Wow! Time flies when you are having fun (or being too busy to have 'fun'). I write this post on the eve of Xavier's second birthday. I began this blog as a bit of a diary of the trials and tribulations I would experience as a new father and those trials and tribulations have kept me quite busy, and hence I didn't find the time to regularly post my musings on being a father. Even if I did have the time I think the mere content I had to write, all the dramas and dilemmas, would keep me posting on an hourly basis.
Many things have changed in the 2 years since our son joined us. Just a month before he was born I was gainfully employed again after a brief stint in redundancy mode thanks to the GFC, we have renovated our home from 1 bedroom and tiny living space to 3 bedrooms and a bigger living space, and of course we are expecting baby No. 2 in late June.
Regardless of the amount of navel-gazing I do thinking about the past 2 years and how they have changed I always come back to the thought that we as a family are increadibly lucky. Sure the bills get paid slightly late, and we have to save up to go out for a nice meal, but I wouldn't change it for the world and many are doing it tougher than we are. Just to have Xavi with us after the ordeal he and Kos went through (see previous posts as I'm sure I've mentioned it before...)is a great thing.
Now that we have Xavi with us, we often lay awake at night thinking 'what if...' ... worrying about a dilemma before it has even happened yet. Life happens so I keep telling myself that regardless of the amount of care and diligence we show, there will be accidents, broken limbs, and enough crying and screaming that will surely make our neighbours want to call DOCS*.
Xavier currently likes Thomas the Tank Engine aka 'Tommy', Cars, trucks and buses, all of which are called 'car' and somehow he knows the word 'chips'. Kos and I are blaming the grandparents for that one. With tongue firmly in cheek I can say we have never ever given our child unhealthy food to eat. Xavier was born on 1 April, 2009 -
The April Fools' Day joke is definitely on us! Thanks for reading, you've been a great audience! Good Night!
*My sister works for DOCS, so if there is a drama I'll call her..and mind your own business will ya?? :-)
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Month Average...
Life as the father of a 2 1/2 month old has been pretty busy....so much so that I am now averaging a new post a month as compared to two or three a week before Xavier's arrival.
I've got to say that coming home after a day at work is a pure treat. Its amazing how a baby can make you feel so excited about getting home and walking in the door...I'm pretty sure the feeling isn't mutual however, as Xavier often has an empty look on his face and can't manage a smile most times...'nice to see you too DAD' he must be thinking!
We bought a four door car last week and immediatly we have noticed how much easier it is to get the little guy in and out of the car. Having to juggle a 5kg baby with the front seat down in a two door car was getting tough!
Sam's top list of baby necessity's (after close to 3 months of being a father)
- Infacol - give a squirt of this white liquid to your baby before he/she feeds to reduce the impact of colic. Settles 'em down a treat...if problems persist add a drop of Chivas Regal 18 year old to your baby's dummy....JUST KIDDING PEOPLE..(I can see some of you looking up DOC's phone number right now!)
- Baby Wipes - if you baby is on the formula as much as your partner's boob, you are gonna need a truckload of these...I need shares in Johnson and Johnson asap as we have been going through these like nothing else. How else are you going to get the caramel coloured plastacine from between your baby's legs. 'NASTY' is made a little bit more bearable with a fistful of baby wipes.
- A cast iron stomach: following on from the previous item. It is freekin' unbelievable how such a beautiful, angelic child can summon the pure spirit of evil when creating waste products that will wilt even the the most disease resistant weeds.
-Grandparents a phone call away: Kos and I have actually had some us time and have headed off to the Gym with Grandman and Gramps looking after their grandson. They love the time with bub and we love the break...a win win situation!
Sam's top tips for Mum's
-Glass of wine: Watching wifey have half a glass of vina after putting bub down puts a relaxed smile on her face and can make a tough day all the more bearable.
-Mum and Bub sessions at the movies. For $8 every Wednesday wifey gets to see a movie with her close knit circle of friends in a baby friendly environment.
I've got to say that coming home after a day at work is a pure treat. Its amazing how a baby can make you feel so excited about getting home and walking in the door...I'm pretty sure the feeling isn't mutual however, as Xavier often has an empty look on his face and can't manage a smile most times...'nice to see you too DAD' he must be thinking!
We bought a four door car last week and immediatly we have noticed how much easier it is to get the little guy in and out of the car. Having to juggle a 5kg baby with the front seat down in a two door car was getting tough!
Sam's top list of baby necessity's (after close to 3 months of being a father)
- Infacol - give a squirt of this white liquid to your baby before he/she feeds to reduce the impact of colic. Settles 'em down a treat...if problems persist add a drop of Chivas Regal 18 year old to your baby's dummy....JUST KIDDING PEOPLE..(I can see some of you looking up DOC's phone number right now!)
