timandfee

I have to say that having 2 kids 18 months apart is damn hard work in these early days.   Some of my friends did tell me, but i guess i did not believe it.  Some others did not seem to have any troubles at all….or so it seemed from the outside.   I will freely admit that both tim and i are finding it hard going, but luckily we have loads of support which makes it manageable and gives us some time to recharge.  We have even gone to dinner alone!

My little man is 1 month old, and time is indeed flying.   I would love to say he is an easy baby, but i cant-  For 2 weeks he slept most of the day, and Alina was good around him all considered.  Then he slept less and fussed more.  To be honest he cries a lot.  I feel so sorry for him at times, he cant tell me what is wrong, and i cant always figure it out.   He is what is called fussy in some books, but I am convinced that I can do things to change this, I just need to figure out what!

Right now, he often cries when he wakes up, when he is hungry, when he wants to be held,when we change him, when we bath him, and when he has to burp or poo - the good news is that he stops crying quickly once he is picked up.  His cry is like him saying “hey i am here?” and at other times  ”what´s happening??.  He does have a witching hour in the evening (or sometimes in the middle of the night), when it seems that he is in pain and it is harder to sooth him . i suppose this could be colic.  The things that worked to sooth Alina dont really work with him- swaddling (he hates it most of the time), hairdryer and white noise (no affect), soother (works only sometimes), singing (not a hope).  It seems that he is sensitive and just wants to be held and reassured.

As I mentioned in another post, he also feeds a lot more then Alina.  He was feeding maybe every 2.5 or 3 hours during the day, but often every hour or hour and a half at night.  The last 2 days this is better though, and I have gone from about 11 feeds per day to 8 or 9.  He can even do 4 hour stretches now.

Now the good news.  By holding him constantly, he is actually very quiet.  I am sure the friends who has met us out think he is perfect!  So it means that he is mostly in my, or someone elses arms at the moment.  I have started to use a sling which at least keeps my hands free.  Also at night, he is often in with us…or in fact, in with me, as he kicks his dad out regularly! And i have to admit, i kind of like sharing my bed with him!  Even so, getting more then 2 hours sleep in a row is a real luxury.  Nut with me in the bed, we both sleep late (i confess i am seldom dressed before 1) and so i am not exhausted.

Alina is good with him, but also nervous.  In the past week she has not been herself, as if realising that this little thing is not going away like it should have, and maybe is here to stay!  She has sometimes even taken to crying like him!!

Through all this, I do know that I am very fortunate -  tim feeds and minds me and alina, and loida takes care of alina during the day, letting me have a shower and eat (i have been eating like a pig  - way too much rubbish)!  We also have had some great help from Griet and Meme (who is here at the moment).  Be warned though, we tend to wear our guests out!

My overriding emotion at the moment though, is that I feel lucky, Alina is cuter then ever these days, mimicking everyone in every language!!  And she will be a great big sister.  We just need to mind her now, even when she is driving us mad!   As for “cuca”, he is so cute that i can forgive him the new grey hairs and bags under my eyes!  I also know time flies, so i want to enjoy these days with him, as soon he wont be an infant anymore.  And despite my moaning above, i am loving my time at home with the two, and consider myself very blessed.