Went to Plunket today for our 5 month check and got some new measurements.
Preston now weighs 7.1kg (no wonder my arm hurts so much from carrying him!) and he has had a bit of a growth spurt in the last month which puts him at about the 40th percentile, up from the 25th, so he is doing well. Although he was fairly consistently at the 25th, so I don't know if a sudden jump is a good thing or not...
He is 66cm tall, which actually puts him at an above-average height!
His head circumference is now 42cm - up from 35cm at birth. No wonder his hats don't fit anymore! I'll have to knit some new ones.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Preston eats!
Today marks Preston's first foray into the world of food. He's been getting fairly hungry lately, and has needed more frequent feeding, so we've decided to start him on food! He starts off with some rice-flour mix stuff, which is added to Breast milk. Anyway, here are the pics of his first few mouthfuls!
Preston's Developmental Brag
I know that all babies develop differently and the guidelines are only guides that probably have wide margins, but it is always nice to be able to read through a list and say 'yay, our baby can already do that!' So here is Preston's brag about what he is meant to be doing from 4-8 months according to the Treasures website:
What your baby can do
• He learns to reach for objects with both hands at around four and a half months and will invariably take a toy to his mouth to explore.
(been doing this for a while)
• He will turn his eyes and head to find a sound and his vision is now more accurate so he will follow your movements across the room.
(been doing this for a while)
• From about five months your baby will start to roll to the side and will then progress to rolling onto his tummy.
(been doing this for about 2 months)
• On his tummy he will be able to push up on straight arms; at first his hands will be out in front but by six months he will be well up with his chest high off the ground.
(been doing this for a while)
• With plenty of tummy time your baby will develop the upper body strength and muscles that he’ll use to roll over. Voluntary rolling generally happens anytime from five or six months. Babies do roll earlier, but it is often accidental. Rolling from back to tummy is generally harder than rolling from tummy to back.
(been doing this for about 2 months, and he constantly rolls from back to tummy - it is really hard trying to change a nappy or dress him!)
• Around six months of age he will reach for an offered rattle and shake it and enjoys banging a toy on a surface in play. He will transfer a toy from hand to hand.
(been doing this for a while, especially likes to bash the keyboard - if you send Preston an email, he'll reply)
• When placed on his feet your baby will bounce, taking a large part of his body weight
(been doing this since birth virtually)
• When lying on his back, he’ll raise his feet and grasp one, then eventually two. After some practise he will succeed in getting a foot into his mouth.
(been doing this for a while, and it is so funny watching him suck on his toes!)
• By six months your baby will move his head and eyes in every direction when his attention is attracted.
(been doing this for a while)
• Around six and a half months he will begin to pivot in a circle on his tummy. He will also start to get on his hands and knees.
(been doing this for a while)
• Sometime after six months your baby will start to be able to sit alone; at first propping forward on hands, then gradually straightening up his back and sitting without hand support for longer periods.
(can't do this yet, but he can sit for a while if we put him in sitting position, but he topples over after about a minute)
• Your baby will understand and respond to his own name and may be content to play by himself for short periods of time.
(been doing this for a while)
• Between seven and eight months your baby may begin to crawl with his tummy on the ground; generally he will move backwards before he can go forwards. Not all babies go through this stage before crawling on, their hands and knees.
(can't crawl yet, but I don't think we are far away)
What your baby can do
• He learns to reach for objects with both hands at around four and a half months and will invariably take a toy to his mouth to explore.
(been doing this for a while)
• He will turn his eyes and head to find a sound and his vision is now more accurate so he will follow your movements across the room.
(been doing this for a while)
• From about five months your baby will start to roll to the side and will then progress to rolling onto his tummy.
(been doing this for about 2 months)
• On his tummy he will be able to push up on straight arms; at first his hands will be out in front but by six months he will be well up with his chest high off the ground.
(been doing this for a while)
• With plenty of tummy time your baby will develop the upper body strength and muscles that he’ll use to roll over. Voluntary rolling generally happens anytime from five or six months. Babies do roll earlier, but it is often accidental. Rolling from back to tummy is generally harder than rolling from tummy to back.
