Recently in Family Category

I think that for both Az and I one of the weirder adjustments of late has been our return to the whole workweek/weekend lifestyle. There’s not much to say on the matter, except that 48 hours sure fly by after a long week.

So it’s Monday morning, again. Our colds are finally leaving us, though at different speeds. Emelyn is 99.9% fine now (just snoring louder than usual, is all), I’m right behind her, and Azure and Arps are both well enough to be coming into London later today.

In fact, we were all in fine shape this entire weekend — we looped to Grantchester and back from our house on Saturday; it’s a long walk. During the week, I’ve increasingly come to view my commute as a waste of time, but come the week-end, the notion of bunkering down with baby in a crowded metropolis seems equally absurd. Our weather in the Orchard was absolutely fantastic, the air clean and crisp, and I’ve never seen the place so crowded. The four of us spent a long time in the deck chairs there, and it was getting dark by the time we neared home.

(Incidentally, Emelyn is finally starting to enjoy her pram, which is making all this movement possible. I have no idea what she thinks about in there, but a good portion of the time she’s staring at us and smiling, which is hard to argue with.)

Our Sunday started with brunch at the bistro around the corner, a stroll in the city centre (including a diaper change at Magdalene, under the arches of the Pepys library, no less), and ended with pints in the garden behind the Cambridge Blue. I don’t know how much longer the weather will let us do these kinds of things, but for now, it’s fantastic.

The plan today is for Azure and Arps (and Emmie, too) to come into London, so they can visit with a friend of Arpi’s studying here. Hopefully we’ll find a baby-friendly spot to all have dinner, and then ride the train home together. (A first.) London with a baby is a logistical challenge, one that Azure and I were debating pretty late last night. After several brave attempts, our friends Matt and Sabine told us that prams and the Tube simply don’t mix (which I can well believe), but the idea of Baby-Bjorn-ing Emelyn for an entire day doesn’t seem so ideal, either. It’ll work itself out.

Should be a busy week, in all. Looking forwards, Az, Arpi, and Emmie are seeing Pride and Prejudice on Wednesday AM. Our local ‘arts cinema’ has this weekly “Big Scream” showing (brought to you by Huggies�) specially for the baby-toting demographic; I’ve never been but Az went two weeks ago and told me all about it: First off, they have a special pram-storage area setup in the lobby, like valet parking. Then there’s a Huggies changing table set up in the back of the cinema, and the room lighting is kept on, but really low. The babies, they can scream all they want. And they do.

Azure, Emelyn, and I all have the same nasty cold. Probably something I brought home from the Tube.

I’m wishing I could be more help at home, but as usual, it’s Az who’s bearing the brunt of the work. Emelyn breathes best when upright on Mom, so Azure spent most the night semi-sleeping in a reclining position, cradling Emelyn on her chest. When Emmie’s plugged up, she makes some of the saddest noises I’ve ever heard while nursing. And her little coughs are just heartbreaking.

Our local surgery (doctor’s office) is three blocks up the street, so I think Azure is likely to swing by for a quick visit today. The NHS public health system here has its upsides and downsides, but one aspect I like is how well it works for the small things — so long as you call a doctor before 9am, you can get a same-day appointment, without having to worry about insurance, out-of-pocket cost, or any of that. That said, they’re also a lot less likely to send you home with a handful of pills or blood tests or any clear-cut plan for dealing with things. Addenbrooke’s hospital actually has a large plaque when you walk through the frontdoor which reads, “Whatever it is, it will soon pass” which, to me, sums up the British medical approach a lot of the time.

I’ve barely seen Arpi, but I’m glad she’s here. Hopefully the three of us will be more entertaining hosts in a day or two.

Not much else to report. Emelyn took note of herself in the mirror yesterday, and seemed to quite enjoy her own company — she laughed and smiled at herself. She then tried to paw at her mirror-self, which didn’t work quite as she’d expected. Thunk!

Winter hasn’t come to England, yet, but it’s certainly lurking close by. Hence Emelyn’s need to be increasingly bundled-up when venturing outside — logistically more difficult, though fun, too, since she’s been given some extremely cute winter outfits by friends and family. (Thanks!)

Sometime in the last 48 hours or so, Emelyn discovered her hands’ grabbing ability. (Until now her fists were reflexively clenched almost all the time.) Azure first caught her staring at her hands last week, but last night Emmie really went on a roll. She repeatedly picked-and-grabbed at the outfit she was wearing, intently watching her progress while doing so. Her actual ‘holding’ ability falls slightly short of ‘grabbing’ ability — watching her is reminiscent of those coin-operated amusement crane/grabber things were you try to pick up a plush toy.

Other great news this week is that Azure gets some company at home again — best friend Arpi has come for a visit. (Coincidentally, Arpi spent the first few years of her life in Cambridge.) It should be a good week for all of us, and if things go well, I might just see the ladies in London sometime soon.

As for me, I’m beginning to enjoy this morning train ride, since it gives me a chance to update Em’s blog more regularly. I’m starting to catch just a bit of the sunrise when the train pulls out of Cambridge into the green belt; as winter approaches I expect to see more and more of it…

Emelyn’s friend Tabitha, who’s a few months older, got baptised this weekend. The three of us attended the ceremony in Saffron Walden, which is about a 45 minute drive from Cambridge.

It was a nice ceremony, and a great chance to catch up with some fellow classmates still living around Cambridge. Emelyn’s behaviour in the old cathedral was, of course, very good — she was wide awake the entire time and made hardly a peep; she was utterly fascinated by the cathedral’s windows.

