Day 30 30/7/2011 Saturday...Shopping.

Micahel and Rocio woke up at 8.00 and played for a bit in the living room.They decided to let Russell sleep until 12 but accidentally fell asleep on the sofa. I woke up earlier then expected and discovered them there.
I couldn't get a happy photo of Mike in the morning. So here is a grumpy one.




It's Saturday so Michael insisted we go shopping. It's always his favourite.
We were delayed on the way to the bus stop by a couple of our near neighbours calling to us "Is that a baby in there?" about Michael in the sling of course. We stopped and showed him off and chatted for a while. This happens a lot. People often want to have a good look at Michael. I really can't blame them I suppose. He is wonderful. Everyone says the same thing though "Ahhhh isn't he lovely? Hasn't he got a lot of hair?". I love it and I'm glad people don't mind coming up and asking for a look at our baby.

We are still not morning people. Having a young baby in the house hasn't changed that at all, so we didn't exactly get to town early but we had a fine time walking about and Michael was actually awake for a lot of the time. I carried him in the sling with his little head sticking out to have a look around. I was very careful this time not to let anyone even get near to hurting him and in fact town seemed not quite as aggressive as last time and nothing bad happened.
Here's Mike in the low class baby changing in the Victoria Centre. We didn't get to the posh feeding room in Lewis' today




It was a really hot sunny day and we mostly wandered about, looked at the children playing in the fountain in the city centre and went to our favourite Alley Cafe.
Michael was fine if a little more restless than usual in the cafe and on the way home on the bus.

We were all very tired when we got home and tried to arrange a family siesta but Michael took so long getting settled that I was nearly fed up with the idea before he was asleep. Sometimes these days he just feeds a little, wriggles a little, cries and then feeds a little again round and round for hours. If he would feed a lot and then sleep or play everyone would be happier.

No sign of him laughing or smiling today. I guess he is still learning, it's not something that will just happen all the time from now on. More and more though I hope.

Day 29 29/7/2011 Bumps and babies

Today we went out early in the morning to the "Bumps and Babies" group.
This is held weekly by Philppa of the National Childbirth Trust, who we went on an excellent antenatal course with. It was hard to get up and out in the car to be there by 10.00 especially as I don't go to sleep until the early hours.
We met 6 or seven other mums with new babies, although Michael was the youngest there. All the other babies look so big compared to our little boy! I think the oldest was still less than a year. The group just meet each week to talk about their new babies or their babies to come. There were no 'Bumps' there this time. Everyone was very welcoming and we had a nice time. Rocio says that she really liked that no-one in the group said "Oh you're blind. Who will look after the baby?" or anything daft like that. The women there all talked to her about babies, perfect.
Even if it's a bit much for me to do on a work day I hope Rocio will go again.

I did forget to take the camera so no photos of Michael ignoring the other babies. In fact I only took two photos of him today, the least ever. Hope I'm not getting bored of him !



A funny thing happened this evening. I got home from work at about 12.30 am as usual and Michael was awake, which is getting to be a bit unusual these days. He does seem to be developing a routine. He really does sleep more at night than in the day. But this time he was wide awake and keeping Rocio awake wanting to play. I recon it's because I forgot to switch off the bedroom light before I went to work and Rocio can't see it so she didn't know. Michael however is a very visual boy and doesn't think it's sleep time if the light is on. I'll have to set up a timer switch for it.

Day 28 28/7/2011 Learnt to smile

Today was a great day. Michael smiled at me. Perhaps his first smile, unless he has been secretly grinning away and then trying to keep a straight face each time I am around. I was jiggling him up and down at the time and making up silly songs to sing to him. I am completely unashamed with young Michael. I'll do any daft thing that comes into my head if I think he might like it.

Rocio and Mike woke up early and went in to the living room. After his morning feed Michael started what we call swimming. Waving his arms and legs about quite frantically. Rocio didn't know what he want ed until she tried him in his bouncy chair and he went to sleep! On his own for half an hour or so. Some times he just needs less attention.

By the time I woke up today Rocio already had Michael swaddled. Like this...


