Some things I’ve picked up that wasn’t my daughter.

I’ve always been a visual person when it comes to learning, picking up things quicker if there is an element of physical activity. Reading to learn or remember something always was hardest for me, unless it was a book that actually interested me then it rarely stuck in my head. So for me learning was more about doing than studying, and fatherhood is definitely a learn as you go full time job.

You can read all the books you like on how to raise a baby, you can watch all the YouTube videos you want and you can listen to the parents down at the nursery till they are blue in the face, but it doesn’t change the fact that all this raising a small being is a learning curve we must handle head on with both hands and possible feet as well.

So even though she is only two weeks old, here are a few things I have learned over these fourteen days.

The night of the sleep deprived worriers

Horror films love to put the characters in dark places, usually at night and most of the time alone and scared. A creature of human or other origin, stalks the victims with eerie ease while the victims forgot complete logic and commonsense and run around their surroundings like blind mice, ultimately finding their demise in some gruesome and ludicrous way (which may make you laugh or throw up). Our horror story began Tuesday night, at 9pm, and like true horror stories it was dark, slightly foggy, cold and we had a creature to cause us torment.

This little creature, only little but still scary, was human and not of other origin (at least that’s what we are told) and she was now our new roommate. Like a thriller or horror film where the villain is a roommate, this was much worse, for she wasn’t doing anything but being herself. Who was this creature, our daughter, Skye.

Nursery Mode Activated – Final Phase

I wrote my first blog (check it out here) on my first shopping trip and how it made me feel included in this whole having a child thing. It made it more real, to me at least, when buying things for your future devil child, however since taking on the task of decorating the nursery, I have felt even closer to the little bundle of joy happily chilling out in the wife’s belly. Looking at the room, and though we both decided on the style, color and ‘theme’, it was me who did most of the decorating. It’s my first ever gift (apart from being an awesome dad) to my daughter.

My previous blogs (Phase one and Phase two) detailed the transformation from a man cave/den into a room with bright colored walls and some IKEA furniture, along with some Shakespeare on the wall. Since then, we have bought some decorations for the wall, curtains and a black out blind (pink of course), an awesome (if I do say so myself, which I do) rug for the floor and also two cute nightlights.

Let me show you the final phase of the nursery, the completed room.

Nursery Mode Activated – Phase two

So Phase one is complete, the painting is done. Not the best painting I must admit but I am not that good at cutting in, my other half (who actually is now my wife, so will now call her this from now on) is better at the cutting in than me, so may have to get her to do some touch ups. Phase one (Nursery Mode Activated – Phase one) involved painting the walls bright colors.

We believe and agree with the fact that bright colors and shapes stimulate your child and help promote intelligence, or something along those lines. We also just like bright colors over plain and boring colors, but that’s just us. So two walls are bright yellow, one wall is blue (the wall with the window) and the last wall is bright pink (the wall with the door). We also have put up a pink black out blind (the second one after buying the first which was too short and didn’t work. Lesson learned) and still need to buy some blue curtains.

So on to Phase two – furniture.

Nursery Mode Activated – Phase one

When we bought our house, we made sure that we bought the right house, a house we didn’t have to leave in a couple of years as we knew we were planning on starting a family. It had enough space for all our stuff and enough rooms/bedrooms for us to start a small family. As we were looking around at houses we noticed that the smaller houses, the occupants were leaving because there baby was getting too big. The house we bought however, the occupants were moving for the same reason, but this time the children weren’t becoming toddlers, instead they were arriving at their early teen years.

This filled us with hope when choosing this house, because it meant it was big enough to raise our children till they hit that similar age. When our friends found out we were pregnant, one of the first things they said was ‘Lucky you bought a house that size then.’ It wasn’t luck, it was all planned. The perks of having a other half who is on the same page as yourself.

So it has begun, phase one of the nursery has started.

Moses basket, Crib, Carrycot or Hammock – What are the differences?

When we found out we were expecting, a number of people have thrown in their opinions on what the baby is sleeping in it comes home with us. The words Moses basket, crib and cot have been thrown our way as well as how long will they sleep in our room. So we looked into this and discussed with parents (who have had kids who are now grown up) and friends who have had kids (recently) about what they think. 

I have included some pros and cons on some of the options about where the baby will sleep and ultimately it’s down to the parents. The parents we spoke to went straight to a Cot however they are little older than we are, however the newer parents and people looking into it have told us that a Moses basket is better. Trouble with today’s society in my opinion is that there are way to many opinions and options available to us, with people thinking they know best. Things that were ‘unsafe’ ten years ago are now the norm, and vice versa, so what are to really believe? If everything keeps changing from safe to unsafe and back again, what should we do?

Our first shopping trip – well mine at least

Since we found out we were having a baby and that the other half was pregnant I have been happy, excited, nervous, (add any number of emotions I am sure I have felt them) but one thing I haven’t felt is involved. Now this isn’t to say that the other half doesn’t include me in anything, far from it, we have a relationship where we agree on most things. Our wedding has been very easy going so far ( a few issues with family but that’s to expect with a wedding) and when it came to the baby, most things we agreed on. The color of the nursery, the furniture for the room and even clothes and outfits, we have agreed on all of it.

So when I say I have not felt involved is that the other half has this mini child inside of her, wriggling around (our baby is a wriggler but that’s too be expected considering her parents) and can feel the changes in her body and that of the body inside her (maybe not the actual changes but at least the size and weight etc). Me on the other hand has yet to feel her kick, which I am looking forward to, and doesn’t get to experience what the other half is experiencing even if on occasions she tells me that she wish I could (more in a angry way than a pleasant way).