This being a British christening, the next stop was (of course) the village pub. Emelyn enjoyed the reception plenty, too — lots of other babies to meet. As luck would have it, however, we forgot to bring a change of clothes. Now, while eschewing the actual details, suffice to say that Murphy’s Law was in effect, and this all became an issue during her diaper change. No worries, though — Emelyn remained quite pleased with herself the entire time, and everything turned out just fine in the end. Alas, her wardrobe is shy one onesie now, which we delicately left behind in a bin back in Saffron Walden…

Emelyn is smiling. Fleeting smiles, to be sure, but they’re real ones, now, not the strange ‘involuntary’ grins that used to precede her possetting or diaper fill-ups.

She also had her big six-week checkup with a doctor, which went swimmingly. Emelyn’s weight is right on the 50th percentile; it even looks like she might be a tall girl. She is, for now, at least — her current length is between the 70th and 91st percentile.

We haven’t taken many pictures this week, but I’ve cobbled together a small video to share some of her smiling-ness, and to show off her little dance moves.

All else is good, here. (Well, almost: Dad heads to Google in three short days, and is not looking forward to leaving the ladies behind every morning. It’ll be a bittersweet change of pace…)

Emelyn makes a number of small noises, including sneezes, coughs, and many varieties of poopy-poopy sounds. What’s tricky is that the facial-expression buildup to each of these things is similar; you know something’s being worked on, but you’re just not sure what it might be…

Auntie and Emelyn prove the point, here, in this small video…

Emmie’s got one of those baby swingsets, now. It sits stately in our living room, where it gives her a good vantage on whatever we’re doing, whenever we’re occupied with household tasks requiring an even number (non-zero) of arms.

It’s pretty fancy. There’s a variable-speed motor, it plays 8 different melodies, and it even features 4 disco lights (kid you not). I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that Fisher-Price have somehow hidden an infant-sized TV remote and sippy-cupholder in the armrest.

See for yourself:

Emelyn is starting to lead a busy metro lifestyle — yesterday she went to Starbucks (again) with fellow-baby-friend Tabitha, lunched with Aunt Jami in the city centre, and then came to visit Dad at the Judge Business School. I’m now concerned that her first words are likely to be ‘venti nonfat cappucino’.

Emelyn had afternoon errands, too — Azure carried her back from school to the York Street Surgery (just a few blocks from our house) for her bi-weekly weigh-in. Emelyn is now 8lbs 8oz, which puts her weight right smack-dab at where it’s s’posed to be for her age. Good to know.

We all took a rather long jaunt yesterday, walking the public footpath through Grantchester Meadows down to The Orchard. Azure and I used to cycle here on an almost-weekly basis; we’re quickly learning that we can’t manage the same sort of speed or spontaneity with baby in tow — the logistics of diaper mats, baby slings, and tiny-little-hats-in-case-the-wind-blows is still a new world for us.

I can report that Emelyn and I both survived our first loud-crying-in-public event; yesterday it was finally my turn to be the sheepishly-smiling dad standing outside the restaurant with wailing baby in hand. Suffice to say I executed a hot-potato handoff the moment Azure returned from the restroom, Emelyn got her own lunch about 60 seconds later, and things quieted down quickly.

Anyhow. Emelyn is great, and Azure and I… incredibly tired. But we wouldn’t want it any other way.

Emelyn and I stepped out early for a morning constitutional — popping off for a fresh croissant at the Norfolk bakery, and a coffee from Starbucks. It was our first little journey alone together, and Emelyn behaved impeccably, staying soundly asleep with barely a wiggle coming from her sling.

“Mum’s having a bit of a lie-in, is she?” is what the Starbucks guy asked, but in fact, Azure was already up and chatting with an NHS health worker who swung by in our absence. When we came back, Azure and the NHS worker (an RN) were going through some paperwork, but we shortly got down to the fun stuff: the official weigh-in.

No doubt it’s a reflection of Emmie’s modest nature and general propriety, but she doesn’t particularly like to be disrobed for diaper changes or baths. Getting Emelyn to sit naked on a scale was therefore not much to her fancy, either. However, in due course Emelyn settled down, and clocked in at a healthy 7lbs 6 ounces, which is 3 ounces over her birth weight, and a good six ounces more than earlier last week. The nurse was happy with this, so we were, too.

Emelyn is a rock star. Or certainly parties like one — up all night, sleep all day. All of which has left Azure and me feeling permanently jet-lagged, though we’ve barely left our living room.

We managed to hit one pub, at least. The Cambridge Blue, one of just two non-smoking pubs in all Cambridge, sits literally around the corner from our house. Alas, Azure is still stuck drinking ‘sparky water’, but dad, Aunt Sheri and Uncle Jeff managed to enjoy a few pints of Hobson’s Choice and Woodford Wherry in their baby-friendly beer garden. (Emelyn, meanwhile, stayed asleep in her sling.)

Most of the time, though, we’re at home. Because taking care of baby is, like, hard work. Az and I have plenty of things to be thankful for, and a big one at the moment is that Emelyn popped into our lives during this long ‘summer vacation’ — probably the last such break we’ll have. And I dunno how we’d manage otherwise.

Great news today: Emelyn is being discharged from the SCBU and moving next door into Sara Ward alongside Azure. This means a lot less beeping machines around, and a chance for Azure to finally sleep with baby in the same room. Tomorrow morning marks a week since Azure entered the hospital for what she’d imagined would be an overnight visit, so it’s especially nice that both her and baby are in a (slightly) more home-like environment.

Emelyn’s made a lot of progress, fast. Her mom and dad are very proud of her.