Away

Holidays are usually filled with fun arn't they? Not if you are travelling with a 7 week old bub as I quickly discovered. Our normally placid smiling baby disapeared for a few days leaving me teary, tense and tired. Jackson discovered the art of crying and decided to go pro.

The three plane trips to Queensland went well, but then we got off the plane and the heat got to him, then the strange place and smells got to him and then I think even I got to him. But after three days of an upset routine, we have finally sorted ourselves out. I have also figured out his waketime has been too long and too overstimulating - resulting in unsettled nap time, plus I think he is having a growth spurt. My Dad was actually the one to pick this one up, he said the first day we arrived that Jackson was having trouble sucking the bottle - the milk wasnt flowing fast enough and he was sucking air. I didn't even pay him any notice - untill two days later when Dad said it again and I was so overtired I'd try anything - he now has new bottles with faster flow teats and he has sucked down 180 mls at almost every feed - he used to only take 120-150mls.

Jackson has showed more traits just like Brad - they both do not like the beach or the heat. I on the otherhand love both. Swimming at my local beach and being the only one there was heaven.

Ya, Im happy

Jackson had his 6 week check today, he will be 6 weeks tomorrow - the news is he is a whopping 5.12 kilos or 10.24 pounds, he is very well endowed (much to Brads delight) and everything else is on track - he has started to babble this week which is so cute - he holds whole conversations with Mr Turtle (attached to his cot is an aquarium in the shape of a turtle that Paw Paw gave) the midwife suggested giving him more tummy time to help him streangthen his neck muscles - after all the kid does have a pretty big head! Brad now has him on a training schedule.
Brad and I went to a new parents group at Salamaca the other day, and met a great couple who we hope to catch up with. I am meeting up with another mother who I shared a room with at the hospital when having Jackson (not literally having him but rather before and after), she was having her 5th child and after 4 boys had a little girl, Alexandria.
Will someone pay me some attention!!
Thats better! Thanks Dad!

More play mat fun!

Its happy days again in our house

Giving the moblie a run for its money
Pulling faces
Don't mess with me - I'm serious now!

Play mat fun!

Jackson loves his play mat - Thanks Paw Paw! We sit it by the window and he likes to watch the light as well as his great mobiles.

First Curry

Me, Caz and Zara.
We all went out to our local Curry house for Gemma's going away dinner - Gemma is in the photo below with her partner Simon - A lovely bloke who also happens to be a Pommy (but we wont hold that against him!) Simon is out here for the Ashes tour as part of the Barmy Army- for the Americans reading this its all about cricket. It was fantastic to meet him and are looking forward to catching up with them both again when we visit Allen and Angie later this year in Germany.
Multi- tasking
Simon and Gemma
Zara and Jackson - starting pass the baby game - my favorite!
Tim getting up close with Jackson, He will become a dad soon too with Caz due in July with their first little one.

Tears

It was inevitable wasn't it? The tears, from me that is. Why don't I have enough milk for my hungry baby? Am I not holding him enough? Am I being cruel trying to get him to settle in the cot - should I just hold him untill he falls asleep? Why does he smile at Brad as soon as he sees him, yet only a second before was grizzling at me? Why do I still have a huge jiggly belly? Why did Brad have to go back to work so soon? Just two days ago I was happy for him to go back, now here I am wishing he was home. Thank God for understanding sisters in law (Angie and Sharon). i had no intention of crying when I picked up the phone to let Angie know I was so happy their house was close to selling, but as soon as I heard her voice the tears came - and out it all poured. Meanwhile Jackson is in the cot sleeping, oblivious to my crisis. From the cot come a few grizzles, just to let me know he is not happy about the whole cot thing, then its back to sleep. Logically I know he is doing well, he is healthy and happy and sleeps well - but when I put him down for his nap during the day he starts crying straight away, even though just before I put him down he was calm and yawning. I hate to hear him cry and want to pick him up to sooth him, but on the same hand I don't want to pick him up as I know he is just tired and a little bit of crying is not going to hurt him any - is it? don't answer that anyone. anyway right now he is sleeping and looks like and angel sent from heaven.

New Year

Cheeky smile for mum before bath time.

New Years mandatory photo of Brad and myself. have a feeling its going to be one hell of a year!
Chilling out with Brad after a feed.

Went and had Jackson weighed and measured at his one month check, my midwife said he has gained heaps - over 600 grams in two weeks which makes him now over 10 pounds! He is definatly getting chubby as you can see from the photos! He is going to be a big boy- he has also grown to 55.6 cm from 53 at birth. He has great head control - so says our midwife, and she was impressed with his leg streangth also - plus he started smiling way early, he even smiled at her while getting weighed, this is aparently due to him being overcooked by 10 days, not due to him being super smart - there goes Brad's theory! anway, he is doing well despite my troubles with breast feeding. I don't have enough to feed this boy since I had to take medicine for a rash i got post ceacarean, so he has been having more bottles than boob.

Tonight we have friends comming over to babysit, aranged by Brad who accidently let it slip while on the phone to my friend - anyway at least now I can plan ahead better! I am SO excited to be going out with my husband on our own. i am hoping Jackson will be settled for them, we will have to wait and see I guess.