Smiles!

Our little lady started smiling for real today!



And they're even cuter in person....

Adele is 4 Weeks Old Today

Adele is 4 weeks today. So much happens in four weeks for a little person. She has put on 1 kg, and she is filling out – no longer quite as wee as she was, but still as lovely. Earlier we noticed her straightening her legs, now she is all limbs a-go go. After feeding she is alert for longer, just staring happily, and she quite enjoys the bold black, white and yellow book picture book she was given for her birth-day. She likes to put her hands up when she sleeps, and she likes to go for walks, this also puts her to sleep. She likes to go in her car seat especially when the car is moving, again this also puts her to sleep. Overall she is a great wee kid, very calm, very patient with us (especially her dad when he is trying to put a nappy on at 2 in the morning. What a saintly dad!).

Thinking of sleep, she fights her damnedest to stay awake (often screaming) and then falls asleep like a lead balloon. It’s like they say: babies don’t fall asleep; they plummet. Perhaps falling asleep is a little scary if you don’t quite know why its happening?

She has been for a number of walks in her sling with her mum and her dad has also tried it out. She has been to ‘Pak’N Save’. She has been to church twice with her mum and dad, and to a home group, and she has been to her dad’s work drinks. Mostly she has been enjoying life at home with mum while dad goes off to school, and he comes home around 4.30 to his girls.

In a few weeks we might take her to the beach.

Settling in...

Margaret with her Granddaughter

Last night was hard work getting A to settle, so a bit of a dreadful night. M has a cold so he's not been much use recently ... thanks be for mothers-in-law helping around the house and delicious meals!

Our girl

Hello world!

Welcome to the world! Adele Miriam Kirkby-Sing joined us on 5 July 2009 at 9.25, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton NZ. It had been hard work for her mum: she was 2 weeks and 4 days post date!

Labour began in earnest (active labour: 5cm) about 9pm on Saturday 4th. About 24hours later we got to meet our little girl. Mike was going to catch her but she was too quick! He did get to cut the umbilical cord though. It is not as gory as one has been lead to believe.

Adele means 'noble' and 'kind'. Miriam of course has the biblical resonance (Moses' older sister was Miriam, see Exodus) and is a form of Mary. Mike's Grandma Kirkby was a Mary and Christine's Grandma Smythe was Kathleen Mary. Adele shares the same birthday as Grandma Mary Kirkby (19?-199? - what is it dad?)

Dad trying to dress Adele. Not as easy as you would think, getting little legs and arms and pulling tops over little heads is nerve-wracking: don't want to hurt the wee mite now do we!

Mum finishes!

Knackered. Christine was in the hospital after birth from the Sunday till Tuesday afternoon - she was in the shop for a repair job - our Adele thought it would be a good idea to raise her hand as she emerged victorious! Ouch!

Trip home. Tip for beginners: sort out how to readjust straps on babyseat before trying to put baby in babyseat.