Patagonia Baby

15 weeks and 2 days

2009-10-18T07:44:00.003+11:00

I was 15 weeks on Friday.
I am feeling better but have the occasional spew every now and then. I an go for a week feeling good and then it hits me in the morning, after breakfast the unpleasant feeling of something wrong in my body and then it comes up like yellow clearish liquid. Very acidic and makes my teeth feel soft as it hits them. Not very nice to think about, to write about, but all part of being pregnant.

Belly
My belly has started to pop out and I should get a photo, as I have a photo of being 15 weeks with Joaquin. It would be interesting to note the difference.
I already at times feel I have a heavy belly and it is unconfortable.
How will I be when I am ready to pop?

Food
I am eating most foods, but am not into meats at all. I eat small meals at dinner as I feel bloated easily.
For breakfast I have 2 wheetbix and bran and some honey. No coffee or tea.
For lunch usually a sandwich sometimes a salad. In the early pregnancy end of first trimester I craved salads. Now I am not sure. I love the salads that they make at the University. But i am not sure if I should even eat them. I also had a cooked tuna and avocado sushi roll on Friday. I hope that is ok.

Hormones
My hormones are back with a vengance. This means I get upset easily. But not too upset. I was not upset or did not really even cry during the first semester. Now I can get upset easier over simple things, but it is not too common.

Energy Levels
My energy levels have increased dramatically in the last few weeks. From week 7 to week 12 I felt so tired and could not really walk around and just stayed on the lounge all night and was in bed by 9pm.
Now i am gradually walking, to the beach, to the park, to Joaquin's daycare, to Uni. I have more energy, it is still hard walking up hills here in Coogee.
I have more energy to cook, clean the house and look after Joaquin and do my own things.
Going to Uni Mondays and Friday trying to finish paper. Have finished application for CONICET, yeahhh, it was worse than having morning sickness for 3 months. Terrible agony for myself and my family. Glad it has been sent and is now in the hands of the CONICET people.

Dreams
At the end of first semester and now I have been having weird dreams.
I had a dream that I was in bath or big pool with 2 snakes, and I knew I had to lie still so it would not bite me. In the end one did bite me on the ankle and there were 2 holes pierced into my skin like vampire bites. I had to go to hospital, I was worried about the baby, being pregnant. At first nothing happened but my leg started to indent and go bumpy and they put me on a drip. I do not know if i made it I think I was ok. Then I woke up.
I dreamt a lot in the first trimester with my grandmother Abuela Sara and sometimes with my Abuela Maida. It was nice and so real.
I dream about Jason.
I have dreamt about Joaquin.
Some are so vivid when I wake up I think they were real, and I did experience them. But now I can not remember them.

How I am feeling
I am feeling more energized and want to clean and organise my life and home.
I do not know what will happen if we will have the baby here or in Argentina.
I do not feel so attractive but got my hair dyed two weeks ago and a pedi and wax, the beautician was also pregnant due in March with her firs.
I felt really good after that pamper.
Today I am going to Mary's wedding, so I have to pamper myself a bit. Need to do a bit more washing. But my life is nearly organised.

I have Scans and appointments at the hospital in Early November, not long now. It is all going so fast this pregnancy.

10 weeks

2009-09-09T14:17:00.004+10:00

Based on my Early pregnancy Scan I am 10 weeks today. Based on the first day of my last pm cycle, I am 10 weeks on Friday.
I am at uni, feeling ok, had chicken soup for lunch with some thin noodles, but did not eat the chicken bits. Felt sick this morning at the same time I was being dropped off at Uni by Jas who was about to go shopping with Joaquin.
Jas has been sick with a very strong flu, that gave him high temps and made him stay in bed for a few days. He is feeling better today but has dull headaches, maybe the tamiflu and the antibiotics.
The Dr gave him tamiflu on Sunday after we saw her, just in case as I am pregnant and gave me a packet for safe keeping. I have been feeling more energized lately and less sick. Still tired at night, still want to sleep at 9pm. I am quite mean to Jas as I do not want cuddles or hugs or any thing that will wake me from my sleep. Then I wake at maybe 12 or 1 or 2 for toilet break and then can not get back to sleep for a long while. Then on the dot I wake at 7.30am or even if i am lucky at 8am. Joaquin also wakes at the same time as me calling "Mummy" or "Daddy" or even "Help" or "Help me". This morning he was very upset with a sore finger, and kept saying "ouch" all morning, he had a small very small cut on his index finger, we tried to put bandaids and cream and he got very upset. Jas had to put a bandaide on his finger to show Joaquin it would not hurt.

6 weeks and 1 day

2009-08-15T09:25:00.004+10:00

Joaquin is now 25 months old, he is a beautiful, kind-hearted little boy and very smart. He is always saying please mum and thanks dad. He knows a lot of words, he relates things all the time, and he has a wonderful memory even maybe photographic. He sleeps very well all night in his little Ikea bed and we are madly in love with our son. He loves going to the park with Jas these last few weeks that Jas has been at home and not at work, looking after Joaquin.
The weather has been beautiful in Sydney this last month and it is meant to be hot this weekend today and tomorrow.

So I am 6 weeks and 1 day pregnant with my second one.
This morning I woke up with a bit of a sore head and sore lower back. I hope that is not something bad.
Last night I made chicken soup for dinner and was feeling nauseous while I was making it. During dinner I had a sore head, a head ache. I really do not get head aches I wonder if this is all part of the pregnancy.
I am eating ok, Nausea started this week but I am not off foods yet just cautious of what I eat.
At uni I just have a sandwich with cream cheese and a slice of cheese, and throughout the day drink a lot of water and have a mandarin or apple and a banana.
I guess I am taking it easy but I feel overweight and bloated already.

3 weeks and 6 days pregnant

2009-07-30T21:30:00.004+10:00

It is J's 35th Bday and I did another pregnancy test and it was a bfp (big fat positive) I term that women use on the pregnancy/baby forums. I think J is convinced that we are pregnant. It is all very early days so I am a bit cautious about this. J still wants me to go to drs to confirm so I have a drs appoinment on Saturday the 1st August so we will see then. SO far only symptoms I have had is a lot of saliva in my mouth, that at times I can not sleep as it clogs my throat and I have some immsomia too.
I went to Uni today, I did not make a cake for Js bday but I think he is happy that we are going together on another little adventure.

3 weeks and 4 days

2009-07-28T21:02:00.004+10:00

I just did a pregnancy test behind Js back and it was positive. The second red line was faint but it was there. I am 4 weeks and 4 days pregnant and I knew I was pregnant last week. My periods are not due till Friday 31st and J said not to do a test until Friday but I can not wait.
We just got back from the Hunter and from our six weeks holiday. It is so good to be home, having a kitchen and sleeping in a soft clean bed, and not a tent. I mean the tent was nice but the bed is nicer. I have not been able to sleep at night and have weird thought and now I know why.
I know when all this happened, when the act to conceive the baby occurred. We were in Cairns, we were in a tent, Joaquin was asleep. I had made zucchini patters with potato mash, Joaquin had eaten a few while watching Diego and Dora on the LCD screen J had set up in the car. The tv shows are fed by an ipod system, quiet brilliant, and we can change and pick what he wants to see all trip.
We also had some left over fresh oysters J had bought at lunch, that we ate for lunch along with prawns. A very very yummy prawn sandwich. I did not have oysters and zucchini fritters, but J did and was quiet hyped. He talked to the guy staying in the camp-trailer who was heading up north on a fishing trip. He told the guy who was from Western Australia all the facts about fishing up north and catching bronze whalers. We had just been back from the north and heading south. Our 4-wheel drive was covered in red dust and was still red after J had washed it and vacuumed it at the car wash up the road.
Anyway that is the night it all happened, I had gone for a run at 7am. Left the tent and ran up the road to the hills behind the caravan park and felt really good all day.
Anyway from Cairns to Kurramine to Airlie Beach to 1770 to Bribie Island and Surfers Paradise I knew I was not feeling just right. I have been running in the mornings trying to train to City to Surf but I have been feeling bloated and can not sleep at night.
The first day of my lmp was Friday 3rd July, that makes the estimated birth date at 9 April 2010.

Joaquin is 18 months

2008-12-18T09:07:00.003+11:00

He is 18 months and had his vaccinations last Thursday (chickenpox). He was very brave and only cried after he saw the injection go into his arm, then he was fine after the nurse began to blow bubbles.
He is a very good little boy, very intelligent.
He understands when I speak to him in Spanish and when Jas speaks to him in English.
He understands when I tell him to put the placemats on the table in Spanish. He grabs them from my hand and puts them on the table one by one.
When he uses something he then puts it back. This happened yesterday he played with the brooms on the balcony and then when it was milk time before his afternoon sleep he saw the milk and then put the two brooms back to where he got them then ran to me to get his milk.
I love him so and can not believe this little one came from me.

Words he knows now
toast (he says toassht)
tostada
moon (he says mooooan)
luna
zapatos
shoes (he says shooos)
perro (he barks softly)
gato (he mioews so beautifully)
cat
horse (he clickity clacks)
today I heard him say mooo for cow in a book
pulpo (he says the pulpo for octopus)
puppy (he says so cutely poopy)
wombat (he knows what it is and brought us the wombat book last night when we asked him to say wombat, he says bomba)
agua (he says this word)
avion (he says this word)
camion (he says this word)
beer (he says this word)
tea (he says this word)
thomas (he says this word)
henry (from thomas the tank engine)
bird (he says berd)
mesa (he understands)
pera (for wait espera)
sentate (he understands and sits back down)
noooo
siiii
shakes his head for no
head forward for yes

At the beach with Joaquin

2008-12-06T15:01:00.001+11:00

We went to the beach this morning, it was very hot and by the time we had stopped at Clovelly shops to get a cafe and papers it was already 11 and the hottest part of the day.
The water was beautiful though and cooled us off immediately.
Joaquin was scared at first but loved it afterwards and could not get the smile of his face. He also played in the sand with his dadi.

18 months

2008-12-05T09:42:00.003+11:00

Joaquin is nearly 18 months, that means he is nearly 1 year and half, where has all the time gone?
Well he certainly is gowning.
He just had one wheetbix for breakfast with milk and his bottle (approx 200mls) before that, and now I am making some Vegemite toast for him.
I stopped breastfeeding approximately 3 weeks ago (the same time my rash came). I am very obsessed with this itchy scratchy ugly rash. Luckily through the day it does not itch just looks horrible. At night at about 4am it itches and I can't sleep.
He loves to play by himself but if I sit on the ground with him and play or watch him he comes up to me and gives me lots of kisses. How beautiful!
He loves to make trains out of the plastic blocks and push them along, actually he loves trains and loves Thomas the tank engine.
He is having his 18 months chickenpox vaccination next week, I hope he will be ok.
He had some diarrhoea last night and was not happy, even though he is eating well and I gave him some boiled rice with a tomato and cheese sauce and broccoli and zucchini.

Words at 18 months

2008-12-04T09:21:00.001+11:00

Words he has learnt the last month.

moon pronounced moaon
Luna he knows it means moon but says mooan instead for moon and points to the sky
toash for toast
shower for shower
bath for bath
siiiii for yes (nods)
nooo for no (moves head side to side)
boohbah for boohbah the tv children's show
toomash for thomas the tank engine
bob for bob the builder tv show
shoosh for shoes
meow for cat
browobrow for dog
choo choo for train
tren for train
yummmm for yumm
mmmm for yum
agua for water (has known this since he was in Argentina)
mami for mami
da dad for dadi
nani for nana
poppy for poppy
abule for grandparents abuelos (he learnt that over 2 months ago in Argentina)
pan for bread
sombrero and hat, knows what they mean and touches his head
avion for plane
areoplane for plane
pish for fish
du for ducks
dotdotot (the horse gallop sound) for horse
pera for espera (wait)

At home on the balcony

2008-12-02T09:14:00.001+11:00

This week J mum has come to visit and has looked after Joaquin while I go to uni and try to do things. But for me there is not enough hours in the day to do everything. The weather is starting to be nice and warm and after uni we played around on the balcony. Joaquin loves it outside and he has been a very good little boy for his grandmother (Nani).
It has been good for me to be able to go to the uni and get away a little, I still have the rash and I went to the gym and ran over 7km and the rash and little red dots got redder and very fired up. I hate this rash with a vengence. I think why me? But i guess it is relatively harmless and does not really hurt me or itch me.

Joaquin playing with chickens

2008-11-29T12:44:00.001+11:00

Having fun in the garden.
Feeding the chickens, collecting eggs, playing with the trucks in the sandpit.
Joaquin loves being outdoors, without shoes on. I am trying to get him to wear his hat at all times when out, he is trying and a good little boy.

November in Scone

2008-11-27T12:27:00.003+11:00

These are photos taken in Scone.
Jason is in the photos and Sophie, Joaquin's cousin who is 1 week older than Joaquin.