- Baby Wipes - if you baby is on the formula as much as your partner's boob, you are gonna need a truckload of these...I need shares in Johnson and Johnson asap as we have been going through these like nothing else. How else are you going to get the caramel coloured plastacine from between your baby's legs. 'NASTY' is made a little bit more bearable with a fistful of baby wipes.
- A cast iron stomach: following on from the previous item. It is freekin' unbelievable how such a beautiful, angelic child can summon the pure spirit of evil when creating waste products that will wilt even the the most disease resistant weeds.
-Grandparents a phone call away: Kos and I have actually had some us time and have headed off to the Gym with Grandman and Gramps looking after their grandson. They love the time with bub and we love the break...a win win situation!
Sam's top tips for Mum's
-Glass of wine: Watching wifey have half a glass of vina after putting bub down puts a relaxed smile on her face and can make a tough day all the more bearable.
-Mum and Bub sessions at the movies. For $8 every Wednesday wifey gets to see a movie with her close knit circle of friends in a baby friendly environment.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Random thoughts from a new father
Well it has been a while indeed since I last logged in to write about being a dad - almost a month! Life has of course, been very busy, but we wouldn't exchange being parents for anything in the world. Xavier is, so far, a great boy. All he seems to do is sleep and eat - life is pretty good for him!
About once a week or so he gets an upset tummy/colicy(sp?)/wind and is unsettled. Those nights are tough as he keeps Kos up for most of the night and I wake up in the morning feeling as though I had too many tequilas the night before. We can't complain though he is a great 99% of the time.
One aspect which has changed is the amount of time Kos and I have for each other. Other fathers and mothers would know exactly what I am talking about. It is something which I have to constantly be aware of, as it is very easy to get home from work, focus on the baby, dinner and then we both head off to bed, too tired to connect to each other. On Thursday night we had a night sans X and it was great to share some sushi (Kos hadn't had any for about 10 months as she was off the raw fish during the pregnancy) and conversation much like what we had enjoyed before Xavier joined us. I think it is extremely important to still take time for each other. Yes Xavier is important to us, but if either of us are too tired for each other I can just imagine small issues and disagreements exploding into something bigger. Blokes: getting some alone time with your lady is an immensely important aspect and I can't recommend it enough.
Well just a short update to get me started. Not too many dilemmas to report on and thank goodness for that after the pregnancy Kos endured. Who can forget the 'perfect wingman', 'the bump gets bumped' and Kos' month in Hospital. Oh hey, that reminds me, regardless of how much I bitch and moan about the cost of private health insurance and its relative value I can proudly report that Kos' whole stay at the Mater cost us an excess of $250 - that includes only the bed, meals etc - but we recently got a letter from HCF stating that close to $16,000 in benefits for the stay had been paid on our behalf...perhaps it would cheaper to stay at the Hilton, but I don't think the Hilton is listed as a registered hospital with HCF. As Kos was in hospital for a month it was well worth her having her own room.
About once a week or so he gets an upset tummy/colicy(sp?)/wind and is unsettled. Those nights are tough as he keeps Kos up for most of the night and I wake up in the morning feeling as though I had too many tequilas the night before. We can't complain though he is a great 99% of the time.
One aspect which has changed is the amount of time Kos and I have for each other. Other fathers and mothers would know exactly what I am talking about. It is something which I have to constantly be aware of, as it is very easy to get home from work, focus on the baby, dinner and then we both head off to bed, too tired to connect to each other. On Thursday night we had a night sans X and it was great to share some sushi (Kos hadn't had any for about 10 months as she was off the raw fish during the pregnancy) and conversation much like what we had enjoyed before Xavier joined us. I think it is extremely important to still take time for each other. Yes Xavier is important to us, but if either of us are too tired for each other I can just imagine small issues and disagreements exploding into something bigger. Blokes: getting some alone time with your lady is an immensely important aspect and I can't recommend it enough.
Well just a short update to get me started. Not too many dilemmas to report on and thank goodness for that after the pregnancy Kos endured. Who can forget the 'perfect wingman', 'the bump gets bumped' and Kos' month in Hospital. Oh hey, that reminds me, regardless of how much I bitch and moan about the cost of private health insurance and its relative value I can proudly report that Kos' whole stay at the Mater cost us an excess of $250 - that includes only the bed, meals etc - but we recently got a letter from HCF stating that close to $16,000 in benefits for the stay had been paid on our behalf...perhaps it would cheaper to stay at the Hilton, but I don't think the Hilton is listed as a registered hospital with HCF. As Kos was in hospital for a month it was well worth her having her own room.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
There's no place like home
Well after a week and a bit of being homeless, we have all finally settled into home again. Just before Xavier was born, we had organised for a new kitchen to be put in, so with the assistance of a good mate, we destroyed the old kitchen awaiting the new. All this happened whilst Kos was in hospital so it didn't affect her too much. A bloke can live off a few essential items to survive. Give a bloke some running water, a spear and a toilet and survival is guaranteed. Things got complicated when Xavier was released and we could bring him home. We spent a night at home, but found that with all the dust and construction that was about to begin that we ought to stay elsewhere. We spent a few nights at my parent's place, a few nights at Kos' parent's place, and then a few more nights at my parent's place until the kitchen was installed.
