The adventures of Dillon

We are now back from a two week stay with my family in Scotland. Dillon really enjoyed his holiday and got lots of attention from everyone. He certainly entertained Granny with his rolling on the floor, eating food and being so alert. He met his little cousin Sophie who is so adorable. She was just 6 weeks when we were there and was so small. I found it hard to believe Dillon was once that size.

We enjoyed lots of walks and we noticed that Dillon was more alert and wanted to look at nature as we walked along. He doesn't seem frightened of animals at all. He watches our cat a lot and will touch him. On one walk on holiday we stroked a horse with Granny.

This was me with my sister Jane and Dillon on a walk.

We took him to Crathes Castle and someone kindly took our photo for us.

Granny took this picture of Gareth and I with Dillon. It is rare that we get a family shot.

He is now 7 months old and this has brought some big changes. He moved to his own bedroom this week and in to his pushchair. He has taken to both very well. He continues to sleep 12 hours overnight without any waking. He is very active in the day time. He rolls around the floor and soon rolls fom one of the room to the other. He is doing very well with weaning and is enjoying a wide range of foods. We are now adding a lot more chicken, red meat and fish to his meals. I am now starting to mash a little of the food and add it to a smooth puree. Before this week I made very smooth purees. Slowly we will increase the amount of mashed food to smooth puree. He weights 15lb 1oz which is very small for 7 months but he is staying on the same percentile line so the health visitor and us are happy. Every day with him is a joy. He provides so much entertainment.

Dillon and our cat Woody

Dillon is now 6 months old. It's amazing how fast his first half year has gone. It has been lovely to see him change each month and learn new things. He started to solids 3 weeks ago and is enjoying it. I have lots of fun making purees for him which he has loved so far. I have been proud to serve him home grown potatoes and peas. One favourite is blueberry and banana puree. I make up a batch and freeze servings in an ice cube tray. It saves me making new purees every day.

One thing we have really noticed recently is that Dillon watches Woody, out cat, so much. He seems to love moving items and when Woody runs across the room Dillon follows him and coos in delight. It's very cute. They both sit together and now Dillon will reach out to touch Woody's fur.

This was Dillon and Woody sitting on Gareth's knee.

 

Dillon's tummy time

It is amazing how fast a baby develops. One minute they are are tiny and just sleep or scream. Then they begin to smile and interact with people. Then they become much more energetic and can do all sorts of things. Recently Dillon has loved tummy time. When he was younger I would try him lying on his tummy and he would scream. Now he loves it. He is good at controlling his head and loves to lie on his tummy and watch what is going on around him. He is fascinated by Woody, our cat, running around.

He is now able to roll over onto his back. He then can kick his legs and he especially loves grabbing his feet and putting them in his mouth. Sometimes he will fall asleep on the blanket after a session like this. It is just so lovely to watch him and see him happy.

 

Will Dillon be Child of the Year?

Our local newspaper in Southampton, The Daily Echo, runs a yearly competition to find Child of the Year. As new parents we were keen to enter Dillon to this. He was entered into the birth to 9 months category. I think the categories go up to age 5. Two weeks ago we were the first entrants of the day. Dillon happily posed for the photographer in the middle of the shopping centre. I was so proud watching him. It is lovely to see him smile for strangers and when wanted! I went back to view the photos this week and decide which picture would appear in the newspaper. Readers can then vote for their favourite child in July. I chose this one

I loved his smile in this. His eyes are twinkling as he smiles.

I was able to buy prints so bought two small ones. This was the other one I opted for.

The last time he had a professional photographer take his photo was at one week old. It's amazing to see the changes since then and now he is a happy smiling little baby boy.

Dillon's latest developments

Today Dillon is 18 weeks old! Time is going too fast. He is changing all the time. Big changes in recent weeks have been:

 The ability to pick up toys and then try to fit them in his mouth.

This is him holding "Little ted".

We now get more and more smiles

He moved to his crib last night. I had been told that the moses basket may only last about 8 weeks but he got 18 out if it so that was great. In the last week I lay him down for a nap in the crib during the day to prepare him for the move. He slept all night in it last night so he obviously likes it. I hope this continues and then the move to the cot will be as easy.

