First of all, Charlie. Today he is 6 weeks old. He is such a lovely little boy, and his little face is so expressive already. He's been smiling for a couple of weeks, and he really is a content little thing. He is also very strong! He loves cuddles, and is happiest when he's in somebody's arms. His sleeping patterns are driving me slightly nutty at the moment. He seems to have coordinated his awake times with Georgie's sleep times. He has trouble sleeping well at night due to colic, (I have no idea what it is that I'm eating to upset him- I think he is super sensitive!) so he doesn't go to sleep properly until around midnight most of the time, and his nights can be quite restless. Which means he likes to sleep the morning away and wake up right when Georgie goes down for her nap. Then he goes down for a huge afternoon nap just as she wakes up. Fun times. However I have a feeling once his colic settles down, he could be a ridiculously easy baby. (fingers crossed!) He also love, love, loves music.
 |
| Cuddles |
Georgie is being such a great big sister. She is surprisingly gentle with Charlie, and loves to be close to him. She has taken to all this so well (much better than her parents, if truth be told!). She is amazingly cheeky, and loves people. She flirts with strangers in the supermarket constantly and has so many people convinced that she is perfect. I'm pretty sure she has decided it's time to toilet train, which honestly, I'm not that thrilled about. I was perfectly happy to wait until she was two and Charlie was a bit older. However she has been displaying lots of signals, plus she hates having a dirty nappy, and will try and remove the offending foreign matter if I don't get to it fast enough or dress her in pants.
And so we have been toilet training. I'm taking it pretty slowly, for now we're just introducing the potty, and I've been surprised at how quickly Georgie seems to have picked up the concept. At the moment it is very much a game, but I think it will come in time.She is also getting to be such a great little helper. At times she gets in the way and makes things harder, but she is learning and she tries so hard. I'm noticing her copying and mimicking me so much, which is a bit scary, but nice.
Shane and I are going okay. We're noticing how much less time we seem to have together, but I know this is just a temporary thing, and in time we will develop a new normal. Shane's work is sending him away a lot lately, which is tough. He was in the city last week, and will be again this week and next week. But they are flying him back for the weekends. Plus next week, I'm going to fly down with the kids for a week, which will be really, really nice.
The real test is going to come in March though. That's when Shane has to go to Canada for a month. I am so jealous! I desperately wish I could go too. But I know that it's not going to be all fun and games for him either. He will be doing a lot of learning and training so he can implement things back here. But still... Canada? Without me? It's going to suck having him away for so long too. It will be the longest we've ever been apart. It might not seem like a big deal to some people. But Shane and I have never done the traveling husband thing. Sure, he used to work away a lot. But he was still always (at most) four hours away.... and this is a lot more than four hours away. However, we'll just deal with it when the time comes. But I'm looking forward to having him home for a long time after he does all this training! And hopefully it will make it a lot easier for him to do his job, because it has been very full-on for him lately and he is very tired.
 |
| Worn-out Daddy |
Linking up with Jess at Diary of a SAHM for I blog on Tuesdays
Your supposed to be sleeping!!!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs on the Canada situation - i think a month IS a long time and your feelings are valid - the positive side i find is absence means you gain appreciation and you can tell him to write you letters and cards by snail mail - how much fun that would be!
ReplyDeleteMine are 15 months apart and the first year was quite hard, trying to get routines to match up, juggling two babies, not having enough time to sit and think let alone spend with my partner, but after my youngest started to walk just after he turned one it got dramatically easier. As for the Colic, have you looked into reflux at all? The reason I ask is that what you wrote sounds like my oldest did as a young baby, and he had quite bad silent reflux. After we were able to put him on Mylanta it settled a bit and he was happier.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a beautiful photo you have of your precious children! My girls were 18mths apart and I remember how hard it was when the sleeps times would never match up...it almost felt like you on duty 24 hrs a day with no breaks!
ReplyDeleteAccept all the help you possibly can when your husband is away...don't forget that you will need to look after yourself as well!
Georgie and Charlie are just soooo cute together. I hope you are getting a little time to rest now especially before Shane heads off to Canada. SM's comment above is spot on - accept ALL teh help that is offered to you whilst he is away. :) xx
ReplyDeleteThe adjustment to two is huge. I remember being right where you are now- on call 24 hours a day. AND my husband wasn't working as much as yours is, and I didn't have to deal with colic. It does get better- he's seven months old and it's easier already.
ReplyDeleteWill keep praying for you and your beautiful little family- I know you'll breakthrough.
That's right Robyn, just plod along and everything will work out! Of course it will be hard work, but every time it gets too much just remember that there is always tomorrow! Like Bee, mine are close together 17 months, and I was INCREDIBLY lucky that the boys were good sleepers from the very start. I was up to feed them every hour and a half night and day, but in between that they slept, and it went on like that for the first 4 months. I was exhausted, and the sleep deprivation was like a hammer to the head, but the quiet times were so worth staying awake for!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs with Shane going away, I am so glad you have your mum and your sisters close!
6 weeks already! I don't think I have congratulated you on his birth yet. So congratulations.
ReplyDeleteTry not to stress about your hubby being away. If you can get your freezer stocked with meals so you don't have to worry to much about cooking while he is away. Do you have someone who can come and spend some time with you so that you can have some adult talk time while he is away. I think that is the thing I miss the most when my hubby goes away. I need someone to download the days events too and stop talking about snot and wiping bottoms.
A 6 week old baby with colic and toilet training at the same time... and still blogging! You are a marvel! Georgie and Charlie look so gorgeous and will be great friends being so close together. Now please try and get some sleeeeep!!! xo
ReplyDeleteOh Robyn a month away sounds really tough, but I'm glad you have such a great attitude. When Bridie was a couple of months old Tim had to go to Melbourne for three weeks so I went with him! Couldn't stand to be left behind!
ReplyDeleteMy kids always toilet tainted too right when I didn't want it, but there isn't much you can do about it. There is a book called potty training 1-2-3 (I think) by growing families which teaches how to train in three days, if she is ready. Maybe look that up?
Oh Jess, if I could go to Canada I totally would! Lol- that's why I'll be going to Brisbane next week :)
DeleteGood to hear you're going ok. It is tough in the beginning, but boy does it go fast. In the early days with my two I just fed the baby to sleep when my toddler went down for his nap, regardless of when she'd slept before! It always worked and hasn't caused any lasting damage.
ReplyDeleteI also had the same thing with toilet training (my son wanted to try a week or so before I gave birth), but it worked ok in the end. Sounds like you have it pretty sorted so just keep doing what you're doing. Good luck x
Sorry you to hear about the colic, I have heard that Infant Massage can help. Lots of skin stimulation can help the nervous system which is sometimes thought to play a part in colic. Try giving his legs a few long strokes from the hip to the ankle when you do a nappy change.
ReplyDeleteAs for the toilet training how exciting! I hope it is a quick and cheerful path for you :)
Fairy wishes and butterfly kisses to you and your lovely little family
Step-by-step. That's the way I found it works best in dealing with a young bub and toddler. Try not to pressure yourself too much. It's great you get to spend a week away together.
ReplyDeleteCharlie and Georgie are both so gorgeous! It must be so exhausting for you having them tag-nap right now, I hope the colic settled soon and you can get them a bit more in sync. Canada is a long way and a month with 2 small children is a pretty daunting thought but you may find it easier to get Charlie into a routine that suits if you are solely in charge for that time x
ReplyDelete