This seems to be very good for him. He often gets himself in a state where he is sleepy and irritable, I think, but he gets to waving his arms around and bumping them on things (The cot, my face, his head etc) and kicking his little legs and all this gets him more annoyed and he can't relax and sleep. Then he bothers Rocio more and they try feeding again or she has to work really hard to calm him down before anything good can happen.
In the swaddling he can't wind himself up and Rocio can carry him very safely on her back whilst doing stuff int the house and he very soon nods off and is really content wrapped up for quite a while. Today he stayed swaddled until our Health Visitor Gail came.




Funny thing happened whilst Gail was here. She has filled out some forms for us, filling in the details of young Michael on them. She has put his ethnicity down as White-British. Until I read that I hadn't thought about it. Is he white? Is he mixed race? Is he Dual Heritage as she suggested? I really don't know. What should we label him as until he can label himself? Rocio is quite used to forms in England now and puts "Other" 'cos there isn't usually a "Inca" or better "Ashaninka" ethnicity on the forms.
I know culturally Michael is English and will be Peruvian too. I know legally it is similar as he is British and will be Peruvian too. But what is his ethnicity? I don't really know.

Day 27 27/7/2011 Playing with toy

Michael woke up today full of fun and went to play with his mum whilst dad had his lie in. He was in sucha good mood that we had an opportunity to try out different positions in his baby sling and event to try the big cloth wrap that we bought for him. The main problem with that one is that it takes a bit of practice to get it tied on properly and baby in securely and you just don't ever want to try that when he's upset. So it went really well, I watched YouTube videos of how to tie it in different ways and tried them out on Michael until he got fed up of the game. It really is a good thing, tied in well with the cloth wrap he feels to me even more secure than in the sling and he looks happy and comfortable and relaxed.
Here he is in his lovely bouncy chair.



In the afternoon Rocio and Michael spent a long time on the patio enjoying the summer. He does love to be out there as long as it's not windy. Then he had a long time awake and happy on his own in the cot. I'm told he played with his toy, this is vey exciting for me as it's the first time he has ever played with anything. He was using his hand to hold and investigate it. He does not often grip anything with his hands. He seems unusual in this, he doesn't hold your finger if you put it into his hand. He's got nothing wrong with his grip, he can hold tightly if he wants, he just often doen't bother.

Here's a video of Mum and Michael playing 'Up up'

Day 26 26/7/2011 Midwife for real

We went to the midwife for real today. Both of our midwifes (Danielle and Rachel) were there for the final meeting. We'll miss them, they were both excellent.
Michael is now 3.44 Kg or 7 Lb 9. He is feeding more and more and Rocio is at the moment strufggling to keep up with him. We've been told that as Michael's demand increases Rocio's supply will increase too. It just might take a day or two to go up to the new level.




On a similar subject. We have been investigating Rocio becomming a breast milk donor. Well, this was before Michael picked up demand. This looks like a wonderful thing to do. Often Rocio has had so much milk comming from both sides that a lot has been wasted and there are many babies, especially premature ones, who for various reasons can't get milk from thier mums. Cows milk is really not the best for very young babies so there are various organisations around the country who arrange breast feeding mums to express, freeze and donate their extra milk. This can be truely life saving for a little baby.
The shocking thing for me to find out was that this doesn't happen in every hospital with a baby unit. In fact there is no milk bank nearer to us than Birmingham. I don't understand why this service isn't everywhere. It can't be that expensive or difficult to set up and run and it saves lives. Still, I know the Bham people are willing to collect from Nottingham. I guess that means the milk is valuable to them, right? Well, no reply from them yet. We will see what happens.



Rocio tells me they had a nice afternoon, messing about in the house and sitting in the sun on the patio and that Michael said "Ma" today too. I guess that's how it works. Babies say the things they can and parents teach them which sounds mean "Mum" and "Dad" and "Milk" !

Day 25 25/7/2011 Better bath day

Today we got up and hurried about breakfasting and getting ready and got out in record breaking time to go to the final Mid Wife appointment. It's just a pity that we had the day wrong and she wasn't there. The car journey was good though as usual.

Still we came home and gave Michael a nice long bath. A long bath for him is about 4 minutes, but he really enjoyed it. He is never very happy with the preperations, bum cleaning and getting nude but as soon as he is in the warm water he goes limp and just floats there looking peaceful. He does do a strange thing of always keeping one hand clenched in a fist and if you gently encourage him to open that fist he clenches the other. Today he enjoyed kicking about and wagging his head about in the water.