(been doing this for about 2 months, and he constantly rolls from back to tummy - it is really hard trying to change a nappy or dress him!)
• Around six months of age he will reach for an offered rattle and shake it and enjoys banging a toy on a surface in play. He will transfer a toy from hand to hand.
(been doing this for a while, especially likes to bash the keyboard - if you send Preston an email, he'll reply)
• When placed on his feet your baby will bounce, taking a large part of his body weight
(been doing this since birth virtually)
• When lying on his back, he’ll raise his feet and grasp one, then eventually two. After some practise he will succeed in getting a foot into his mouth.
(been doing this for a while, and it is so funny watching him suck on his toes!)
• By six months your baby will move his head and eyes in every direction when his attention is attracted.
(been doing this for a while)
• Around six and a half months he will begin to pivot in a circle on his tummy. He will also start to get on his hands and knees.
(been doing this for a while)
• Sometime after six months your baby will start to be able to sit alone; at first propping forward on hands, then gradually straightening up his back and sitting without hand support for longer periods.
(can't do this yet, but he can sit for a while if we put him in sitting position, but he topples over after about a minute)
• Your baby will understand and respond to his own name and may be content to play by himself for short periods of time.
(been doing this for a while)
• Between seven and eight months your baby may begin to crawl with his tummy on the ground; generally he will move backwards before he can go forwards. Not all babies go through this stage before crawling on, their hands and knees.
(can't crawl yet, but I don't think we are far away)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
The rest of our Melbourne 'holiday'
Well I think I have recovered enough now to write about the rest of our time in Melbourne.
After my last post (which was in some quiet little Korean internet cafe where I had to guess how to use the computer since I don't read Korean all that well, and I had to leave pretty quickly because Preston started crying - and it's not really the done thing to have a crying baby in an internet cafe), Preston and I went to bed about 9pm and woke up about 11 hours later. That was good. I packed up all our stuff (travelling with a baby is ridiculous - I had the stroller, carseat, suitcase, carryon small suitcase, plus large handbag for baby stuff), checked it into the hotel storage room and went shopping. This time i thought i would be clever and i carried Preston in the front-pack thing and i pushed the stroller. It was a great idea in theory, since he preferred to be carried, and i had the stroller just in case, plus the stroller was an excellent shopping trolley! However i did pay for it later...
Shopping was fine - while Preston was asleep on me i managed to fill the stroller to its maximum capacity with shopping, and people looked at me a bit strangely! I was hoping i would be able to stuff everything into the remaining space in my suitcases and not incur too much overweight fee. Went back to the hotel to catch my bus to the airport, and began the act I had become an expert at this holiday - looking like a helpless single mother so people would deal with my mountain of bags for me. This is quite essential when travelling alone, and I really thank the people of Melbourne for helping me in all sorts of situations, it was really amazing. Luckily there was a man catching the same airbus as me from my hotel and he helped me with all my stuff all the way to the airport, and even stacked it all on a trolley for me.
I checked in early at the airport, which was good since there was no rush or queues and it also gave me time to go up and down the escalators with my pile of bags a few times (so I could find various places including where to get my tax refund from shopping). This is me at 4pm: semi-tired looking but calm, carrying a sleeping baby in my front pouch, pulling a small wheely suitcase with one hand, and with the other, very carefully pushing a very heavy trolley (smaller than the AirNZ ones) that had my suitcase, stroller and carseat all resting precariously in a pile. The stroller wheels are pretty wide, so I only just fitted on the escalator, and it was tricky with one hand.
Had about 2.5 hours at the airport which was fine - Preston was being nice and good. Just before we boarded he started to cry a bit but nothing too bad. We got to board first, but it was a smaller plane than when we went over and the basinettes were temporary ones that were not able to be put up until the seatbelt sign was turned off. This was a bit annoying as I had managed to get him to fall asleep on me just after takeoff and I wanted him to stay asleep. I didn't get the basinette until after he had woken up, by which time it was too late - the crying had begun. This is me half and hour into the flight: tired and a bit embarrassed about my noisy baby, so I carried him up and down the aisles.