Joaquin at the beach

2008-11-12T08:10:00.005+11:00

We are back in Sydney and Joaquin loves being with his dada.
I am still trying to talk to him in Spanish but every now and then talk to him in English. he was deeply immersed in spanish when we were in Argentina so I have to continue talking to him so he understands spanish and my spanish accent.
He does understand me I think.
He still says Agua, and avion. He says si and noooo.
He is now saying

bob

for Bob the Builder when he looks at his bob the builder socks, and he is so infatuated with Thomas the Tank engine and says

Thomas

in a very musical sweet way when he sees Thomas the tank engine on tv or in his book.
I have been taking him down to the beach and park in the afternoon and on Monday we saw whales I think Humpback whales down at the beach swimming south for the summer to Antarctica. There were a lot of seagulls out at sea and probably a lot of fish around. I could not believe there were whales out there and I followed them around the headlands to the park at the top of South Coogee. I wish I had binoculars with me.
There is even a whale festival here in Sydney.
This is from here so one can recognize the whales by their blows

Joaquin also loves looking at the moon and saying Luna.
yesterday at the park he played on the slippery dip by himself going down it by himself and climbing up it by himself (without shoes is so much easier thanks to our natural grip on our feet). He also let me swing him on the swing and he was on the swing for about 10 min while I spoke to the other mums from my mothers group. He normally is scared of the swings and does not want to go on them.
we are teaching him to go to sleep by himself (well he knew how to do this but while in Argentina we began to rock him and sing to him and pat him to sleep). Now we (Jas and I) are trying to let him fall asleep in his cot by himself like he did when he was less than a year old. Well last night we did the usual bed time rituals, milk, teeth brushing then hugs and kisses and Jas put him in his cot and left him there while we waited in the other room. He cried for 30 seconds and there was silence and i think he fell asleep shortly afterward. Phewwww what a relief, we had a bucket on standby as at times in the past he makes himself vomit when he is left alone to cry it out. I think he is learning again how good it is to go to sleep and to try to sleep by yourself. He is now 17 months and looks older than the other bubs. He is still very tall. Yesterday he was playing with a little boy at the park (a 10 year old boy) and we were all watching him, and the boy picked him up and walked over to some other mothers and said "Is he yours". We all laughed and then I went over to him and said "He is mine, thanks". How sweet!

Puppet show with Joaquin

2008-10-12T20:14:00.000+11:00

Joaquin is saying a lot of new words
Agua
Abuelo
Abuela
He tries to say uno dos tres.
So he is learning spanish.I think he misses his dad alot and says Da da and wants his daddy to appear.
Jason, who is in Sydney misses him terribly too.
i think joaquin needs to see his dad
We went to a puppet show at 4pm at the Melipan yesterday. I really enjoyed it and so did Joaquin and my mum.
The show was called El Becado and was about a young clown that won a scholarship to a magic school. The teacher of the magic school was an old witch who ended up teaching him a few things and ending up finding love. There was scary part where the demon of dance starts to move and yell and blow fire, Joaquin was scared but watched the whole play from beginning to end.
He made friends with some of the little girls who had gone to see the play and when they called out his name he walked to them and hugged one of them.
Afterwards we went to the local Irish Pub, had a picada, Joaquin had some fritas and un tostado de queso y tomate. He loved being out and sitting in the booths eating, drinking out of glasses and watching the people practice tango.

He loves going out and playing in the garden, throwing rocks in the creek.

Joaquin en Esquel 16 meses

2008-10-08T23:42:00.004+11:00

Joaquin loves hanging out with the bookcase in his pjs and trying to find a good book to read

He is also very curious and wants to be in the kitchen when La abuela is cooking or cleaning. He loves pots and pans and forks and spoons and knows which drawer they are stored in and when he takes them out he puts them back in.

the name game

2008-09-17T07:04:00.002+10:00

I just found this post at Lovely Design and I have the same problem as Sharilyn and can relate to this.
Joaquin has his father's surname but not mine :(
I chose his name which is rather spanish but there are no indications to his russian-jewish roots in his name at all.

This is my brother, Joaquin and I at the carousel on Sunday night.

My parents, my brother Sebastian and Joaquin

Very busy busy

2008-09-17T06:39:00.001+10:00

This morning I got up at 4am and so far since Jason has left I have been very busy and it has all been a bit chaotic here at my parents place.
My brother also left for Cordoba ( a very long bus trip away to the north of Argentina) on Monday morning and it is just me the little one, my parents and my great aunt, as well as Bondi the dog. Coogee the dog came back to my parents place a few weeks ago, after going missing for 6 months. But last week a family came past our place and demanded their dog back. She had been lost and ended up befriending another family who kept her as a family pet(they call her Perla). My parents decided to let her go as the son of this family was so distraught without her and was crying outside the house wanting his dog back. Even though it has been my parents dog since she was a puppy and my parents desexed her and look after her and have taken her to the vet and have her registered under their care etc. In the end it was like the classical tale from the bible where the baby is claimed by two mothers and the King Solomon says something along the lines of as you both can not decide who is the real mother then I will cut him in two and give you each a half. One of the mothers was so distraugt she said No, do not do this, give him to the other mother. So the king realises this is the real mother of the child, the one who does not want any harm to occur to her child, who would rather her child be alive and well with another, than not.

I am so busy finishing some proofs for a paper, about to start on the presentations for a conference. At the same time I miss Jason so much, and we are not organised here, with Joaquin who wants to get into everything and walks around so much all day.I have been trying to find out about childcare for him, or daycare so he can go and play with other children his age for a few hours and I can do some work and it is not so much pressure on my parents who have so much to do too.

Things to do today:
Send email about proof before 9am
Add corrections to paper before 9am
Make a cover letter for fax before 9am
Send fax after 9am
Go to secretary at the daycare center between 2pm-5pm
Start gym (was meant to go at 9.30am this morning)
Write to confrence about accomodation
Write to friends who are going to conference
Do presentations for conference
Buy ticket for conference
Organise meals for Joaquin
Organise myself

photos from Esquel Sunday

2008-09-15T09:09:00.004+10:00

Waking up after an afternoon sleep on Sunday

Playing on Sunday afternoon

Merry-go round in the Plaza

Sunday morning in Esquel

2008-09-14T11:04:00.001+10:00

Joaquin is sitting quietly in his high chair having some vegemite toast (wholemeal bread made lovingly by my mother every morning), he already has had his oats and his bottle of milk and his morning breastfeed at 9am.
The racing cars are on tv, something my dad watches religiously every Sunday morning. Joaquin is watching the cars while eating his toast. He just said Dada and I think he misses his daddy.
He calls his grandfather ta-t-ta, after my dad yelled one day "Los perros se quedan afuera" (the dogs should stay outside) and Joaquin tries to mimic him but only gets ta tat ta ta ta ta. Now every day and moment he sees his granddad (abuelo) he says Ta-ta, so maybe my dad will be known as Abuelo Ta-ta.
Abuelo Ta-ta said he will take Joaquin down to the Arroyo Esquel with his tricycle after he has finished his breakfast and as it is sunny outside I think it is a good idea. I am trying to catch up on writing and finishing my proof for a paper that is about to be published. Jason is in bed hopefully sleeping well after arriving this morning. Jason has written a beautiful email and I miss him so much.
I am feeling not too good, with a sore blocked ear and remnants of a sore throat and Joaquin woke up during the night crying and I tried to breastfeed back to sleep but he breastfed then I put him in his cot and he cried and as I am sleeping in a bed next to him he sees me there and calls out for me. So i finally got him to sleep by moving the cot with my hand, rocking it and he actually liked that and went to sleep.
I think he is still tired this morning, as he was upset when I opened the door of tha cabin with the keys, he wanted to have the keys and open the door himself. He then walked over to the car and tried to open the boot with the house keys. He is such a funny little boy, very persistent, and he knows what he wants. He is very creative and wants to learn about his world around him so much. At the same time he is cautious about what he does and actually thinks about things, you can tell by his facial expression and his eyes.

Friday the day you went away

2008-09-12T23:16:00.004+10:00

Jas has left on a bus to Bariloche (4 hours) and then will be flying to Buenos Aires, then to Santiago in Chile, then to Auckland in New Zealand and then to Sydney in Australia. What a long trip and I miss him terribly. I do not know how I am going to handle this time apart, I do not know how Joaquin will handle it.
I would like to write something every day about Joaquin so Jas can read it and find out what his little son has been up too.
When we got back from the bus station we were all very sad, Joaquin has been saying dadi dadi quite a bit, he waved to Jas as Jas was on the bus, and later Jason has confessed to me how upset he was as the bus left the station on the way to Bariloche.
Once at home we gave him a bottle and I put him back to sleep in his cot. He slept till 10am and then all day I spent in front of the computer waiting and watching the airports web pages the arrivals and depatures of each plane that was carrying my Jas further and further away from me.
He caught all his planes well and should be arriving at 7pm (Saturday night) Argentinian time in Sydney. We miss you Jas get home safely please!!!

in patagonia with Joaquin

2008-09-10T04:10:00.004+10:00

In Patagonia,
In Esquel, with my family.
Joaquin is asleep in the cabin, he is sleeping only one sleep a day but I think he is still very tired. He does sleep well at night, going to sleep at 9.30pm and waking up at 9am already full of beans.
He is a very funny little boy, he loves to put crayons together and likes to pile things of similar structure together.
Yesterday he was playing with the crayons on a cushion and lined them up together.
He can hold a pencil and we all saw him walking around with my mother's notebook and a pencil making notes holding the pencil in his hand as if he was taught at school, yet he is only 15 months old. He knows how to draw with crayons on paper as well.
He is eating well and still enjoys veges with tomato based sauce.
Jas and I think it is so cute how he calls Jas "Dadi" with such a strong English accent. Were does he get that from?

15 month mile stones

2008-09-08T03:11:00.005+10:00

We are in Esquel... Patagonia visiting my parents los abuelos.
These photos were taken the other day just by the Arroyo Esquel (Esquel stream) that is 50 meters from my parents house. It has been very cold and there is a lot of snow on the mountains around Esquel.
Joaquin is nearly 15 months old, time is passing so fast.
He is walking very well nearly running.
He is also saying a few words.
As of today he can say
Dadi(for Jas)
Mumi (for me)
Tatatatata (for el abuelo y to say Los Perritos se van afuera)
nana for banana
ba for bath
Abue (for Abuela y Abuelo)
Nan for Grandma Gemma
Mia for mine (mia mia mia)
He can build a tower of more than two block
He throws out the toys of the bath when he sees me with a towel about to get him out of the bath.
He is scared of bowling balls and any bowling show on tv (We were watching a movie with Woody Harrison and bowling and an Amish bowler and he got scared and Sofovich on Argentinian tv with a bowling show and he cried when he saw the bowling ball knock over the pins.
He knows how to do high fives or dame un cinco
He shakes hands
He loves to dance
he loves to twist around and turn on one leg.
He loves to kiss himself in the mirror.
He is learning to blow kisses with his hands and also by putting a one finger to his mouth and blowing a kiss
he loves kissing mami and dadi good night.
He hands over his milk bottle when he has finished to mum or dad.
He knows how to change channels and work a remote control.

hardworking mothers

2008-08-04T15:18:00.001+10:00

Inspiration of a hard working successful mother:
J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Potter book series, delivers her Commencement Address, “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination,” at the Annual Meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association.
Listen or read here speech here

I found that link here at this blog about another hardworking mother who writes from Australia.

super woman supermum

2008-08-03T07:50:00.005+10:00

I wish I was able to write well, elegantly, even eloquently, without spelling errors and more than anything to tell my story in a short easy entertaining way. Well it probably ain't going to happen any time soon, so I will stick with the way I know, and hopefully one day if i have time I can do a creative writing class. Something I was thinking about doing.
Anyway instead of writing well, I am trying to be a better mother everyday and trying to do paleontology but that is not working out too well being a mother and all, looking after a growing 13 month old, nearly 14 month old.
It is very hard, maybe I am not as passionate. I do like paleontology and looking at bones and teeth and learning something new everyday but I have no one really to help me look after Joaquin when I am at uni.
I did take him to family day care but after last week I am taking him out of there.
I do have a friend that comes over on Friday to help but somehow I stay at home with her and hang out instead of going to the uni or sitting on the computer to do work. I am hopeless. But I love my little son who is walking now, more than 10 steps at a time. He is growing up, and I know he would be proud to know I did paleontology while looking after him.
But It is so hard.
Like Alicia Keys sings so beautifully in her song I am a superwoman

Just a bit of venting here when I should be in bed waiting for the little man to wake up and in the arms of my Jas.

Saturday night

2008-08-03T07:00:00.003+10:00

Last night was quite good out. We went to the pub with a few friends for another friend's party. Joaquin had a ball, he flirted with women and even got to play the pokies. Not not really! However he did hang out with my friends, and was very smitten with a particular lady who we all just met: N boyfirend's flatmate. She was playing with him on the lounge and talking to him and he just talked and hugged her and forgot about his parents "Mama and Da Da".
He was walking around a lot, thankfully instead of crawling on the dirty pub carpet. He really wanted to walk to the poker machine room, even though children are not allowed inside. I wonder WHY?, bright lights from the poker games may attack children to want to play and live the rest of their life gambling in a smoke-free alcohol ridden establishment. RRRrrrrRR isn't that want pubs want? Future gamblers, future drinkers.

We had dinner at the pub. Joaquin had fish and chips, from Jas's plate. I on the other hand tried to go a bit fancy and ordered noqui with pesto, olives and chicken and realised "Never order anything that is not pub food at a pub, no noqui, no pasta, no fancy shmancy, just chips, fish, burgers, steaks. When in Rome do as the Romans. I keep forgetting that. I do.
Well Joaquin was very sociable with everyone and had rosy cheeks and a smile on his face most of the night. My friend latter confessed to me that my son "is a credit to me and my partner, as he is confident and sociable and really happy little boy". Ahaa that is nice, makes me feel good in the tummy... nice.
I hope he is happy, I hope we are good parents. Are we good parents taking our little boy to the pub on a saturday night where there are drinks and pokies and drunk people swearing and screaming? I do not know. No se. I honestly do not know.
We stayed at the pub till 9pm and at 9 Jas volunteered to take Joaquin home and get him ready for bed. He is a great dad and I on the other hand stayed at the pub and drank a gin and tonic and tried to enjoy myself sans family.
I did have fun reminiscing with my friend about our youth but I did secretly yearn to be at home with my two favourite boys, snuggled in bed. In the end I got a lift home with a friend and was at home by 12. Not a late night but it was good to get out. Joaquin was already sleeping and Jas was up watching a movie hanging out with his Iphone. He does not need me now, he has his beautiful black Iphone.

at home on saturday

2008-08-02T23:30:00.002+10:00

Today was a beautiful winters day, the sky was gorgeous blue and the sun out but a cool southern wind was blowing bringing icy cold air from the southern oceans.
I have been sensitive lately, and upset about little things. I try to keep the house clean, look after my son, I am trying to run and get fit and trying to do some paleontolgy.
I have so many things to do but in the end the pile just keeps growing just as the laundry. I even have began to iron Joaquin's clothes, and Jas mocks me saying that he "does not want me to be a domestic goddess". I do not know why I have started to iron, I guess I do not want to see my baby in wrinkly clothes nor for that matter do I want to see any family members in wrinkly clothes, but if someone has to take it for the team I guess I will stay in wrinkly un-ironed clothes and my two boys can be wrinkle free.