I think he only got upset in the end through hunger. He eats so much and is getting bigger every day.

In the afternoon Michael spent a long time in the bouncy chair amusing himself whilst Rocio ate.

Day 24 24/7/2011 Went to Church

We got up early today and Michael was in an unusually active and playfull mood he doesn't yet know how to smile or laugh (I am so looking forward to him learning these) but he wriggled around frantically for a long while and we played lots of games with him. It was a lovely time. We are really looking forward to Michael playing more. Then we decided to go to Rocio's old church in West Bridgford. For the first time ever we arrived early and got to show Michael off to lots and lots of people. In the service he was perfectly behaved (of course) and we sat and had coffee afterwards with our good friends from the church, especially Marcia, Hinrich, Jennie and May.
Michael got lot of attention and admiration and our visit was only cut short by realising that we hadn't brought any nappies or changing gear! We are not practicesd parents yet.
So we went shopping for nappies and bought lots of other things at the same time, including a special baby sponge for Michael. I know I keep repeating it , but Michael is such a good boy when we are out and about.

Day 23 23/7/2011 Caroline's Wedding

We woke up today and got ready for cousin Carolin's wedding. After a short confusion about the time we gave Michael his bath (Which he didn't really enjoy again. I hope he's not going off baths) and then went to meet the family at the services near the church.
Here is Michael in the car




Mum, David, Andrea,Sharron, Annie Bob, Auntie Christine, and Uncle Barry were there. Michael passed around the family quite a bit for cuddles and admiration. He was lovely as usual. He and was very calm and relaxed.
Here he is being admired by Mum and Barry.



and Mum and Christine fighting over who will hold him




He was no trouble in the church, though didn't much like the wind outside. Still after a feed in the car he was once again comfortably asleep through most of the reception. Here he is with cousin Bob, mono a mono you could say.





Michael loves going out and likes a lot of people around talking and a lot of movement. He does cry loudly when he wants feeding, but then he's content again. Marvelous boy.

Day 22 22/7/2011 The Patio Treatment

Sometimes Michael is not happy whatever we do. It is so frustrating when he cries and we can't find out why. Rocio feeds him, I do the nappy, he is not cold or hot, he doesn't want to sleep or play, he doesn't like the bouncy chair or anything.
He was a bit like that this morning, nothing worked until Rocio tried a little stroll around the patio.




Then he was fine straight away. How are we to know?

Day 21 21/7/2011 Big Boy

Not much today in the way of news. Michael is still on his 'Growth Spurt' which means he is breaking all records on eating. He was feeding almost constantly for about 2 hours yesterday! He has more than repaced his birth weight now. He is 3.2 Kg or 7 Lb 2. Well that was yesterday I'm sure he is heavier now.

Day 20 20/7/2011 Marcia's visit

This morning I got little bit of time to have a good look at the clothing sent to us from Peru




here's Michael in his new chuyo. I think he look fine.





This afternoon our very good friend Marcia came to visit. Unfortuenatly she came after I went to work but Rocio took this lovely picture of her and Michael.



and here is a random picture of Mike messing about with his fingers

Day 19 19/7/2011 Parcel from Peru

Today we received a parcel from Peru, containing lots of lovely things for Michael, plus a monkey to hang in the window of the car and real family grown coffee!

There are a couple of really good mantas (cloths for carrying babies in) a long strap called faja to swaddle the baby with and lots and lots of knitted clothes. This is all great stuff although by the time it is cold enough for the big woolies we might either be back in Peru or he'll be too big for them anyway. Let's pray for really cold weather so we can use them. Rocio was a bit worried that we have left it too late to get Michael used to being swaddled, but despite grumbling a bit during the wrapping up stage, as soon as he was in he nodded off and was quite content to be carried around on Rocio's back in true Peruvian style.


Here he is ready wrapped



and comfortably on Mum's back



and Rocio finally having use of both hands again.

