8 Weeks and Counting

I took Ashton for his 8 week checkup today. I also had my 6 week checkup at 11am (yes I am 2 weeks late). They are in the same building.

My appointment went well - The doctor asked a few questions, and did a scan on me and said "Okay, I see you are not pregnant, which is good" - I think for the first time I was relieved to hear that! We chatted for a while, about pregnancy and he said he felt so bad for us for trying for so long. He said it took him a long time to forget about my emergency surgery. He said he kept remembering how blue my face was, and that I told him "please don't let me die". The poor man! Anyway, he got to hold Ashton for a bit and even posed for a photo. Smiles all around. Both him and his receptionist said Ashton looks like Kevin! So it must be true, because everyone is saying that...

Ashton's appointment was at 1:15pm. I got there early and it was utter chaos. I said I'd sit and wait, but they sent me away and said I have to come back later grrr. And phone before I come. I had to feed and change my baby in the car. We then had a snooze while we waited for the time to pass. I turned the aircon on every now and then, it was quite warm out today. Snotty women. Anyway my phone died so I couldn't call. I went back at 1:45pm. Less chaos. Paed was running late. I finally got to go through to her room at 3:00pm only for her to run out to the hospital due to problems with a caesarian. Grrr. She was back by 3:30. I was given tea while I waited, and when she returned she offered me some biscuits which of course I helped myself to. Paying a fortune to be there, might as well make the most of it.

Anyway, she's very happy with Ashton. His pinky finger on his right hand isn't a worry just yet, she said it's just a quirk, and likely genetic. We must just keep an eye on it. So one of our families must have weird pinky fingers.

He weighs 4,58 kgs now and is 55 cms in length. Starting to grow like a weed, no wonder we have upped his formula so drastically. He's still considered small, but doing really well on the whole.

What a relief. So happy.

Oh, and I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Well, considering I weighed this much, then lost 5 to 6 kgs, then gained a bit... just have a really wobbly tummy and love handles.

Else, we've had a few rough nights. Earlier this week, there was a suicide hour (or suicide night). He cried and cried and there was nothing I could do to console him. Kevin came in and took him from me, and he stopped. Just like that. I then burst into tears and came downstairs to make tea. Hubby calmed him down and when he got downstairs we chatted and he said we are a team and I shouldn't feel bad about what happened.

Hubby's dad popped in last weekend, we were alone in the baby's room and he told me he's been wanting to tell me something. I asked him what it is and he said "Thank you for giving me a grandson" and a big bear hug!  I just teared up.  Wish my family was as interested and wanted to be as big a part of Ashton's life as hubby's family does.  I feel so sad about this, but there is nothing I can do to change it.  I keep phoning, messaging, emailing photos.  My dad has visited twice, and didn't even come to the hospital, yet has visited his girlfriend's daughter's husband in hospital for 116 days in a row.  I just don't understand.  It really hurts.

Holding a New Baby

I've held babies before, and have always loved it (provided they were not screaming or crying), but since becoming a mom I think something has changed.

I went to visit a friend yesterday, she had just had her baby and I got to hold her.   The most beautiful, precious, tiny baby girl.  I can't explain the feeling I got, just that it was way stronger than ever before.  This was the first time I had held another newborn baby since having mine.  I think I melted. 

She was born at 37 weeks, 46 cms and around 2,2kgs - not far off on Ashton (he was born at 34 weeks, 48cms and 2,34kgs).  I kept staring down at that little bundle of pink thinking back to when Ashton was just born.  How tiny he was, just like this baby.  The little face that was smaller than the palm of my hand.  It's unreal how quickly we get used to our little ones, and how very quickly they grow, and change.  It's a reminder to enjoy every moment we have with them.

If I think about it, I got to have my baby for 6 weeks longer than the norm, and I've said this before, but I am still so amazed that they can be born so early and be so perfectly formed, even if so small.

I almost felt broody.  Actually, I think I did melt. 

Spitting Mad.

This made me so angry it needed its very own entry.


On Thursdays our housekeeper comes to do her magic, and I'm always so glad to see her because she brings order to the pile of ironing and the house.  However, I had misplaced my glasses and a pair of slippers, and also lost my house keys. Yes I am a real scatter brain sometimes, I think more so now that I have gained a mommy-brain.

