Almost five...

I know a little princess, she is almost five.
She is my darling little girl, and I cannot believe how fast 5 years seems to have passed us by.

She is beautiful, cheeky and has a wonderful imagination.

She loves to dance, sing and perform.
Her 'Birthday Month Photo-A-Day' begins on Sunday (1st of June).
I am also aiming to get her a collection of photos done to celebrate her 5th birthday.
Stunning, isn't she?

Reading and Writing

Feeling slightly victorious tonight as a little learning milestone has been reached!
My little preppie has learned all of hear Golden Words.

It's been a long time coming, and she's probably one of the last in her class to get them, but she tried her best and finally achieved this.  She'll get an award on assembly on Thursday... highlight of her life haha.  She has received 3 awards now, and that will be her 4th.  I will need to start a folder!

So now we are on to 'Red Words'... and there are a lot more of those!  Start of a new battle, as she doesn't overly enjoy this style of learning (much prefers her sight words folder, where she reads the words in sentences and writes them out).  However, she will get there.  She continues to surprise us with how she is coming along and I'm really happy.

Here is a little sample of her writing.  It's a bit all over the place as she was using a pen without a grip and so she has less control, but she did this herself with help with spelling and also with me showing her about 3 of the letters.  Still working on capitals and lower case in the right spot, but she is 4 years old.  To be writing like this at 4, I really cannot complain!!!
(The letter is for a little girl in her class who's house burned down last week.  Lexi has given her a backpack and some toys inside it).

My kid is awesome.

My Three at Six Months

Here's a little 6 month comparison of the 3 kids!!

Alexis - 6.5kg / 64cm

Zavian - 6.7kg / 66cm

Memphis - 5.5kg / 60cm

Project Memphis - 26 weeks / 6 months old

My sweet 6 month old <3

It is amazing how in the blink of an eye (or so it seems), that 6 months passes you by.
But it has.  6 months since our precious little Memphis came, 6 months ago we were sitting by his side in hospital not knowing what was going on.
I can't believe the difference 6 months makes.  From my tiny 1.9kg fighter, to my 5.5kg snuggle bug.  It's been a blur, but I enjoy him so much.

Always laughing <3

Memphis is a beautiful baby.  Of my three, he has by far been the easiest.  Partially due to being old-pat at this parenting babies and toddlers gig, but mostly because he is an incredibly content and placid boy.  He is happy, cheeky and 'talkative'.  He is starting to play coy, and he is a Mummy's boy.  He adores his older siblings.  He loves Daddy tickling him.

At six months old Memphis is in 5.5kg and 60cm long.  He is in a size 000 clothing, although does fit some 0000 separates, although I sat in his room recently with quiet tears as I put away those preemie, 5x0 and 4x0 clothing for the very last time.  Looking at the tiniest of his suits - Tiny Prem sizing - and wondering if he was ever that small.  
We sat in the hospital waiting room the other day waiting for the heart specialist and a beautiful, tiny baby girl was beside us and I couldn't help but just look at her and marvel in her teeny tiny little features.  When I asked how big she was, I expected them to say around 2kg, she looked about as big as Memphis was born - I was sure of it! But she was in fact 3kg.  How could I forget so soon that he was ever that teeny tiny?  He was just so small!

26 weeks old

Memphis 26 weeks / 6 months old

- 5.5kg

- 60cm

- Size: 000

- loves Playschool

- laughs and giggles

- "chats"

- "calls out" (has really found his voice

- ticklish (particularly neck, feet, rubs, thighs)

- chewing hands/fingers a lot (no toothy pegs)

- all toys are "food"

- pushes self up on to arms (and throws self forward)

- rolling both ways

- lazy with rolling from tummy to back though!

- loves the jolly jumper

- "chases" toys around the floor

- starting to play peek-a-boo

- aware of where mummy is

- self settles

- sporadic with day naps - day sleep is for the weak!

- 3-4 hourly day feeds / sleeps 7.30pm - 4/5am, then again till 7ish

- Started solids 24 wks old

- likes cereal, pumpkin, carrot, milk arrowroot bikkies, bread

- dislikes banana

Project Memphis continues along.  I enjoy this project - and I am keeping his outfits in his memory box (ok, random basket... I really need something a bit bigger and more box-like haha).  It's amazing to see how he's grown, and each time becomes more challenging as he does.not.like to sit or lay still.  He wiggles over his change table and everything is a distraction!  And the photo?  Well that is definitely a toy.  Or food.  Or both!  But it's fun and I'm glad I did it.  I stretched this photo out an extra 2 weeks to take us right on 6 months.  