Thank God the Kitchen got installed. There is still a bit of work to do, but the plumbing is done, electrical work is done, and we have a new kitchen. After licing out of bags for just over a week and carrying around a few extra bags of Xavier's stuff, it is a relief to be home...kind of like that feeling you get flying back into Sydney after a disasterous adventure holiday. What a relief. I have never felt more relaxed, even Xavier is sleeping better. That's not to say both sets of parents weren't accomodating, but moving around, sleeping in different beds and drving back and forth was unsettling. There truly is no place like home!
FEES:
YOU gotta love this! I had paid all our bills relating to the caeser...thought I was in the clear...but no....Yesterday I received a bill in the mail from The Perfect Wingman's assistant for $500!!!! C'mon mate, I 'm sure all he did was pass you the instruments...I would have done it were it not for nearly fainting upon seeing the needles and knives!
Poll: Well the poll is a little redundant now. Congrats go to all readers who accurately picked early April as the birth date.
Going Out - now I know what it feels like to be in a wheelchair! (well not quite but I can empathise!) We all went out on Thursday night for dad's birthday to a restaurant on the second level of a shopping arcade where there were no elevators. The stairs it had to be. This was the first time Kos and I were navigating a set of stairs with our pram. Despite a few moments when young Xavier could have flown a couple of metres, we made it to the top. An episode that will no doubt occur again.
Cheers
Thank God the Kitchen got installed. There is still a bit of work to do, but the plumbing is done, electrical work is done, and we have a new kitchen. After licing out of bags for just over a week and carrying around a few extra bags of Xavier's stuff, it is a relief to be home...kind of like that feeling you get flying back into Sydney after a disasterous adventure holiday. What a relief. I have never felt more relaxed, even Xavier is sleeping better. That's not to say both sets of parents weren't accomodating, but moving around, sleeping in different beds and drving back and forth was unsettling. There truly is no place like home!
FEES:
YOU gotta love this! I had paid all our bills relating to the caeser...thought I was in the clear...but no....Yesterday I received a bill in the mail from The Perfect Wingman's assistant for $500!!!! C'mon mate, I 'm sure all he did was pass you the instruments...I would have done it were it not for nearly fainting upon seeing the needles and knives!
Poll: Well the poll is a little redundant now. Congrats go to all readers who accurately picked early April as the birth date.
Going Out - now I know what it feels like to be in a wheelchair! (well not quite but I can empathise!) We all went out on Thursday night for dad's birthday to a restaurant on the second level of a shopping arcade where there were no elevators. The stairs it had to be. This was the first time Kos and I were navigating a set of stairs with our pram. Despite a few moments when young Xavier could have flown a couple of metres, we made it to the top. An episode that will no doubt occur again.
Cheers
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Sleep
Sleep. Xavier is getting plenty of it! I'm getting some, but Kos is getting a lot less.
The life of a baby! All this bloke does is sleep, suck on boobies and capture the attention of women...if only men could have it so easy later in life!
Despite this easy start to life, Xavier is going well. He came home last Friday, but it wasn't for long as we are getting a new kitchen put in (I'll be starting a new blog soon called 'House Dilemmas') so we have stayed at my parent's place and are now staying at Kos' parent's place. What little sleep you do get is not that great when it is in new bed, but we appreciate being able to fall back on the families as we have. The kitchen is being delivered on Tuesday and installed on Wednesday. Hurray.!But I'll breathe a sigh of relief on Wednesday evening once it is all complete. Fingers crossed until then!
It is interesting, before Xavier came along, I hesitated when family or friends asked if I would like to hold their baby. I would run a hundred miles if anyone asked me to mind their kids or babysit, but with Xavier, I want to pick him up and hold him all the time. There is no baby aversion with your own I guess. He is starting to open his eyes a lot more and is making alot more noise. He is an abosolute time waster as you can spend hours simply looking at him and waiting for a change in expression or an unexpected curling smile.
It is amazing to thing that next Wednesday he will be three weeks old....time flies when you are having fun. The day before his third week birthday, his cousin will join him, ensuring fun times at Kos' parents place from then...all the more reason to make sure that the Kitchen gets put in on Wednesday!
The life of a baby! All this bloke does is sleep, suck on boobies and capture the attention of women...if only men could have it so easy later in life!