Day 18 18/7/2011 Due Date

Today is the 18th July. Michael was supposed to be born today. So the way I see it all the things that have happened to us and him from 1st July to today are BONUS ! This is extra life, extra time we have had with this wonderful boy. It already feels like Michael has always been with us, he fits in just right in our strange family. I do feel a little sorry for him sometimes, as I'm pretty sure that not allthe things that make up normal life for Rocio and me are quite normal for anyone else. I can't go into specifics here but I've yet to find a form of utter sillyness that Rocio isn't willing to join in on.

We got a bit busy this morning and did all our things as quickly as we could, breakfast,showering, clothes wash, baby bath time etc. Then we managed to get the whole family (3) in the car and ready with all the necessary nappies, telephones, National Express ticket books, handbags, wet wipes, etc so we could go drop off Rocio and Michael at a parent and young baby group and I could go straight on to work.

The group sounded fun, meeting others with young babies and playing games and singing songs with them. Rocio has yet to learn the traditional nursery rhymes in English. We were told this would be the last session before the school holidays. Trouble is we were told wrong and there was no session, there will be none 'til September. So we went home. All that work for nothing. We never have been morning people.

Still Michael enjoyed the car as always. He was unhappy and crying before we got out, didn't even enjoy his bath





but 5 mins in the car and he was Mr Relaxation. I'd pay my road tax for that alone!




(No Jenkinses were harmed in the making or this blog)

Day 17 17/7/2011 Hackspace

Today we wanted to go out walking with Michael, but it looked too rainy so we went instead to the hackspace.
We are planning on fitting some sturdy wheels to Michael soon to avoid all the normal problems about learning to walk. I think we can do this ourselves without involving a profesional mechanic and save a bit of money. Of course he is not ready for them just yet as he needs to build up his back and leg strength but we did make some initial measurement today.



Sometimes Michael sleeps very peacefully in his cot




and sometimes his Mum (or Dad) can't resist picking him up and cuddling him.

Day 16 16/7/2011 Saturday in Town

It's the weekend at last so I get to spend some time with my boy. We decided to do one of his favourite activities, going shopping. Really, he does seem to like being out in town in the baby sling.
So we went the city centre and tried our luck in the Victoria Shopping Centre. It's a bit like cage fighting in there on Saturday. I do my best to stop people bumping in to Rocio or Michael when we are out walking, mostly by holding Rocio's white stick across in front of us, but some people managed to evade this today and bump into Michael's head. I was not happy. One stupid woman was walking into Lewis' (Nice parents room !) not looking forwards, and suddenly lurched backwards into the cane, hard enough to bang it into Michael's head. I was ready to fight her, she stopped and looked at us and had a few grumpy words to say, as if we had done something to her. I know the cane hurt her arm and I don't give a shit. It was there to protect my boy.It took ignorance and strength to get past it and hurt my son. I raised my voice at her saying "What? Do you want to come here and talk to me about it?" and she slunk off. It's not my normal way to verbally abuse women in town but I was happy to make an exception. The way I felt I would have done the same if it were a man.

Well this aside we had a good time. We even went to The Alley Cafe for some superb veggie food and coffee. Once again our boy was charming all the time we were there.

Here I am with Michael in the cafe.


And Michael looking relaxed and yawning

Day 15 15/7/2011 Registry Office

We got up early today and went to register Michael's birth at the registry office in town. Mike was perfectly behaved of course, he slept though it all. That's often the way, he gets a bit bored I think in the house all the time, but he loves to be out and about, in the baby sling, in town or wherever.

So now he is officially

Michael Benjamin Russell Jenkins

We got our free birth certificate for him and bought four more copies, just in case!



Apparently while I was at work today Mike had a relaxing time in his bouncy chair and eventually fell asleep. It must be the first time he has ever falllen asleep not actually on Rocio or me. It means that soon Rocio will be able to have a little more freedom of movement sometimes during the day. He never needs to be in a different room ( 'cos he really doesn't like that) but he can safely play or snooze in his chair while Rocio lives it up by, I dunno, making a hot cup of tea!

Day 14 14/7/2011 Cholo Soy

Today Michael spent a few minutes with his Mum and me listening to Peruvian music on youtube. Here he is listening to Peruvian classic "Cholo Soy"

Day 13 13/7/2011 Learnt to be sick

We had a visitor today, Jennie, in the morning and Michael made her welcome by doing her the honor of being sick o her. His first ever sick so it really was something special. Then a quick midwife visit and now I'm rushing to get to work.

