Alex has been blessed with slightly folded ears. This used to require surgery at a later date if he didn't want to be left looking odd, with folded or sticky out ears. Chris had the same thing when she was born, and she had them surgically repaired.
The only trouble with surgery is that it can go wrong, and it isn't exactly stress free for Jnr.
We were told about Earbuddies (
http://earbuddies.fresca.co.uk) by one of our health visitors, and we looked into them.
They are small flexible splints that allow you to tape the ear back, but without crushing or flattening the cartilage at the top of the ear. I put Alex's in for him - yes, it can be done at home by the parent! The splint is shaped to the ear and held in place by butterfly stitches (like sticky tape - not actual stitches). They can be used from birth and best yet - if they are used in the first week, they only need to be worn for one week! Alex will need his for 2 to 3 weeks, but at least he won't have to have surgery later in life.
Sleep. Several views on this one, but this lack of sleep induced theory seems to work best:
Babies are sleep sponges. Throughout the day they sleep and also absorb all the other sleep energy in the house - including that of the people around in the house.
Come night fall the lack of sleep energy remaining in the house means that there isn't enough for the adults....and baby also runs out at around 2am.
When this happens, there is no sleep left for anyone in the house.
I figure this to be true, as the further from the baby or sponge you get, the more chance of keeping hold of some sleep you have*.
One baby who fell asleep after eating whilst being burped. One Dad....tired and jealous of sleeping baby!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* I had to be up early and fresh this morning to see some target shooters over at Bisley. I think Alex knew. By 4am I was so tired I knew that I would be dangerous to drive by the time I had to take us all up to Bisley. Chris stayed with Alex through the night (she could catch zees in the car) and I went into another room to try and salvage some of my senses.Too little too late! I am sooooo tired now!!!
First Cousin, once removed.....?
Oh dear...trying to figure out who's who is tricky! This is Roz, the daughter of the sister of my mother-in-law. Lost it yet? Even the charts can get confusing!
The important thing is that Roz is family and held Alex for the first time today. She jets around the world with her job and today bought her first, erm...removed...erm...bought Alex some dead cool Baby Gap clothes from across the pond in the USA. They look really great - Chris and I can't wait to get Alex into them!
Aunty Sandy was here...erm...Great Aunty Sandy was here as well and had a lovely cuddle with the spoilt rotten little love!
Chris has been in hospital now since Sunday. The blood pressure is still high now and then, so the staff have continued down the induction plan....but even that isn't taking quite as quickly as first hoped.
Finally today we started to see some proper contractions, and after a quick check up, we are looking at May 3rd...AM.....BUT due to the induction, things have often been known to be faster and more severe. A quicker birth, but a hell of a lot more intense. May 2nd might still happen yet.
I'm home to feed the cats, freshen up and pick some bits up for Chris. Back to the hospital for 10pmish to follow up on this mornings further induction procedures.
Chris is being a real fighter. Jnr looks to be big baby, and after all of the complications she has had, I just hope eveything turns out okay - She deserves it.