Despite this easy start to life, Xavier is going well. He came home last Friday, but it wasn't for long as we are getting a new kitchen put in (I'll be starting a new blog soon called 'House Dilemmas') so we have stayed at my parent's place and are now staying at Kos' parent's place. What little sleep you do get is not that great when it is in new bed, but we appreciate being able to fall back on the families as we have. The kitchen is being delivered on Tuesday and installed on Wednesday. Hurray.!But I'll breathe a sigh of relief on Wednesday evening once it is all complete. Fingers crossed until then!
It is interesting, before Xavier came along, I hesitated when family or friends asked if I would like to hold their baby. I would run a hundred miles if anyone asked me to mind their kids or babysit, but with Xavier, I want to pick him up and hold him all the time. There is no baby aversion with your own I guess. He is starting to open his eyes a lot more and is making alot more noise. He is an abosolute time waster as you can spend hours simply looking at him and waiting for a change in expression or an unexpected curling smile.
It is amazing to thing that next Wednesday he will be three weeks old....time flies when you are having fun. The day before his third week birthday, his cousin will join him, ensuring fun times at Kos' parents place from then...all the more reason to make sure that the Kitchen gets put in on Wednesday!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Day 25
When Kos comes home tomorrow, she would have been in hosptal for 25 days! A long time to be away from home and her loving husband! Unfortunately, Xavier won't be joining us. He will have to stay in the special care nursery for a few weeks yet. I think this will be quite hard for both of us, as we have waited so long and been through so much for his arrival. I guess it is a bit like waiting for Christmas, opening the best present of all time, and then not being allowed to take it home!
Xavier did get some guests yesterday and some very happy grandmothers, a grandfather and my great-grandmother got to have a hold for the first time. He was allowed out of the nursery for an hour, but from all the excitement was tired and slept for most of the day after that. He still needs plenty of rest to develop and it is hard to remember that he is now only 4 days old. We think he has grown a lot over the past few days, but then we see a full-term baby and he looks tiny compared to them.
To turn a negative into a positive, Xavier's extended stay in care will allow us to get the house ready for his arrival. We are putting in a new kitchen (yes we did leave it a bit too late, and would have done it sooner, but not having a job means that you cut back on those big ticket items!) which should be ready after Easter when Xavier comes home.
Welcome Home Kos!
Xavier did get some guests yesterday and some very happy grandmothers, a grandfather and my great-grandmother got to have a hold for the first time. He was allowed out of the nursery for an hour, but from all the excitement was tired and slept for most of the day after that. He still needs plenty of rest to develop and it is hard to remember that he is now only 4 days old. We think he has grown a lot over the past few days, but then we see a full-term baby and he looks tiny compared to them.
To turn a negative into a positive, Xavier's extended stay in care will allow us to get the house ready for his arrival. We are putting in a new kitchen (yes we did leave it a bit too late, and would have done it sooner, but not having a job means that you cut back on those big ticket items!) which should be ready after Easter when Xavier comes home.
Welcome Home Kos!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Delight of Becoming a Father
Fighting out of the blue corner, wearing black and white trunks, with Australian and South African trainers and weighing in at 2.278 Kilograms, 47 Centimetres tall, please welcome to the ring for his professional debut, 5 weeks ahead of schedule.... XAVIER JAX EDWARD SPURR.There were a few dilemmas leading up to tonight, but so far it has been an ultimate delight for Kos and I becoming parents. We are overjoyed that our son is with us and that so far he is healthy. As mentioned previously, he wasn't getting a move on in the inside, so Dr Tan decided to go for a Caeser to speed up the process.
Kos was very calm heading into the theatre, however after getting into my scrubs and cracking a few nervous jokes, I was a mess as they brought out all the needles for the anaesthetic (sp? it is late) thank God they weren't for me otherwise instead of feeling a touch light headed I'd by vomiting on the floor, I managed to regain my composure and sat up the nice end, conversing with Kos and the Anaethetist. 5 minutes later Xavier was with us and he was placed on Kos chest after I cut the umbilical cord and he was pricked and prodded to make sure all was OK.
After 5 minutes with Kos and I the midwife took him and I upstairs, weighed and measured him and got him into a humidicrib. Just like a fine cigar, he'll need a bit more time to mature in there. The mid-wives say that he will probably be in there for about two to three weeks. Which will be hard for Kos and I. We Haven't really had a real cuddle yet, but this kid is a cute as pie in his new home. Kos and I spent about half and hour staring at him this evening and can't wait to see him again in the morning. Depending in how it all goes we'll hopefully get to have a hold tomorrow, but he needs some time in the crib to transition.
I'm exhausted. Life just took on greater meaning. I'm going to bed and dreaming of all the wondorous possibilities that Xavier, Kos and I will have together.
ps Gotta love Foxtel in the rooms. Go Australia! (I'm sure my lil' homeboy wants to visit his mum's homeland in 2010!)
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