Week 5 - 6

It was a pretty lazy week at home but we did get out a couple of times. 

Indigo and I went to Nina's house midweek. Ed, Katharina, Katie, Sharleen, and Karl also all stopped by at some point. We were there for almost 5 hours! We love those friends so much!

Saturday the three of us went across the road to Eunwha, John Pierre, and Maya’s house. We had drinks and nibbles. Then Eunwha invited us to stay for dinner and dessert. It was fun, as always!

Milestones and reflections

This week Indigo fell in love with a little snail we called Herbert (or Herbie for short). It was the first thing to really amuse and excite her. 

Indie also tried out her bouncer for the first time. She wasn't sold at first but soon it became a large part of her daily life.  

For several weeks in a row we'd get to the Friday and Indie would hit a rough spot. We even started calling her little breakdowns "Freak Out Fridays". This meant more crying than usual and waking up hour after hour overnight. Dave and I were both glad it happened on the weekend when we were both home and could get some extra rest when she did finally settle down to nap. 

And, during the daytime, sleep she did! 

Week 4 - 5

Week 4 - 5

On Tuesday Indie and I travelled by bus to the jaundice clinic at Barnet Hospital. There she had a heel prick blood sample taken. Poor little Indie screamed the house down! The doctor said she had "healthy lungs". We waited for the results there and since the levels were a little bit higher than they wanted, another sample was sent to the lab. We had to wait for the results to be delivered by phone. In the end it was all fine. One of our NCT friends was in the postnatal recovery unit there so we quickly popped by to say “hello” and meet their new baby girl, Emma. 

On Wednesday, the community midwife stopped by for one last visit. Since all was well we were officially discharged from their care. 

On Thursday, Dave took another paternity day. In the afternoon we went over to Katharina and Ed’s with several of the other NCT families. It was surreal because we all had babies! 

On Friday, Indigo and I went to a mothers’ group at the home of one of my clients. Most of the other children were about a year old. I could get over how much my little one will grow in the year ahead. I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet! 

On Sunday, Eleonora gave me a postnatal massage. It. Was. Awesome. We also gave her a little something as a thank you for all of her help over the previous weeks.

Milestones and reflections

Indigo turned one month old! The first few weeks together were deeply rewarding, exhausting, emotional, magical, ordinary, and extraordinary. 

This week Indie also did some deep thinking... 

walked like an Egyptian...

mistook her daddy's nose for a food source... 

held her mama's hand to fall asleep...

got a blister from nursing...

enjoyed bath time...

had a sweaty head... 

made funny faces... 

hung out on her heart blanket... 

snuggled with mama and daddy... 

had a growth spurt, ate a lot, while nobody slept much...

and was nicknamed Dr. Thirsty as a result! 

Week 3 - 4

Once again the community midwife visited. She continued to be happy with Indigo’s weight gain but still concerned about her jaundice. So, she referred us to the jaundice clinic at Barnet Hospital for some tests. 

On Thursday Dave took his eighth day of paternity leave. It was a big day for little Indie!

Early in the morning we took her Islington Town Hall to register her birth. We settled on her first name very quickly but it took us ages to decide on a middle name. In the end we picked Marin. It means "of the sea" in Latin. Perfect for our little water baby! We are pronouncing it mah-RIN like breathtaking Marin County in California, home of Point Reyes National Seashore, Bolinas Lagoon, Stinson Beach, and the Redwoods of Muir Woods. We visited this area last July, a year before she was born, and were struck by it's natural beauty. 

She had her first journey on an overground train on the way in to town. As soon as we arrived at the town hall she started screaming because she was hungry. I began to breastfeed her and naturally that’s when we were called back to register. So, I stood up with her still latched to me and walked back to the office with Dave. Quite a feat for a new mama! Afterwards, she wailed again. It was down to a dirty diaper this time. We ended up changing her in the hallway with her cries echoing throughout the marbled hall. Eventually she settled down and fell asleep. This allowed us to go out for a delicious brunch at Ottolenghi. This was one of our favourite restaurants pre-baby so it felt very indulgent to be there with her in tow. They’re renowned for their pastries and we picked up four desserts to share with our friends later that afternoon. Indie had another first on the way home; a trip on an underground train.

A very pregnant Abby and her husband, Ben, came over that afternoon. We had tea and cake while we took turns cuddling Indie and talked about Abby’s induction which was scheduled for the following Saturday. (She gave birth on the Sunday to a baby boy named Cameron Luke.) 

Waiting for the train

Tapping in 

Brunch at Ottolenghi

Heading home

Waiting with mama 

Milestones and reflections

We had a rough Friday. She was upset for most of the day. Indie started the morning in tears so I put her in the sling and walked to the post office to send a letter. However, I got there before it had even opened! When I went to the counter the attendant said "that's a real baby? I thought it was a doll!" Um, no. We went home and Indigo cried and cried. She stared right at me as if asking for help but I didn't know what else to do for her. So, I shed some sympathy tears.

What did help ME during these early days was Dr. Pepper and lots of it! I'd often ask Dave to bring some home after work or take a quick walk (which seemed like an epic adventure) to the corner shop to pick a couple of cans up myself. We also had Lindt chocolate truffles stationed next to my feeding zone downstairs for the first several weeks postpartum. As silly as it sounds, these little indulgences brightened up those particularly challenging days.


This week Indigo lounged around with mama... 

hung out in the sling...

 

held hands... 

tried tummy time...

slept...

experimented with expressions...

and cuddled with mama and daddy.