I was sitting right by business class with only a curtain separating us, so I was remembering all the times I've been on flights with crying babies and just wanting them to shut up - and the business class flight attendant kept coming out to see if there was anything she could do. Preston just kept getting louder and louder. AND LOUDER. I was getting tireder and wanting to eat or sleep myself, but he was being so tantrumy that I couldnt do anything. This is me two hours into the flight: screaming baby in my arms, deafening me with the loudness of the screams and soaking my clothes with the amount of tears, I just couldn't take it any more so I joined in. We just sat there crying inconsolably into each other. By this point all the other women sitting near me who had obviously been watching the drama unfold all came over and spent the next hour consoling me and Preston. He eventually went to sleep about half an hour before landing - and I was extremely unimpressed when the flight attendant told me she had to take away the basinette during the descent.
By the time we landed it was 12:30am, Preston was asleep in his front pouch again - totally worn out from hours of screaming - I was in a bit of a state and had to deal with all the luggage/trolley thing again and go through customs. I was the last one off the plane and poor Dan had been waiting so long for me. I think I just sobbed all the way home and went to bed, so glad to be home again!
After my last post (which was in some quiet little Korean internet cafe where I had to guess how to use the computer since I don't read Korean all that well, and I had to leave pretty quickly because Preston started crying - and it's not really the done thing to have a crying baby in an internet cafe), Preston and I went to bed about 9pm and woke up about 11 hours later. That was good. I packed up all our stuff (travelling with a baby is ridiculous - I had the stroller, carseat, suitcase, carryon small suitcase, plus large handbag for baby stuff), checked it into the hotel storage room and went shopping. This time i thought i would be clever and i carried Preston in the front-pack thing and i pushed the stroller. It was a great idea in theory, since he preferred to be carried, and i had the stroller just in case, plus the stroller was an excellent shopping trolley! However i did pay for it later...
Shopping was fine - while Preston was asleep on me i managed to fill the stroller to its maximum capacity with shopping, and people looked at me a bit strangely! I was hoping i would be able to stuff everything into the remaining space in my suitcases and not incur too much overweight fee. Went back to the hotel to catch my bus to the airport, and began the act I had become an expert at this holiday - looking like a helpless single mother so people would deal with my mountain of bags for me. This is quite essential when travelling alone, and I really thank the people of Melbourne for helping me in all sorts of situations, it was really amazing. Luckily there was a man catching the same airbus as me from my hotel and he helped me with all my stuff all the way to the airport, and even stacked it all on a trolley for me.
I checked in early at the airport, which was good since there was no rush or queues and it also gave me time to go up and down the escalators with my pile of bags a few times (so I could find various places including where to get my tax refund from shopping). This is me at 4pm: semi-tired looking but calm, carrying a sleeping baby in my front pouch, pulling a small wheely suitcase with one hand, and with the other, very carefully pushing a very heavy trolley (smaller than the AirNZ ones) that had my suitcase, stroller and carseat all resting precariously in a pile. The stroller wheels are pretty wide, so I only just fitted on the escalator, and it was tricky with one hand.
Had about 2.5 hours at the airport which was fine - Preston was being nice and good. Just before we boarded he started to cry a bit but nothing too bad. We got to board first, but it was a smaller plane than when we went over and the basinettes were temporary ones that were not able to be put up until the seatbelt sign was turned off. This was a bit annoying as I had managed to get him to fall asleep on me just after takeoff and I wanted him to stay asleep. I didn't get the basinette until after he had woken up, by which time it was too late - the crying had begun. This is me half and hour into the flight: tired and a bit embarrassed about my noisy baby, so I carried him up and down the aisles.