I love this child with every inch of my being.  He has the sweetest little features.  His little button nose, and those sweet little lips.  He sucks in that bottom lip all the time, too.  His big blue eyes are curious, and forever following me around.  He loves the camera.  He loves to smile, and laugh. Our breastfeeding journey continues and he is as much a 'booby boy' as ever, something I felt I've fought very hard for.  He is cuddly, affectionate and quite simply put, wonderful.  

There is little more I could put in to words about Memphis, so enjoy some pictures from this last week(ish).

Food is a new thing around here!

Another new thing - the jolly jumper.  He LOVES it!

"Hiding"

With his lovely softie from Uncle Adam (he bought him when Mem was born)

A few Instagram snaps <3  He's such a photogenic lil guy!

Happy (and whole) heart!

(Almost) 6 months old!

Today we had Memphis' 6 month review with the cardiac specialist.
Oh my gosh.  What a mix of emotions.

Today Memphis is 4 days shy of 6 months (corrected age is 5 months). 
He weighs 5.5kg.
He is 60cm long.
He rolls, laughs and grumbles.
He sleeps when it suits him.
He is beautiful.
And after today's review - he has been discharged from the hospital for his heart.
The hole in his heart has closed.


I don't think I have ever been so happy.

Lexi's does Auskick

When we fell pregnant with Alexis, Ty's dreams of a future AFL superstar began to form.
He wasn't deterred when we discovered we were having a girl... and this year at long last, Lexi was able to start playing.  We signed her up for Auskick.

Lexi's a diva.  She dances, she performs.  She does not do sport.  This is of her own accord.  She surprised herself I think, when she enjoyed doing the ball skills and participated in Auskick and had a good time.  She near died from the excitement of getting a purple back pack with a purple ball and a purple hat.

April 5 saw Q-Clash at Metricon Stadium.  Lexi's team got to go down, and dress up in their AFL clothes (Lexi's SWAM on her!) and then she got to play at half time in front of the crowd!
And by play, I mean... hide behind the ref, play hide and seek, wave at the crowd, do a dance (ballet, naturally) and much to my embarrassment, when she saw me she actually ran off from her team to come and say Hey!  Oh dear... there goes Ty's dreams!
I bribed her with an ice cream to PLEASE go and participate, at which point she ran in to the middle of the game, cut off her team mate jumping up and down and waving her arms to indicate she wanted the ball *sigh* hahaha.  When she got it, she panicked and threw it the wrong way... then skipped off with a victorious fist pump because she just scored an ice cream!
When leaving the field, the ref scooped her up and carried her off as she waved at the crowd as if she was the queen.  As you do.

Ty got to be Goal Umpire

Aunty Tash was up from Melbourne and got to come!

Uncle Ryan and Aunty Georgia came, too!

Family occasion!

"If I close my eyes, he can't see me!"

Not playing.....

Crap, she saw us!

Running in to get the ball!

"Give it to me!"

Thankfully her team mate anticipated what she was going to do haha

Victory

Back to waving...

Special treatment haha

I think Ty's hopes may have to ride on this guy!

First Foods

It's official.
My baby is ready for food.

Sitting and eating with the family today he grabbed my sandwich and attacked it!  He wanted it!
So today he had his first try of food - a bit of turkish bread!
When we are home from Melbourne, we will start him on solids.

That came around quickly!

NOM NOM!

Loved it!

Project Memphis - 20 weeks

Project Memphis is definitely well under way!

Here is our 20 week photo, our 5th in the series!  I can't believe he is 20 weeks already!
At the moment we are keeping the photos in a cheap little photo album, but once this project is complete I think I'd like to make a really nice photo book out of it!

This is getting harder to do as he is going through a stage where e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g goes in to his mouth!  So he tried to eat the photo.  At least 4 times ;)

20 weeks old <3 

Memphis at 20 weeks old

- 4.9kg

- 59cm

- Size: 0000 for seperates 000 for full suits

- worked out how to bounce himself in the bouncer

- giggles

- smiles

- coos

- "chats"

- "calls out"

- ticklish

- chewing hands/fingers a lot

- pulls toys to mouth

- enjoys play mat time

- pushes himself up during tummy time

- loves nappy being off

- has rolled tummy to back 5 times

- rolling from back to tummy all the time

- 3-4 hourly day feeds / sleeps 8/9pmpm - 4/5am

- showing signs of reflux

Feel free to enjoy a couple of adorable out-takes ;)  This isn't as cute and easy as it seems (ok ok... it is as cute hehe)

My beautiful happy boy!

Customary tongue-poking... it's genetic, I'm telling ya!

Scrunch up (and eventually try to eat!)

HAHA!! I moved it!  I'm funnnnnnny!!!

Lexi's first Easter Parade

Lexi got to participate in her very first Easter Parade!
Her class got up and sang Eggbert the Easter Egg... I was pretty proud of her, she was really in to it all! Not bad for a child who started the day telling me that no, she was NOT going to participate - she was going to stand on the side of the stage and cry.  Glad she got over that idea hahah.

