And we're back for round two!

As a newly minted mother on mat leave with little else to do but love, cuddle, and coo over my brand new baby, be warned readers: this blog is likely to focus largely on my little guy and our goings on.

So good news and bad news. Monday we had to endure the horror of our first round of immunizations. It wasn't fun for either of us, but I think he held up better than I did. As a public health professional, I've worked in a few Public Health Units (where public health nurses normally administer immunizations). I've heard and seen plenty of kids get their shots. I understand why kids dread them, but I never really understood the big fuss among parents. I mean, no parent wants to deal with an upset child but...it's all for the greater good right? Well...on the other side...my heart just broke for him. I believe in the importance of timely immunizations for public health and so knew they were necessary...but I felt so awful taking my poor baby in knowing he was going to get hit with something unpleasent. It felt like leading a lamb to the slaughter.

But he took it like a champ. Three different shots (my heart broke for him!) one after the other. For the first, he winced and then thought about crying, the second he winced again and was winding up, and by the third (according to the nurse, the one with some "sting"), his mouth was open in that big wide O with no sound coming out...yet. But I knew it would hit. And it did. Loud. I grabbed him for a quick snuggle, and quickly latched him on to nurse. The nursing calmed him down quickly and within five minutes you wouldn't have known anything had happened. But I still felt awful. Being slapped with a parking ticket coming out felt like karma getting me back (another story, there were no signs saying not to park there!).

But, on the brighter side, yesterday we took our first trip to the pool. Being the overly cautious and slightly paranoid first time parent, I wanted to wait for his first shots before taking him. I know many people wait much longer but, I am a total water fanatic at heart (waterfit is what got me through the pregnancy. We actually went into labor not long after a swim) and waiting THAT long in the middle of summer was all I could manage.

I had cheated and put his feet in at the beach a few times though. Each time he seems intrigued and interested and so I couldn't wait to take him! And he was so darling. The pool here is a pretty happening place with lots of kids, and lots of noise. I think the poor guy was just in sensory overload the whole time. We had no smiles, and no tears. Just big, wide eyes that couldn't seem to take it all in! I think that we'll keep going back until it's a little less overhwelming. Given that dad was at work we didn't manage any commemorative photo's. So some old ones in his swimsuit will have to suffice.

Here is a pic taken by his Grandma Bird at the lake last week in his swimsuit. How could you not love this kid?? 

And at the beach experiencing the ocean for the first time. Apparently sunhats don't come in his size. We made do.

And last but not least...this cute video was taken during tummy time two days ago. I was on the phone with Jim at the time, hence the odd background noise.

Someday I promise to post one something other than my darling son...but for the now the world will have to excuse me. He's the center of my universe and I'm totally in love!