How do mothers do everything? How do they keep their clothes wrinkle free is a mystery to me. I should research this but then I would probably spend hours in front of the computer looking for blogs about ironing and women.

Anyway today was a great day. We started the day with scrambled eggs on toast made by J. S. A and Joaquin seemed to enjoy his. I do have to spread it on his toast so he mistakes it for vegemite, but I also was able to give him some in a spoon. He loves eating and watching morning tv JJJ (the music video show with the doctor) listening to music and dancing along in his high chair. He loves music.
After breakfast I managed to get an appointment with a hairdresser for Jas. Yes he was gay but his salon was around the corner and like I told Jas, "I would rather have my hair cut with a gay man than a woman", gay men have so much more style.
While he was having his locks treated, I stayed at home cleaning and trying to get over our little fight over putting clothes away. I asked Jas to put his clothes away and he said something to the extent "that I am bossy woman and why should he do as I say". Anyway after I threw all his clothes around the house in my hysterical fashion I calmed down and he was able to put his shoes on and go to the hairdresser, while i stayed sitting on the lounge feeling sorry for myself.
I was then able to get out of this ridiculous state and clean up and get ready to go outside with Joaquin, who was just playing on the ground unaware of our fights, well not really I am sure he knows when we fight and get upset.
In the end I texted him and we met up and I said sorry and asked him to also apologise for not listening to me or doing what I ordered. I just want a clean house, a clean bedroom that is my reason for being a cranky old fart.

After we said our sorrys we went for a walk up the road as I had to buy a friend a birthday present. Jas actually looks younger with his hair cut, clean cut and nerdish.
On our walk, while taking about how bad a person i am, and how Jason's hair looks Joaquin managed to get so bored with our conversation that he fell asleep and slept in his pram and we then managed to get to a cafe (Bellagio Cafe) and had lunch. Joaquin woke up and started to eat all my pumpkin salad even scoffing down some of the baby spinach. We ended up buying him a chicken and cheese sandwich on turkish and it was really good. I told Jas "this sandwich is way better than a subways one. The truth is, there is no comparison. Bellagio vs Subway, go with the one with the wanky name!
We are so pleased Joaquin is eating well now, I am so pleased more than anything, I think it is the Jewish mama coming out in me and I just want my son to eat and eat and eat!

We had a lazy afternoon walking home in the wind. At home Jas played with his Iphone and like Dooce says in her blog:
"Interestingly, I have received a dozen or so emails from male readers of this site that said something to the tune of yes, sex is good, but it doesn't come close to the iPhone. And then the signature of the email would say SENT FROM MY IPHONE 3G. Ladies, I think I just stumbled across our salvation".
I think Jas likes his Iphone more than me at the moment, he plays with it in bed and then when he turns off the light then he hugs me.

At 4.30pm a friend came over with the excuse to use my toilet as she was in the area. She played with Joaquin and I was just about to put him down for a sleep, he became super excited and then I handed him to Jas and said "Byee! I am going for a coffee with my friend can you put him down for a sleep?" See I am a bad mother. The truth is I felt a bit liberated being out without my little one, sometimes it is good, sometimes it feels as all my legs and arms and organs are missing when he is not there. In the end Jas told me how hard it was to put him down as he just wanted to play and then when J took his toys away from his cot he cried and roared like a lion until he fell asleep. He is going through a faze, fighting any time he has to sleep in the afternoon. As he is more mobile, he is walking and I think may be thinking " I can walk now, why should I sleep like all the other babies during the day? Let me play Mama and Da Da, I do not want to sleep!"
I may have to start to put him down for a sleep a bit earlier say 4pm and not 4.30-5.00. He is overtired by then and just does not want to sleep, he wants to play and smile and talk in his cot. We have to hold him down as he want to get up and stand up in his cot and sleep. I read in the baby bible that at 13 months they do need a few hours of sleep through the day and the best option if they are not wanting to sleep is to get them obviously in a routine, wine them down before they go to sleep such as reading a story in a darkened room, and then put them down at the same time every day and if they want to play then simply just take away their toys and let them cry. Well Jas did that and he slept over an hour in the afternoon and we were able to get ready to go down to the pub for my friend's party.

pjs in Sydney

2008-07-31T04:05:00.000+10:00

This is Joaquin in Sydney in his pjs, they are getting small on him. He loves to play on the ground and always has something to do. He is starting to walk well but keeps his arms up while he walks for balance.

Joaquin is 13 months and a half

2008-07-23T22:14:00.002+10:00

Today we had a wonderful day, Joaquin and I. He is feeling much better and is a happy happy boy. I had breakfast some porridge at 8am and he woke up at 9.30. A friend had called and wanted to have some breakfast at the beach. She came over and we finished dressing him and I gave him a bottle and we went down to Coogee Beach and went to Globe cafe. He was so happy to leave the house, with a big smile on his face and he was quite content to be with my friend E, at first a little clingy to me calling me Ma-ma and wanting to come to me. Then he warmed to E, which is a good sign he is feeling better.
At the cafe we both had a delicious Halomi stack (toast with poached eggs, spinach, halomi and some pesto) it was really really nice. I do not think I could make it as nice and Joaquin had some Vegemite toast. He ate most of it.

Then we went for a little walk and I walked down to his music class which is only a block away from the cafe. It was drizzling by then so we all got a little wet, and once inside the class I took of his bomber jacket and put on a hoodie.
He liked the music class, he sang, and clapped his hands, and looked at the babies, he played with the drums and shakers. He banged on the drums with the shakers and I really do think he knows what Jules the teacher is doing and tries to do some of the same things but gets carried away with all the activity around him. Other mothers and babies from my mother's group were there so it is nice.

After music class a few of the mums went to another mums house for lunch. I had brought along lunch, left over meat curry with beans and rice. He was happy to play and he ate most of his lunch while playing with the two other babies and trying to open cupboards in the kitchen.
He did not have his morning sleep so we left at around 2pm and on the way home in the pram he fell asleep. When I got home I tried to get him out of the pram without him waking to walk down the stairs but he awoke and I knew he would not go back to bed. So i tried but he did not want to go back to sleep, so we played and I started to cook for dinner. I made a chuck steak and eggplant beef stew in the crock pot. I then gave him a bottle and put him in his cot, he did not seem too tired but I knew he was and a few minutes later he was asleep. He slept from 4 to 6 and by the time he awoke Jas was home but we decided not to go running.

bath time

2008-07-21T22:05:00.000+10:00

Joaquin loves having a bath. we still bath him in the baby bath and he just plays and splashes. He loves to play with the bath hose, and Jas blows into it making a lot of noise and bubbles.
He also loves to get into the shower and play with the door of the shower, trying to open and close it.

Sunday in Scone

2008-07-20T23:53:00.003+10:00

Today we stayed and played at Jas parents place.
Joaquin's cousins came over to visit and we also went to visit his other cousins.
They all live here in this small town in the Upper Hunter.
He really likes L and when she came over there was a lot of hugging going on so I manged to take some photos. Very cute indeed.

His other older girl cousin Lily, also is a bit smitten over Joaquin. We went to visit them and she pushed him around in their toy electric car and kept saying "It;s flat" as it did not have a battery.
At four pm we left and gave Joaquin a sleep and got ready to pack to go drive back home. We bathed Joaquin when he woke up and stayed for dinner. After dinner we left it was about 7pm and I was a bit anxious in getting home so late. But Jas is good at driving at night, I just think of all the kangaroos out there ready to jump on the road.
Just before 8pm we stopped at Freeman's waterhole for petrol and there was a trucked parked along side and I knew there were cattle in there. I saw a few little noses try to poke out from above the side of the truck. Immediately my heart sank for them and I feel so guilty eating beef. Joaquin was tired by then so i gave him a bottle while Jas paid for the petrol. He was whingeing and crying and the cattle seemed to be listening to him as they stopped stamping their feet in the truck. Joaquin slept from 8 onwards. I vowed not to eat beef again after seeing the cattle truck, I think it was filled with young male cattle. We finally arrived home at 10.30pm and were all very tired and I breastfed Joaquin and then he went straight to sleep.

Saturday in Scone

2008-07-19T21:36:00.005+10:00

We drove up last night to visit Jas parents in the Upper Hunter. Joaquin was very good on the drive up and he slept more that half way. He watched some Wiggles on my phone that Jas had put on there. We had dinner made by Jas's parents when we arrived and that was good after the long trip.

Saturday morning was good. Joaquin slept most of the night without waking and had a good breakfast. I think Joaquin is starting to feel much better. Today he played outside with Ozzie the cat while Jas cleaned his car. He went to see the horses with his pop and played on the swings with his pop. He ate well for the first time in over 2 weeks.
He looks a bit thin in these photos but he was very happy to get out of our house and go for a drive.

We had a family dinner Saturday night and all his cousins came over and played. Joaquin loves all of them. There was a lot of playing and Jas really gets into it, playing hide and seek. He took Joaquin with him in his arms as he was hiding and seeking and told me later how much Joaquin liked it.

Things Joaquin likes to do at 12 months

2008-06-24T07:18:00.007+10:00

Things that Joaquin likes to do
He likes to play with the computer mouse.
He loves to put the keys in the lock and started to try to do this at 8 months after seeing us open the door with keys. He loves to play with keys.
He loves playing with dad and putting little toys in dad's mouth so then Jas spits them out.
He loves playing in the shower.
He loves his bath and playing with the plastic shower head.
He plays with the animal magnets on the fridge.
He loves the book "There is a possum in the house" and turns the pages always turning the page so he can examine the front of the book.

He likes walking with the firetruck

He loves being held while watching one of us cook in the kitchen, and watches intensely as each activity is undertaken when cooking
He likes putting his hands in glasses with water
He loves the broom, and crawls really fast to the kitchen when he hears one of us sweeping
He loves pressing buttons
He loves playing with the phone
He likes to play with cars

He likes to put things through holes
He loves playing with objects that have cords on them
He tries to operate the microwave
He loves to watch music videos and sits there to watch it
He likes music a lot
He likes to watch Dougie in Disguise, Play school, Booh Bah, Wiggles and learn (from The Wiggles)
He loves trying to take my glasses off and tries to put them back on
He waves a lot
He waves when it is time to go to sleep
He laughs at silly noises

Joaquin is sick

2008-06-23T07:07:00.003+10:00

Today we have stayed at home and Joaquin did not go to family day care nor I to the uni. Instead I stayed with him and took him to the doctors as he is sick. He has a rash on his legs, arms, and a few dots on his ears and other parts of his body. He has not been eating well and does not want to bf at all which makes me feel slightly bad. The doctor that saw him was the same one that saw him when he was born from around the corner. She did not recognise him but did say something along the lines of "Time has gone quickly".
The doctor looked at his mouth, his ears, listened to his heart, took his temperature, looked at his dots or rash and said he was just sick because of a virus. He did not have a temperature just a bit red at the back of his throat. I think he has some small sores or ulcers on his tongue as he does not want to eat or suck his bottle or bf.
Yesterday i managed to feed him some cereal for breakfast, a few bottles of milk, a piece of cheese, a yoghurt, 2 bites from a bread stick, some chicken soup with bread croutons and some more bottles of milk plus water.
He was acting happier though and wanted to play all day, he did not cry much nor get upset when i left the room. He smiled at strangers at the doctor's and smiled a lot at me. He came up to me throughout the day during his play to hug me.
He woke up a few times last night and each time I wanted to bf he got upset, Jas was able to calm him and get him back to sleep in his cot. I think he woke up 3 or 4 times throughout the night crying, poor little thing.
He had two sleeps about an hour each sleep but did not bf. I hope he gets better. I am not feeling too crash hot as well and feel I have ulcers on my tongue too. Must be all the bad food from all the parties we have had and been going too.
I do not think it helped that I gave him hot "salty" chips last Friday and some of B's chocolate brownie.

Saturday at home

2008-06-21T17:01:00.002+10:00

I made a spinach and cheese pie with fetta cheese and brown rice. Joaquin had a slice of the pie and ate it with gusto as well as a mandarine.
He loves mandarines. He is not feeling himself and had a bit of fever. All the babies from my mother's group are a little sick.
We went shopping today, he went with his dad in the shopping trolley and cried when I went away. I bought some boots and then carried him around Westfield shopping center at Bondi Junction. I wanted to buy him some shoes and he has no shoes with soft soles to walk or practice getting around in. But in the end we had been at the shops for 2 hours and Joaquin had a bit of a fever, he had a warm forehead so we drove home. I gave a bread stick (grissini) in the car and sat with him the back seat, scared he would choke. He was ok and enjoyed nibbling on it with his front teeth. When he got to the end bit I took it from him and ate it, as I did not want him to stuff it in his mouth.
When we got home, Jas bathed him and I got the onions and tomatos ready to make a pizza.
Jas made pizza with his new pizza stone and it was quite delicious. Joaquin had a whole slice but I cut it up in small bite size pieces. We gave him baby panadol for his fever, he had 38 degrees C. He went to bed at 8.30pm and we stayed up watching futureama and big brother.

