This Too Shall Pass

I can no longer remember Dylan's baby cry.  I know he sounded like a newborn once upon a time though, all those months ago.  I know that his cry has not always been the toddler wail that it is now, but I can't remember the old sound at all.

I can still picture his first wonky smile though, with his tongue looking almost twisted in his mouth and his eyes lit up with excitement.  I can still remember that first beautiful giggle as I kissed his neck, and how long we spent trying to get him to make that perfect sound again.

I know that Dylan fed through the night for many months, sometimes once, sometimes every hour and I know that there were days when I was so tired, so fed up and probably wishing the time away until he was bigger and sleeping better.  When I look back on those first few months though, what I remember is picking him up, latching him on and watching his perfect features settle into a calm and dreamy state as he curled into my body and felt safe.  I remember wanting to freeze that moment and feeling at peace myself.  I remember those special moments between us, proudly showing off my baby to the world in constant wonder at this little person that I had created.  I remember being amazed by him every single day.

As Archie is hitting a rather difficult patch, waking more and more frequently in the night, I am trying to remind myself that it is only a phase.  We will get through it and as big as it may seem now, in the grand scale of things it is tiny.  This stage will pass and become just a memory, barely even that.  When I look back at my seven month old baby, I will smile at the way he giggled at his brother, the excitement in his eyes as he bounces in his jumperoo and the way he cuddled into me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.  

I will know that he didn't sleep well, but that hungry, sleepy cry will be a sound I can't quite remember, replaced by a full belly laugh and the raspberrys he blows at every opportunity.

The memories of mornings spent with a hot coffee in my hands waiting for the caffeine to hit will be but tales to tell my teenagers that are still in bed at midday with no signs of surfacing and I will look at them wondering where those two little boys were, who woke up with the biggest smiles on their faces even at 6am.  The nights will never be as long again, the mornings never quite as early as they are now, these days will pass.

There are so many precious moments that I want to remember from these early months, that there will be no space for the sleepless nights and the baby cries.  Every stage is just that, something that will pass, whether it be good or bad and when I am up for the umpteenth night feed, I am trying to remember just that.  This too shall pass, and it will be but a distant memory - make sure you have enough of the great memories to shadow it out.


p.s Archie's gorgeous outfit was sent to us from the lovely people a Name It - review to come soon

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It Goes So Fast

When you are pregnant for the first time, everyone warns you how fast they grow up, yet you still find yourself wishing away the days and longing for the next milestone.  I loved the first few days, but I was in an adrenaline haze and they flew by.  Before I knew it, my little baby was sitting up, eating solids and showing off his cheeky personality at every opportunity.

This time I am determined to enjoy every single precious moment, because I know how fleeting the newborn days are.  I still find it hard to believe that a whole month has gone by since that wonderful day when I met my beautiful little boy for the first time but I have been trying to enjoy and capture every single day.  

Despite knowing the advice, I have let Archie nap on me when he wants to (which is pretty much all the time!).  He may form bad habits but in my opinion there is nothing more precious than curling up with a sleeping newborn snoring away on your chest.  He is my little hot water bottle and we are both happiest snuggled up together.  Our cuddles are limited due to an energetic toddler and his busy social life so I really make the most of the ones we do get. 

Our baby bath is sat on the bathroom floor unused, as Archie has shared all of his baths with me.  I love the excuse for skin to skin which we don't get many chances for with the cold weather and he is so relaxed lying in my arms in the warm water.  It won't be long before he is sharing his baths with his big brother, splashing away and singing the penguin songs, so I am enjoying the extra quiet time together whilst he is so small.

It won't be long until Archie is in jeans and T-shirts looking like a real little boy, but for his first month we have chosen to keep him in comfy sleepsuits (apart from his red nose day outfit).  I love him looking like a baby and whilst he sleeps all day (or is meant to), pajamas seem like the best choice!  We are introducing some little outfits now too, but staying with soft and cosy as I know I will have plenty of chances to dress him in trendy togs when he is bigger.

I may be over enthusiastic with my camera phone, but not a day of Archie's life has gone by so far without a photo being taken,  Every day he amazes me with his beauty and I want to remember the moment.  The first time Dylan held his hand, the first time he wore a hand knitted cardigan from Nanny, the first time he fell asleep snoring with his mouth wide open - each moment precious and perfect and eternally recorded to terrorise him as a teenager.  

These newborn days go so fast and as I watched my 4 week old baby boy roll over this week I remembered exactly why I am trying so hard to slow down the time.  Every milestone is precious, but every ordinary day is equally so.

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