Story Telling with Dad!

 Today I have been playing with some of the toys I received in my Kris Kringle last week. These colourful things are great to grab and look at. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you all, I have started reaching out and grabbing things, so Mum does not have to put it into my hand all the time, I know just take the toy I want to play with. I am a clever boy now, Mum says!

Dad is reading me from the new books Mum bought last week, the rhymes are very fun to listen to and on each page of the book there is a wombat hiding somewhere, so it is a lot of fun trying to find it. As you can see in the picture I am paying a lot of attention to all the nice pictures and am doing my best to beat Dad in finding the little hiding wombat before he does.

Xmas Lunch - Kris Kringle

Last week at Mums and Bubs group we had Kris Kringle for all the babies and Kristie, Georgia's Mum organised a huge Xmas lunch for all the Mums. We have done our Mum and Bubs Kris Kringle a bit earlier because Mum and Me will be going overseas for 5 weeks in December and the other Mums did not want us to miss out.
We had a great time, especially because the house was all decorated and they even had a giant Santa Claus. The Mums also had fun doing Xmas crackers. We received a wonderful Kris Kringle present from Mum Kristie & Baby Georgia. Mum and I had pulled Jai for the Kris Kringle, but unfortunately he was sick and could not make it, so he will receive our present next week. 

Sunday Lunch at Balgownie Estate - Yarra Valley

This morning Mum was just fed up with sitting in the house and because it is weekend she said to Dad, let's go out. Knowing Mum a bit, this means she needs some alcohol in her day. We first went to one of the local Farmers Markets and Mum bought 8 Australian Childrens books written by one of the local Melbourne writers for me. Mum just could not pick one book, so she bought all 8 and put herself on the mailing list for book number 9 which is due to come out shortly. Typically Mum, she always wants the best for me, which I do not mind at all! Now keep your fingers crossed that I will like reading when I am a bit older. I already am fond of my cloth books especially when Mum does the car noises and the cat noises.

After the market we ended up at Mums favourite winery, The Balgownie Estate and whilst Dad was relaxing with some mineral water, because he was driving, Mum was enjoying her chilled sparkling shiraz. 

I was just mesmerized, not because of the alcohol in the breast milk, but because......

 of the fire place and the moving flames.

 Mum was getting a bit tipsy as she was kissing me all the time, funny Mum

and yes the food looked so good that I started drooling again.... maybe these are some of the ready signs the maternal health nurse was talking about last Friday and Mum can start that solid food stuff soon, because I am drooling heaps....

 Oh, yes this is me and Sophie my new Giraffe, she is absolutely the best thing to chew on. She is made of rubber and very chewable and she also makes squeeky noises and looks pretty with all the spots. There are no signs of any teeth yet, but Mum is keeping an eye out for them.

This is me in my new seat, we switched from the bassinet to the seat where I can sit upright and look around. The bassinet was getting a bit boring, this seat is way more fun

and even Dad looks funky when he walks me around in my new vehicle.

Hot days in Melbourne!

We have had some hot days in Melbourne last week and Mum and I have been mostly playing outside in the shade. I was smiling a lot at Mum, especially if she does funny faces. Mum was trying to capture my smile on camera, but I have not made it easy for her. I do like to smile at faces but not at big bulky black cameras, they are not funny.

 I am still sleeping perfectly each night and have my regular naps during the day, so nobody is complaining in the Koopman house.

I am already sort of trying to sit by myself, but it takes a lot of effort as you can see by me poking my tongue out.

                                                         Oops, drool!!!

                    Yummie, I like to eat everything I can get my hands on nowadays

                              I think I can fit both hands in if I only keep trying

 

                            Yay, there is a smile, with help from Dads funny face!

 Playing in Dads and Mums bed in the morning, before Dad goes to work

                                                     Mum and me cuddling



My little teaparty!

My tummy play time is now my favourite thing, especially since I can keep my head upright easily now. I can also look at my toys a lot better on my tummy than on my back! Last week I organised a little teaparty with little dragon and poes ( the pussycat with the floppy ear). I talked for at least 15 minutes and when poes did not reply I even started yelling at him. I think he must be a bit deaf in his floppy ear! Poes always makes me smile, when Mum plays peek-a-boo (kiekeboe for the Dutch people that read this) with him!

Even Daddy joined in on all the fun we were having, Poes even started talking when Daddy was around (suspicious)!