Friday mother's group

2008-06-20T17:08:00.003+10:00

Joaquin was clingy all day, muy mimosa. I went to B's house for mother's group and he cried every time i got out of his site, or even moved around the room. He was grabbing me and wanting me to be close all the time. In the end he started playing with the other babies as long as I was close. He did not want to eat much.
We then walked to the spot with some other mothers and B lent me her pram so I could take J in the pram. My leg is better so I was able to walk with a bit of mild pain. We went to the Ambrosio shop on the corner at the spot and all ordered Portugese chicken burgers, I ordered J some hot chips. We sat outside and I gave him some hot chips. The other mums gave their children some too but i got the impression that most of the mum's do not give their bubs hot chips or junk food. fair enough. I gave him some of my brownie that B made at her house. It was really scrumpcious and warm straight out of the oven.
He was very quite and not his usual self. Then we walked down to B's house and she drove me home, she is so nice and kind.
At home I put him down and gave him a bot and he drank most of it, i tried to feed him a cheese and avacado sandwich and some stewed apple and he did not eat much. He had his bottle and slept till after 5pm. Jas came home early.

Out and about with Joaquin

2008-06-19T17:15:00.003+10:00

We went to little Dynamos today with some of the mother's and babies from the mother's group. It is an indoor play center and cafe for kids and parents, it cost $10 for the children over 1 and parents $2. It has a safe soft play area for under 4s and a cafe close by for having a coffee or sitting around watching the older children play on the play structures.
He played on the soft under 4's section and crawled around. he liked the soft play area, played in the small pool with balls, and he loved sitting there and throwing out the balls. However he was very clingy all day and cried when I went to order lunch and left him on the high chair with B and J and their bubs.
He did have a great time apart from him crying. He even went on the slippery dip with A's friend Cynthia who works at UNSW. My leg was still sore so I did not even dare go on the slide.
I got a lift with B and he fell asleep in the car around UNSW so when we got home he was asleep but woke up when I got him out of the car. The lady who helps clean the house fortnightly was there and I told her to clean the kitchen and bathroom while I put him down. He was very tired it was already 2pm and he had woken at 9.30am.
He slept for a while for over an hour but the cleaner made some noise in the bathroom and that woke him up. I got him back down but he woke up some time later. I think he is still out of sorts due to leaving him at family day care!!!

Music class with Joaquin

2008-06-18T17:24:00.001+10:00

My leg is still not better and J did not work from home today so after breaky and getting ready B from mother's group kindly came around and picked me up for music class at Coogee.
There were not many mums but A came with Sienna to have a look at the class. Joaquin seems interested in the music, he plays with the shakers and knows how to shake in time to the beat on the floor and in the air. He enjoys it and Loves Jules the teacher. He sits close to her and tries to strum her guitar. Jules got out a frog puppet and sang Galump went the little green frog, and the babies sat close to her and listened trying to touch the little green puppet. She also had a sheep puppet that makes musical notes when you open and close his mouth and she sang ba ba black sheep with his mouth. it was pretty cool. some of the babies are just not interested and just want to crawl around. Joaquin loves the drums and plays to the beat and crawls around playing on other babies drums. He went up to the other parents and says hello and plays with them. He is very sociable. We went to T's house for lunch and T made Joaquin a toasted cheese sandwich, and he ate most of it. She has a nice apartment in front of the beach with a nice view of coogee. I then met up with E and had coffee at the cafe Bazura at the beach on the south side. I then walked with J and the stroller to the park at south coogee and met B. We played with the babies and then she drove me home. She is so kind and helpful. I feel bad I can not walk around with my sore leg and back. Can not wait till it gets better.

yum cha with friends

2008-06-14T17:42:00.001+10:00

Today we had a great day, we went out to the city for yum cha The Regal with my uni friends to celebrate K. R finishing her thesis. yeahh!!!. Kirsten was there with her little boy who is nearly 2 Miles and her partner. The food at the Regal was great as usual, i loved the fried whitebait, the scallop dumplings, the custard buns. I gave Joaquin some whitebait but he nearly choked. He did not eat much just some of a sandwich I had made for him with cheese. After stuffing our faces we walked around the city towards the Spanish Quarter. The Spanish quarter is on Liverpool street, with some excellent Spanish Restaurants as well as the Spanish Club and Torres Spanish deli. we went past the spanish deli , and to our surprise they sell Matambre made in Sydney I think. We bought 200grams and a jar dulce de leche made in Australia.
Then we all went to the QVB to have some cafe and I ordered banana bread and a babycinno for Joaquin and he drank it all and enjoyed it as well as the banana bread. He loved playing with Jas and Kenny and hanging out with my uni friends. He is a good little boy and allows us to go out and enjoy ourself with other adults.
After that the girls walked around the QVB to look at the shops and Jas and Joaquin and Rob went to Dymocks to check out the books. Jas and Joaquin played in the disney section of the book store and there was a Thomas the tank engine train to play on. Jas said Joaquin loved playing with the older 3 year old girls. I bought a book for the party tomorrow for the babies from mother's group.

Mother's group at my place

2008-06-13T17:37:00.004+10:00

We had mother's group at my place today. The babies had fun playing with the balloons from J's party and all his toys. I had some banana muffin I had made yesterday and handed it around. The mums and babies stayed until 1pm and then both J and I were both exhausted. I put him down for a little sleep. I think he enjoyed having his friends over. He played with the boys and also played by himself with the computer mouse

Feliz cumple con fotos

2008-06-08T05:52:00.004+10:00

Birthday cards

Cake made by Kenny's dad from Paris Cake shop

Ready to blow out candles at Centennial park on his birthday

Empanadas made by Jason and Yamila for his birthday

At party for all bubs from mother's group

Feliz Cumple Joaquin Happy Birthday Joaquin

2008-06-06T18:15:00.000+10:00

This is the birthday invitation I have sent out to my friends and some mothers and babies from mother's group.
It is dinosaur theme but who cares, I love it. I used pass the chex font, you can download it from here

I got the idea from Lucas first birthday from here

Here are some other ideas
Mandnickell
Minti
We make three

my little munch munch

2008-06-02T16:53:00.006+10:00

I just put Joaquin down for a sleep, he had breast milk even though he secretly just wanted the milk bottle (we use glass now due to the dangers of using plastic that heats up). He loves a good bottle of milk, but he does like to breast feed as well at night I think. I am not sure if I have any milk left, maybe.
I have been eating Turkish delights with rose water, they are spectacular blocks of sweet pink softness and just leave a mixture of freshness and rosewater in my mouth, like eating solid pink bubbles. I am thinking what we will have for dinner tonight and how my teeth are starting to hurt from all that sugar in the turkish pink sugar bombs.
Oh well, I took Joaquin today to a family day care center near the university. The lady or carer was really nice, from the UK and has a 2 year old son with a welsh name. On Monday she cares for another little boy who is nearly 3 and soon will be off to preschool at the end of the month. There is a garden outside to play in the grass and sun, they do cooking and play games and do interactive activities such as paintings. Makes me feel like a bad mum as I do not do any of these things.
The carer call her J, said Joaquin had beautiful eyes and thought it was weird his eyes were already green, as "green is the color that forms last in eye color" well I did not know that, i did not even know you could tell he had green eyes. Jas and I say he has green or hazel eyes, based on the fact we both have green or hazel eyes.
The carer was also impressed I am still breast feeding J and said they are "pro breastfeeding" there. Which is good, I think.
I did like the atmosphere and "feeling" at J's family day care house and I am really thinking it would be good for Joaquin, but at the same time thinking do I really want someone else to care for my son while I am off at university looking at tiny insey winsey teeth and bones belonging to long dead mammals that are over 20 million years old?
I am not sure, I have to think about this.
After going to "check out" the family day care center I walked over to Uni and had lunch with K who is 20 weeks pregnant and saw the other members of the lab. Joaquin is always friendly and cute, he is shy at first but very placid and smily and loves playing trying to say everyone's names.
By the way it has been 20 min and he has not gone to sleep again, and was just crying and standing up on his cot trying to get the music box to play again. I had to calm him and put him back down in his cot, cover him with the blanket and put the music on again. I pat his tummy and he calms down, and then when I leave he cries. He has been crying the last few days when we put him down, he is starting to understand what bye bye and chau and when we leave him alone means. I am not sure if he is scared or just does not want to sleep.
He stood up by himself today for 5 secs and looked very natural. He will be walking soon I think. He also stood on the mini trampoline at the carer's house and held onto the bars and bent his knees and moved up and down .... jumped. He has never been on a trampoline before but he saw the two other boys on it before hand and wanted a go and just did what they were doing. Very perceptive I think. I love my little munch munch (his nick name the last few months)

Joaquin is 51 weeks old

2008-06-02T16:12:00.006+10:00

Joaquin is nearly one, yes 12 months old. I wish I had done something similar to Dooce and written a letter to Joaquin for every month or milestone he has overcome, like she did for Leta her daughter who is now 4 or 52 months old.
I was sitting with him on the ground (before I was lying on the ground asleep and he was waking me up with wet mouth kisses and hair pulling) and he came up to me and bit me on the shoulder.
When he was 8 months old whenever he bit, it meant he was tired. So when we told our friend to babysit him when he was 10 months old, we gave her a list of instructions and one was if he bites he is tired, give him a bottle and he may probably sleep.
Now i am not too sure what bitting means. Is it that he is tired? Maybe. Is it that he is bored, very possibly! Is it that he is hungry? could be as well. All I know is that as I type this I am thinking I should feed him soon and put him down for a sleep and I am really feeling the baby bite on my left shoulder.

Joaquin at 11 months

2008-05-13T09:35:00.004+10:00

Joaquin is 11 months old.
Here is a list of the things he can do:
He can eat his own toast.
He can drink water out of a sippy cup.
He can drink soda from an adult glass
He loves toast
He eats mild curries (he started that this month May)
He loves tomato based sauces with pasta and veges
He likes to watch Booh Bah
He loves watching music videos and stops what he is doing to watch them
He points at things he wants (started at 9 months)
He claps his hands when happy (started at 7 months after Argentina)
He claps his hands when others are clapping in the music class or on tv
He dances by moving up and down to music videos
He laughs
He laughs when other people are laughing (started at 9.5 months)
He waves hello and goodbye (started at 10.5 months)
He cruises along the furniture (started at 9.5 months)
He walks behind his firetruck (started at 10.5 months)
He can throw balls (started at 10 months)
He chases balls and follows them (started at 10 months)
He can pick up a spoon and put it in his mouth (started at 10 months)
He looks at objects when I point to them (started at 9 months)
He likes playing with trucks and cars (started at 8 months)
He can begin to put shapes in the shape bucket (started 10.5 months)
He can open the door to the balcony (started at 10 months)
He likes to play the drums at music class
He loves the song galump went the little green frog

very tired, up all night

2008-03-03T07:27:00.003+11:00

Joaquin is nearly 9 months old and I am nearly 34 (in a few days time). Time is really zipping past as the cliche dictates.
I am so tired as he woke up at 12.45am crying unhysterically and I could not feed him as he was crying and sobbing. Finally i talked to him and calmed him down walking around the room and he fed. He was even smiling and jas had to hold him while I went to the toilet.
Then he woke up at 5am and I fed him and I put him back to sleep and all i heard was the jingle and rattle of blanky bear and no peep from him. At 6.30am Jas alarm went off, and I still not had gotten back to sleep and I got up with him and made some coffee and breakfast and I had a shower and at 7.15am in the middle of breaky, he starts crying again and so i got him out of his cot and breastfed him again. I put some bonjela on his two top incisors. I am not sure why he is out of sorts, I think he may be hungry as last week he was off his veges and now may be hungry, and it is all because of the two upper incisors that came out last week (Monday 25th Feb one came out, and soon shortly after I think on Wednesday or Thursday the second one came through). He vomited his food twice last week, on Monday and Wednesday. We don't know if it was because he chocked and had a reflex or due to teething.
We bought Annabel Karmel book on food for babies and toddlers so maybe that will help me get inspired and feed him different things. Last night had baby pasta with zucchini, broccoli, salmon from a can, white sauce and small amount of shredded parmasan. He loved it, then a whole can of baby custard (banana and chocolate. We had some dulce de batata con chocolate for desert that we bought from Norton St Deli in Bondi Junction, for only 3 dollars and cents. Good price, very cheap.
Ok back to bed
besos

Milestones in Febuary

2008-02-13T17:20:00.000+11:00

Joaquin is 8 months, these are some of his milestones for this month.
Tuesday 12th feb crawling by sliding on his tummy
Wednesday 13th Feb started to say ba-ba-bub-bub word

Joaquins milestones in 2008

2008-01-20T20:03:00.000+11:00

Today at lunch I saw that Joaquin's second tooth is coming out. This is his bottom right tooth.
Other milestones:
Started to clap with one hand open (left hand) and right hand in fist (last few days)
Was scared of the punching bag (Thursday 17h Jan)
Looks at the Aboriginal art poster to find the little eggs when you ask him "Adonde estan los huevitos?" (Last few weeks)
First tooth incisor left came out on 2nd January
Sits up very well
Can stand up by himself if he holds on to my hand or Jas's hands
Can play by himself for more than half an hour on the mat

Lazy Sunday asado

2008-01-20T19:41:00.000+11:00

Today is Sunday. It is nearly 8pm and the sun is still out, it is still incredibly light out and it had rained before. It does not get dark until 11pm.
We had an asado with my family and Sebas postdoc director who is visiting El Sur from Cordoba.
We had a little lamb on the asado and chorizos with a salad made of freshly picked lettuce from my mum's garden. I also made chimichurri with fresh tomatoes, garlic, parsley, orgegano, oil and viniger. We had lunch and played some trivial pursuit. Joaquin had a little nap before lunch and only slept for 30 min and I went in to get the trivia from the cabania and he was crying in his little cot. Poor munchkin. I got him up fed him and Jas made his lunch (a small plate with lamb cut up in small pieces, fresh peas from the garden semi-mashed, small baby cubes of carrot and pumpkin mash. He ate it all. He also had some grapes (just the fleshy bit inside) and laughs so much when Seba throws the grapes into the air and tries to catch it with his mouth. He had a laughing fit yesterday in the afternoon when we were having lunch. After lunch today we tried to put him to sleep in the cot as he was so tired but he cried quite a bit and it really is draining to see this to go through this for both Jas and I. Finally I got him out of the cot breastfed him and he fell asleep and we put him in the cot to sleep. This was at 6.30pm and he is still alseep now. I think he is quite upset as his second tooth came out yesterday.
I would like to go to the park camping as we have less than a week left in Esquel. I will miss my parents my brother so much. It is terrible. I hope we will be back in September!