I was sitting right by business class with only a curtain separating us, so I was remembering all the times I've been on flights with crying babies and just wanting them to shut up - and the business class flight attendant kept coming out to see if there was anything she could do. Preston just kept getting louder and louder. AND LOUDER. I was getting tireder and wanting to eat or sleep myself, but he was being so tantrumy that I couldnt do anything. This is me two hours into the flight: screaming baby in my arms, deafening me with the loudness of the screams and soaking my clothes with the amount of tears, I just couldn't take it any more so I joined in. We just sat there crying inconsolably into each other. By this point all the other women sitting near me who had obviously been watching the drama unfold all came over and spent the next hour consoling me and Preston. He eventually went to sleep about half an hour before landing - and I was extremely unimpressed when the flight attendant told me she had to take away the basinette during the descent.
By the time we landed it was 12:30am, Preston was asleep in his front pouch again - totally worn out from hours of screaming - I was in a bit of a state and had to deal with all the luggage/trolley thing again and go through customs. I was the last one off the plane and poor Dan had been waiting so long for me. I think I just sobbed all the way home and went to bed, so glad to be home again!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Shopping in Melbourne
Well we have been doing some serious shopping for 2 days now. Sigh, Preston hates it. I guess he is pretty tired from the 5am wakeup we had yesterday to catch the plane....and i ended up being late for it anyway - they made a call for all remaining passengers to hurry up and board as the rest of the plane was waiting. Oops - and especially since i had just made fun of the people in the previous late call! But then the plane sat in the rain for 30 mins with a queue of planes behind us.
The flight was ok, I had a bassinette seat next to some other people with a young boy. Preston cried and fed most of the time, and then finally fell asleep so i could too. Probably no-one really cared since everyone had their headphones on watching movies, but i'm just a bit conscious of a crying baby in a small space. Preston doesn't care though - he let loose in the train yesterday. The whole train is silent, apart from him screaming and of course everyone glares. At least people here are really nice and understanding and helpful with my stroller. I got lots of help on the tram today, and then coming home Preston threw a giant tantrum each time the doors opened, and at my stop about 10 people offered to help me get out.
Shopping has not been as efficient as i hoped. the stroller is too wide to fit through the doors of many shops here, so i just have to hope they had no good bargains. Preston has also taken a dislike to being trapped in his stroller so i've ended up carrying him most of the time. Anyway I've bought a few good things for me and some stuff for reselling. tomorrow we are looking around the city then coming home.
ok, we're off to have a bath and an early night.
The flight was ok, I had a bassinette seat next to some other people with a young boy. Preston cried and fed most of the time, and then finally fell asleep so i could too. Probably no-one really cared since everyone had their headphones on watching movies, but i'm just a bit conscious of a crying baby in a small space. Preston doesn't care though - he let loose in the train yesterday. The whole train is silent, apart from him screaming and of course everyone glares. At least people here are really nice and understanding and helpful with my stroller. I got lots of help on the tram today, and then coming home Preston threw a giant tantrum each time the doors opened, and at my stop about 10 people offered to help me get out.
Shopping has not been as efficient as i hoped. the stroller is too wide to fit through the doors of many shops here, so i just have to hope they had no good bargains. Preston has also taken a dislike to being trapped in his stroller so i've ended up carrying him most of the time. Anyway I've bought a few good things for me and some stuff for reselling. tomorrow we are looking around the city then coming home.
ok, we're off to have a bath and an early night.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
We're off to Melbourne!
Yes, Preston and I are going to Melbourne for 3 days of serious shopping. I have done my research, have my map ready and my empty suitcase for bringing back all my goodies. Mostly I'll be searching for new things to sell online. We are staying in a hotel in the city, so it will be lots of fun! Just me and my boy :) We leave Thursday morning at 6:30am and get back at midnight saturday night.
Preston is being so much fun - he is really interactive at the moment - he loves attention, and laughs and smiles and reacts to everything. We think he is pretty cute. And I can't help dressing him like a pirate. Hope you like the pictures.
Preston is being so much fun - he is really interactive at the moment - he loves attention, and laughs and smiles and reacts to everything. We think he is pretty cute. And I can't help dressing him like a pirate. Hope you like the pictures.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Belinda and Preston (the ipod pirate)
Here's a great shot of Mum and Baby, taken by my good friend Nayden. He's becoming quite the photographer!
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