One week in and the Illiterate household is officially in “newborn” mode. We’re alternating between Hallmark card moments and a scene from ER as we deal with each new first: first big sleep, first burp, first milk poo, first throwing up of the previous one hour breast feed.
It’s a strange situation, so much the same yet so different. As a Dad, I seem to have automatically got the “bum tap” back and find myself rocking from side to side naturally whenever I hold her. I also seem to be able to expertly turn her into a human burrito with my expert wrapping technique – looks like some skills will be with me for life.
It’s also really different. We’re not stressed (yet). I think back to last time at the same stage and the illiterate household was… sad. We felt like we were constantly failing as Miss 2.5 screamed her way endlessly through the each night. Our new recruit is different. Chilled out, quiet, cries when she needs to but is generally happy to just be. There’s a part of me that’s waiting for the bomb to drop but in the mean time I’m going to make the most of it.
I’ve spent this last week having flashbacks. Where an experience reminds me of the last time around and like this post’s title suggests, I’ve been surprised at what I have forgotten and been consequently reminded of.
To start, I’d forgotten just how much I dislike a newborns cry. Now I’m not talking about the gurgling, cooing, just-woken-up-from-sleep cry but the blood curdling “hell0! best you drop everything and sort me out STAT!” type cry. Granted our new recruit does a lot less of it but when she get’s into it it’s like being trapped in a Justin Bieber concert (best analogy I could think of in current state of sleep deprivation)
I’d forgotten just how very, very little a newborn is. For those of you that haven’t kept up with the craze of guessing my new daughters birth weight and height, she came out pretty big. Although she had vital statistics that caused many a mother to cross their legs and breath out quickly, it’s all relative. It’s when you see their tiny, scrawny bodies wriggling away on a change mat, or hold their wrapped body to your chest that you remember just how little these things are.
You need to have something taken away to truly appreciate it and for me, this has to be sleep. Sure we don’t have a lot a howling tears but we do have a little girl who seems to wake up about 10pm and be happily awake until 5am. This means that I’ve been tapping away at a little bottom each night since she been home, as she stares at me with her wide, black eyes. Coffee barely works (but sponsorships from coffee machine companies are still being considered) and I’ve seriously questioning how I’m going to handle grown up work on Wednesday.
Lastly – boobs. I keep looking over to my wife and see a part of her that is far, far bigger than I am used to. Maybe is a case of scale, seeing my little newborns head pressed up against them but from where I’m standing they are huuuuge.
So for the second-time-arounders (or third, or fourth, or fifth!) what came flooding back for you? Was it more of the same or was it different? Did you use the same old tricks or did you need to figure it out all over again?
One handed typing thanks to my new co-author
I’ll be sharing this post with Jess over at essentiallyjess.com. Not only does she do an amazing Tuesday linkup but she can also pick the weight if your child!!
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the illiterate infant 
Sleep deprivation is THE worst isn’t it. When mine was a newbie I spent so many nights pacing or rocking the bassinet & our all time favourite driving or hours in my pjs in our petrol guzzling landcruiser. Hope you get the coffee machine
Isn’t it funny how you think you’ve forgotten but it all comes rushing back… The only thing I did differently was that with no 2, I skipped the bassinet and popped her straight into her cot. It was a contentious issue but fine in the end… Have fun getting to know your lovely girl.
Oh that FEED ME NOW scream.. I don’t miss that at all! Sleep will come in time, but you know that now! 🙂 How is big sis copping now that little sis is home?
And I totally guessed closer to the weight Kev! *Whine*
*Whine* observed and noted – will factor that in when I finally come up with a prize. Big sister is doing well – a bit bored by the amount of sleeping her little sister does
Thank you, I appreciate my whine has been noted. Now that you have 2 girls… welllll I am just getting you in practise!
I haven’t managed to to say a big congratulations….so congratulations to you and your gorgeous family. She was a nice size.. All my bubs have been big too, between 3.8 and 4.4kg but I get that they still seem tiny when you go to change their nappies after changing a toddler nappy. It sounds like you are enjoying your little one and she is treating you well. My baby is one on Sunday, it has sped by, so suck in that newbornyness while you can.
Sounds like good advice. It feels a bit harder to suck in the newbornyness when yo already have a little princess wanted to be involved as well
Congratulations!!
I had a 5 year age gap between my two so I forgot LOTS 🙂 X
Yes, it is all so quickly forgotten. I find it impossible to remember my older girl as a baby. It’s so strange how quickly you acclimatise to them as they grow and how quickly you forget. x
My second was such a guzzle guts that it felt like he was always feeding, which made it hard to look after No.1 – but we got there. The amount of nappy changes stands out to me now, like 10 a day?! I appreciate the 5 I have now with my 1.5 year old. Enjoy those baby snuggles cos she’ll soon be pulling your hair and body slamming you, again, like my 1.5 year old. Em x
Oh God, Mia did that at one week in too, waking at 10pm and refusing to go back to sleep for hours upon hours upon hours! It was horrible! I got very good at sticking a leg off the side of the bed and rocking the bassinette with my foot! I am trying not to freak out about all these newborn things that pop in to my head as I remember them and try to remind myself that jut like last time it will all pass far too quickly and I will be wishing she was little once again!
I hope everything else has been going well and Miss 2.5 has adjusted to not being the littlest one in the house anymore. That’s my biggest fear and worry, how Mia is going to handle the addition of a little sister.
Firstly Congratulations! I have to say there are certainly things that we forgot or subtle changes with each child but I would say on the whole the first few weeks at home with our 5 boys was all pretty much the same. We did have great sleepers and my husband was good at the settling part while I was the feeder…he is a tad more patient than me. I think we just found stuff that worked and ran with it…not always what the maternal health nurse would have suggested mind you! Enjoy those gorgeous newborn cuddles
She is perfection, just based on that little pic, in all her tiny brilliance. Thank goodness we forget that difficult stuff or else there’d be no fun brothers and sisters jumping about the world. I’m not sure what I’ve forgotten yet as I’ve forgotten it and haven’t gone back for seconds…yet
She is gorgeous. I do think it is easier because you have a whole lot of strategies up your sleeve to try when they are crying over and over. Such a precious time!
Ha! I remember the sleep deprivation. Possibly remember it so well because it is still here (thought no where near as bad!). 🙂 Glad to hear that you’re all settling in. Hope work treats you well on Wednesday!
You make it sound like it’s a little easier the second time round!
I refuse to say it’s easier yet – don’t want to tempt fate
Forgotten so quickly so that we would even consider doing it over again 🙂 The sleep deprivation is a cruel torture, lucky that every coo and smile (or wind) makes it all worth it. Enjoy!
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