Well Michael is doing very well now, he has almost regained all his birth weight and he looks very well and happy. He is even more alert now than he has been before. He looks people in the eye now and seems very confident in him self. Feeding still has some tense moments but in general both Mum and boy are looking much more relaxed about it.

Here is boy just after his annointment of Jennie.

Day 12 12/7/2011 late night boy

Not much time to be with my lovely son today though he did come for a sleep on me earlier.

I'm hurrying to go to work
here is Michael with a milky head snoozing after his feed




I got back from work and it's nearly 1.00 AM, still the samne day for me.
Michael and I are having a fine time playing while Rocio goes to bed. He's more fun every day. Though ever waking period leads quite quickly to feeding time again.

Day 11 11/7/2011 Back to work

Today I will return to work. I'm really going to miss my little boy and I am worried about...well everything. Rocio is great with Michael though and I know they'll be fine.

We've been keeping score and so far it's 6 - 2 to Daddy on the "Being weed on by baby" count. He got me today whilst I was simulating a roller coaster is for him, so perhaps it's my own fault.

We had a health visitor visit today which was fine and she is apparently organising some baby massage lessons for Rocio, wonderful.

Here is his little monkey face, which seems to change every day.



and another fun time in the bouncy chair

Day 10 10/7/2011 Visit to the Le Mare's

Today after waking up suprisingly late we went to visit our friends Matt and Jennie and their three little boys Joel, Jamie and Sam.

Michael was great as usual. He seems to like going out and having people fuss over him. The three little boys seemed so big compared to our Michael. Matt took lots of photos and made us a great curry. Michael was very understanding he didn't cry and was posed for lots of photos.

Here are Michael, Jennie and baby Sam

Day 9 9/7/11 Learnt to snore

We spent all morning mooching around the house then in the afternoon went shopping again, showed off Michael to Alina in her cafe in town and spent our Marks and Sparks voucher on baby boots and baby grows. Again Mike slept peacefully in the sling amost all the time we were in town. Michael is really getting good at feeding now, he often latches himself on and it is all a lot less stressful. He eats so much now, going in his own stop-start style for 40 minutes sometimes. Of course drinking this much means he is weeing a lot too, I never knew a little body could make so much. I am so proud of him. I do most of the bottom end work as Rocio has sole responsibility for the breast feeding, can't argue with that!

Michael seems to spend a little more time every day awake and not upset or feeding. He is not actually playing with anything yet but he likes to have a look around and is happy when Mum plays with him or Daddy sings silly invented sea shanties to him. He is very alert and his hearing is fine. We know this because the poor thing often gets startled by sudden noises like car horns on the street outside the house for example.


He is the little wonder having a post feed snooze on Daddy.


Just after baby bath time today was trying to get a picture of Michael kissing me by looking in the bathroom mirror. I know really he was working out if perhaps my beard contained milk but he was very cute giving me pecks on the cheek. I have been trying to teach him to say "I love Daddy best" so far he hasn't done it but I think it is good to get the indoctrination in early.



This evening Michael learnt to snore. I love all his little advances in life.

Day 8 8/7/11 Birthday Boy

Baby's Birthday !

Well it's been a week since he was born. I was thinking of having a celebration at 2.12 am the time he was born but I guess I must have slept though that. Michael doesn't really have a sleep pattern at all but he does sleep a lot and as long as we choose to sleep when he does we do get quite a bit of sleep.

Michael spent his first time today awake and not feeding or upset. He even spent a little time not on me or Rocio, in his bouncy chair



He doesn't smile yet or play with objects or produce tears when he cries. I don't really know at what stage he will start to do these things but he did sit in the chair today and look interested in the dangling plastic animals.

Day 7 7/7/11 Sling around town

On Thursday we went on the bus into town to go shopping. We carried Michael in the baby sling, which he quite likes when he is feeling relaxed, and he mostly slept for the whole day out. He just loves to be right with Mummy and to have stuff going on around him. It was not too hard walking about town with him and we had a lovely time. We went to feed and change him in one of the feeding rooms in the Broadmash. Great things these, a bit of privacy to breast feed and a decent place to change nappy. You also get to meet other parents with little babies and have a chat about your children.

