Spring Fever

So it has been a while…and things have “changed” since the last update. On March 24, Dee gave birth to our son. It was a tiresome and “labourious” event, but after 56 hours of labour, Dee was finally granted a c-section, as the obstetrician agreed that nothing was moving down there. He was a big boy, weighing in at 8 pounds 9 ounces, and measuring 55cm long, lending to the fact that it wasn’t that he didn’t want to come out, but just that he didn’t fit into Dee’s pelvis and couldn’t come out. However, I am happy to report, that all three of the Roberts’ family returned home a few days later, happy, healthy, and adjusting quickly to our new lifestyle.

To start we called him a variation of kid, sucker fish, monster, or grommet. Deciding on a name took some time, negotiation, and waiting to se what sort of personality he exuded. Simon Roberts was named 3 days after birth.

Dee’s Perspective
I’m a Slave 4 U by Britney Spears – that’s what comes to mind when I think of Simon. Feeding and changing him takes up all of my waking hours. But I have to say, it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done – watching all of that time pay off as he grows and matures every day. Things that seemed really important before him (like a clean house) seem minimal and trivial now. I might complain now and again about having no time to do anything (like sleep) but I honestly wouldn’t change a minute of the time I get to spend with him. Having him snuggle in for a marathon feed is exhausting, but just looking down at him makes me smile – no matter how tired I am. That said; I am happy to hand him off to his dad when he gets home so I can grab a little relaxation time! Mark is the Simon bather, entertainer and educator – I am the milk machine (or Dairyland as Mark now refers to me). We are still figuring out our roles in the Simon-rearing team, but things are coming together, and everyday we learn a little more about him and what works and what doesn’t. Someday soon we may even have a little spare time for ourselves!

Mark’s Perspective
When Simon was born I went into shock. Literally, I had no idea what hit me. Exuberation overwhelmed me due to the fact that Dee’s painful experience was over, and Simon was finally here. Then came the terror! The nurse asked me if I wanted to hold him. I looked at her blankly and simply said “I don’t know how”. She said that didn’t matter and stuffed him in my arms. Time stopped. A short time later she stole him away from me and whisked him into another room and told me to follow. I watched her fuss over him, cleaning, swabbing, weighing, measuring, etc. When she was done she asked if I wanted to hold him again. As she finished her question, she then realized that I was not in the best shape, and battered me with questions like when was the last time I ate, did I feel faint, and could I tell her what day it was. She whisked a chair under me and told me to sit, where I watched her continue her work, and stared at Simon, overwhelmed and terrified with the situation. My head was filled with questions like how do I hold him, how do I change his diaper, what is his name, what type will his first mountain bike be.

Upon reuniting with Dee and Simon in our new room, Dee promptly fell asleep after a quick feeding. I held Simon in my arms while sitting in a chair. The world melted away. There were no other sounds, and all my attention was focused on him. He felt like a lead weight on my chest, but there were no more worries, no fears. It was just me and Simon in our own cosmos, and it felt so natural.

Most importantly is Simon's intorduction to the outdoors. While Dee has been sleeping, I have ensured that Simon has summited Knox Mountain twice, the first time when he was only 5 days old. Both times he proved to be a trooper, sleeping the whole way, waking up a block and a half from home to drop a load and scream the short distance home. He is now just over two weeks old, and I could never have imagined what sort of time dedication a child requires. Simple tasks take four times longer and I only get half as much completed. I am starting to master tasks that usually take two hands or arms with just one, and have learned what a good gripping tool my neck is. As I continue to learn about what I can and can’t do, I watch Simon grow. It seems as though he changes daily, and I am sure that he does based on the amount that he feeds. But even more amazing is the number of diapers that such a small being can sully. Mind boggling!