Your First Easter

Today we went to attend Sunday mass together as a family for the first time. I was not well enough to get out of the house on Christmas Eve so I didn't get to take you then. I was quite surprised at how well behaved you are. I had to stand at the back fifteen minutes into the service because you don't like being rocked sat down and you were about ready for your morning nap. As I rocked you to the land of nod, you stared at an image of The Sacred Heart on the wall and started babbling at it, so loud that you attracted a few glances and smiles. Ten minutes later you fell fast asleep and woke up just in time to light a candle with me and daddy after the mass. I can't wait to get you baptised and our local catholic church didn't look like a bad church to be baptised in.

It's going to be a real challenge bringing you up to be a Catholic boy in a non-Catholic country around Atheist extended family but if I am half successful then it is every bit worth it. My faith has silently, but very strongly, carried me through all kinds of trials, each time allowing me to emerge stronger than ever. I want you to have some kind of Faith and you will never be truly alone. Happy Easter my son.

Night night :)

Fully recovered from post immunisation fever, yay!

Weaning

Dear Son,

Today you finished a full (freezer) pot of puréed banana! You're only five months old so all I'm really doing is introducing food a wee bit at a time. I didn't think you were going to eat it all. I half expected you to throw up some of it but you didn't. Needless to say that replaced your 3pm feed. I'm so pleased that you are making weaning very easy for me. You are such a beautiful little boy and I hope I can collate a lot of healthy recipes for you to try when you're over six months old. I plan to make your meals sugar and salt free but don't worry I'll treat you to the occasional fairy cakes. :) I love you.

Mum

Post-immunisation blues

Yesterday you had your third lot of routine immunisations and unlike the first couple of times, you got very ill this time around. Your sore gums caused by teething isn't exactly making things easier. I've been trying to keep your temperature down and I have nursed you like 8 times in the last 12 hours. It always comforts you being nursed.

It's hard to see you feeling so poorly because I have been spoiled with your good morning smiles and loud squeals and giggles throughout the day. Today I realised even more how much happiness you bring into my life.

I hope and pray that you will feel a lot better tomorrow. I want my big bouncy bubba back :)

My First Mother's Day

What I See in You

Being a mother is more challenging than I ever imagined but it is also more rewarding than I thought possible. Before my son came into my life I never really looked that far into the future. I took it one day at a time. But when Scott was born I find myself worrying about tomorrow, next week, next month and even 50 years into the future. Albeit not for myself but for this little man who greets me with a smile every waking morning - the magic smile that makes all the exhaustion from the night before go away. That magic smile that makes all the lack of sleep, lack of personal space and time for myself seem very shallow to complain about.I admit that I didn't find it easy - not at all. Even without the difficulty of my pregnancy, labour and post-surgery complications I still would have found being a mum a real toughy. The absence of my family made a huge impact and nearly pushed me off the edge at one point. But now, that all seems like a thing of the ancient past.

My son makes every day exciting as he learns new things every day. I am absolutely smitten by this little man and my husband often catches me staring at Scott with a smile on my face that he calls "eyes full of love".

I am surprised at how much he is changing day by day. The other day I looked at his photos from when he was a mere 10-day-old baby and noticed his cheeks had quite a few infant freckles. And when he turned a month old his cradle cap was really bad. Of course I was completely aware of those things - heck, I stare at him all day! What made me smile is that at the time of taking the photos I didn't really see how severe the freckles were that they made his cheeks looked so red and dry and his cradle cap was so bad that he lost all of his newborn hair because of it. When I took those photos all I can see was the little boy who changed my life so much and who made me want to become a much better person. Through the lens of my camera, all I can really see is an angel who was sent to me to learn the important things in life that I have refused to learn growing up. When I look at Scott all I can see is my very own flesh and blood who taught me that being a grown up is not such a bad thing at all.

And in spite of all his flaws and imperfections, those that the camera can capture and those that are invisible to the naked eye, I know that no one can ever change the way I see my son.

Piccies!

Getting ready to wean!

Because the health visitor informed us that you have are teething early it will soon be time to wean you. But we will hold out until you are 6 months because right now you are getting enough nutrients from my breast milk and aptamil hungry milk :)

19 weeks!

You decided you were going to sit up unsupported the day you turned exactly 19 weeks!