Here he is on Daddy's legs


and a video of Michael being relaxed at home

Day 6 6/7/11 Our Monkey Boy

On Wednesday we went for a midwife visit.She checked Michael out and weighed him. He has lost a little weight since birth, as is normal, but not as much as expected. So something must be right with the feeding. The problem with breast feeding is you can't see how much milk baby is getting. Looks like he is doing fine which is a huge relief to Rocio and me.
The feeding is getting a little easier now. I guess Michael is learning how to latch on and it takes a lot less time to get him started now. In the evening we took Michael for the first time to the hackspace to show him off. Rocio and Michael sat in the blue room whilst I busied about doing work on the Braille Tweeter.

Here he is looking up at Mummy. Look how hairy he is on his arms. Monkey boy!

Day 5 5/7/11 Going Shopping

On Tuesday we went to Babies-R-Us to try to find a musical mobile to hang over Michael's cot. The few we found there were extremely expensive and we didn't end up buying one, but we did buy a classic baby-bouncing chair. We are not sure Michael will take to this straight away because he isn't happy at the moment if he is not in close physical contact with Daddy or even better Mummy! Still we think he will grow to love it.
Michael had his frist bathtime at home. He loved it. He had been a bit niggly and he never really likes the messing about that is invloved in nappy change but as soon as I lowered him into the water he went calm and just floated there looking up dreamily. I had made the bath as deep as I could in his plastic bath and I held his head to stop him getting his face under but he seemed perfectly happy to have his ears under and his whole lower half just floated on it's own.

Here he is snoozing on his mum after a good feed.

Day 4 4/7/11 struggling to feed

On day four, Monday, we pottered around the house, the midwife came to check we were all doing well and we went out to the City Hospital to enquire about Michael's BCG injection, which we have been advised to give him to protect against Tuberculosis when we return to Peru. He was a real star at the hospital, getting plenty of attention from everyone whilst we were at the cafe. He is not quite as calm a little boy now as he was, he gets very frantic when he is hungy, he throws his arms and legs about and cries and jerks his head from side to side. It is so frustrating! We all want him to feed and be happy but it gets very tense and Rocio and I have to swaddle him to stop him getting his hands in the way all the time and pinching Rocio. We have to help him to keep his head still enough to latch on and often we have to wait 'til he's really crying, open mouthed befor he will open up enough to get him attached. It can take all three of us 10 or 15 horrible minutes to start him off, but as soon as he has got it he is happy and feeds very well. Then he sleeps until he's hungry again.

This is another bedroom photo, I guess because I can catch him at his most relaxed when he has just had a feed with mummy on the bed.

Day 3 3/7/11 Home at last

In the evening of his third day we took Michael home. We had been more and more restless int he hospital. Though we had a great visit from our family and they were lovely with us on the ward, we were eagre to get out and go home. It was amazing to have him here, actually using the baby clothes and things we had bought for him.

This image was taken by Annie when she came to visit



This looks like it was taken in the bedroom after we got home

Day 2 2/7/11 Mr Calm

We stayed in hospital with Michael for a day after he was born. During this time he had a second hearing test to clarify the results which all turned out fine. He had his first bath and he slept a lot. He seemd to be a very calm little boy, very accepting of all the messing about he was subject to and quite well developed. Aware of what wsa going on around him and able to follow people with his eyes. Able to hold his own head up for a short while. We are so proud of him

Michael Benjamin Russell Jenkins day 1 1/7/11

This is a blog about my son Michael.
At the time of writing he is a week and one day old and I have at least one photo of him from each day of his little life. How long can I keep this up? I don't know and I'm not going to punish myself for not photoing him every day of his life, but to keep a record of my thoughts and how he changes will be fun.

So here goes

This is Mike less than 5 minutes after being born



and a video of his first dance with mum



He arrived in the world with one eye open and one glued shut with vermix. I gently opened it for him. He was looking at the world straight away. Sometimes a little cross eyed but following people with his eyes. He seems so advanced for a little baby who is not even due to be born until the 18th.

During his first day he had his first hearing test