Three milestones
Oct. 1st, 2019 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
halojedhaE is three months old today! They are officially a Person. We survived the fourth trimester!
It's been hard and tiring and we've not got much else done, but honestly, it's not been as bad as I feared. The puking and congestion have been troublesome, and we could really have done without the triple whammy of Leo's hip flare-up, broken washing machine and flea infestation. Housework has felt like the most demanding and tiresome aspect of the last three months. But looking after E has been delightful.
My sleep has been broken but adequate. We've left the house a few times, we've both got a bit of other stuff done, and we've had lovely visits from friends and family. Breastfeeding is nonstop and I get very sick of it sometimes, but I'm also grateful for how easy it's been. I do like being able to soothe and nourish them so smoothly. But it'll feel so good to make progress with bottle feeding so I can have a bit more freedom!
We've had three milestones in the last few days, which feels appropriate to celebrate E officially not being a newborn any more:
- Last night I did my first full Tai Chi class since the birth! Well, since before the birth really, as I had to tap out a few times during class in the weeks up to the birth. Leo had E in a sling for most of the class, and they were absolutely fascinated by watching us do Tai Chi. Three of us are studying fan form at the moment so lots of dramatic snaps and red flashes to look at. It was adorable watching their face! Leo said that if they were in the doorway watching the class they were totally calm, and as soon as Leo tried to move into the back room they complained. So standing in the doorway it was. And I got to do a whole hour of uninterrupted Tai Chi, and I'm learning a weapons form again for the first time since I left Mei Quan, and it feels gooooood.
- Also last night, we had E's longest uninterrupted sleep yet! They slept from midnight (they are a night owl - we always start trying to settle them at 9/10pm but they're often awake and chatty until midnight) until 6am! I woke twice during that time in anticipation of E waking, but being able to go straight back to sleep is so different from having to do a change and a feed.
Then they went back to sleep for another three hours.The last hour of the night was a bit wriggly and fitful, but I still got 8 hours of solid sleep and maybe 9 hours total. So that was amazing. Hopefully it wasn't a total one off and we'll get a few more long stretches before the 4 month sleep regression kicks in.
- I slung E in a forward facing carry this morning! They are increasingly becoming Action Baby, who is too wriggly and curious about All The Things Around Them to be held, but still wants contact and cuddles, which can get quite demanding. They certainly don't like being pressed nose to chest in a rear facing carry if they're awake. The advice says don't do forward facing until they're 6months, but I know people who've done it sooner, and their neck strength has really come on lately so I thought I'd give it a try. It was brilliant!
They got to watch me folding laundry, which is apparently great baby sensory play - lots of bright colours and different textures. They were quite happy waving their arms and legs around like a little starfish until they squeaked to be taken out because they needed a wee. A success! Not suitable for bending down tasks like the dishwasher, and they get in the way of doing washing up, but useful for general pottering about.
I feel like we should celebrate, but I have no idea how two busy people with a three month old do such a thing. We can't easily eat out and I don't really have time to bake a cake. Ideas on a postcard!
It's been hard and tiring and we've not got much else done, but honestly, it's not been as bad as I feared. The puking and congestion have been troublesome, and we could really have done without the triple whammy of Leo's hip flare-up, broken washing machine and flea infestation. Housework has felt like the most demanding and tiresome aspect of the last three months. But looking after E has been delightful.
My sleep has been broken but adequate. We've left the house a few times, we've both got a bit of other stuff done, and we've had lovely visits from friends and family. Breastfeeding is nonstop and I get very sick of it sometimes, but I'm also grateful for how easy it's been. I do like being able to soothe and nourish them so smoothly. But it'll feel so good to make progress with bottle feeding so I can have a bit more freedom!
We've had three milestones in the last few days, which feels appropriate to celebrate E officially not being a newborn any more:
- Last night I did my first full Tai Chi class since the birth! Well, since before the birth really, as I had to tap out a few times during class in the weeks up to the birth. Leo had E in a sling for most of the class, and they were absolutely fascinated by watching us do Tai Chi. Three of us are studying fan form at the moment so lots of dramatic snaps and red flashes to look at. It was adorable watching their face! Leo said that if they were in the doorway watching the class they were totally calm, and as soon as Leo tried to move into the back room they complained. So standing in the doorway it was. And I got to do a whole hour of uninterrupted Tai Chi, and I'm learning a weapons form again for the first time since I left Mei Quan, and it feels gooooood.
- Also last night, we had E's longest uninterrupted sleep yet! They slept from midnight (they are a night owl - we always start trying to settle them at 9/10pm but they're often awake and chatty until midnight) until 6am! I woke twice during that time in anticipation of E waking, but being able to go straight back to sleep is so different from having to do a change and a feed.
Then they went back to sleep for another three hours.The last hour of the night was a bit wriggly and fitful, but I still got 8 hours of solid sleep and maybe 9 hours total. So that was amazing. Hopefully it wasn't a total one off and we'll get a few more long stretches before the 4 month sleep regression kicks in.
- I slung E in a forward facing carry this morning! They are increasingly becoming Action Baby, who is too wriggly and curious about All The Things Around Them to be held, but still wants contact and cuddles, which can get quite demanding. They certainly don't like being pressed nose to chest in a rear facing carry if they're awake. The advice says don't do forward facing until they're 6months, but I know people who've done it sooner, and their neck strength has really come on lately so I thought I'd give it a try. It was brilliant!
They got to watch me folding laundry, which is apparently great baby sensory play - lots of bright colours and different textures. They were quite happy waving their arms and legs around like a little starfish until they squeaked to be taken out because they needed a wee. A success! Not suitable for bending down tasks like the dishwasher, and they get in the way of doing washing up, but useful for general pottering about.
I feel like we should celebrate, but I have no idea how two busy people with a three month old do such a thing. We can't easily eat out and I don't really have time to bake a cake. Ideas on a postcard!
no subject
Date: 2019-10-01 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-10-08 08:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-10-01 09:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-10-08 08:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-10-02 09:28 am (UTC)Back carries can work too if E is getting curious about the world (& may be more comfortable for you) & free your arms up more. L also strongly preferred being arms-out in a rear-facing front carry from about 10 weeks, which gave him more freedom to lean back a bit and look around.
no subject
Date: 2019-10-08 08:38 am (UTC)We've got a sling consultant appointment today to learn some new carries!