Pierda Parada

2008-01-15T20:09:00.001+11:00

Today we drove to Piedra Parada and to the small town of Gualjaina a small town of 648 people east of Esquel.
Here is another link.
Joaquin was really well behaved in the car and he was the typical patagonian baby. We drove to Gualjaina and had lunch milanesa sandwiches at the Viejo Nandu (Tully's father and brother run this little shop/restaurante). anio
At piedra parada we found bones near the base of the rock and they may have been left by pumas. There was also a funny musky smell like a cat smell by the base and there were small caves around the base. Seb and A walked around the rock and it took 15 min.

The night the lights went out

2008-01-11T01:01:00.000+11:00

Today is a beautiful gorgeous day in Patagonia. It rained all day yesterday and snowed on the mountains and was cold outside.
We managed to go for a walk in the rain up the hill and by the river and there was a high cloud on the mountain Sierro 21 and was raining. Even though we were all rouged up it was cold, we were wet and the rain really felt like snow as it touched the skin on my hands.
As we turned away to walk home with the dogs we looked up at the Sierro and it was covered with fresh snow, it looked like a big cake with icing sugar or as Andrea said Panatone con azucar inplpable.
Joaquin stayed at home and mum was getting him to sleep for a little afternoon nap, mind you afternoon here is 9pm. That is the time we went for walk. It was still light when we got home at 10.10pm. Andrea and I left Seb and Jas who went back to look for the dog leash that Seb had left behind on the walk. We left them and went to the local corner shop to buy some cheese as my dad had ordered us to get some for his polenta with chorizo colorado he was making. On our way back from the shops we saw Seb and Jas with the two dogs and the two leashes walking down the street on the way home and we met up and all walked back together. People were already coming out from their home as it was no longer raining but there was a chill in the air.
When we got home wet and cold Dad was nearly finished the polenta and we had also bought some pategrass cheese to have as a snack with some galletitas. Joaquin was sitting on the mat playing, my mum was on the sewing machine sewing a bag she is making for me. I saw that Joaquin was still tired and very hyperactive. My mum told me he had slept nearly the whole time we were away and was now playing by himself. He sits up very well straight and tall.
Jas sat down with him on the mat and Joaquin was trying to climb all over him like a koala. This is the first time we have seen this happen as if Joaquin is trying to get up and stand up, but he can't crawl yet so we are waiting for that milestone. At 10.30pm Jas went to the cabin to get the bath ready and I was cleaning up getting ready to take Joaquin up to the house (rugged up as it was really cold outside for mid summer) and suddenly the lights went out. Damm that. I was a bit stressed and we were all looking for the torch. My mum and dad were calm and it was still light outside. I finally found the torch and then took Joaquin to the cabin were Jas had prepared his bath. My mum gave us some candles and Jas lit them and we bathed him. Joaquin must have sensed I was stressed as in the bathroom he peed on the floor while in my mum's arms. He had a little bath by candle light and I was playing with torch with him, he was trying to get it when I left the torch on the soap-stand. He loves anything new and knows when something in different. He also loves having a bath and playing with the plastic frogs in the bath.
After the bath we changed him and dressed him in his warm polar pjs and I got ready to feed him by candle light and as soon as i got started I thought to myself if the lights come back on we will all be blinded I better tell Jas to turn the light-switches off just in case and then lo and behold the lights came on!
Then i fed him and he fed well and we wrapped him and Jas gave him a bottle top up and put him in his cot and we kissed him goodnight. He cried for a while protesting and sobbing and I left him with Jas and went to the house to get ready for dinner. Jas waited until he was alseep and then came down and we finally ended up having dinner (polenta con chorizo colorado) at about 11.30. Poor little munchkin was really tired!

Photo of Joaquin 31 Dec 2007

2007-12-31T05:11:00.000+11:00

Joaquin with his Great-Grandfather

2007-11-23T23:02:00.000+11:00

In this photo Joaquin is a little jet lagged as we had just arrived a few days before to Argentina and it really was a long flight. He is 5 1/2 months old.
He behaved very well and slept most of the way from Auckland to Buenos Aires. But once we arrived he was out of sync and that night he cried every hour, like a newborn. Jas and I took turns to get him back to sleep it was difficult but after a few days his jet lag had gone but ours was still there.

i am sicky mama

2007-10-30T11:19:00.000+11:00

I am just writing a quick post about how my life is going with my little munchkin!
He is having a small sleep but and it is 11.21am. He woke up at 8.50am for a feed and was quite congested and then I put him back down in the cot without the quilt and just wrapped with a wrap and covered by a sheet. I think he has been sleeping with too much bed clothes and I worry now that he was too hot.
He has been sick with a cold for over a week and a half, from the weekend we went to Scone. I think he got sick from being with his little toddler cousin who was also sick with a cold. It is his first real cold but thankfully he has had no temperature. I think he is at the last part of the cold so hopefully he just has congestion and sniffles and then this will go away. But it is upsetting to here him breathing with a rattling noise when he feeds.
I also was sick but now getting over it too. It was horrible so I feel for him. But otherwise he has been a good little boy. we went to a bbq on Saturday night he was well behaved did not cry and slept and ate. He had a little sleep for 30 min at the bbq and then ate and had a longer sleep afterwards and was still asleep when we got home and put him back in the cot. he is such a cutie!

trials and ways of the world

2007-10-12T16:52:00.000+10:00

Finally Friday is here and the week has gone slow.
It rained quite a bit and on the television the news said this morning that there was a weather warning for Sydney and I expected hailstones like in Lismore.
So with trepedation I ran down the street to meet Gaby and Isabella and with Joaquin in the pram and the sky so grey and angry we walked down to the beach to meet the other mothers.
It did not rain until much later and we all had lunch together inside the pub, all the mums and their babies. I had a hamburger even though my mother tells me not to eat meat that has been processed together to form a patty that is not cooked properly. But I ate it anyway and felt a bit guilty. The other mums had fish or pasta or chicken schnitzel.
I fed him and he fell asleep on me so I could eat the chips while talking to the other mothers and I felt some relief.
It really is grown up the atmosphere, the pub, but no one drinks beer or wine, though I did see some mothers from another group with older babies drinking away wine and beer.
Gaby and I stayed until the rain ended and then packed our babies up in their prams and we both placed our rain water gear over the prams to avoid raindrops on our babies.
We walked home and parted ways on our street, I walked up the street and stoped at the corner shop and bought some chocolate (how decadent) and placed some letters that I had to post in the post box. He was asleep by that time and I do not blame him, it was nice and warm in the pram covered in plastic wet weather gear. By the time I got up the hill the rain had started and i got him out of the pram and had to wake him and walked down the steps home. I left the pram on the street and then went back to get it.
He waited for me patiently and when i got in i made a cup of tea, I killed a few cockroaches and sat down to have some tea and chocolate.

Then I fed him and changed his nappy and wrapped him and placed him in the cot. I waited and waited for him to sleep, but he just kept moving and unwrapping himself and grunting and making noises and i went into my bed to wait for him to sleep and he did not sleep. What happened then I do not know but while I was waiting for him to sleep I ended up sleeping for 10 min. When I woke up he was still grunting so I gathered he had not slept. So i put his music on again and then decided to wrap him and I went out of the room and turned the baby monitor on to hear him and he cried for 1 min not solid crying but protest cries and 2 minutes later he was asleep. So here I am waiting for Jas to come home from work and letting him sleep a little bit. Late but better late than never.

While i wait the upstairs neighbors make so much noise, I still consider them to be elephants stomping back and forth, screaming and causing havoc. I don't know how Joaquin stays sleeping through the noise, outside the wind is still howling.

4 month vaccinations

2007-10-11T21:07:00.000+10:00

Today I took the little munchkin to the doctors for his 4 month vaccinations. He watched the doctor prepare the injections and did not take his eyes of her. He did not want to breast feed and was a bit upset. I finally got him to feed and the doctor jabbed him in his leg and he cried when she pulled out the needle. He cried poor little thing. I tried to comfort him and then I swapped sides and he tried to feed and she jabbed him again. He cried again when she pulled the needle out. He was very upset but it only lasted a few minutes. I was so hot in the doctors office. I had the doctor measure him and weigh him.
He is 69.5 centimeters which means he is off the charts.
He weighs 6.73 kgs with clothes on. Which is average.
His head circumference is 43cm, which is average.
She called him Mr. average, but he is a long baby.
On the way home he was very calm in the baby bjorn. I bought some olive sourdough bread and came home to Jas who had worked from home.
I fed him some more and changed his nappy and then made lunch for Jas and I. Some salmons sandwiches and carrot and corn salad.
I then got myself ready to go to the Uni to do some work.
Jas got Joaquin ready to take him for a car ride. He was quite happy but very hot from the heat.
In the end I did some work at the uni and got a lift home with a colleague. Jas sent me sms telling me the little munchkin had gone to sleep without much fuss and was very well behaved and had fed him up well. It made me feel so happy.
I think overall it is good for me to get away to do some work and do grown up things while Jas looks after our little son and plays with him and is a dad.

Joaquin and afternoon sleeps

2007-10-08T15:12:00.000+10:00

It is 3pm and just got the little munchkin to sleep in his cot during the day. He cried when I wrapped him but i had tried to whine him down before hand but he was already tired and upset.
Lets see how long this afternoon sleep lasts.
He cried and protested for about 10 min and then made some more protest sounds and fell asleep. I can't believe it I made a cup of tea like Jason said and then went to check on him as it was very quite and he was asleep. Great!
Jas has been putting him to sleep like this for a week or so and it has been working fine. His sleep lasts about 1 hour and a half nearly two. Wow if it lasts so long for me I do not know what I will do in that time. I am trying to finish a paper and start with some bandicoot fossils.
There is so much noise around the house with the upstairs elephant kids thumping around and building machinery outside. But he is still asleep.
My friend came to visit with her little 18 month old and he was walking around playing with everything, he actually played with the speaker pushing it and instead of it falling backwards it fell on him bruising him on the forehead. He got a little cut and a big bump. I hope he gets better.

Joaquin is 4 months today

2007-10-05T18:09:00.000+10:00

Today Joaquin turned 4 months old (17 weeks old).
I am now at home and he has had a little sleep. He still only sleeps 20-30 minutes at a time and today he has slept once down at the pub with the mothers group, the second time in the pram when I was walking home and the third from 5.30 to 6pm. Now he on the play mat, he is a bit grumpy grabbing the hanging mobiles and the toys. He gets frustrated but he can grab things quite well now and gets frustrated when he grabs them and can not put them in his mouth.
He is wearing his dinosaur tshirt that my mother got him from Esquel that is for a 6 month old.
I went to the mothers group down at the beach and he was a bit grumpy there as well but overall he was well behaved and alert and looking at the other babies.
We mothers talked about everything from baby fat on our bodies to baby massage.

the baby whisperer

2007-10-04T18:51:00.000+10:00

Today has been very busy and Jason tells me he does not know how i fit everything into my day.
I slept in until 8am, then I got ready and woke him up at around 10 and fed him (second feed for the day with first feed of the day at 8am). I got ready to go down to the park to do some exercise with other mothers. There were only two other mothers and their babies, I had walked there from home so that was good exercise to start with. It was quite hot but with a cool breeze and there are already a lot of peskie flies around Sydney. Joaquin was quite content in the pram while I walked there. He looks around in the pram and just sits there buckled up and slouched.
At the park I layed him down on the mat with the other babies and he watched the trees and skies and was patient. I even put him on his tummy and played with the grass pulling some of the grass out. he then got frustrated and I put him in the pram so he could sleep but he just cried and cried and did not want to sleep. So in the end I did some exercises with him, i held him when i did some sit ups and he smiled at me, i put him on the mat while i did push ups and he cried. he was very mimoso and just wanted me to cuddle him.
In the end we all left and I was going to walk home but I called Jas and he came and picked me up.
At home I made some sandwiches for lunch and then got ready to go to the university. I had expressed some milk so Jas gave him some while I was at uni and also got him to sleep. He put him in the cot (calmed him down beforehand by talking to him and walking him around the room in his arms) then he put him in the cot and he cried for 6 min and then miracously fell asleep and slept for 2 hours with out waking. That is a milestone as it is the first time he has slept without waking for 2 hours during the day. Jason is the baby whisperer.

