7 Quick Takes - Photo Edition

-1-

These pictures were taken when Blaise was a week old, before he got sick.  Look how tiny and jaundiced he was!  Also, look at the stains on our carpet.  Yuck!

On a more positive note, I posted these pictures because I love how they showcase Camilla's desire to play with her new brother.  In the second one he is clutching the chicken head from her favorite set of animal blocks.  She was very sure he wanted to hold the chicken specifically; I'm not sure how she knew.

Sometimes at random moments Camilla will suddenly have one of these flashes of insight into his mind.  "Blaise wants to play with this truck!" she'll declare, and perch it on top of him while he nurses.  Funny and cute in a Toddlers are Weird sort of way.

-2-

Right after Blaise was born, the various baby-holding devices suddenly became receptacles for members of Camilla's army of dolls and stuffed animals.  I'd go to put the baby in the swing and meet the innocent stare of a small teddy bear.

And it was not only necessary for us to be quiet when the baby was sleeping; we must also be quiet when, for instance, the big red plush dog was sleeping.

The baby sleeps more, but the dog is lower-maintenance.

-3-

Another baby-holding device that fascinates the toddlers is the sling, and their creative aunt (my youngest sister, who visited for a week and saved my life) fashioned makeshift slings out of baby blankets for Camilla and Daniel to put their stuffed animals in.  They loved it.  In that second picture they are kissing the animals, which melts my heart.

Admittedly my heart is already somewhat melty, but still.

-4-

I took a number of shots to try to get a Blaise-and-Matthew comparison picture and this was the best of the lot.  Here is a comparison of Camilla and Daniel soon after her birth.  Oddly enough the age difference is smaller between Camilla and Daniel and yet the size difference looks more dramatic in that picture.  Probably just the angle at which this one was taken, or something.

As Camilla tells me often, Daniel is her "best friend."  (Although just now I asked her who her best friend is and she chirped, "Blaise!" which is of course even better.)  I wonder if the bond between Blaise and Matthew will be as strong since they will have older siblings in the mix.  I sort of visualize all of them running around in a big energetic pack, and I'm sure Matthew will idolize his older brother.  But any way, it'll be interesting to see.

-5-

This picture of Blaise reminds me of this one of Camilla, and they were both about a month old when the pictures were taken.  All I remember when I see hers, though, is that I took it when she was sleeping in a rare respite from crying.  Life during those days was a blur of dealing with the screaming and brainstorming trying to isolate the cause so that we could do something to MAKE IT STOP.

A timely flashback, really, since this has definitely been Blaise's fussiest week yet.  He has reflux, which took us a while to figure out but when I finally Googled and found a list of the symptoms it was like a lightbulb went off over my head.  So THAT was what all the choking and gurgling and spitting up meant!  He rarely screams the way Camilla used to but when the reflux got bad he did stop sleeping for more than an hour at a time, which in some ways is even worse.  Since Tuesday he's been on a small dose of Zantac which appears to be helping quite a bit, and for the nights I have constructed a sort of co-sleepers' reflux wedge out of pillows so that I sleep propped up and Blaise sleeps in my arms.  It helps, and it is not ideal but it is temporary and I can stand anything in finite amounts.  (See: two unmedicated labors.)

Truly, what is getting me through this time is the certain knowledge that it, too, shall pass.  When Camilla was a newborn there was a part of me that did not believe she would ever grow out of it; this time around I have been there and I know that the baby will get older, I will eventually get to sleep again, and it will all be better and easier.  And that is real consolation, even at 2:00 in the morning.

-6-

When Blaise was in the hospital the real scorer in terms of swag was Camilla, who after ten days of his stay had acquired four new board books, three new coloring books, a new toy, and a snowman pillow and a snowman bracelet that she got to make herself in the activity room.

But the best thing she got to bring home was the disposable stethoscope that had been in our room; since Blaise had RSV all the staff had to wear gowns and masks when they came in and there was a stethoscope that was kept in the room so they wouldn't get his germs on their own personal stethoscopes.  Apparently they just get thrown away after the patient leaves; the nurse at discharge actually cleaned this one with alcohol wipes so we could take it home with us.

Billa likes to put it around her neck.  "I'm a doctor!" she says.  And she won't put the pieces in her ears (too "pokey") but she loves to listen to the hearts and lungs of any patients she can find.  Even inanimate ones.

-7-

 

Look how big!  And with the double chin!  Although it's been one of the longest months of my life, I can't believe he's a month old already.

(More Quick Takes here.)

Comments

[Sarah]

What a beautiful baby! And reflux...I went through that with my 4th and it's hard! Super hard! But you know that...

[Lindsay]

Oh, Arwen, they are precious. I love Camilla's little curls! She is lovely. Also, it sounds to me as if she's very attuned to Blaise's needs. Clearly, she knows what the child needs. Big Sister Intuition. :o) Sounds like she's got the job down pat already.

[Michele]

Oooh the pictures are such a treat! I remember Becky, at about 22 months, sitting on the couch "nursing" her baby doll (with a pacifier in her own mouth) as I nursed newborn Nina next to her. Precious time--enjoy it!

[Lisa]

So, so precious!

[Elsha]

Just adorable. I have to admit, I'm jealous that your kids get to have their cousins so close. I would love to live closer to family (or have them live closer to me.) My two nephews are very close to my daughter's age, but since we live 14 hours from the closest one we rarely get to see them. *sigh*

[maggie]

That stripey elephant sleeper is what J was going to wear home from the hospital (it was the one and only preemie outfit I had) until he pooped all over it. I LOVE IT SO.

Oh, and that "I know this won't last forever" thing is SO TRUE about #2. You have proof walking around. It's awesome.

[ashley.star]

I think these photos illustrate the best part of sibling-hood. (Is that a word?)

Camilla is developing an even greater capacity to care and love for others. :) Adorable.

[Tara Pringle Jefferson]

Hi there! Beautiful kids! :)

I stumbled upon one of your blog posts a few years back when you were talking about being a young mom and how people perceived you. I just wanted to say hi because I felt the same way you did! I'm 23 now with two beautiful little babes (2 and 6 months, respectively). I started a blog called The Young Mommy Life, check it out sometime if you get the chance!

Tara
http://theyoungmommylife.com

[pregnancy]

Beautifull photographs!

[Maura]

Eamon had that same stripey elephant outfit. I loved it so much I stuffed him into it faaaaar longer than he actually fit into it. The first of a long line of embarassment for the sake of cuteness, I'm afraid.

Love your babies, and I'm so glad everyone's home and healthy.

[Tirienne]

I'm so glad that we got Camilla to let Branwen do her hair that day we put the "slings" on the little ones, she's so pretty! -<3 Tiri

[Scarlett]

Arwen, I love when you write, here and on Faith and Family. about how close your kids are (and will be!) to their cousins. My sister and I and two of our cousins are all very close in age (just over a year between the oldest and the youngest of the 4) and we've all always been very close, from playing together as toddlers to sleep overs in elementary school to visiting each other at college and beyond. We definitely have our differences, and drive each other crazy sometimes, but we're also best friends. I love hearing other people talk about close cousins.