Anyway, I asked her to please see if she can help me find the stuff. I also asked her to please look under the bed and told her I can't get under there just yet. I said I don't know why but I keep losing my things, I'm so scatterbrained since the baby came and would really appreciate her help.

And here we go.... the flipping woman ran to hubby and told him she is disgusted with me and that I accused used her of stealing my things!
WTH.  Well, needless to say, my blood started to boil especially since I have been nothing but nice to her since she started with us.  I do realise she may have been accused by someone else before, but honestly to run to my husband like a child?

So he has grouched at me for losing my house keys and glasses and then proceeded to ask me why I accused her of stealing? 

Give me an freaking break! I am so sleep deprived and I don't complain about it at all, however I'm not 100% so there is a huge possibility of me losing things.

I demanded her phone number and immediately phoned her.  I confronted her and told her I am very upset with her and how she handled this.  I then said I was asking her for help, which I will now never do again and if she is disgusted with me she better think good and hard about how I'm feeling right now. I said I expect her to talk to me if she is upset or feels there is a misunderstanding between us and not to run to my husband like a child, which has now caused us to fight.  I will not be undermined like this by 'my' housekeeper
All I got is 'sorry'.

When hubby and I were dating, he had a housekeeper prior to us getting together, and this woman couldn't stand me.  Kept undermining me and literally making my life hell - as if he was her man, and she was the 'woman' in his life taking care of him and who the hell am I.  I obviously had a flash back to this and I refuse to go down that road again.

I am still so angry about this. And this woman keeps dropping hints to Mil about wanting to be Ashton's nanny. Over my dead body.  Plus, who does she think pays her?

Hubby's First Pajama Drill

Last week I asked hubby if he could help me with the baby on Friday night because I really needed a good night's rest for my exam on Saturday morning.  His mom came over on Thursday as well to spend some time with Ashton, really love watching her with him, she's such a proud granny.  I had a huge migraine so ended up canceling book club (which I so look forward to every month) and she stayed the night.  Anyway, hubby agreed to help on Friday night.

On Friday morning I was up super early, got some studying done, then the three of us went to the mall (for ice cream!).  I had a Cloud 9, which is ice cream, with cookie dough, peanut butter, chocolate brownie and white chocolate sauce!  Definitely my favourite ice cream spot.  A bit pricey but I reckon we can go once a month for a treat. 

Spent some more time frantically doing revision exercises on Friday night and eventually turned in at 11pm.  Hubby had come to say good night and off he went, pillows in hand to the baby's room.  I did tell him to wake me up if Ashton get's realy niggly.  I guess he decided that I needed my sleep.

Shame, on Saturday morning he was a mess, I went in to check on them, and to take him some tea and say good morning, only to find him passed out under the duvet (with it over his head), the light on, baby plonked in the swing chair with his heady steady and no blanket.  He dressed him in a fluffy babygrow had turned up the heater so the room was like a hot summer's day. I said good morning and got a groan, then he lifted his head out of the duvet and I was greeted with big black rings under his eyes.  My hubby has never really been a night owl, so I kind of expected him to look like this!  He refused the tea, saying he would wake up and all he wanted to do was sleep.
I left for my exam, arrived there really early only to be told it is from 09h00, so I confirmed the venue, went to buy breakfast at the caffeteria, and then sat and twiddled my thumbs until it was time. I decided to leave my books at home, because I had convinced myself, what ever I didn't know by then, I wasn't going to know.  Nine 'o clock came and I made my way to the venue, greeted the room of strangers, found a chair and made myself comfortable.  When the exam started I went blank on question one, then the panic set in.  I totally freaked.  I then wondered if the boys at home were okay and decided to take a deep breath, calm down and carry on with the exam.  I read through the paper 3 times, highlighted important bits and then got down to business.  I finished 5 minutes before the bell went off, third last one to finish.  Now I wait for the results.
Afterwards I went to a birthday party, but got hopelessly lost (1 hour lost), and afterwards I stopped for petrol and paid with my card only to have the machine decline payment... then got sent inside to use another machine.  Thankfully my card worked, but once I was back in the car I got 4 sms' showing petrol money had been deducted. 