10 things

After reading a blog with a post titled "10 things" I decided to list 10 thuings that make me happy just now.

Most of all I am so happy to have a healthy baby boy who fills each day with joy
I am so happy to be married to Gareth who is the best Daddy and Husband in the world
I was happy to spend weeks with my family who helped me with Dillon so much
I am happy to meet with Mummies and their lovely babies at local clubs.
I am happy to see my roses in full bloom in the garden
I am happy that I am an Auntie to Rosie and soon will be an Auntie to my sister's baby
I am happy that we are in mid summer and have lovely light evenings
It makes me happy to still find time for baking even as a busy Mummy
I am happy that Dillon sleeps all night and allows Mummy and Daddy to sleep, giving them energy for the next busy day
I am happy to spend all my time with Dillon despite much crying and screaming. He is so adorable and I love him so much.

Visitors

Dillon is now 9 weeks old. He is an adorable little boy. I love him more than words can say. He is a great feeder and loves Mummy's milk. I am so proud that breastfeeding has been a success and both Dillon and I enjoy it. I believe I am giving him the best start in life and also I am getting a lot of benefits from this too. He is small for his age but is putting weight on at a steady rate. His weight yesterday was 10lb 11oz. He is just starting to wear size 0-3 months clothes. The newborn size lasted him well. I am sad to fold away the tiny vests and babygros but at the same time he has some lovely boyish outfits in the next size that he will look beautiful in.

He is getting into a good routine. Overnight now he can sleep for over 10 hours! We can place him in his moses basket at say 8.30pm and he will sleep right through until 7am. It is so nice for Daddy and I to get a proper night's sleep. He loves to stay awake during the day which I don't mind. I am grateful he likes to sleep at night. I think he doesn't want to miss anything that goes on during the day.

We really get out and about these days. I have had him at the big stores. Last week we met a New Mums group in the John Lewis cafe. It was so nice for me to chat to other new mums and share our experiences with our babies. Over time as Dillon grows up I hope he will become friends with babies we have met already. In the cafe I gave Dillon his first ever feed in public. I was so happy I did it. I was a little nervous but a few other Mums did it too so I felt comfortable. One great thing about breastfeeding is that milk is always ready wherever you go. There is no sterilising of bottles and remembering formula powder and water.  We have been to garden centres, Hobbycraft and Sainsburys. Wherever I go he is admired and told he is really cute. Many staff in these shops have had a cuddle with him. Tomorrow we are off to my work to show him off to my friends in work. It will be nice for me to catch up with some people there. It's been 3 months since I was in work.

My sister Jane and her husband Ewan visited us last week. We all had a great time with Dillon. Dillon wasn't short of cuddles and kisses. Auntie Jane and Uncle Ewan really loved him and  were so good with him. Their baby is due in July so it was good practice before baby arrives.
I baked some cupcakes while they were with us. Jane brought me little baby boy cake decorations and cute baby paper cases which we used  for the cupcakes.

This was proud Auntie Jane with Dillon

and proud Uncle Ewan

Dillon getting his nappy changed by Auntie Jane

and sitting sucking his hand dressed smartly in his blue dungarees

Every week we notice a difference in Dillon. It is so nice to see him changing. One special change has been smiling. He doesn't smile often but if we speak slowly and look straight into his eyes while he is calm and happy he may smile. It is adorable to see.

My first Mother's Day

Yesterday was my first Mother's Day. Dillon kindly gave me Kirstie's Homemade home book and a very cute card where he thanked me for looking after him since his birth and that he loved having me as his Mummy. My sister in law gave me chocolates and mother in law gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I really did feel special.

We visited Longstock water gardens in Hampshire in the afternoon. It is owned by John Lewis and Waitrose have a farm on the estate. Every second Sunday a charity can run the gardens and take the proceeds. Yesterday the Rotary club were in charge. I was keen to support them as they gave me a place 5 years ago on a cultural trip to India. I am grateful for that opportunity and feel I must support their good work where I can. The gardens were beautiful. We happily walked around with Dillon in his pram enjoying the views.

Dillon with Mummy after his bedtime feed on Mother's Day.