Then they came to pick me up and he was quite a happy chappy. I fed him at home and we bathed him and I made dinner. Then we all went to bed

Joaquin up close

2007-09-28T22:59:00.000+10:00

cutie pie

2007-09-17T23:03:00.000+10:00

12 weeks today

2007-08-31T07:50:00.000+10:00

My little munchkin is 12 weeks today, he is growing well, smiles a lot but was very grumpy yesterday. Perhaps because he had an upset tummy.
He also has gained over 300grams in the last week yeah!!! We are trying to put on weight on him as he is long and lean! (not like mummy who is frumpy and not a Clovelly yummy mummy.
Hopefully by mid-November I will shed the unwanted kilos by the time we hit Buenos Aires and Patagonia.
I am feeing better overall. My milk supply is up, I am more confident being a mum, I even went into uni to do some work on papers that I need to finish. I just have to work harder on the papers, finish them, do more walks a week (more exercise) and then i will be very happy with myself.
Today i will be out to the mothers group and maybe lunch at the beach with a friend and her bub.
Jas is going out for drinks after work so I will bath him and put him to bed tonight on my own, wish me luck, i need it. though he has been good as of late in the moses in the cot with the music/sea toy that plays music and has moving seahorses with bubbles and lights! He watches it and nods off to sleep with little crying.
He is asleep now so i better go and do my things before he awakes, i.e. have a shower.

grumpy bum joaquin

2007-08-30T17:04:00.000+10:00

Today little one has been grumpy and miserable. I think it was his upset tummy and he funally did a large dirty nappy. He only is doing one every 4-5 days but they are big blow-outs and mustard in colour and normal for breastfed babies.
I tried too get him to cat-nap but to n o avail so after chatting with Jas with google-chat and him doing research 9from the web and his collegues) such as
How can i get my baby to nap
and
naps the basics
In the end I wrapped him, fed him, closed the blinds of the room and put him in his moses and cot and he slept for 2 hours and I was able to sleep 2 hours too and felt great but had very realist dreams.
So hopefully that will work in the future.
Just waiting now for Jason to get home from work so he can look after him while I cook dinner and clean the house a little bit. I guess I am a typical "mummy at home", worrying about housework and a clean home. But I am getting to do other things which keep my brain busy and I won't let my Phd in Paleontology go to waste, no siree!!! I will also finish my papers as it is a great oportunity now for them!

cat naps for the little man

2007-08-27T16:51:00.000+10:00

I am sitting here on red lounge with Joaquin who is asleep in my arms.
I actually got him to have 2 cat-naps today one was for 20min the other 35 min. He usually does 20 min sleep cycles. So today he ate, played and slept. Not much crying just a bit before falling asleep on the bouncer.
So with him asleep on me now that is his third nap of the day.
I am getting to sleep small naps as suggested by Jason. We tried it out on the weekend at Scone and it works well. He does not like to sleep throughout the day but with small 20 min cat naps it is better than nothing and he is not as grizzly!

So Today with a little bit if order in my day I was able to have a shower at 7am when he was still sleeping, make the bed, do a load of washing and hang it outside, , make and have lunch, steralize bottles, and also write and send an important e-mail in spanish.
All this with limited crying!!!
It is 5pm i still have to do another load, feed him, give him a bath, make dinner, have dinner, organize my day for tomorrow.
Tomorrow I want to go for a walk and finish off both my papers. One I have to fix some changes and the other finish of.

The Family

2007-08-26T22:41:00.000+10:00

Joaquin does not want to sleep

2007-08-23T13:53:00.000+10:00

Just got Joaquin to sleep.
It is hard work, he is very alert and awake but with signs of tirdness:
unsettled behaviour, moving arms and legs, hands clenched tight, and small cries and shrieks.
So here is what i did to get my little active 10 week old to sleep during the day.
1) made sure he was fed
2)let him play a bit on mat
3)changed wet nappy
4)wrapped him (here is where complaints started)
5) Walked the living room floor up and down
6) sang to him an argentinian lullaby "Duermame me ninio)
7) he began to cry and cry and struggle and get upset
8) I patted his bum
9) then after 5 min of cries began to say shhhhh
10) This stopped his crying and he began to look at me in the eyes for 4 min with no blinking then began to blink and close eyes and finally sleep.
So then i sat down on couch with him he slept for 15 min.
Now he is awake again!!!!

breast is best

2007-08-21T07:00:00.000+10:00

I just got up to have breakfast ( a good hearty bowl of oats/porridge) and say goodbye to Jas who is up early and is now going to work early so he can come home early and help out with Joaquin. He does not have time to have breakfast so he grabs some wheatbix and a bowl with a spoon and eats at work. In a way it makes me feel bad.

I will go back to bed and probably get up to feed the little on in about 30 min. I am a bit tired but thankfully after Joaquin's transition to the cot in our room he is still sleeping well throughout the night. Last night he slept from 9pm to 4am. I had to pump at 9.30 and 1.00am but he is asleep throughout and I would rather him sleep as he does not sleep through the day.
He is still in the baby moses but we place the moses in the cot, so when he has totally grown out of the moses he will automatically adjust well in the cot. Jas measured him last night and said he is at least or more than 62cm long, which is quite long for a little 10 week baby.
I wonder why he is so long. Maybe that is why it has taken me a while to get breastfeeding right as he needs to so much for his long size.

I am happy that I am breastfeeding and finally after all my problems and adjustments I am getting a hang of it (cross my fingers). My problems were flat nipple, using a nipple shield, low milk supply?, thrush, urinary tract infection, and a big fat case of hives or allergic reaction to all the medication I was taking. Medication included fenugreek, motilium, (doperidone), Weleda mothers milk tea, antibiotics, acidopholous tablets. I am so happy to be off medication as the truth is that there is no real scientific studies about motilium and its effect on children that are breastfed. I do not want to take any more drugs. I tried to do something natural and ended up having to take heaps of drugs to make this "natural" thing work. The funny thing is now after 2 weeks of cutting out the drugs my milk supply has established well and I have finally cut out the extra formula top ups we were giving Joaquin.
I think the helpful part for me is expressing at night while he sleeps, thus increasing my supply and spending a lot of time with him during the day letting him feed if he wants or suck if he wants.
I do think breastfeeding is best but if not possible then mother's should not worry and try other alternatives such as expressing milk or formula.
Here is a list of reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial to mother and baby.

Ok I am going back to bed to wait for the little munchkin to wake up and want a feed!

our day

2007-08-17T21:45:00.001+10:00

I am so glad it is friday night and Jason does not have to work tomorrow and hang out with Joaquin and I all day and all weekend.
It has a been a full on day, I have been up since 6.30 am and had breakfast with Jason. He then left for work and I pottered around the house. I also fed Joaquin at 7am till 8am and put him back to sleep in his moses bed and I can't believe it that he stays there and falls asleep by himself. He is such a good little boy.
I was able to have a long hot shower which is the first time since I have been pregnant that I have been able to do that at home alone (well I was not alone Joaquin was asleep). I also tided up a bit, rang my brother, sterilized some bottles, and wrote in this blog. At 9.30am he woke up and I fed him and got him ready and walked down to the beach to meet a friend Gaby and her 6 week old baby and we walked to the Palace hotel where we have the mother's group. I don't know really anyone's names but i recognize them all. There are many mothers and many babies of all different ages. Our group has babies between 10 and 12 weeks. I also met a chilian lady called Gimena and a mexican lady called Clara. Both have sons Gimena's son is 3 months and named Lucas, and Clara's sone is 4 months and named Daniel. That is great as we can start a spanish speaking mother's group.
I had a pot of tea and just sat around with the mothers talking and our babies sleeping or eating. Joaquin slept a bit, he ate, he looked around and is quite relaxed around the other babies and people, I think he loves the noice and all the activity.
After that Gaby and I walked to Randwick, we had lunch at Subways and then went to the Randwick Early childhood Community center and breastfed. Joaquin was ok he was hungry all the time. We met a Japanese lady there with a 7 month baby who was trying to find a mothers group to attend, by coiencidence her husband is from Argentina (he was born in Australia but his parents are Argentinian from Bariloche). I told her about the mother's group at the Palace in Randwick and told her to come along or if she ever wants to go for a walk. Her little boy was is cute. She sent me an sms saying "thanks for my kindness today". That is nice.
Well after that we went to Coles and Joaquin was crying and then fell asleep in the baby bjorn. He then woke up while we were getting ready to leave Coles and he cried and cried, loud cries and cried all the way home, all the way up the hill. I could not or did not want to try to put the pram in the car and just tried to get it in the building and him home. I placed him on the mat then went back upstairs to get the pram. He was still crying until I picked him u p and fed him. Then he was better, but afterwards had some reflux so I think he may have been upset by something I ate. maybe the raw onion in the subway sandwich.

At 6.30pm Jas finally came home and played with him and then bathed him. I fed him more and he seemed happier but had reflux. The Jason gave him an ebm top up and he was better. Even though he cried when Jason coughed and got so upset he stopped feeding. After his bottle of ebm Jason wrapped him and put him in his moses and started to read some nursery rhymes to him. Joaquin knows it is time for bed and starts to get upset and cry when Jason begins to wrap him. However he only cried a bit and fell asleep 5 minutes later. He must have been tired.
While this was happening I made dinner, left over chicken curry from yesterday and a greek salad with feta, olives, tomato, avacado, baby spinach leaves. It was great to be able to sit and enjoy a yummy meal.
Now as Joaquin sleeps Jas is using his laptop and I am writing about my day. I am so tired now and will go to bed very soon.

Joaquin is 9 weeks old

2007-08-16T10:23:00.000+10:00

Joaquin is asleep and I am trying to set up this blog again. I am sure he will wake up by 11am and I will feed him again.
He has been a great little boy and yesterday I was able to do some work on a paper with a coleague from the University.
Jason took Joaquin for a walk and came back 1 and a half an hour later with some Hungarian cakes from the Hungarian coffee shop on Clovelly road and we had tea.
Today is a cloudy day and I would like to go for a walk to the beach with my brazilan friend who also has a little baby girl Isa who is 5 weeks old. But as it is cloudy I do not know if she will want to come. I should walk every day as it is good for both of us.
Jason is at work now and I chat to him every now and then, we are always connected. I think he likes to be a dad and had fun with him taking him in the pram to Clovelly beach. He told me that Joaquin smiled at him when Jas put him in the pram and was watching all around him as Jas took him for a walk. Joaquin has large eyes and he has always been observant since birth.

This post by Naturally Carolicious sums up what it is like having a two month old to a T

2 month vaccinations

2007-08-14T23:15:00.000+10:00

I took Joaquin with the baby bjorn to the Doctors today. It was drizzling with rain outside so I walked as quickly as i could around the corner and he fell asleep in the bjorn.

Once I got there of course with me stopping and not moving he woke up. He looked around the doctors surgery, there were other babies there I think for vaccinations too. Then after about 10 min he got restless, I rocked him, he was more restless and cranky and wingy and so I breastfed him and he calmed down, ate and fell asleep. By the time it was our turn (over 30 min late) he was asleep and I took him upstairs and then he woke up.

The doctor did a double take on him and said " He is a big baby, I thought he may have been here for the 4 month vaccination". I just said well he is lean really but very long. He is also strong and holds his head up and very alert all the time.

The doctor gave him 2 injections in the leg and he cried a bit. I was breastfeeding during this time and so he kept on feeding after the intitial shock of the pain and his cry. He also had a oral vaccination for gastro and he seemed to like that and gulped it down.

The immunizations that he had now at 2 months are:

Hepatitis B (hepB)
Diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (acellular pertussis) (DTPa)
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
Polio (inactivated poliomyelitis IPV)
Pneumococcal conjugate (7vPCV)
Rotavirus (the oral one that is a new vaccination given now since May 2007 for free).

This info is from the Immunization site
Hepatitis B vaccine should be given to all infants as soon as possible after birth. The greatest benefit is if the vaccine is given within 24 hours, and it must be given within 7 days.
A total of three doses of hepB are required following the birth dose, at either 2 months, 4 months and 6 months or at 2 months, 4 months and 12 months.
A total of 4 doses of Hib vaccine should be given (2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 12 months) if using PRP-T Hib containing vaccines.
Here is another link with Facts on Immunization for Australian children

His next injections are at 4 months of age. And then at 6 months, but we will be in Argentina then so he will get his 6 months when we are back in Early February 2008. The vaccinations are free under Medicare and I think that if your child gets all the vaccinations the parents get some money back from the Australian government.

This is Joaquin's stats:
Weight: 5.3kg (50th percentile) He is still a lean machine and this is with clothes on and without a poo.
Height: 61cm (90th percentile) I think he may even be more than 61cm as he was 59cm at 6 weeks of age.
Head circumference: ? don't know but over 40cm (75th percentile). He was 39cm at 6 weeks of age.

After the Doctor's visit I went to the chemist and bought infants panadol just in case he had a fever in reaction to the injections (this is what the doctor recommended) and I went to the local corner deli and bought an eggplant, celery, olive sourdough bread, milk and a croissant.
I guess the croissant was my treat as the doctor had told me now he will start to feed more and require more breastmilk and so i must make sure i was eating well. I mean a croissant is not a healthy option but I new that once i got home I would have to feed him and comfort him after his vaccinations and had no time to make a quick bite to eat.

So at home i heated the croissant and had it with jam and made a cup of milky tea and just breast fed him all afternoon. he was very tired and hungry and upset i think after the injections.
He cried all afternoon and then fell asleep in my arms as I paced the room and had "The Beautiful girls" on the myth tv.
Jason came home at 6 and he bathed him. I fed him some more and then Jas gave him an ebm (expressed breast milk top up of 50mls) and I started to make dinner (stuffed eggplants).
Jas put him to bed and miracously he slept from 7.30pm to 5.30am and then had a feed. I checked him all night to see if he had a fever or not but he was fine.

increasing milk supply

2007-07-17T18:44:00.000+10:00

Since Joaquin was born i have been worried amount my milk supply, so i have searched high and on the internet (also Jas has searched) and found a lot of information.

