Baby's everywhere

In my last missive, I mentioned that Elizabeth was on the brink of crawling. Just over two weeks ago, on Wednesday 26 October, I came downstairs first thing in the morning and parked her in the middle of the living room floor while I went to put the kettle on. While in the kitchen, I heard a strange banging noise from the living room, so hurried back. We'd had visitors the night before, and Elizabeth was hammering the wooden floor with a coffee mug, about four feet from where I'd left her.

I took the mug into the kitchen, and Elizabeth followed me. That was the beginning...

An eventful week

Clearly I'm not the most diligent blogger around, but this week's events need to be recorded. Elizabeth is getting bigger all the time, and has been occasionally using a forward-facing car-seat for three weeks now. Last weekend, she finally came close to crawling forwards - she did, in fact, but didn't seem to realise she was doing it, so can't yet produce it to order. Last weekend too, she twice hauled herself up into a standing position (though I did give her a leg to climb up).

During the week, Thursday I think, Helen discovered that Elizabeth finally, incontrovertibly, has two teeth, after two false alarms (one at only three months).

Today came the real highlight of the week. We were at a craft fair in the SECC. I had Elizabeth in the BabyBjörn, from which it's not easy for her to see me, but she did. She twisted sideways and arched her neck back to look up at me. She reached up at my face with her right hand. And then she said, "Daddy." Of course, it's possible it was just a random noise, but it was so distinct, so consistent with her actions that it's hard to believe it wasn't intentional. And yes, Helen heard it too.

A day of rest

Yesterday, Sunday, we stayed at home. It doesn't sound like much, but it was nice not to have to do anything. We watched the last two parts of my Christmas DVD, Edge of Darkness (US). Apart from the music being just a touch too loud and intrusive (Subtle? Clapton?), it's sheer brilliance. I would even dare suggest it's Troy Kennedy-Martin's greatest piece of writing (No, I'm not forgetting The Italian Job!)
Today, we took Elizabeth to the supermarket. Our first time in the "parent with child" parking area (although it also seems to be for people with small 4WDs and Mercedes). She's still really good in the car and the sling, sleeping throughout.

Baby, it's cold outside

Today we ventured out in the cold again. Thursday was the first, driving to a couple of shops. Yesterday we walked down the road to Ruth's. Today saw a visit to Shawlands, and the first extended period of (Helen) walking about outdoors with Elizabeth in a sling. She seems to like the sling and the car, and slept the whole time.

It's true what people say: go out with a small baby and lots of strangers (all female so far) will want to talk to you. Many are amazed that a baby so tiny is out at all; many are fascinated by the sling.

It's official!

This morning, the birth of Elizabeth Rowan McLaughlin was registered at Martha Street Registrars' office. So now it's official - she's stuck with the name.

Later, we went to visit Ruth and Jerry, Emily and Daisy. Both babies slept throughout the visit. Emily still doesn't seem to have quite adjusted to her new baby sister.

I've sort of lost track of time over the past week. On the one hand, Elizabeth's birth seems like yesterday; on the other, we've settled in to a routine (of sorts) that seems to have gone on for ever. I'm not sure how I'll cope with going back to work.

Since this blog is new, I'll recap on some of the past week's events. Ruth's baby had been due on the 18th. The hospital had decided that, if nature hadn't taken its course, she would be induced on Thursday the 30th. We would look after two-year-old Emily while this was going on.

But on the morning of the 29th, Ruth, Jerry and Emily turned up on our doorstep, Ruth obviously in some distress - the baby was on its way. We looked after Emily all day, with no trouble at all, until bed-time! Emily was not keen on sleeping in our "big girl's bed". Instead, she wanted to go home. Eventually, we put her in a travel cot, dimmed the lights and we both lay down in the same room. She still wasn't happy, but eventually settled down. She woke up a couple of times, the last one shortly after midnight, but it looked as if we were to get through the night without any great trouble.

Until 2:20, that is. Helen went into labour, six days early. We waited unti 4ish before calling Allison, the midwife. She came over, satisfied herself that things had a few hours to run, and went home to have a couple more hours sleep.

About 5:30, Emily woke up. About 6, I phoned my Mum. She promised to come over to help out right away. Some time later, there was a surreal situation where Helen was upstairs, groaning away at frequent (like 4-minute) intervals, I was in the kitchen with Emily in a high-chair ("More Coco Pops, please") and my Mum was on the phone - she and Dad were lost. A tense minute later (Emily has a habit of standing up in high-chairs), I had found a street-map, and was navigating them to our house. As soon as they arrived, I dressed Emily and returned to Helen.

We called Allison back around 9, and settled in for the long haul. Later in the day, we were joined by her colleague Nessa.