The end of a long week.....& the beginning of a long weekend

Friday...work's done until monday, at least the work I get paid a salary for. Now starts the long weekend of no sleep because friday & saturday nights are my nights to feed/change/cuddle Jack when he wakes.

 

I knew it was going to be tough having a child but i am absolutely exhausted, both mentally & physically. Sunday & monday night Jack slept for 7 hours but then the rest of the week he has been waking all through the night, Nic has been looking after him because I have to get up for work but he still keeps me awake as well. My job is mentally challenging rather than physically challenging but combine work with having very little sleep & pretty soon you start begging for just one decent night's sleep. Don't get me wrong I love Jack more than i ever knew i could love but it doesn't stop me getting irritable & short tempered. People at work keep asking me if i'm alright because i'm so quiet ( usually I am quite an outspoken, cheeky & sarcastic pain in the butt ).

 

Nic told me Jack's poo has changed this week into the typical stinky, messy poo people always think of when you mention nappies - tonight I got to experience this first hand....what the hell has my son been eating while i've been at work?????

 

When we registered Jack a couple of week's ago the registrar had to start a new register, but she told us in a few weeks the government is making all registers computerised. Nic normally makes fun of me for being old but even she thinks it's a shame that pretty soon all registers will be computer printouts only. There's something nice about the fact that all birth's, death's & marriages are registered using proper ink pens in large registers, in generations to come what will they make of the change in the way we keep records in this country? Jack's generation are the last to be registered in such a traditional & special way. The only positive thing about it is that Jack's will probably be the first birth entered in the very last Coventry register by hand.

 

That's all I have time for tonight. Stay well & I hope you all enjoy the weekend - but don't forget to put your clocks forward on sunday morning......VampJack x

life change is nto easy

Hello again, I have been really tired with having to go back to work as well as looking after Jack & have been struggling to find time to update my journal.

Today was a nice day for Nic, her first mother's day. Jack been fairly good during the last few nights but during the day he has been  a real handful, screaming & crying all the time. We are both exhausted just trying to figure out what he wants, wether its food, changing his nappy or just a cuddle.

I am tired more than usual this weekend because it was the start of the formula 1 season in Australia so I was up in the early hours of both saturday & today, I must be bloody mad.

I only have time for a short entry tonight but I will be back soon...night everyone...VampJack x

Yesterday was my first day back at work & I am fi nding it so difficult to get back into the swing of things. Jack is being a pain at nights so Nic is getting really stressed but today we switched him onto the number 2 formula so hopefully that will make a difference.

I am exhausted trying to balance work, looking after Jack & trying to keep the house in reasonable condition so apologies for not adding many entries, I have added some more photo's for you all to see just how gorgeous my boy is.

C u all soon....VampJack x

Stil tired but coping well!!

So its been a few days since my last entry & Mary thinks it's about time I gave you all another update, she's probably right but I have a good excuse for being lazy when it comes to my journal!!

The last few days have been a trial at times, Jack has been waking every hour crying. We are not giving him too many feeds in the hope that he will eventually settle down to a reasonable sleep pattern, last night he slept for 4 hours between both night feeds so this is a good sign - however it was Nic's night shift so he will probably resort to the one hour pattern tonight as its dad's turn on duty. He's a pretty good baby, okay so he cries but we're slowing figuring out how to calm him each time.

Nic says she's not having any more babies because of the pain but we're now seriously considering having one every year.....we've had more presents than we've ever had for xmas or birthday.

I took Nic to work this morning so she could show Jack off to everyone & then it was my turn. I now know what celebrities feel like when they are mobbed by adoring fans, I even got told off by a guy I work with for letting all the women go gaga over Jack, he wanted to see my gorgeous little boy as well. I got a few pressies off one of my friends at work but I didn't get the pressies from my team because my boss was interviewing someone so they wanted to wait - means I get more pressies next week when I go back to work. One of my friends at work is expecting her baby in 10 weeks & her partner is reluctant to be in the delivery room so my friend wants me to have a chat with him. I can understand how he feels because I have had a lot of bad experiences in hospitals & they freak me out whenever I'm in one, I was not sure that I would be in the delivery room but I'm glad I was. If any guys are reading this in the same position my advice would be to make sure you are in the room, there really is nothing like seeing your child the second they're born.

We are going to the doctors tomorrow to register Jack with them & thursday we have our appointment with the registry office to register his birth. It still seems strange that I am a dad but at the same time it feels totally natural. Those of you that have been reading this for a while will know I had so many doubts & being honest I was terrified at times but Jack is the best thing to ever happen to me & I wouldn't change things at all ( okay, maybe I'd change his sleeping patterns!! ). Even changing nappies which I was absolutely dreading is not as bad as I thought it was going to be, maybe my opinion will change once he's on solids. Jack seems to have teeth quite close to the surface of his gums & he already bites rather than just sucking so I reckon he will be teething quite early ( joy ).

I've been pee'd on & puked on so many times I am losing count, Jack seems to have perfected the art of peeing just as I am about to do the last tape on a new nappy so I then have to start all over again. we gave him his third bath last night & the first 2 he hated but last night he seemed to really enjoy bath time, it was so funny seeing him smile as we slid him down the end of the bath into the water ( holding him of course, we wouldn't just let him slide into the water on his own ). I love watching him sleep as well, he has amazing facial expressions when he sleeps.

There are so many firsts already, first time he held my finger, first smile, first bath, first nappy change, first feed. It all seems to be happening so fast, I wish I had more time off work to spend with my little boy but I have to go back next monday & it's going to be one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

Changing the subject, our hoover has packed up today so more expense. I will have to have a look for a bargain on ebay. I am getting excited about the new formula 1 season which starts on march 18th, this year it will be strange watching a race with no Schumi to cheer on. I think Ferrari are looking good but then again so are the McLarens, only time will tell who will have the upper hand in 2007 but my heart is still with the scarlet Ferrari's - FORZA FERRARI!!

That's enough from me for tonight, I will be loading some new photo's of Jack in the next few days so watch this space....love VampJack x

the last 2 nights

Tuesday night I took the night shift again as Nic had to take over on monday night. He was waking every 1.5/2 hours for a feed & was gladly taking this from me, the last feed was at 4.15 & then he was a little sick later so one I changed his bedding he went down again at 5.15....next thing he was crying for his bottle at 8.15!!!!!!!!! I asked Nic why she hadn't woken me to do the bottle before that but there wasn't one, he had slept through for 3 hours - a breakthrough.

My mum came over yesterday to see him ( not to see us of course ), I wished she lived nearer & could still drive because I know she will miss him greatly. We went shopping first & when we got home I asked if she wanted to spend some time with her grandson, she obviosuly replied yes so I gave Jack to her & said she could check his nappy!! He'd only done number 1 though so no pooey nappy this time for nanny. I had got some of my photo's printed in town so she could have some decent photo's for her album & when she was here I took a picture of them both & printed it out, she was overjoyed ( & very nearly a little tearful ).

Last night was fantastic, Jack was only waking every 3 hours for a feed & no nappy changes inbetween so we got a reasonable amount of sleep. I hope this pattern continues, we may even start giving him more in the bottles, currently we are giving 3 ounces & he is finishing them all so we have may to do 4 ounces, we're going to ask the midwife today when she comes.

Well that's enough for now I hear the coffee calling...love to you all...VampJack x