Good Boy

I say "Good Boy" to Eli all the time. He often says "Goo!" back at me. This morning there was a distinct "D" at the end. To be fair, it sounded more like "Gourd" than "Good", but close enough! We were still in bed at the time. I was stoked. He seems really happy when I say "Good Boy! Good Eli" and smiles and laughs. Adorable.

Bottles n boobies

All the experts say to be careful introducing a bottle to a breastfed baby. I was therefore wary when it came to it, although I knew all along that I wanted to be able to offer pumped milk to bubba should I need to do so. Eli has a bottle on the odd occasion that Shane is with him alone, which isn't very often simply because I don't like going anywhere without Eli....

Tonight is a bit different though. Shane is away in Brisbane overnight, and I gave Eli a bottle. I'd had a glass of wine, and I had a small bottle (20ml, not a full feed) in the fridge that I pumped yesterday which would otherwise go to waste, so thought I'd use it up. Without question he cheerfully sucked away on the bottle, enjoying the easy flow no doubt. When he started sucking air I pulled the bottle out and put it aside. Completely unfazed, the moment that the bottle was removed from his mouth, he moved his head across to the boob and turned his head into the nipple ready to go! I think if he had a motto it would be "food from any source". He's not picky.

Bathtime

I've been doing morning baths with Eli for a couple of weeks now. It's become a fun, relaxed morning routine - even on days when I'm going to work we often start with a leisurely bath first! I start off showering to get some steam in his nose, and then put the plug in and taps on for a sitdown bath. There is a big difference in his showering in the past week - instead of throwing his head up into the flow of water, he just chills out underneath the shower head as if it's the most natural thing in the world. He is enjoying his bath more too. Yesterday was the day he really started to kick and float by himself. Up until now he just lies there and floats, completely still. Today he had progressed further and was pushing off the edge of the bath with his feet. I kept the water more shallow than usual and let him lie by himself and move around more freely, watching closely so he didn't turn his head into the water. He is inclined to attempt to drink the bath if I let him! He has some cool squirty toys, but his only interest is when I use them to squirt water on them. He doesn't watch them float yet or touch them. Bathtime is fun for me though - lots of singing, and games, and water splashing about. One day I kept topping the bath up until I ran out of hot water, then we had to get out! To get out I put the hooded towel on his head, then I lie him in the bed of towels I have outside the shower, and fold the towels around him. Now he smiles and starts pulling the towels over his mouth and sucking them, although he used to be confused. I then quickly turn the shower back on and rinse myself off, and dry myself before I take him to get dressed. So far it seems fine, although once the weather is colder I may need to rethink that strategy. When we did night-time showers his Daddy used to come get him out and dry and dress him. That was a nice routine, but we always felt rushed and never knew when to fit it into our evening. Really loving this new routine instead. I still skip a day if I feel like a solo shower, but I look forward to my bubba baths too!

Photos from 20th April:

Fun day out!

Eli woke up at 5:30am for a feed, which was a shame as I hoped he would do 6:30am. I gave him a dummy which he happily sucked on until 5:55, and then had a feed. We both went back to our own beds for awhile. My alarm and Shane's both went off, he snoozed his as always - except unfortunately he turned it off! At 7:25 I happened to look at my phone and swore... we were supposed to leave for the airport at 7:15, or 7:30 at the latest! Ah well, we made it out the door finally at 7:50. Eli went into his seat in his PJs, with his sleep sack half undone. He went back to sleep during the airport drop-off run.

After we dropped Shane off, we drove to Jeanie's for brunch. He was so happy the entire time there - relaxed, chatty, smiley self! Managed to fill 3 nappies though. Impressive. The first was his overnight nappy, to be fair, as I changed and dressed him when we arrived. But two more in the 90min we were there!

Then we dropped Jeanie at the bus stop and went to Broadway. At the last second I opted for pram instead of carrier, which was nice except that I then had to search for ages to find the parent's room to use the loo!

In Kmart Eli woke up and decided he doesn't like the pram, so I ended up carrying him in one arm and pushing with the other. He finally went back in with the back upright so he was sitting... you know, like the 6 month old he *thinks* he is! Blue bear suit



Smiling at strangers!

On a whim we drove to Olympic Park and went for a walk in the carrier, then I found a nice piece of grass for a feed and a lie on the grass.   I read a magazine while he stared at the sky and played with his new wrist rattle (which he had picked out off the shelf himself!)