By then I was feeling exhausted by the day's events.  I made my way home, what a good feeling to be going home, my bed was calling me.  I stopped to pick up some lunch, and finally got home, only to find hubby passed out, baby in the chair, the house one big mess, and Mil trying to tidy up and organize everything again while keeping an eye on the baby.  Hubby had called his mom to come and help him, suppose it was all a bit much for him to handle, but he did really well.  He slept for most of the afternoon, and was happy that I had gotten some lunch for him, because he had woken up starving. 

I think hubby still has rings under his eyes.

Newborn Shoot Preview

I think he was a week old here.  So small and so thin! 

Hospital Shoot Preview

Aren't these precious?  Thanks Gaynor, I love every single one of them!

Maternity Shoot Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak - one of the pictures from our maternity shoot... I'll upload a few more when I get them.  As usual, Gaynor did a fab job! 

I was 33 weeks and 2 days pregnant here...

Then and Now

I was going through all the hospital photos and the photos from the newborn shoot and I'm blown away by how beautiful the pictures are. Can't believe how tiny Ashton was six weeks ago when he was born. He was only due last week, and we've already come so far. We have been so blessed, and the tears I cry today are tears of joy. Thank you God.

2 Days Old:

6 Weeks Old:

Snow Day

So 7 August dawned upon us, and a very cold day indeed. It snowed in Johannesburg! I loved it, felt like I was inside a snow globe. And it would have been Ashton's birthday!

If it wasn't for my hubby that called to tell me, I would have missed it completely because both Ashton and I were both snuggled up under the covers.

Here are some pictures. As much as I wanted to run outside to make a snow angel, I just stood and watched the snow falling from the comfort of the room...and the feeling soon passed.



Trip to Doctors' Rooms & 6 Week Vaccinations

Last week we noticed a red lump on Ashton's arm... and freaked out a little.  It looked like a spider bite.  I kept checking on him through the night 1) if it got any worse and 2) if he had a fever.  And nothing.  So I felt a little less freaked out.  The next day we took him to the doctor's rooms anyway just to be safe.  We were lucky enough to end up seeing a moron, and he had absolutely no idea what it was.  He then called another doctor in for a second opinion, and the both of them said it must be a cyst.  And we should "rush him to the paed".  They did, however, rule out the possibility of it being a bite mark.

After chatting to some friends we figured out it was likely just a reaction to his vaccinations done just after birth, flaring up almost 6 weeks later. One or two people said they can tell we are new parents, by rushing to the doctors' rooms - But I would much rather be safe than sorry, and this is our first trip to the doctors rooms so I think we're doing ok.

On Saturday morning we took him for his 6 week vaccinations at the baby clinic up the road, and low and behold, a poster on the wall with pictures of exactly the same red lump. 

Relief.

And so we realised thes are things they never tell you about.

But, surely doctors should all know what it is?

Anyway, my poor boy only cried a little while his vaccinations were done - his dad stayed with him and they sent me to reception to take the form in for capturing - I heard him all the way from there.  He was so miserable for the rest of the day, his legs were so sore he cried every time we touched them.  He's been really niggly ever since Saturday, and we are now sitting at Monday - I hope it passes soon.

On a nother note... boy I had no idea how expensive vaccinations are!  I phoned around for pricing as we had to have him vaccinated... and it's a good thing I was sitting down.  I asked about government stock which is free, except for an admin fee and at Clicks I was questioned as to where my baby was born, and then the woman told me we are not entitled to government stock if my baby was born at a private hospital.  I told her I'm unemployed and don't have a proper income right now so I can't afford it, and she didn't care.  It was a matter of 'you are not entitled'.  After chatting to some friends they said that is ridiculous, and shocking that this is the manner in which they treat people.  Complete discrimination.

I phoned a few other places and most didn't have any government stock, no questions about where my baby was born though.  I finally found a lovely baby clinic in Dunvegan, and they helped me out with no questions asked.  Unfortunately they hadn't received all their government stock yet, so we had to do a part payment but we were more than happy to do it. 

Vaccinations done.  Next vaccinations need to be done on 8 September.

He's still measuring small, but his progress is good, which is no wonder because he has outgrown a few of his preemie babygrows.  We dressed him in his first newborn outfit last week!  Most of them are still huge on him though but we'll get there.  I think his weight is due to his length, seems like he's a tall baby :)

Length 53cm
Weight 4,010kg

Here's a picture of the red lump (reaction to vaccinations):

The first newborn outfit that fits: