You should hear me scream

Tuesday 2 October 2001

I had a real bad night again last night and so today the parents are frantic again about teaching me to sleep. All the books say that they should leave me to cry a bit but they also say that you should wait till I am a little older. I don’t see why they have a problem with getting up every two hours and feeding me.

Mummy made a big step forward today. She left me at her sister's house and went to have her hair cut. I liked being at my aunt because she is lots of fun and so are my cousins and they never let me cry. Mummy on the other hand had a terrible time being away from me and she was very teary without me. Everybody said that it was a very big step for her and we are all proud of her but I don’t think she wants to do it again in a big hurry.

By the way while I was having a fit in my cot this morning refusing to stop screaming and go to sleep, I managed to do a full roll! So it seems that I may never learn to sleep but at least I will meet all my other developmental milestones.

Mummy and daddy have also decided to stop feeding me every time I wake up. If I wake up under three hours they don’t feed me – they just rock me. You should hear me scream!! 

I have been doing a lot of hair growing lately

Monday 1 October 2001 
This morning was a public holiday and this time dad was exhausted after my terrible night so mum took me for a walk while dad had a sleep. I had a great walk but I never slept.

We had lunch arrangements in the park with Romy and her parents and a whole lot of other babies and their mums. I slept through the entire thing but I was soon to learn that mum picked up some tricks during the course of lunch, when I had my bath tonight she gave me a cup with water so that I could practise learning to drink from a cup. The cup had a spout on it and besides the fact that I kept pouring cold water onto my chest I quite enjoyed the water in a cup experience.

Tonight when my daddy made me dinner he gave me mango and apple thinking that it was pear and banana. Well, he managed to fox the both of us because I ate it and I normally would not do such a thing – mind you it is not bad at all. I think I may have some of that again.

Just a quick note to report that I have been doing a lot of hair growing recently, it is coming along well. I also managed to sit for about 2 seconds unaided today – that is the new milestone I am pushing for – that and the full roll which I am still soooo close to.

The trees are mobiles for adults - we should spend more time under them

Sunday 30 September 2001
This morning we went out for breakfast with Jake and his parents but I fell asleep during the breakfast and for the whole walk that we had afterwards.

Mum and dad thought that it was such a nice day and it was a pity to spend it indoors so we went to lie on the blanket in Centennial Park. Mom and dad had a sandwich and I had a banana, it was delicious. I love to lie under the trees and watch the patterns that the trees make – it is like a giant mobile that even my parents can enjoy.

Pops came to watch my nightly bath/massage ritual as apparently it is the most wonderful thing to witness. I really love the water and I love bath time. It is the time that I am always happy no matter what!.

Another abysmal night’s sleep tonight and mummy got almost angry with me. She is very short fused on so little sleep.

Dad and son bonding time

Saturday 29 September 2001 

Today was a great day, I was in a really good mood today and I think it was all because I started the day with a little daddy son bonding time. This morning after I woke up early as usual dad packed me up in the pram and took me for a walk so that mum could sleep. The whole day flowed so well from there – everyone was in a good mood.

We went and did a bit of shopping and then we went to my aunt and uncle.  Oh I do love my aunt and uncle - they are after all the parents to my cousins.

Tonight after my bath dad played peek-a-boo with me and I became quite hysterical. My laughing made dad hysterical and we all nearly ended up on the ceiling we laughed so much. My parents are so thrilled with me – they say I may be very small but I am without doubt the happiest baby they have ever seen. They need to remember this in the night when I wake up every hour and a half.

A visit to the gastroenterologist

Friday 28 September 2001 
Today was another big day for me. 


I went to see the paediatric gastroenterologist today about my terrible bowel motions and my lack of ability to gain weight. I waited an hour and a half to see him and I must say that I was not at all impressed by him even if mummy thought he was quite nice. I screamed when I looked at him and my mouth turned downwards into its most miserable position. He told mum that he would examine me on mom’s lap so that I would not be so angry but I knew what he was up to. 


He prodded and poked about and he told mum that my tummy was very distended for somebody of my age. He said that the loops of my bowel were distended and he could feel a lot of gas, he could also hear lots of noises. Dr D said that he did not think that I was lactose intolerant and nor did he think that I have a cows milk protein allergy (so mum can go back on to dairy) but he thought that the suspected NEC infection that I had when I was only 26 days old could have caused some damage to my bowels or that my bowels may not have completely recovered. He wants me to have a berium meal done and a couple of stool samples so that he can check it all out for sure. 


Mum and dad are quite worried and anxious – they also want to kill Dr C. I have been “walking around” with this stomach ailment for over 5 months and he has kept insisting that there is nothing wrong. I should have had this sorted out months ago. Dr D says that he is sure that I am uncomfortable at times and I have been trying to tell that to everyone for ages – why do you think I can’t sleep at night? 

Mum was in such a state all day about everything, about the berium, the possible results and her anger with Dr C. I am also dreading the berium but at least we will be able to get to the bottom of this problem and I can get better and grow big and fat at last. 

Over the novelty of the parent's bed

Thursday 27 September 2001 
It was Yom Kippur today so we really did not do anything too fun or exciting. Dad did try to give me some avocado today but I rejected that rather firmly – I will be happy to stay on pears and bananas for the rest of my babyhood. Dad says that I am just like mum – all she ever wants to eat is sweet and sour vegetables, the same thing every day and if she can do it so can I.

For breaking of the fast we went to my granny. I had my bath and everything there and went to sleep in my pram. I was really rather good considering the fact that I was in a strange environment. I woke up to eat at about 8:30 and although I may have forgotten where I was while I was sleeping I soon realised I was not at home. And there ended my sleep. Mum and dad took me home soon after that but when we got home I convinced them not to put me to sleep, I was in such a good mood. The ever hopeful parents tried to feed me a late night solids meal in the hope that I would sleep better when I did sleep. I ate it to make them happy and then I lay in their bed with them and watched TV till I fell asleep like a real big person. The rest of the night however was not so wonderful and again I refused to sleep for any real stretch of time – sleeping in their bed makes no difference at all any more – I am over the novelty.