Got home at 3:30pm.    In the evening he went to bed like a good bubba and I watched Les Miserables.   Lovely day, lovely evening!

Piano

When Eli was small I tried playing the piano to him, and he often cried, which I attribute to his excellent taste in music. It is the appropriate reaction to the noise I make on that thing.... He has shown more interest in playing the piano together, staring at the black and white keys.

Today was an exciting milestone though - he watched my fingers move along the keys (I was playing Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring for the record), and then carefully pressed a key himself. He seemed to now realise the relationship between the piano keys and the music. He continued to play notes, much to Shane's surprise when he came in a few moments later! Very cute.

Haven't been able to replicate the cot naps yet. He wakes up the second he goes in. Just likes to be held! 

Parade

No photos - I was in such a hurry to run outside I didn't grab my phone!   Heard exciting noises and took Eli down to Church St.   Exciting parade going by.  Of course realised afterwards that I had no idea what the parade was for.... turns out it was for a soccer/football team.  Eli enjoyed watching the people and the fire trucks, and the nice fireman said hello to him!

Monday Monday

Had "one of those days". On Sunday night Eli went to bed around 11:30pm. However, to quote an email I sent Shane: "I went to sleep around 1130, then got up at 130 to feed Eli, then 2am to put him to bed, then 430 to feed Eli then 5am to put him to bed, then 630 to feed Eli and there was no way I was putting him back again." I think he was cold as I can't think of any other reason he wanted feeding so much. I don't think he's in a growth spurt right now.

I still intended to go to work but in the end gave up, I was so tired. Eli and I had a nice day at home together instead. We also walked down to the supermarket with Eli in the ergo. He started out standing up half leaning out (while I supported him!) but eventually curled up to sleep and I was able to pull the ergo around him properly. Could only buy what I could carry, but it was still nice rather than driving. Got to keep our Vitamin D up!

Made a few decisions needed to keep our sanity. Such as ordering a clothes dryer, getting fruit & vege delivered each week, and possibly hiring a mother's helper a few hours a week to give me a hand. It's hard feeling torn between work and house duties.

Party!

Eli went to his first party today, a 40th birthday party for my cousin. He was a little overwhelmed by all of the people, and it was a noisy room, but that just meant he was very serious and had lots to think about! He had cuddles with Daddy while I ate my dinner - I got to eat first for a change! Many people assumed he was much older than he is, around the 6 month mark. Ah well, that's our big bubba! Later in the evening he fell asleep, and Jeanie put him in his carrier in the bedroom. Knowing his sleep habits I knew he wouldn't stay asleep in a new place for long. Sure enough, when we went to check on him he was lying wide awake staying at his surroundings curiously. However he wasn't alone - the birthday boy's parents were sitting on the bed either side of him, gently rocking the carrier and talking to him softly. They were enjoying a break from the noise and bustle also! On the way home I sat in the backseat, because he has only been in the car at night twice and fussed both times. I put my hand into the carrier to comfort him, and he immediately grabbed it and shoved my finger into his mouth! He gnawed away on my finger quite happily. Eventually I convinced him to take a dummy instead. By the time we got home, bubba was wide awake and cheerful.

Cot success!

I think overall my cot strategy is working (strategy being that we put him in there as much and as often as possible for sleeps, but don't make him stay there if he's unhappy). Until now he has always woken up within minutes in the cot - if not the second we put him down - regardless of how fast asleep or wide awake or anywhere in between he was when he was put there.

This morning he has gone down for his first cot nap AWAKE. And it worked. He slept in the cot for around an hour from 10ish - 11ish which is awesome. He didn't even have his dummy (he spat it out and I resettled him without it). I could hear him cooing at his mobile for awhile and then dropped off to sleep. :-) So that is exciting and means we are making progress!! Strange not having him where I can see him, but his little sighs in his sleep are cute. And great having my hands free instead of holding him the whole nap.

This afternoon I rocked and fed him to sleep, but he's been back in the cot for at least 20min now without waking. It's become a happy place for him.

Last night was a good night - he went to bed the same time as I did, I only had to get up once after 5min or so to stroke his head and reassure him then he was fine. All night long I kept waking up and thinking he was awake, and he may well have been - but he didn't call me. So I left him. I finally got him up at 4am for a feed as I knew he was hungry (gnawing on his fist!)

