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

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!

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!

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!)

Day 20

Well I spoke too early yesterday! Thank God it is after 12pm today, because this is no April Fool's Day joke. After undergoing another scan, it was decided that it was time our baby made its debut. The baby had not grown much since Kos had been in here, so it is best to get it out here and growing..

Kos called me at about 12.30 and told me the news, and after stopping at home briefly, I am here at the Mater. Just so you don't think I'm a bad husband, and would prefer to be writing about our ordeal rather, than spending time here with Kos, don't fret as I am on the laptop with Kos sitting next to me. Her Ceasarean is booked in for 5pm, so only about 2 more hours until 'we becomes three.'

Kos is ready for theatre and I'll be getting my scrubs on in due course. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, nothing is promised.