Everyone Needs One

Mine is this girl:

I am blessed to have several "best" friends, but Kara has been downright amazing throughout the time my husband has been away. She offers a listening ear and a home away from home whenever I need one. A big thank you to a very, very special person. Your kindness will always be remembered!

Buddies

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...

(Photo taken by Kara) 

Henry and Liam BFFs :-)

4 Months Old

4 months old, August 23rd

Every time a month goes by I stare at my calendar in disbelief that so much time has passed. In all honesty, some days go by so slowly I feel like they will never end, and on the other hand, the rest go by so quickly I wonder what the heck I even did that day (it never seems like much!). Liam is adding new tricks to his repertoire every day and just like any other mother, I beam with pride at his tiny accomplishments.

We're managing alright without hubs/daddy but all of that is for another post. Here's what Liam has been up to in the past month...

• 5 days ago he weighed 15 lbs 6 oz and measured 26 inches long (tall?) The UK charts have him on the same curve he was on at birth - 51st for weight and 91st for height. I don't put a lot of stock in this but am happy he's been gaining and growing steadily. 
• He's still being exclusively breastfed and will no longer take a bottle. Darn!
• That being said, we have started having him practice with the cup to avoid problems when I want to wean him.
• He's beginning to try to roll from back to tummy, but gets stuck on his side.
• Loves his refection, we call the baby in the mirror Mail. Haha.
• He loves other babies. Especially his good buddy Henry!
• Still teething, with nothing to show for it yet.
• Grabs for toys and objects and puts them directly into his mouth!
• Switched to the "big boy seat" in the buggy. He loves being able to see what's going on around him and this makes walks and outings much more enjoyable!

Favorite photos from month 4....

Steph and Liam watching Team Bearpark win their polo match!

"I love my new buggy seat!"

Hubs comes home to visit from ol' Paris...  a lovely day on Dun Laoghaire Pier 

"Don't drop me, dad!"

Initiation

So, Hubs left for a fellowship in Paris two weeks ago tomorrow. Wouldn't you know that the very night he left me to be a single mother was the night the Lion got his first fever. Let me tell you: It was HELL. I knew my baby would eventually get sick, and I further knew that it would probably be awful. I did not know how completely helpless I would feel and how utterly sad and worried I would be. I have never heard him cry like that. His skin was so hot to the touch I thought he might catch fire. I called my mom crying in the middle of the night (still evening in Michigan) and she assured me we would both get through it advising me to do the things I already knew, but needed to hear again. Cold washcloth, bare skin, tylenol and motrin (here, calpol and nurofen), lots of fluids and a tepid bath if the fever does not relent. The Fever went on for 2 and a half days and on the second day (Sunday) I called my friend, Liz, who has a one year old. Surely she would have good advice! Her advice was the same as mom's but she could do what mother dear could not, come over to assist, nurofen in hand. We gave L the tepid bath, she phoned the after hours clinic and booked Liam an appointment, taking us to St. James a couple of hours later. God bless her.
So, we felt fever aftershocks for a good 5-7 days after the fact, fussy and lots of night waking, but things seem to be back to some semblance of normal. I think I passed initiation!