Then he was still asleep when his Daddy left for work, and didn't wake up until after 8am. (See previous post from today about that!)

I am so happy that my instincts were spot on, and glad I ignored all of the bad advice from people who insist upon routines and that nonsense. I'm not going to force him into something that doesn't work. I know I have awesome mummy instincts and I'm going to keep following them. Happy baby is the best kind of baby!

Words Words Words

Today was the first day I really knew that Eli understands the words I say.

This morning I was lying in bed and he called out from his cot, so I called back and he looked over and saw me, we had a little chat and a wave. But then I said "Would Eli like to come over to Mummy's bed and have some milk?" And he got this massive grin and excitedly waved his hands at me. It was instantaneous, and very clear that he knew exactly what I meant. I still hadn't moved from my bed either, so it was definitely the words.

Then later today he was a bit grizzly at one point around lunchtime, he'd had a long play with his toys on the floor. So I picked him up for a cuddle, but I needed to put butter on my toast for lunch which I can't do one handed. So I said "I'm just going to put you into your chair for just a minute" but before I could even get up to take him to the rocker he burst into tears. Again it was a clear reaction to my words, I was so surprised. I said "It's ok, you can stay up with mummy" and he stopped crying and was fine! Turns out he was really hungry too, so I fed him. Ok, I put him in the chair anyway and let him cry while I buttered my crumpet, then I fed him while I ate! And we were both happy.

Cleaners came this afternoon. And again it amazed me how uplifted I feel in a clean, tidy house. Part of that is all of the tidying I do before they get here - everything is in order! Eli helped me hang out the washing while they were here. It looks as though the sun has come out again, so fingers crossed everything dries and he has clean pyjamas (wondersuit) for tonight!

First public hissy fit!

Today was the first time Eli threw a tanty in public.

Because the school term has finished our "parent group" had decided to meet at a cafe for lunch instead, as there are no formal groups during the holidays. Most of our babies are too old for the official parent group now anyway - it goes up to 12 weeks of age.

Eli fell asleep and I put him down into his pram behind my chair for a nap. He slept peacefully ...until I was halfway through eating my meal. Suddenly he called, and I got up to get him. Before I picked him up he started bawling, and surprisingly didn't stop when I picked him up. I tried to offer him a boob, or a dummy, and he howled. I quickly stepped outside with him (after clambering over all of the other prams!) and he stopped. Once he was calm I took him back in, thinking I could sit down and feed him, but he immediately howled again as I took my seat.

So back outside we went, and enjoying some fresh air by the river. As soon as he was happily on my boob I headed back inside and sat down.

It was so bizarre being the lady with the screaming baby! I think perhaps he was hot, plus a bit bemused at being in the pram.

On a lighter note, at the end of lunch an elderly lady came up to our table and said "Excuse me, this has to be the most well behaved group of babies I've ever seen! And I've seen lots of mother's groups!" Very sweet. Still out of 10 babies mine was the loudest for once! Ah well, there has to be a first time for everything...

Bed shopping!

Finally went bed shopping.

Waaaay back before we got married we always said "When we get married we'll buy a King size bed!" Then we got married, and initially money was tight due to the mortgage and some unexpected wedding bills. Then we moved to Australia unexpectedly 12 months after our wedding - another hit in the pocket! The next 4 years we lived in a teeny tiny townhouse where our Queen size bed barely fit the bedroom. And then last year we moved here, and briefly considered it before deciding in a rare moment of frugality that we didn't really *need* a new bed. Instead we swapped our beds around, the ensemble I'd bought when I was flatting became the spare bed, and we slept on Shane's 16yr old slat bed with a firmer mattress. It was much friendlier to my giant pregnant self for getting in and out of bed!

But now we have Eli. And quite frankly, I'm lazy. Lying down to feed feels great, plus if I'm tired it's easier to let him fall asleep next to me and then move him. But somehow I'm the one who gets pushed out of the bed. There's the husband, and the baby, and the two cats... yeah we need some space for mummy!

So a day of shopping and testing out beds, we have a winner - mattress from Harvey Norman and a gorgeous base from Forty Winks. yay! Can't wait for delivery.

Here's some photos of Eli helping us test out new beds.