a challenge...

Feeling bah about the whole blog thing: it's been well over a month since I last made an entry, and usually, from past experience, when I get to this stage, I feel slightly petulant about the whole blogging experience, like it's a task that needs to be done. And I don't want to do it! I've never been good with keeping a diary, but I'm determined to keep this thing going.

So. I've set myself a challenge. I'm going to try and write a little each day (nothing ground breaking) to prove to myself: a) that this is worth continuing; b) that it's more than a baby diary (not my original intention, but it has become one) and c) that it's something I can feel slightly accomplished with, and it's not a nagging task in the back of my mind.

the fourth month

This week Rory turns 4 months old. We've had some real highlights so far:

• We attended a sleep clinic in Koo Wee Rup a couple of weeks ago. Though Rory slept during the night well - but haphazardly during the day - I wanted to get his sleep practices in order. And aside from falling asleep in the car and in the stroller, he's never really had to fall asleep by himself. We've always rocked him to sleep. The most sleep I could get out of him during the day was in 45 - 1 and a half hour stints. The sleep clinic worked a treat - we spent one day there (which I was sceptical of - how can you get results in one day?!) and put him to bed a couple of times, and had to resettle him once he woke up after 45 mins. The resettling was hard, but towards the end of last week and this week, I've not needed to resettle him at all. Now I'm getting one-and-a-half and 2 hour sleep stints out of him! Yesterday, he did so well I had to wake him each time after his 2-hour sleeps! As a result, the amount of bottles consumed and the amount of nappies changed has reduced. And his Dad and I can actually spend some time together, without baby!
• Today's achievement was his 4-month old vaccinations. Again, like those he had at 2 months, he had one oral and 2 injections. No crying, just a small squawk and that was it. So proud!

In other news, we've finally got the permit for hubby's shed (although have had to move the location due to stupid council laws and council fees) and the airline tickets for QLD in October have been booked. Now I need to organise the hire car, car storage (at tullamarine), book the dog into a kennel and so on...

3 months

Rory is now 3 months old. He's currently asleep in his stroller - a walk round the streets and a quick visit to the vet to pick up some dog worming tablets did the trick. He's growing, growing, growing. Now he's into size 00 clothing (usually for 6 month olds).

Yesterday we had our last Mothers Group meeting at Crib Point, and now we have to work out where and when we want to meet on our own, as a playgroup. Because there were only 5 mums present (out of the usual 10), we'll meet same place, same time next week - hopefully we can decide then.


Corey is possibly working next week away at Sale on a big job, so that will prove to be an interesting week without him.

My efforts at the gym are also going well, and I'm starting to reap the rewards there.

An old friend from High School contacted me last week - she's moved back with her family to Vic from WA. She visited last Monday with her little boy - it was good to see how much she had changed, and also, how much she hadn't changed. If that makes any sense.

As the year progresses, the months are flying by.

Baby Update: Rory is nearly 11 weeks old and is a real joy. We've finally nailed down the feed-play-sleep practice without even meaning to. While he doesn't like sleeping a lot during the day (too many things to see!), he sleeps well during the night, only waking for meals and then falling asleep straight after. Touch wood. I keep saying that so I don't jinx myself!I'm getting more confident with taking him out by myself, knowing that I can handle him now that he's older and a little more manageable.

In Other News:

• Corey had his 30th recently and we had a kiwi hangi, which went very well.
• We attended our antenatal class reunion, which was good to meet up with all the other new parents and their babies and exchange war stories.
• Saw The Other Boleyn Girl and Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, the latter being a neat movies - recommend it to anyone.
• My first Mothers Day went ok, despite being incredibly tired.
• The DVD player packed it in, so we had to get a new one (boo JB HIFI for dodgy service!)

...more later (baby has awoke!)

catchup

Am at computer with baby fast asleep in babysling. Will have to make this quick before he wakes.

A few things have happened since I blogged last:

Carol had her baby: Annabel. A gorgeous little imp (tiny! compared to Rory!) with a shock of red hair. When we visited her a couple of weeks ago, I swear the blanket weighed more than she did when I held her. Beautiful - I'm looking forward to watching Rory and his cousin (or should that be un-cousin?) Annabel grow up, and share photos with Carol along the way.

Wild, woolly weather throughout Vic last week - the weekly Wednesday dinner at Mum & Dad's was an interesting experience - power was out for the evening so we ate by candlelight and sat and chatted (as well as doing the quizzes from the newspapers).

We (parents, brother, SIL, Corey, Rory & myself) went to MaQuay in Hastings for Mum's birthday on Saturday night. Rory managed to behave himself - being passed around the table to keep both him and us six entertained.

MIL arrived back from NZ the other week, she had a blast and regaled us all with her adventurous feats!

Anyway, Corey is in the midst of planning his 30th birthday - a hangi - so I'd better make something of a start on the invites.

easter and all that

Easter's here (how did that creep up so fast?), it's nearly April and Rory is now just over three weeks old. Time is flying - days go so fast and nothing's getting done except for that which concerns Rory, which is okay for me!

The last couple of days have been full of visits - first to my old workplace yesterday in Burwood East (I don't miss the drive to and from AT ALL!) where Rory was introduced to workmates - and the recently purchased babysling worked a treat. This morning we visited fire brigade friends Rob and Jo and this afternoon we visited the girls in Balnarring.

Now I'm paying bills online and am exhausted. Time for a nap.

something to talk about

"I've been dreaming
of the things
I've learnt about a boy"
(Something to Talk About - Badly Drawn Boy)

It's been a week and 2 days since Rory was born. After a long inducement, which started Monday 25th Feb, he made his entrance in the small hours on Wednesday (27th Feb) morning. Our much anticipated, long awaited son weighed in at 9lb, 6oz and entitled his mother to many stitches.

In the days that followed, we've had many phone calls, cards and parcels. We've slowly become accustomed to this individual who now rules the household. We've begun the habits of sleeping/changing/feeding shift changes. We've adopted new measures for settling and soothing. We've learnt that 3am television sucks.

Still wouldn't change it for the world, we're both utterly, utterly in love with this gorgeous little monkey. Still can't believe that he's here.