Maternal Health Nurse visit #6 - 4 months

Just came back from my 6th visit to the Maternal Health Nurse. I got so many compliments from nurse Elaine, that I can not stop blushing and Mum was so proud.
I had 2 injections, one in each leg, and the rotavirus, which is just given into my mouth with a little plastic syringe thing. I complained a little bit during the injections, but no tears at all. Nurse Elaine explained to Mum that the sounds I was making was only complaining, so technically although I protested a bit, it was no crying. I am still a big boy, who can handle injections!


I was weighed in at 6.780 kg and 63.5 centimeters and a head circumference of 40.7 centimeters. My growth has slowed down a bit last month after my big growth spurt in the first 3 months, where I gained 300 grams each week. I am currently on the 50th percentile for length and weight if you compare me to other 4 month old babies.


Nurse Elaine also explained to Mum that I will be starting solids soon (have no idea what that is yet, but it sounds delicious) and Mum should check for ready signs. Elaine explained that if Mum feels I am ready, she can start trying stuff on me. Can't wait, it sounds so mysterious, but it must be good because all the grown up people do solids.


I will then first start on rice cereal mixed with breast milk and then vegetables and fruity things and by 6 months I can even try meat, only little tiny bits, because I will still be drinking breast milk as well.
Oh my god, now I have to start showing ready signs, have no clue what that is, but I think I have not done any ready signs yet, so have to continue my practice to make sure Mum understands that I am soon ready for solids.


Our next appointment is at 6 months when we come back from Europe in January and then I will get all those injections again. Now time for sleep, as those injections make you drowsy and more thirsty as well.

Play time!

 Eating my hands all the time!

 Poking my tongue out all the time!

 Trying to climb on everything, even Dads knee!

 Flying with Daddy

Resting every now and then before the fun begins again!

Speculaas baking day!

On Saturday this weekend it was raining all day, so Mum and Dad decided to fill the house with some nice scent and organised a little baking day. Because Sinterklaas arrived in Netherlands, they thought that it would be a good day to introduce me to my first Dutch Speculaas (I did not really eat it, but Mums breast milk was a bit sweeter than usual I must say!)

Because we could not finish all of this Speculaas by ourselves, we had some visitors on Sunday.
Caleb and Tayla came together with their parents Matt and Fiona and also Aunty Kim and Uncie Ben came by to see us and help us finish all of this Speculaas. It was a full house! 

                                    Caleb and me enjoying our tummy time!

                                     Tayla, who is already 3 years old and me

Sleeping 12 hours each night!

Mum told me that I had to post this exciting news!
I did not think it was very special, but Mum said that it is a massive milestone; I have been sleeping through the whole night for already 8 nights in a row, going to bed between 7.00 and 8.00pm and waking up between 7.00 and 8.00am each morning with a big enormous well rested smile on my face.
I also have 3 long day naps of about 1-2 hours, so according to Mum I am the perfect baby(Her words not mine!).
We had some pretty hot days last week over 30 degrees and at night it did not really cool off, so Mum even let me sleep in only my nappy.

           The thumb is still playing hide and seek, but I know it is in there somewhere!

Despite the heat Mum and Dad are looking much better, since I have started sleeping through the night. No bags under their eyes anymore and their energy levels are improving each day.
This is necessary because I am getting more active every day and they do have to keep up with me.

I am getting better at grabbing all my toys, Mouse is still my favourite, and my rattles.
I am still doing my kicks,my sitting and my standing and have started to practice a bit more on my tummy and also am doing my rolling again. With the rolling I still need some help from Mum and Dad, but sometimes I can do it all by myself, I then just forget how I have done it.

This is Dad and me practicing my aeroplane skills, because I need to fly to Europe in 4 weeks time.

Caleb and me!

Today Mum took me to visit Dads work (or at least the place where he spends 8 hours each day). Caleb and his Mum Fiona (Dads former colleague) were also visiting today. Caleb is the one with the funky hair in the he pictures!
Caleb was born on 8th of August (and he was born a few days later than originally planned). I was born on 15 July and 5,5 weeks early than originally planned.
So although I am technically 3 weeks older than Caleb, he is already slightly bigger than me, he just took some extra time to grow inside his Mum and I already wanted to have a look around outside my Mum's belly.

I think we are going to be great playmates when we grow up, because Caleb will know how to play Rugby (his Dad is a Rugby Coach now and was a great player!) and me being an Australian I will have to know about Rugby now.

More training...

Today I started my training to be a professional fireman! Not really, but Mum thought that I looked like one in my new outfit (present from Anastasia). I practised sitting up, standing up, push-ups and even some walking...another very good day!