We placed him in his Moses basket at 9pm and there wasn't a sound from him until 5.05am! This is the longest he has ever slept. He is a little star. Thank you Dillon and Daddy for making Mother's Day so special.

Dillon is now 7 weeks old

It is amazing how time is going so fast since Dillon was born. 7 weeks ago today I gave birth to our lovely little boy. Being a Mummy since then has given me so much pleasure.
In the early weeks I never thought I would get into a routine with Dillon and thought we would always be at home. The last week has seen changes. Dillon has slept for 7 hours in one block during the night on 3 occasions. The rest of the week he has slept for 5 hours then had a feed and back to bed for 3 hours. It has been lovely and I don't feel so tired during the day now. Until this week our main activity outside the home was a walk locally. I have loved getting out in the Spring sunshine and fresh air and Dillon has fallen alseep on every walk. He rarely sleeps during the day so it is nice to see him have a little nap while I push the pram. On Tuesday I went to M&S cafe and met with a friend there. She has a little baby girl so it was nice to discuss baby issues. My Mother in law was so kind and helped me set the pram up when we parked there. I am still not strong enough to do these tasks. Today Dillon and I attended the local baby under 1s group. Dillon was the youngest there by 10 weeks. He looked so small. It really made me think how quickly he will grow and not look like a tiny newborn baby any longer. He slept in my arms during the session. That was so cute and cosy. We then had a singing and actions session. He cried during this. I wonder if he was just a little worried about all that was going on around him. I chatted to other Mums and found this really useful. These will be Mums from the area that I will see for many years as our children go to school together.

Here are some recent photos of Dillon.

I had been talking to a lady from Usborne books who advised me to place a book with bold images next to a very young baby. I tried this but I'm sure he never glanced at the book. In coming months he will begin to notice it and the colours on each page.

Tomorrow Dillon has his first big trip. We are going to Bristol for Uncle Jason's 40th Birthday party. It's also very exciting as Auntie Amanda is now 5 days overdue with her baby and any day now Dillon will have a cousin. I will become an Auntie and Gareth will be an Uncle. Then in July we will repeat this with the birth of my sister Jane's baby. Our family is growing quickly this year.

I am looking forward to Mother's Day, my very first Mother's Day. With Dillon being so young it is hard to go far or even go for a meal but just to celebrate being a Mummy and have cuddles with Dillon will be special.

 

Little Dillon

Dillon is now just over one month old. I can't believe it. He is growing fast. At birth he weighed 8lb 2oz and last week weighed 9lb 1oz. The feeding must be working well. He is so adorable and I still can't believe how perfect he is. He has brought so much joy to Gareth and I and now we can't imagine life without him. We love being a family. I so love being a Mummy.

We think he may suffer from colic. He cries a lot after feeds for hours which is so concerning. His little face just looks like he is suffering pain. We have started giving him Infacol before every feed. It takes a few days to build up in the body so we should hopefully see an improvement late this week.

He is becoming a lot more alert and will stay awake for longer spells looking round the room and deep into our eyes. It's lovely to watch him.

We go on walks with the pram every day. I am getting to know the local area better than I ever did. At the weekend we had a family trip to a local village and took a walk. It was lovely to push the pram and spend time as a new family.

This was Gareth and me with Dillon in the pram while out on a walk with my Mum. Dillon isn't visible. He was just ahead looking out of the pram.The lake behind us is where I trained last summer to take part in the Great South Swim but didn't take part because I was pregnant. Four laps of this was a mile. I loved swimming here, it was peaceful, picturesque and I felt good at completing the distance of one mile. Now it will be the lake we walk around with Dillon regularly. Maybe one day he will follow in Mummys' footsteps and swim around the lake.

This picture of Dillon is so cute I think. He was lying on the changing table while I dressed him. He wasn't a happy boy but looked so cute with the hooded towel on his head. He has such a sad face.

For the first four weeks he wore white vests and sleep suits. He still wears that most of the time. It's so handy to undo the poppers when he needs changing. At the weekend when Gareth's Mum and Dad visited we dressed him in his dungarees and hooded top which Granny Howell had bought him. He suddenly looked more grown up.