Tips for increasing milk supply:

How to know if you have enough milk:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lowsupply.html

How to increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/supply.html

Substances that increase supply:
http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/galact.html

From an Australian Breastfeeding Councilor
Worrying about supply is one of the most common concerns that mothers have.
Often, babies can seem very hungry when they are tired, overstimulated or,
in fact, hungry. If you offer feeds to your baby whenever he is willing to
have one, and you allow him to feed for as long as he wants, then it is very
likely that you will make enough milk for him. Rest and relaxation are also
very important.
See
Australian Breastfeeding Association

This link is great for increasing supply:
HOW CAN I INCREASE MY MILK SUPPLY?

Milk supply issues:
kellymom

List of what is needed to increase supply (from internet)

drink lots of water/fluids (at least 64 ozs day)

oatmeal, oats, granola, granola/oat cereal bars, oatmeal cookise (2-4 servings/day)

lots of protein, Carnation instant breakfast, ovaltine

papaya, fish soup

Mothers milk tea, Yogi nursing mothers tea

More milk plus tincture or capsules (forget to jot down amt)

pump at least every 3hrs (2 is better), for at least 20 mins (3-5 mins beyond last drops)--and YES even @ night if kiddo sleeps thru the night--plus I understand prolactin levels are highest during the night

10-10-10 method (pump 10 mins, rest 10 mins, pump 10 mins)

cluster pump (ie in the evening)

RELAX (ha ha)

get more sleep, don't lie on stomach

rent hospital grade pump

use the Ameda Purely Yours or Medela Pump in style

replace pump parts (if older may consider rent hosp grade to see if motor is dying or buy new pump)

pressure of hands free bra

if breasts large get larger horns (vice versa if small)

put olive oil on nips to keep them freely moving in horns

adjust settings to see what is most effective for you

supplements--fenugreek (3-4/3xs/day) some kiddos are sensitive to this blessed thistle, brewers yeast, alfalfa, lecithin, cumin(!)--most of these didn't list specific amts

Domeperidone (inhousepharmacy.com)

Reglan (prescription--side effect--depression)

Avoid cold meds, sudafed, anything designed to dry you up( incl diuretics), parsley, sage, oregano, black beans(!)

Avoid birth control w/ estrogen

for some women, even progestin only bc (ie mini pill & depo) can decrease supply

Tips for pumping from the internet from a pumping mum

I drive to where I need to shop, then pump in the vehicle, & sometimes pump before going home again, I pump on the way to/from church when dh can drive or in the parking lot before/after if dh can't. I have pumped in every room of the house, even on the front porch. I have pumped during dinner, while kiddos take a bath, while putting kiddos to bed, while feeding dd, on the floor playing w/ kiddos, etc. And hey, if you have to just sit and "do nothing"--like surf the net, email friends, read, etc--hey I have a legal excuse for "doing nothing"-except nurturing my kiddo.

5 week home visit

2007-07-16T20:15:00.000+10:00

A nurse came from Early ChildhoodCenter came for a home visit. It is for his 4 week visit but he is really 5 weeks old. She is pregnant and really happy.

It was cold, wet and miserable outside. She said I am doing well as a mum with a newborn as I was not in my pyjamas but dressed. The house was cleaned and Jason was home. I had visions of a strict nurse checking up on everything, making sure we were good parents and I ws a good mother. But not so...

She just talked to me casually and told me about mothers group at the childhood center and how they meet on friday morning. She also set up the scales to weigh him and filled in my blue book.

She did all the newborn tests and he passed with flying colours.

weight 4.2kg nude (has gained 400 grams since birth weight 3.82kgs)
height 57.5cm
head circumference 39cm

Jason's mum came over at 5pm to stay a few days to help out!

5 weeks old

2007-07-13T11:42:00.000+10:00

Our little son is already 5 weeks old. I do not know where all this time has gone.

He is asleep now and we started some sort of routine to help us all keep our sanity. By 6pm I am breastfeeding and he is hungrily eating away at both boobs, then Jason gets the baby bath ready and places it in the living room.

We bath him and he is enjoys this, as he looks around wide eyed and does not snicker or cry and just enjoys the warm water on his little body.

We have noticed he is gaining more weight and his little legs are becoming robust. Today we weighed him at 4.2kg so he is gaing about 200 to 230grams a week which is quite good.

However for a time there we were panicking about his weight gain as he had lost more than 10% of weight coming out of hospital. He weighed 3.3 kg when we left hospital and he was born with 3.82 kg so now he has past his birth weight and growing steadily.

I love him to bits and love to kiss his little face, he always wrinkles his eyes when I kiss him and I feel he does not like it. But other times he looks at me and when I look at him he looks away. He is very observant and looks always is looking everywhere, on the ceiling, at the lights, at the television at my grandmothers Sara’s painting of Bondi, and the Indian cushions. He loves to look at the painting of Bondi when I breastfeed him, my grandmother would have been so pleased.

the doctors visit

2007-07-12T11:10:00.000+10:00

I took him to the doctors, and for the first time ventured outside with him and only him. I put him in the Baby Bjorn and walked to Clovelly road to the Clovelly Medical Center. The Doctor weighed him and told me he had put on 700 or so grams since he was weighed last. She was happy with that and told me he was on the 50% percentile line for weight. So he is average weight. I showed her the pimples he has on his face and she said they are due to hormones as from my breastmilk he is absorbing my hormones. He looks like a pimply little boy. She checked his temperature with baby thermometer in his ears, and checked his tounge, he still has oral thrush so she made a new prescription so I could buy drops for his thrush. She checked his ears as I mentioned to her that sometimes he touches them and she said there was nothing wrong with them just hairy little ears. She also prescribed Motilium to me a drug used to increase breast milk originally recommened to me by the lactation consultant Anne Kohn last Saturday.

Took him to see el Abuelo Ruben at the War Vet Nursing home. My grandfathers face lit up when he saw us and I walked in the room where he was playing Bingo with the lady from Peru who looks after him and announced “Abuelo aca tenes a tu vis-nieto, ahora sos un vis abuelo, tuve un nenito”. He was over the moon and I did not expect much of a reaction from him. He was saying how happy he was, how beautiful Joaquin was, how special and he touched his little feet and his hands and held him while he was in his chair. My grandfather reached out fo Joaquin and told me “ I did not think I was ever going to experience happiness again”. This broke my heart. Jason took photos and a video. We stayed and watched my grandfather have dinner, as Maria fed him. He had pork and rice for dinner. My grandfather still thinks my grandmother Sara is alive and asked ‘Que dijo la abuela cuando lo vio, te dijo que le cortes el pelo”. Joaquin slept throughout the visit but I woke him up at 5pm so he could feed and then he was alert and looking at el abuelo and we took some good photos with them both. I took a photo with both their hands, different generations. It is unbelievable to think I have a son.

On the way home we stopped at a take-away shop and I ran in and got two chicken burgers called“hot mamma” as they are a fake Oporto burgers with chili sauce but they were delicious with two chicken fillets. We ate them in the car while Joaquin slept and that to us is the new definition of being new parents –Eat when and where you can--.

He was asleep when we got home and we let him sleep and then when he woke at 10.30pm I fed him, and gave him a top up of formula (60mls) and also pumped. I was able to pump 70mls and Jason was very happy. Then I woke up at 3.30am to feed him and then 7.30am (Friday morning).

To increase my milk supply I started taking tablets Motilium at 10pm and took one every 6 hours, then at 7am and 3.30pm (Friday 13^th) as suggested by lactation consultant. Lets see what happens, if my supply increases!

one month old

2007-07-11T11:07:00.000+10:00

Joaquín our beautiful little son is over a month old. He is our little sun that shines brightly every day.

Today is Wednesday the 11^th of July and I can not believe that he is over a month old and growing well.

The truth is it has been tough being a new mother and I am sure I can vouch for Jason being a new father.

There is so much to learn and so much patience that is needed and of course there is the lack of sleep that keeps everyone on their toes. However as time is passing I do find it slightly easier each time and I love him more and more each day. I kiss his cheeks and his nose and face and he looks away with his big eyes. Jason says he may have green eyes but he was born with blue grey eyes and I thought maybe he might have my father’s grey blue eyes.

We are starting to get in some sort of routine but truthfully babies do not know what time or day it is, they are just hungry and very tired.

This is roughly how are days and nights are:

out and about

2007-07-06T11:02:00.000+10:00

Went to Bondi Junction

Went to Medicare in Bondi Junction

Had coffee and Anzac biscuit and muffin Shopping Mall Westfield.

Going to Scone

2007-06-25T06:52:00.000+10:00

Monday 25^th June

Today we decided to go to Scone in the Upper Hunter to spend time with Jason’s family. joaquin is only 2 weeks old but we thought we needed to spend time with family for support as Jason and I were going crazy at home. I felt tied to the couch all day feeding and not sleeping well at night. In fact he cried so much at night and did not want to go to sleep. We were still not sure if we should travel or not considering that Joaquin still was not back to his birth weight.

So that day we left at 1pm and went to Randwick to weigh him at the Pharmacy and he weighed 3.67kg. So we decided to go from there. He was restless as we walked around Randwick with him in the baby capsule and we knew he was hungry. But we decided to drive for an hour and then feed him near the freeway. He slept once Jason started driving. At 4pm we then we tried to find a park to park near and stop so I could breastfeed him and we ended up parked in a street with big leaf trees.

We fed him for an hour and then Jason kept driving. Jason drove and Joaquin slept most of the way from there, and we were quite content to have some adult time in the car, talking while he slept. Most of the way I had to check if he was ok as he was very quite so we had to stop and I would check if he was sleeping well and had not been covered by any blankets. These are all new parent fears.

We got to Scone at about 7pm and Jason's parents were happy to see him. In a way I was happy to get out of home as i had not left home in the two weeks since he had been born and it was nice to be at Jason's parents home with the fire going and Jason's mother making lovely homemade meals each night. It really was a treat.

The hardest thing was trying to get him to sleep at night and once he was asleep, it was hard for us to sleep and then wake him feed him and try to get him back to sleep again. Some nights he cried a lot, some nights he went to sleep after a feed. There were times I kept feeding every hour or so, and times I fed for more than an hour. I really did not know how to breastfeed or know if he was sucking well or feeding well. It was frustrating for me and for him and even for Jason. Jason would ask "Is he asleep or is he sucking" I would say "sucking" but then look down and see him asleep. We had a few arguments over this!

I was also worried I was waking everyone up as Jason's day had to get up at 5am to go to work each morning, Jason's mother was on holidays at that point but I was sure that by Joaquin crying I was waking everyone up. Jason's mother said that i should not worry as Jason's dad was not able to hear anything once he fell asleep. In a way that did make me feel slightly better. But I think in retrospect it was only a few nights that Joaquin cried and cried and I could not get him to sleep. Then Jason would lie there and tell me that I was not getting him to sleep properly and I should not change tactics midflight. If i was rocking him I should keep rocking him, if I was walking around the room I should keep doing that. We decided that Joaquin just did not want to sleep in his baby moses as previous to this in the first weeks of his life we would have him sleep with us in the bed on my chest or Jason's chest. Now at two weeks we were trying for him to sleep in the little moses cot with its stand, but this was right next to the bed. So i would hear his every move and sounds and would wake when he woke and wanted a feed, it was like co-sleeping but safer.

First day at beach

2007-06-23T21:15:00.000+10:00

Today we met Erica, Oliver and Tracey at Coogee. Walked down with Jason and he took Joaquin in the Baby Bjorn and I think he liked it straight away. He did not cry and had his eyes opened and alert.

Also saw Robin and Rachel at the beach as they were going with Robin’s guitar to catch a bus to get his guitar fixed. The weather was nice for the first time in a long time.

So today we walked to the beach for the first time with Joaquin in the Baby Bjorn. Joaquin heard for the first time the sound of birds and a dog barking as Jason walked him around. He had his eyes opened. I took the pram and took him on the board walk in the pram but he cried at northern end as he was hungry and we put him back in the baby bjorn and walked home quickly.

We were quite nervous. We hurried home to feed him.

Going Home

2007-06-12T15:02:00.000+10:00

Tuesday 12^th June

We had stayed in our little own room at hospital (Jason had slept the night) and we were trying to feed the baby and get him to weigh a big more to be able to go home. he finally weighed 3.3kgs and was allowed to go home. He had lost more than 15% of his body weight and the doctors could not tell us why (even after they had probed him and taken his blood from his little hand). But they finally let us go home and we in our hearts had decided enough was enough and it was time to go home.

Nikki, Lola and Rueben (5) (her children came to visit) and we finally felt the urge and need to get out of hospital and go. This was a big step for us but a necessary one. So we left at about 12 to go home, we got in the car and put the little nameless one in the car capsule and Jas drove us home. I was in shock still, not moving to my potential but the drive home was great and the baby did not cry and slept. It was very cold and windy outside but when we got home we got the heaters going. Jason had cleaned the flat up and it did not look like a pigstye from the labour with towles and clothes everywhere, with the kettle and chair in the bathroom and wet sheets (from the waters breaking on my bed)

At home

We were in a shock when we got home and had so many things to do and learn.

Jason went and hired a electronic pump and bought bottles with peristaltic pigeon nipples and formula and food for us. I was left alone with the little one for the first time at home.

Baby is born

2007-06-12T10:45:00.000+10:00

Friday 8^th June

Joaquin was born at 10.30am on Friday 8th June 2007. He weighed 3.82kgs and measured 57cm.

I think that is quite a big baby and long one.

Was sent to Oxford ward at Birthing Suite and i had my legs numb from the epidural and could not feel them at all. Jas was no where to be found nor the little baby, and finally Jason came to my room holding a new little parcel, a new little baby all pink and soft wrapped up, only his face showing. I held him in my arms and really did not know what to expect.

Jason and I cried a bit that day, we slept on and off, the baby was sleeping all day and I really did not feed him that much. I was stuck in bed with a drip with antibiotics and a hormone drip of oxytocin hormones and a catheter for going to the toilet.

