The Difference a Month Can Make!
Watch the boy grow...
When Vincent came flying into this world on the 20th of February 2013, he was 53cm long and weighed in at 2.785kg (6 pounds 2 ounces!). That is quite a considerable length for such a tiny weight and the result was one very skinny little old man. Apparently high blood pressure Mum's are not only known for ridiculously quick labours but also skinny babies. Vincent and his entry into the world, most definitely fit that profile.
Ehhhhhh...xcellent! Vincent regularly channeled Mr Burns from the day he was born. His big expressive hands very quickly became one of our favourite features of our little man. And those feet! So long! They never had a chance of fitting into the 00000 outfits that his skinny little body required.
Hehehe. I LOVE that photo. Makes me giggle every-time. Even as a brand new little bub he had a lot of personality. I have fond memories in the first month of little Vinnie waking me up for a feed in the middle of the night, having successfully wriggled out of his muslin wrap, and half way up the bassinet basket - skinny arms and legs riding an invisible bike to the sound of his funny little grunting noises. Eh-eh, eh-eh, eh-eh.
Looking back through these photo's is really confronting. At the time I knew he was thin. Normally a fan of chubby babies, I was surprised to find myself completely in love with his skinny-ness. I even found myself wishing that he wouldn't lose those thin limbs. I loved him just the way he was. Fast-forward 3 months and it turns out that I think he is gorgeous in any size. Like any Mum (I'm a Mum!) - I might be biased, but he is just so beautiful 100% of the time. I even love his poop. But I have to admit, he looks scary skinny in these photo's, but beautiful none-the-less.
Mid-sneeze!
Whilst I'm on the topic of fond memories and favourite things, above is photographic evidence of Vincent stretching. What might look like a poor choice of photo, is actually a moment caught in time that I wanted documented. I said before, that he is a grunter. The boy is also a stretcher. Combine the two and you have one of the cutest things this boy is capable of (other than simply existing). Pick him up out of bed - stretch. Out of his bouncer - stretch. Out of his car seat - stretch. Pick him up full stop - stretch. Makes Adam and I melt every time. It's hard to catch it on camera, because it's always when he is in my arms - so I was stoked when I caught it on film digital file to keep forever. Stretching seems like such a grown up thing to do, I couldn't help but find myself saying 'oh, he thinks he is human'... oh wait he is. Old habits die hard, I used to say that about my fur baby Leo!
Fast forward one month, and Mini Vinnie was no more. Even with the challenge of throwing up constantly, he was still managing to pack on the pounds at an impressive rate of 500 grams a week. Easter was pretty full on for us. Our previously content little boy, was struggling big time with proper acid reflux, throwing up all day, every day and what was hardest to handle was how much pain he was in. We were supposed to have a baby that was becoming more engaged and interactive, but instead it was a constant run of brief sleeps, spew, feeds, and distressed crying. We weren't getting any chance to enjoy each other. By the end of Easter Saturday I was pretty strung out and on the phone to 13HEALTH desperate for medical advice. Vincent is now properly medicated for his reflux, and when it kicked in - it was like we had a totally different baby. Back to the boy we had at the start, he was happy, sleeping well and feeding better - a much more content little man.
Cracking it. Taking these photo's was somewhat traumatic, so the photo session didn't last long. As can be expected, there were some unflattering photo's of Vincent vomiting mid-shoot, and from then on he was unhappy. Needless to say, it didn't last long. And there was zero happy wash basket photo's.
At two months old Vincent was much happier in his basket this time around. He was also sleeping through the night, which makes for a very happy Mum. I didn't teach him... he did it himself. We now have a steady routine of feeding anywhere between 930pm-11pm (usually whatever time I am going to bed) and he will sleep through til 630-7am. You don't have to tell me - I know I am spoilt.
Vincent discovered his tongue this month, during the photo shoot it seemed all he wanted to do was stick his tongue out and lick his arm muscle. Doesn't make for great photo's, but I did my best - and let's face it, it is him, as he was - right at that moment.
At three months Vin is becoming very skilled at rolling from his back to his side, bringing his hands together and eating anything that he can get those now chubby little hands on. Even his owl puppet was not safe.
Body Slam! Trying out his moves as a pro-wrestler.
My muscly chubby bunny. So deliciously edible. Kinda looks like he is pulling dance moves in these photo's.
We are enjoying getting to know our boy as he grows and develops more and more of a personality. Another of my motherly dreams came true the other day when I blew a raspberry on his bare belly and he cackled. I remember seeing my Mum doing it to my brothers, and now I was able to have that experience with my own son. I would LOVE a big family, I always planned to have four kids. The older I got, and when the need for IVF threw a spanner in the works, I could see that it possibly wasn't going to happen for us and I mourned that potential loss. With each embryo transfer that didn't take, I began to wish and beg fate for just one. Please, give me one. And now I have my one! And I am so grateful. Whilst I know I'll be sad if I can't have any more, I feel complete because I have Vincent. I have my one that made me a Mum :)