Yesterday I dressed him in a hand knitted cardigan. He fell asleep in his bouncy chair all morning so I took a few photos of him looking so peaceful. This one was lovely I thought with is little hand held up.

He is asleep just now so I will go and get some jobs done while I have the chance.

Introducing Baby Dillon

I am now a Mummy. Dillon James Alastair Howell was born on 11th February 2011 at 2.05am. He weighed 8lb 2oz. He was born by cesarean section after I went through a natural labour without progressing enough. He is the most beautiful little boy and I can't now imagine life without him. We arrived home when he was 2 days old and we are now settling into family life. He is a good sleeper and wakes around 2am and 5am for feeds during the night. It means I get a few hours sleep at once and I try to sleep for an hour or so in the afternoons. With having the cesarean I have a long recovery period and have to be so careful in what I do. I have been so lucky that my Mum was with us for the birth and stayed until last Wednesday. She was brilliant in helping with Dillon and keeping the household going. Gareth is extremely good with Dillon and loves being a Daddy to his son. He does all the errands and makes sure I am happy.My Mum and Dad arrive on Wednesday to stay for a week. It will be lovely for Dad to meet his Grandson. Gareth's Mum and Dad are a great help too. His Mum spends days at the house doing housework and cooking. It means I can sleep or rest.

We have been discharged from midwife care and have now moved to a health visitor. Dillon has been weighed a few times and on Friday at two weeks old he weighed 8lb 10oz! I was so worried I wasn't providing enough milk but I must be!

This was Dillon a few minutes old as he was passed to me.

Our first family photo

Dillon settled in his cot by my bed in the hospital

At home aged 10 days old.

It is amazing how he changes day to day. He has already lost that newborn look. He is now staring into our eyes and watching the lights. We haven't worked out yet who he looks like. One day I think he is like me and others I see him as so like Gareth. I even see my sister Jane in him and Gareth's dad too. He is a mix of us all. Whoever he is like, he is absolutely gorgeous and adorable and our special little boy.

Scrapbooking while I wait on baby

Well, baby is now 4 days overdue. I am so desperate to know when he or she will make an appearance. The waiting is horrible. Everyday I think it might be today and then go to bed disappointed that nothing happened. My due date according to the scan was 31st January. The midwife had initially said 6th/7th February so I think she was more correct. At the 12 week scan baby could have been a bit bigger than average for that stage which influenced the due date. I saw the midwife yesterday and all was well with me and baby. She thought my face and hands looked a pit puffy but she said not to worry as there was no sign of pre eclampsia. I am to ensure I spend time with my feet up aswell as keep active. I am having problems sleeping at night. I go so long and then wake up with pains in my left leg and in my left bottom. This is when baby sits on a nerve. Last night I was so fed up lying there in pain I got up and watched tv for half an hour or so. Everything is ready for the big day. The bags are packed and waiting at the door. I have prepared some dinners and froze them for when we get home from hospital.

This was me on the due date.

On due date I kep busy. I walked 2 miles as it was such a lovely bright day. I did cleaning, washing, cooking and scrapping. I felt lucky to be able to do so much by this stage.

I have done some scrapbooking in the last few weeks. I am pleased to get a few layouts done before baby comes home. From then on I guess any scrapping I have time for will be of baby photos.

I have done two on our honeymoon.
This is of Hollywood, where I hugged all the characters on the street. I used Echo Park paper which Miranda so kindly gave me a huge pack of. The bright colours of the paper went so well with the photos.

This layout is of our last meal on honeymoon when we stayed at Newport Beach. It was so sad knowing that the honeymoon and the best holiday of our lives so far was over.

Then I did two layouts on pregnancy.

This one shows the pictures at the 20 week scan. That day I baked cupcakes and iced them in blue and pink to celebrate the surprise we will get sometime soon.

I included the baby's measurements on this. I thought it would be interesting to look back on when he or she is older.

Finally, a layout showing baby's clothes drying on the washing line back in October. We bought all these clothes at second hand sales. They look as good as new and are washed, ironed and hung in baby's wardrobe ready for the big arrival.

I hope to have news of baby's arrival to share with you soon.