Welcome to the first post-paternity leave update. Yes, I am back in the adult word with responsibilities to my employers as well as to the family. So as many of you are taking time off at Easter to be with your families I am somewhat contradictorily returning from time off work. Perhaps Ezra has sensed this change in circumstances for he, too has decided to change his circumstances. For the first two weeks of his life he was unbelievable as a baby. He would feed and then sleep. Wake when he was hungry, maybe cry a little and then feed and go back to sleep. Obviously there would be the regular effect of all that food and he certainly doesn’t like his nappy changed with his bits all on show. However apart from that he was an almost ideal baby. Then it changed.
For a week he didn’t sleep. He fed, he cried and he pooped and that was all he did for nearly a week. I think if it wasn’t for Nanny Fran Lucinda definitely, and me, probably, would have been in a complete state since I was trying to get back in the working mentality and Lucinda would have had both girls and Ezra to look after on mere snatches of sleep. Not conducive to keep yourself compos mentis or to be in charge of small children.
So what caused Ezra’s sleepless nights? It is hard to track down. He wasn’t ill. It went on a little too long to be something that Lucinda had eaten. We are putting it down to a development leap, he was possibly becoming more aware of his surroundings and so his brain was trying to process all this new information. According to the Wonder Weeks website this was a little too early but if we ignore this little oversight then it seems to tie in quite well. One thought that did pass through our heads was whether he was developing Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance like his sister. Therefore we decided that we would take him to get him weighed at the next clinic to ensure he was putting on weight at the expecting rate.
While we were struggling with Ezra alone where were Éowyn and Amélie? There were 120 miles north-west in West Bromwich at Nanny Fran’s. Yes, Nanny Fran had offered to look after the girls for the first week of the Easter holidays and we jumped at the offer. This would tie in with my first week back at work and so, the theory went, Lucinda could get into a routine with Ezra alone before trying to get into a routine with all three children. As you can guess that idea didn’t quite go to plan but nevertheless was very convenient.
We drove up to West Bromwich in the S-Max, its first proper outing and the first time that we could use the in-car DVD in anger. Ezra was very good in the car (as were Éowyn and Amélie) and we soon arrived at Nanny Fran’s. As I have mentioned before Éowyn and Amélie love to go to Nanny Fran’s and this time was no different, they were very excited for nearly a week before the journey. I am sure that Ezra will be no different when he grows up. Indeed he realised that he was somewhere different and you could see him looking around and trying to make some sense of the new place. As a baby’s eyesight isn’t that great it is possible that it is new smells that he is reacting to but whatever it was he definitely knew he was somewhere different and he was quite happy to be there.
This was Ezra’s first trip to West Bromwich, in fairness it was his first proper journey of any note. News of his trip spread and even though we were only there for a few hours he had a number of visitors who came over to see him. He also made a visit to his Great-Grandma. It was the day after her 90th birthday and so there was a double reason to visit. Great-Grandma managed to have an extended cuddle with her first Great-Grandson and Ezra was very good just lying there in her arms relaxed in his oldest relative’s embrace.
After a meal and a couple more visitors Lucinda and I then headed back home leaving our oldest children with Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz. So while Lucinda was struggling with no sleep and I was struggling with very little sleep and getting back into work, what did Éowyn and Amélie get up to?
If you ask Éowyn then the answer would be nothing. It is always nothing as I have mentioned before, but the photos paint a different story. Nanny Fran and Auntie Liz spoilt them rotten (as a Nan and Auntie should). They went to a couple of soft play areas, the West Midlands Safari Park and Auntie Liz took Éowyn to the cinema to see her first 3D film (Finding Nemo).
They were both very well behaved (well they were at Nanny Fran’s so they had no choice!) and came back with some goodies and had but one question: When could they go back to Nanny Frans.
So before I leave you (with a good selection of photos) is Ezra Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerant? While I took Éowyn to the cinema to see her second film of the week (The Croods – in 2D, none of that 3D nonsense for me) Lucinda went to find out. Well if his current weight gain is anything to go by, no! Tuesday morning is the Baby Weigh-in clinic and so Lucinda (and Amélie) took Ezra for the first time. His last weigh-in was two weeks ago and so we were quite interested to find out how much he had put on. We were not prepared for the answer. The little bruiser now weighs 4.97kg (10lb 15oz). He has put on over two pounds (just short of a kilogram) in less than 4 weeks and now sits on the 91st centile. That’s my boy!
Please enjoy the photos below and don’t forget the photos on Flickr
Peace and love
Baggie
