the throws of 'teething' for weeks before the actual tooth appears.) We've acquired a number of teething aids/toys which are designed for him to chew to ease his pain (and mine), but the only thing Ivor is interested in chewing at the moment is me.

Ivor's favorite things this month are:

1. Playing with Daddy

2. His whiffle ball-like toy

3. Catching glimpses of the TV

4. Chewing on mommy

Ivor is not a fan of:

1. Teething

2. Gas pains

3. Baths

4. Not getting his own way (Let the power struggle begin...)

It is getting harder to get decent pictures of this kid, because he is so active. You should get used to partially blurry ones, because you are bound to see a lot more of these as the weeks and months go by.

We love you bright-eyed boy!

When it don't come easy

They say that life with an infant is supposed to get easier (or at least more settled) around 3 months. I am guessing that this is probably true for a lot of families, but the last week has undoubtedly been the hardest week of motherhood for me. What’s changed?

Teething.

Teething pains have turned Ivor into a clingy, fussy, ear-grabbing, impossible-to-please baby who wakes up every 45 minutes to an hour at night. I really do feel for the little guy, but after hours of screaming and crying and a couple days without sleep, I find myself wearing thin. For the first time since Ivor was born, I actually reached the point that I had to text Ross at work and beg him to come home soon. (How do people cope with colicky babies?!) I told Ross recently in a moment of frustration that I just wanted a break, but unlike my 9-to-5 paid leave is not a part of parenting. (I find that reality hits hardest when I am holding my crying baby in the wee hours of the night.)

Cranky teething baby. Mama already suffering a mammoth headache from lack of sleep. Dad working long hours to in preparation for our vacation. This was the perfect time for Ivor to get his second round of shots.

The shots themselves went smoothly, except that the nurse was running 30 min behind (Next time you are looking for a challenge- try entertaining Cranky-pants Baby ‘quietly’ on your lap for 45 min.), but on the way home I managed to run the stroller over some fresh dog poop and had to spend ages cleaning smelly sticky poop off the wheels- so NOT what this tired mama needed.

Back in the flat, I was holding my clingy sad and now feverish baby, starring at the piles of laundry, my filthy kitchen and my to-do list for our trip, feeling deflated and more than a little overwhelmed. I would love to tell you that I was able to pull it together and find perspective in that moment. In truth it was only after some tears and a nap that I was able to look around with joy and thankfulness.

But in the midst of teething, exhaustion and a busy schedule, I am truly thankful. Thankful for a husband who tells me I’m loved and wanted even when I’m covered in slobber and smell like sour milk. Thankful for a job and an employer that offers paid maternity leave, so that I can be at home to experience the joys of teething first-hand. Thankful for the chance we have to travel back to the States again soon. And I am especially thankful for this healthy, smiley little boy.

I love you even when you’re teething.

Two Months

I'm a little behind on posting, but two whole months have now passed since the Tiny One graced us with his presence. We can't believe how quickly the little guy is growing and developing.

He is now over 10lbs and is finally starting to fill out his clothes. More wiggly than ever, our boy has perfected his swatting technique and moved on to grabbing (though it is difficult to grab things with your hands in your mouth, which seems to be their preferred location these days).

After a couple weeks of working at it, he is now an expert at flipping himself from his front to his back. (He can go from back to front too, but since he doesn't enjoy tummy time, there is less incentive for him to complete the roll.) Ross loves watching him use those strong legs to project himself across the floor and is trying to get him to crawl. The scary thing is that he has the strength to do it, he just lack the coordination at this point. I'm afraid this boy will be fully mobile WAY before I am ready... 

Ivor's favorite things this month are:

1. Cuddles
2. Playing with Daddy
3. Eating
4. Going for walks and looking around
5. Wiggling, grabbing, kicking, rolling over- he never stops moving

Ivor is not a fan of:

1. Baths
2. Waiting for food
3. Gas pains

Ivor is such a sweet sociable guy, full of smiles and happy to meet new people. He is usually pretty contented, especially if he is being held, and loves exploring new environments. Even when he got his first shots, he was calm- he cried out when the needles went in his leg, but after a cuddle he was fine and back to exploring the posters in the nurse's office (Trust me- he makes a lot more fuss over gas pains).

We've had some rough moments this month (mostly due to growth spurts and gas pains causing sleepless nights), but there has been way more laughter and smiles. We are loving life with our bright-eyed wiggler.

Happy 2 Months, Ivor!  

He's a laid-back-kind-of-a-guy.