My friends from Uni came to visit and brought me flowers on Friday after the birth in the afternoon. I was still in shock from labour but very happy. Jas could not sleep with me in the room and had to go home to bed. I am sure he was very tired after not sleeping the day before.

Saturday 9^th June

On Saturday Jason's parents came from Scone it was a very wet windy day and it was raining in most parts of NSW, a great rain. We were thinking of calling the nameless baby Noah as he had brought the rains. A boat the Pasha Bulka was stranded on the Newcastle beach and this was front page news along with all the flooding in the Hunter region. On Saturday we also had a bathing class and he loved to be bathed. He did not cry and I was still so scared to hold him and wrap him. Jason was quite good at wrapping him. All the babies in the class were boys and a few were called Lucas or Luca, we wanted to call him that name but changed our minds when we found out everyone was naming their baby that. Our baby remained nameless, poor little thing.

Those few days at the hospital after he was born are a blur to me, I remember sleeping and staying in bed and the baby in the crib next to me looking with his eyes open and at times sleeping. He did not cry much the first few days.

My waters broke

2007-06-12T10:38:00.000+10:00

My waters broke on Thursday 4.30pm I had gone to my midwife appointment and was 39 weeks and 5 days and the midwife said if the baby was not born soon I would have to have an internal examination and then if nothing came of that make a booking to be induced.
So that kind of freaked me a bit. I don't know why, as I am sure it is not that bad.
So i went home and was feeling tired and rested, I was not that hungry and that was a bit strange. I was in bed and at 4.30 my waters broke, I rang Jason and he said he was on his way from work Nth Sydney and then I rang the midwives. They wanted to know if it was a real waters break or leakage urine and suggested I go in to the hospital. I knew with the gush and power of the waters breaking that it was my waters breaking.
We went to the hospital at 6pm and a midwife did a swab to see if it indeed was amniotic fluid and not urine and it was indeed amniotic fluid.
She put a toco meter around my stomach to moniter the contraction and baby's heartbeat and lo and behold i was having miny contractions about 7 min apart. The midwife said to go home and rest and labour would probably begin in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Well on the way home at 7.30 i had a much larger contraction in the car which felt like period pain x 5. Then at home by 8.00 I started feeling contractions they were already 5 min apart and 30 seconds long. This went on for a while and gradually the contractions got closer together and towards the end they were 1 min and a half apart and 40 seconds apart. All this time i was at home with Jason doing everything i remembered from the class, breathing, hot showers, sitting on the toilet resting between contractions drinking a lot of water and having panadine every 4 hours. I made sure Jason massaged my lower back with a tennis ball during every contraction (we only had one as the others were in the bag in the car and I could not fathom the thought of Jason leaving my side to get the bag).
By 3am i told Jason to call the hospital as the pain was much greater and I had the urge to push and he did they said if i wanted to come in i could. By that time Sydney was storming and walking out to the car was quite an adventure. I was having contractions in the car and urges to push in the carpark.
When i got to the hospital I had an internal examination and lo and behold I was 8 cm dialated. I thought I would be 3 cm not 8.
After 2 and half hours of contractions and urges to push I was 10 cm dilated and the midwife said that I would be having the baby soon. These last contractions were not as painful or long as the others and I was just taking each contraction at a time, riding them and the pain.
So then at 6am on friday morning i started to push and this went on for a while but they could not see the baby's head. So after 2 and half hours of pushing the Drs came in and recommended I had an internal examination under an epidural and to see if the baby would come out with a ventose and if that did not work it would have to be a cesarean. I was so disappointed and upset.
So there all my plans went out the window, I endured the labour at home without drugs and right at the end they wanted to give me an epidural. I told them explicitly i wanted to keep pushing and did not want a cesarean.
But in the end i succumbed to the doctors as I was exhausted, I had an epidural and went into the theater and they did an internal examination and were able to locate the head of the baby just near my pelvic bone and told me to push during this and i did without feeling anything. But i pushed as if my life depended on it and after about 3 more contractions with pushing they told me the baby was on its way out. Thankfully, they said they had to use baby forceps to help. The doctors had to give me an episiotomy and unfortunately while they were doing this I tore and had a 4th degree tear.
But at 10.25am the baby was born!!!!!
Stayed in hospital for 4 days and left on Tuesday to go home.
I am home now with Jason and the bub, we still don't have a name. We are breastfeeding and learning every day. The hospital staff were great, the midwives that teach you how to breastfeed at the hospital are wonderful.
I am feeling fine and have no pain, just taking antibiotics and panadol. I can walk around fine and hopefully everything will get better as each day passes.
I am sorry if i bored you with all this detail.
If anyone wants to know anything else I am pleased to help. But the truth is the antenatal course and Sue's teaching helped Jason and I labour at home, and control the pain and know exactly what to expect and that made it all worth while.

38 and half weeks pregnant

2007-05-30T08:52:00.000+10:00

Nearly there
here is a photo of what I looked like a week before i gave birth on may 30th 2007

15 weeks pregnant

2006-12-12T18:07:00.000+11:00

I have not written for a while.

Nuchal translucency and first pre-natal appointment
I got my nuchal translucency scan done a few weeks ago (12 weeks and a half) and it was a bit scary as they found a fibroid and the sonographer did not know what it was and had to call the doctor in.
I was even worried at first that they would not find a baby. But there it was a little bundle of human frailty It measured 7.5cm at 12 weeks four days. However this was later changed by the doctor based on the size, and so the age of the baby was changed to 13 weeks and 3 days. So now instead of being due on the 10th of June 2007 I am due 4th June 2007.
The baby is on my right hand side and was very energetic. There is a largish fibroid on my left hand side and I hope this does not interfere with the baby's growth or movement in the future. I was not really able to enjoy seeing the baby, as I worried a lot when I was probed and prodded by the sonographer trying to figure out what the large mass was near or on my uterus. The doctor said to me it is most likely a uterine fibroid and they will monitor it to see if it grows or not. She said that it was in a good position and if one is ever to get a fibroid in the uterus then the best place to get it is where mine is. But that really did not re-assure me much.
I also went to have my first pre-natal appointment at the hospital and I felt happy with the midwives and how caring they were.

How a pregnant woman feels:
I am now feeling better, the nausea has subsided a lot and I am eating much better. My weight is still low 63-64 kg and maybe now i will begin to put on a bit, not that I want to. My stomach is growing though.

Food:
I am not really into meat at the moment. I have been eating gherkins from the Czech Republic and Jarlsburg cheese with hot English mustard on bread. I have been having custard and breakfast is always the same wheatbix cereals.

Insommia:
So now I am 15 weeks. Another thing that has been happening is that I have insomnia at night and wake up at around 3am and go to the toilet then can not get back to sleep until 4am or 4.30am and have to sleep with a pillow between my legs facing left.
I have also began to feel more emotional and this all happened after the 12th week.

Very emotional:
During the first trimester I did not cry, I felt nauseous and sick and hated the smell of certain foods. But i never cried. Now i cry in relation to everything, in fact I am back to my normal sensitive crazy self. I can't believe I cry when I ask J to buy me some mustard like American mustard and he gets me seeded mustard. Hopefully in the future I will look back on this and laugh and apologize to everyone around me for my craziness.

My memory is 100% better:
Another weird thing is that I do feel I have a better memory at the moment and it seems facts are easier to access from my brain than previously so. I do not know if this is connected to being pregnant, or having multi-vitamins and follic acid every morning. No se.

Telling friends and family:
I have begun to tell people I am pregnant but still quite hesitant. I went to see my grandfather yesterday. He is in a nursing home and I told him, he seemed happy and said the family is now growing and extending. I hope he understands what this means. I hope it makes him happy.
I am also planning to go to a paleontological dig in January and I have told the woman in charge but not the man who is in charge, partly because I want to be sure with all my scan results, partly as I did not have time to tell him personally as he is never alone and in a rush and hardly comes to the Uni.
However I found out today one of my colleagues mentioned to him herself that I was pregnant before I got to tell him. She felt a bit bad for doing so, and I really did not worry. But later in the day it sunk in, and it made me feel really bad, and I rang J and bawled my eyes out in the corridor of the university and told him how lousy i feel. I feel a bit betrayed and robbed of something that is mine. It is my doing, this pregnancy, having a baby and so in my eyes I believe I need to tell people in my own time.

Mumbo jumbo ramblings:
Oh well I have learned from this, learned that I should not be so trusting and so nice. J does not understand why I always seem to have problems with people. I do not know why either, I am going to try to figure that one out, but for now I know this is not my doing and I have not done anything bad. I think it has to do with respect. I have done my PhD I am a doctor yet I don't have a job and I am considered a "volunteer" at the University. I am sure this makes me look bad in people's eyes. Also I am never one to prove my abilities or who I am, I don't want to show off. Oh well I need to be strong for the sake of the baby, to teach this baby what it means to be a woman and scientist in this world.
I won't cry anymore......

Over 10 weeks foods i eat and avoid

2006-11-14T14:24:00.000+11:00

So I am officially 10 weeks preggers.
I am still feeling quite ill and have vomited every second day in the last week or so. Before that I had nausea without vomiting and so here I want to list the symptoms one (me) gets during early pregnancy, during the first trimester.
Shock at first
Nausea
Some slight pain as you change
Tired
Tired
Food Aversions
Nausea
Feeling sick
Feeling tired
Feeling unattractive
Feeling bad and down
Sleeping well (as the weeks progress)
Sleeping not so well (early weeks)
Feeling so tired as if I have run a marathon or run into a brick wall

Food I like
-White foods: such as porridge, milk, yogurt, pasta with no sauce, 2 minute noodles, cheese. I even made a mayonnaise with tuna and cream cheese with egg mash to eat with crackers and it looks like a white mashy mix. I made this as I saw the recipe being made on a tv food cooking show.
Coloured foods: chocolate milk, oranges, apples, tomatoe 2 minute noodle soup, pumpkin mash, red icy poles.
As you can tell the food variety is very bland, and the coloured foods are either red or orange. It is strange.
I am craving sweet foods and have had some diet custard and chocolate cups. But i don't like straight out chocolate.
I miss going to the local restaurant in Buenos Aires and having their pumpkin mash with a juicy steak. I have not been eating much meat however. I also miss the cakes from Buenos Aires that are moist with layers of dulce de leche and cream.
See I have food cravings and addiction.

Today I had some wheatbix and bran for breakfast with half a glass of orange juice. I had my multi-vitamin with added follic acid. I was going to go to the Uni but i felt sick and just vomited a bit of my breakfast. Then I had a shredded apple like my mum used to make me when I was little and sick and last but not least I had a glass of milk with chocolate powder. It is nearly 3pm and have not eaten as much as I should or as healthy as I should.
In my fridge I have fresh pesto that my other half made yesterday, and mushroom risotto but I do not want anything savory.
Food aversions include:
anything that is garlicy
Anything with garlic ( I always cook with onion and garlic)
Lamb
Pork
Most meat
Green veges such as brocoli ( I was eating a lot of brocoli previous to me getting preggers)
Curries
Thai foods
Asian foods

6 weeks

2006-10-13T11:39:00.001+10:00

Today is Friday. It is hot in Sydney, but here in the flat I am in is quite cool.
I feel good, I am at home and listening over and over again to Regina Spektor Fidelity, I love the song.
I am approximately 6 weeks pregnant and starting my 7th week. I have so much to do today, so lets see if i can get everything done.
I thought pregnancy was meant one feel bad, But truthfully it is not too bad.
I am not hungry, but thirsty and quite tired. I don't know If i feel 100% pregnant as I feel normal, but i feel changes in me, somewhere deep, like a coming of age, a maturation and a zest for life, for new life. I do not know how to explain it, maybe this happens to other woman as well. I guess it might all be just a feeling of Happiness.

J-chico bought a camera yesterday to take photos, and he has already taken some good ones of me. Now it is my turn to take some of him.
This weekend we will go to visit his family and tell them of our news. J-chico's sister is also pregnant and her baby is due a week before mine.
It is funny how woman get pregnant at the same time, well it is Spring here in the southern hemisphere, time to procreate and reproduce just like other mammals and birds and reptiles.

Here are some links concerning pregnancy in Australia
Childbirth Education Association of Australia

Birthnet

Begginings of week 6

2006-10-10T14:36:00.000+10:00

This is my story, just thought I would write it out before it all gets lost in my crazy mind.
I am 32 years of age, I have a boyfriend J-chico (call him that for now) he is also 32 years of age. We live in the East in Sydney, it is all very poshy but the ocean is nice and we love the old fashioned art deco architecture and buildings. I grew up in Sydney's east but J-chico grew up in the country. Now he works in the city in front of a computer, we chat all the time via google talk.
Why is this blog called Patagonia Baby, well Patagonia is like my second home and baby it is time that babies were involved in my life in my boyfriends life and from now on we will have to get used to this new scenario.

So the story goes like this.....
I found out last Friday 6th October when a friend came over with a pregnancy test that I was pregnant. I did the test in the bathroom and the results came up with two red lines.
I was not expecting this at all, nor my partner J-chico (call him that for now). My friend who is a mother to a 7 month old was over the moon, she jumped up and down and cuddled me and gave me a big kiss, I on the other hand could not move and thought, this must be a mistake.

I then called J-chico up on the phone and told him we were both really in shock, lost for words, yet I had a big smile on my face. I was thinking quietly to myself this is great but it can't really be.

So today Tuesday 10th October I went to my local GP and told her the news.
She said

Congratulations

and made the arrangements so I can get tests done and start planning.
I went to get a blood test and urine test. I am 5 weeks and 2 days pregnant and due on the 10th of June 2007.

Last night I had a dream, I dreamt I had a baby girl, she had blue eyes.