Benjaminh's World after 1 month in Canada

Time moves swiftly

Hard to believe really.

We celebrated the "one month in Canada" marker by going for portraits yesterday. I get them back on the 10th of March...two months and 1 day after Benjaminh and I became a family. Time is moving so very swiftly right now and I want it to stop. (The time continuum is so strange. For Benjaminh and I it seems time is moving at the speed of light but I know anxiously waiting parents with baby girls in Benjaminh's orphanage and for them, waiting for their letters of invitation to travel, time must be moving like a snail. Possibly one that has had the misfortune of being run over by a truck.)


Benjaminh's World

Benjaminh continues to add to his food list...now enjoying carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini and green beans...apples made only from Royal Gala apples (spits out Mac sauce...)...not really in to bananas or peaches or any kind of pablum except Vietnamese Rice Cereal by Nestle which is not readily available in our hometown. Hates squash. Hates squash so much that momma had the opportunity to catch a full bottle and a tablespoon of squash in her hands shortly after it was eaten. Motherhood and it's hidden joys.

We are doing cloth diapering part time now and I'm digging it for the most part. I'm not quite as fast with the prefolds (compared to disposable) and that has inherent danger associated with it. And the two lovely kissaluv diapers Benjaminh received at his pretravel shower??? He wears them EVERY DAY because they fit to 25 pounds...which is an average Vietnamese 18 month old according to my friends (or older) so I registered for size 1 (18-25 pounds). Ummmm...if they still fit when his Highness is 10 months old I'll be very very surprised. I'd love some size 2's but I'm cheap. I did order 4 more diaper covers this week, Bummies Brights, they have an extra leg gusset that I appreciate (well I appreciate that they leak less often).

Cloth diapering with prefolds rather than fitted cloth diapers creates a clothing problem for princes who are naturally 'ample" around the middle. Pants simply do not fit. I am favouring one piece "jumpers" for lack of a better word. Full length, no feet, long sleeved, does up the front in any fashion you'd like and has snaps in the crotch. Size 18 months believe it or not. Or 12-18 but not 12. 12 is too small. I picked up a jumper today at a big box store that will work as "play clothes" but it was most certainly meant to be pajamas.

The prince moved from a borrowed 22 pound infant seat into a borrowed 30 pound infant seat today. He seemed so much more comfortable. I'm expecting that on March 3rd, our next Dr. visit, pounds will have been added.

Mobility wise the Manh is on the move. Mostly backwards. Gets stuck under the couch if I'm not watching. Sees something he likes, reaches for it, gets moving, moves away from it, screams, Boomer comes running to see why his Prince is screaming, crowds him, licks him, makes him scream louder, mommy sends Boomer to his bed, Boomer moves 2 feet away and lays down, innocently pretending that his bed resides 2 feet away, baby is repositioned near his toys, sitting up, reaches for his toy, gets one leg into crawling position, second leg becomes stuck under ample belly, topples onto face, screams, Boomer comes rushing over...repeat...The little Manh prefers to stand. He pulls himself up easily into a standing position holding on to momma's hands or her shirt if she is sitting on the floor but hasn't yet discovered that couches and dogs work as anchors as well (thankfully). Today he moved his right foot while standing and was quite thrilled at this development as it brought him closer to the dog's nostrils...his focus object of the moment. When standing holding a toy he will let go with both hands and has scary good balance for a beginner. My time of visiting with friends while my baby lays like a beached whale on his belly is coming quickly to an end so I'm fitting in as much visiting as possible!!!Sleep wise I'm rested. Less than 2 months in. I'm sleeping better than I was before I traveled for sure. Benjaminh sleeps in a sleep sac (Grobag) and that works perfectly for him. He thrashes about and rolls across his back from his right to his left side all night long so blankets were not working. We have two grobags, size 0-6 months and are in the market for 6-18 month gently used hand-me-downs if you have them. He sleeps through from 7 or 8 until 7 or 8 the next morning with one bottle at about 2am. This I'm loving. Quite often he wakes up to check if I'm there (3 or 4 times in the first part of each night) so having him in my bed is working for right now. He reaches over and plays with my hair or rubs my face (or clutches me by the nose and the ear, two fisting me into staying after he is asleep). He gets comfort from my singing (which is a miracle). Overall he is sleeping better than most babies do less than 2 months after joining their family...

Every day is a wonder.
I need to change the name of the blog....