Grandparents

Two lovely pictures for the record of Tom's grandparents, the Hubers and the Maguires.

Look at the difference in size in just one month.

Three weeks

Tom is still loving his sleep. He is feeding every three hours but still falling asleep mid-feed. This picture/pose is his favourite. It's not often we see him with his eyes open but when he does Ela exclaims 'he's opening his eyes mama they are very blue - like mine!'
He's not up to much else really other than pulling funny faces as he passes wind. In fact he is quite the boy, enjoying farting way too much!
He's also been to the pub twice in his three short weeks - once to the Woolwich Pier Hotel and once to the Mean Fiddler in Rouse Hill.

Bathtime

Tom is still getting used to getting naked - he doesn't like having his nappy changed at all - much prefers the security of being swaddled. I swear he wasn't ready to leave the womb!
So bathtime is still a bit stressful for him, but he is slowly getting used to it. He's ok if we cover him with a flannel and likes the soothing motion as we sway him through the water.
Big sister Ela loves to watch but isn't ready to take part yet. She says she will wait till he's big enough to join her in 'her' bath.

Big day out

Tom is now 2 weeks old and he had his first major outing. I took him the baby and kids market at Ryde. I really had no need to buy him anything as family and friends have been so generous. But we did buy him a neck pillow to support him in his capsule and a Pooh bear night light.
If I had had a dollar for every comment about how 'cute' he is and how 'small' I'd be a rich woman! I guess it's not often you see a 2 week old baby being carried around a market over his mum's shoulder (I forgot the babybjorn and he wasn't happy in the pram).
After that we met with friends at the Breakfast Point Country club while Ela and her friend Oli went for a wade in the pool and a play in the sand. Tom slept soundly through the whole day.

Visitors and Presents

Tom was very lucky to have lots of visitors while we stayed in hospital and during our first week at home. along with the visitors came presents - for both he and Ela - thanks to everyone for your lovely gifts.
He was really well behaved in hospital, giving me plenty of rest of a night and starting his feeding OK. In fact he slept like a log - and still is. In the middle of a feed particularly, but most importantly, he goes back to sleep quickly in the night which is great. We are still feeding on demand but roughly every 3-4 hours.

Homecoming

Tom left the hospital today and rode home in his chariot. He is still quite jaundiced so need to get him in the sunlight regularly. His little hat is always flopping over his eyes - he's just so tiny.

Ela wasn't able to stay in this car capsule for long due to her size but I think Tom may get a bit more use out of it.

When Ela arrived home from childcare, she was so excited to find us home. But she wanted to know if his 'black' was gone yet. When in the hospital, she always asked us why we weren't coming home with her and I told her we had to wait for Tom's belly button to heal. So she was a bit confused when she peeked in at Tom's belly to find it still black.

Our Tom's Arrival

Well today was delivery day and Tom Leslie arrived without a hitch. We were first on Dr Sacks list - 7.30am which meant an early start from home. We drove to St George hospital at 6am and watched the sunrise on a beautiful day.

We met the anesthetist for the pre-op 'talk' and then I went down to theatres to get the big needle. The pain was as I remembered it last time, but it was over much quicker - probably because I wasn't as big this time round and could bend more.
I also reacted to the drugs in a similar way to last time - nausea and a total feeling of 'losing it'. It was quite scary but was soon compensated with an adjustment of the drugs and before we knew it baby Tom was taking his first lung full of air and screaming. That brought tears to my eyes as it did when the swaddled him in a blanket and brought him for his first cuddle.
He was so perfect - and small. Weighing in at 3.695kg (8lb2oz)was a very healthy size but compared to his sister (4.7kg/10.5lb) he felt so little.
We didn't expect it - particularly as I was pretty big myself so hadn't really gotten him any small sized clothes. Luckily his aunties and grandparents were on the ball and rushed out to make some purchases.
Big Daddy took Tom up to the maternity ward to weigh him in and do the Apgar Test (9 both times) and sit with him on his chest until I was out of recovery. Ela arrived with Nana and Grandad about 15 minutes later and was so excited to finally meet her little brother.

We bought her a doll that you can feed and nurse, so she wouldn't feel left out, and when I came up from recovery, she was insistent on telling me all about it. It was quite overwhelming seeing this perfect bundle of joy laying in the crib next to me and with Ela climbing all over the bed and asking why I was in a cage (the bed sides were up). She asked me why I had the drip attached and we explained that the doctor had cut my tummy and taken Tom out. She asked to see the cut and after taking a look, then looking at my (still fat) tummy she asked 'So is there another baby in there waiting to come out?'!