Settling Down

I wrote just before I came back to work about how we needed to find a sense of normality and readjust to having a baby in our lives

The transition has been quite straightforward really, after the first day back it felt like I had not been away! Now four weeks later Christmas and the birth is but a distant memory.

It is amazing how time passes and how we remember things. The birth was an amazing experience and Steph suffered hugely, but if you ask her she won't remember the pain of the birth at all, although the sewing up after still sends a shiver down her spine.

Being at work, getting home at eight o'clock and sometimes later has not been ideal, but we don't live in an ideal world. Seeing Oliver at night and first thing in the morning is better than not seeing him at all. Working is the one thing that I need to do in order to feed and dress him each day. A little sacrifice is not a problem as far as I am concerned.

Every second we spend with him has been amazing. It is incredible watching him develop so far. He is only six weeks old and he laughs at me and interacts with both Steph and I. When we stand him up he holds his weight, which from what Steph tells me is really good for a baby his age. When he cries it is normally because he is hungry. So far we have emptied shelves at Sainsbury's and Tesco trying to keep up with his demands for formula.

I did develop a slight complex on my first week back at work. Whenever I got home Steph would say how wonderful Oliver had been during the day, smiling, playing, sleeping and being generally peaceful. Quite a contrast to ten minutes from me arriving back home. Tantrums, grizzling and crying until bedtime! I thought perhaps he hated his Daddy and preferred it to when he had Mummy to himself! A couple of days later he was fine and has been since. A great example I think of the little stages he has been through in his short life so far.

Last weekend I had my lowest moment of fatherhood. I locked Oliver and myself out of the flat and the car.

Trying to prove to Steph that I was Mr Domesticated by doing twenty things at once I thought I would take the rubbish out at the same time as going to the car on route to my Mum and Dad's. However, we have a separate set of keys for the bin store, which I picked up, but forgot to get the house and car keys! It wasn't until I was about to unlock the car that I realise I no keys! I immediately panicked of course! Oliver was wrapped up snug and sound in the car seat under a blanket, but it was blowing a chilling wind and I didn't want him outside for too long.

Steph was en route to Lakeside with my Mum and Sister, whilst my Dad was at home looking after Craig and the girls, so neither could come and rescue Oliver from his embarrassed father.

In the end I had to walk into town carrying Oliver in his car seat! I don't know how far people tend to walk carrying babies in car seats, or if it is the norm to see a man carrying a child in a car seat down the road, but I felt everyone's eyes on me and imagined voices of disapproval at the idiot over there carrying a baby down the road.

I finally got into a taxi and made my way to my parents house with my tail firmly between my legs.

Despite my one bad experience I am enjoying fatherhood and the responsibility it brings. Seeing Oliver smile, seeing him looking up at me with his bottom lip quivering as he is about to cry is just about the most amazing thing you can ever imagine.

Seeing Oliver laughing wildly as Steph blows a raspberry or tickles his double chin is just as good as seeing him react to me, and it is impossible to write just how 'hardcore' those feelings are.

Talking of love and respect, congratulations again to Stuart and Aimee whom announced their engagement at the weekend.

Stuart and Aimee have been good friends of ours for a long time now, and like Mark and Nicola whom are marrying later this year have been destined for marriage since they first got together.

It is great being part of such a close group of friends whom are all sharing experiences together, we all got together at similar times, we all moved in together at similar times and now we are all marrying and having children at similar times too.

In order to avoid writing a completely soppy blog I wanted to say the following:

  • The iPhone announced by Apple at the beginning of January looks AMAZING!

  • Season 6 of 24 has been AWESOME so far!

  • 21st July is going to be a LONG day! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out on the same day Mark and Nicola get married!

  • Kelly Jones's solo album 'Only The Names Have Been Changed' - Download NOW from iTunes!

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