Just over six months with our little boy

It is almost Christmas, our first one with Will. The last six months have passed by so quickly, so much fun, but so challenging. We enjoy waiting for all the developmental stages, especially the real food stage which we are just entering now. As long as you remember it is just for fun at first it is easy to see the funny side when the food just gets splashed around all over the place, and when Will pulls funny faces at new flavours.

We have the usual ups and downs with small phases of cold free good health and good sleep, followed more often than not by several colds in succession and terrible nights for sleep. We are just over three weeks now where Nicky has had virtually no sleep with Will getting progressively louder in his grumping. Nobody in the house can sleep now :-(

On the flip side he smiles all the time during the day and is learning new tricks all the time. We also get to do all sorts of activities with him, a few weeks ago I went to water babies with them both and saw Will in his wetsuit :-)

I hope we all have a good Christmas and that Will's cold gets better very soon and he sleeps better so we are all rested and well again. It will be good to see all the family and let them all enjoy playing with the little lad.

So far it has been a reasonable attempt to balance work and life to ensure I see enough of Will and am around to help Nicky out enough. Its all fun!

The Words of Will

Something my dad did for us kids was to keep a book of words (or more accurately noises) we made and more or less when we made them. To keep with the family tradition I want to do the same thing. So here goes.

I actually think Will's first word was the same as my first word, 'aboo'. Not sure what it meant for me or him, but there you go.

Other words:

- agoo
- abyss
- acar
- boop

I actually have video footage of him from yesterday saying 'aboo' :-)

I will periodically update this so I don't forget things Will says.

Update (late 2010):

More words of Will, as accurately depicted as possible:

- Oh David (honestly, that is exactly what it sounded like)
- Ewooow
- Ah ah
- Hurkeekoo

Update (February 2011):

- Baa baa baa baaa (spoken as if a Lord at the House of Lords)
- Dada

Update (Feburary 2012):

- Dad dad (all the time :-) )

- Acidic Boo (sounding like a Morta Kombat finishing move)

- Ninny (meaning music) has just evolved into Didic

- M (meaning milk - pronounced Ma) has just evolved into Mutt which I find funnier

Update (October 2012):

- The moon is following me
- Loot since late Spring/early Summer (meaning look)
- Holt since late Spring/early Summer (meaning Hulk)

Update (December 2012):

[On the way back from hospital very poorly with ear infection and tonisilitis]

W: 'Daddy are you happy ?'
D: 'Yes Will I am happy, I am very proud of you, you are such a good boy.'
W: 'Daddy are you my friend ?'
D: 'Yes Will, I am your friend, I am your daddy and I love you.'
W: 'We've got everything we need.'

- Stoody [we are not sure what this means but he usually calls daddy this] he has been saying this since ~ August September 2012

Life is hectic

Somehow though I found a way to get hold of Red Dead Redemption, which turns out to be a beautiful game, in terms of scenery, and pretty good in terms of story too. My evenings generally start when Will and Nicky have gone to bed these days, which is a bit too late in all honesty :-)

Will is keeping us busy. Still feeding like a monster, and shrieking when he does not get his way. He actually slept from 9 till 5:50 on Tuesday night, we were amazed. Quickly back to his usual patterns again though the next night.

We are looking forward to a little holiday in late September. It will be good to take Will down to Bournemouth and spend some time round the beautiful South Coast.

Our little was weighed at 14lb 3 oz at nine weeks, so is still gaining plenty of weight :-) He started grabbing things about a week ago, and shakes his rattle.

Will is almost two months old

It is amazing really how fast things are happening. I thought I had better keep a log of things to help me remember all that we would want to about this time in our lives.

First of all, the photos and movies are in the usual places, I keep them up to date a little bit more often than this blog.

So, on on to things I want to remember.

- rolling from front to back at nine days old, I think he could have done it younger but I was too worried as a brand new parent to put him on his front :-)
- first smile on camera at six weeks old exactly, he had smiled before but it is difficult to catch
- at six weeks old Will was 12 lb 1 oz
- at seven and a bit weeks Will has started trying to talk to us quite often, he had made noises at us before but we did not think he was deliberately responding

All of this is great, but Nicky is still definitely having a hard time, he still wants to feed hourly, and fights sleep all day long when he really could do with getting a bit more.

Will goes through his tests

Today was a busy day for Will, he had his 10 day checkup at the doctors... closer to 14 day really but never mind. He passed with flying colours. Then he had his hearing screening done by the health visitor... again no problems. Nicky and I were very pleased.

We have definitely classified Will as a hungry baby though... feeding every hour. On the flip side though, although he fights sleep all day, he has had a good couple of nights... hopefully a sign of things to come :-)

Also very positive he is gaining weight nicely, at one week, he had crept back up to 7lb 5oz from his lowest of 7 lb 2oz... just 70 hours later he was 7lb 10.5oz.. amazing.

I started an all Apple web presence solution, its just the easiest way, anyhow, website on its way, and over at mobile me some movies of Will.

Our son Will was one week old today

We can't believe how fast time is flashing past, probably the lack of sleep :-) We have already had a load of worry, as first time parents I understand this is perfectly normal. The good news is he is feeding well, and starting to get back towards his birth weight. It is amazing how well Nicky has taken to motherhood. I am struggling to keep up with things but trying hard.

More photos below:

First walk and top and tail

First visitors

Will meets his cousin Ethan

Fathers day and first bathtime

Tomorrow we are going to register Will, so we need to figure out his middle name(s).

Our baby son was born today

Today at 09:55 our son Will was born. He weighed 7 lb 13 oz. The birth was quick but not easy, mother and son are recovering well. I am hopefully going to pick them up tomorrow. I can't believe this day has arrived. He is an amazing little baby, and Nicky and I are both already completely in love with him.

For Nicky and I this is a dream come true. After our sad news last summer, we have worked hard for this, and Nicky in particular has been a star. I am so proud of her. Here are some pictures.

I am looking forward to seeing them both again and I only just left the hospital :-)

The nursery is complete

Tomorrow Nicky will be 36 weeks, so after a small panic now our nursery is complete, photos at flicker. This is both exciting, and extremely scary. There are piles of tiny nappies in the wardrobe. Yep, that room used to be mine! How times are changing!

Thats about the only DIY I have ever enjoyed :-)

33 today, baby just a couple of weeks away

Life is changing rapidly. Nicky is doing just fine with the pregnancy, and we are now only 5 - 9 weeks away from the big day. We have been busy heading out to Ikea to buy cots and matresses, chests of drawers, little outfits. We have a car seat, a pram, piles of nappies. Life is definitely changing.

We had a reality check this week too when our friends Carl and Lorraine had their little baby, five weeks early, all are ok, but it made us realise we may not have as long as we think!

We are both handling things quite well, relaxed and happy, I hope everything turns out well, and the sleepless nights do not go on for as long as people say :-)

I am an uncle at 32 (almost 33)

So I became an uncle on 23rd March. First time for me. Went to meet my nephew Ethan. He is a cute little baby. Good as an angel during the day, and according to my little sister Heidi, a nightmare at night at the moment. Hopefully things will settle down for them all over the coming weeks.

This makes reality hit home, now that Nicky and I are getting closer to the big day, (14th June apparently)!

I am getting old :-)