Lexi is the purple egg in front of the teacher in the blue hat

Prep W perform Eggbert the Easter Egg

Little Miss LOVED being on stage

Lexi's first Easter Parade... no gawdy hat... a random apron and a chicken instead hahaha

From back to tummy

Milestone!!! 

29th March at 19 weeks old Memphis started to roll from back to tummy!

At first, he was pleased.  

No longer - he can't get back.  This bugs him hehe.

Project Memphis - Birth to 16 weeks

Memphis was born prematurely on November 13, 2013.  I was induced at 36 weeks due to IUGR and he was born weighing 1994g (4lb 6oz).  15 days in hospital and an additional week follow up on an early discharge program.  It's certainly been a very different beginning to our beautiful boys life.

I started a project, when he was first home.  I wish I could have started it when he was brand new, but I couldn't... Oh well!  Here are the first 4 photos in his project.  I'll continue to take photos ever 4 weeks until his 1st birthday - I have already bought the terry towel suits up to size 0, and will go and get size 1 and 2.  If he's anything like his older siblings I could keep doing it a lot longer than until his 1st birthday.  We will see how we go!

19 Days old

At 19 days old:

- 2.1kg
- 46cm
- Home from hospital & on early discharge program
- jaundice
- 3 hourly breastfeeds
- Size: 00000 / Tiny Prem (baggy)

8 weeks old

At 8 weeks old:
- 3.6kg
- 52cm
- Size: 00000 / Prem
- 3-4 hourly breastfeeds
- smiles
- coos
- sleeps sleeps sleeps

12 weeks old

At 12 weeks old 
- 4kg
- 54cm long
- Size: 0000
- smiles
- giggles
- follows people with his eyes
- reaching/batting at toys
- exploring with his mouth (toys, blankies)
- lifting his head
- 3-4 hourly day feeds / one feed during night

16 weeks old

At 16 weeks old:
- 4.5kg
- 56cm
- Size: 0000
- giggles
- smiles
- coos
- "chats"
- chewing hands/fingers
- pulls toys to mouth
- enjoys play mat time
- pushes himself up during tummy time
- loves nappy being off
- has rolled tummy to back 3 times
- 3-4 hourly day feeds / sleeps 8pm - 4/5am

Memphis - 12 weeks old

12 weeks old <3

Wednesday 5th February 2014 - Memphis is 12 weeks old now.  His corrected age is 8 weeks old.
He is 4kg (8.8lbs) and 52cm (20.4 inches) long and finally wearing size 0000 (newborn) clothing.  His eyes are still blue and his hair a light browny colour.

My sweet little guy is becoming more alert and aware of his environment.  He's lifting his head up to look around when on our chests, however is not overly interested in tummy time on his play mat - something we need to work on.

The smiles are here in full force, teamed with coo's and the newly discovered laugh.  He thinks Daddy running a  (clean) nappy over his face and making silly noises.  Seeing himself in videos, and blank walls are apparently pretty funny, too.

Playmat time has become interesting, he smiles at and 'talks' to his toys.  He bats and kicks at the hanging toys and tries to grab at toys however isn't too good at that.

Memphis is starting to explore with his mouth - he pulls blankies, his fists, my clothes, his lovey to his mouth.  He is following people with his eyes, and gazes happily at us.

At 12 weeks he is still such a sleepy baby.  He can self settle most of the time, very rarely cries, smiles often.  He will sleep anywhere, any time.  He feeds approximately every 4 hours at the moment.  I am hoping to start stretching him out more overnight, however he's still a bit snuffly and so wakes himself up when his nose gets blocked.  Feeding him back to sleep is the easiest way for me to get sleep.  As it stands he only does that once, sometimes twice, a night anyway.  So I'm not complaining!

12 weeks in I am still feeling good.  I have my moments, usually tiredness being a factor.  I am enjoying Memphis, in a way I didn't enjoy the other two kids.  I do feel guilty about that, however I know that I can't do anything about the way PND controlled my emotions then.  The health nurse made me do the score thingee for depression (yes I'm aware it has a more technical name) and my score has dropped significantly since I was pregnant.  It's still a number I need to get lower, but it's almost halved (it was pretty bad during pregnancy) and I am happy with that progression, considering I've opted against medication and haven't managed to see the psychologist since before having Memphis (yes, need to get on to that).

12 weeks has passed too quickly, though.  I wish time would slow down.

Who else would you wanna hang out with at 11 weeks old?

Flash and Supergirl will do, too!

12 weeks old

Comparison pic!

Memphis and his elephant lovey (find one at: Swadling's Sweet Things... amber bracelet from: Dragonflies Hollow)