Zak My man...

[Stewart]

How is life as a Dad treating you? The nipper sleeping through the night, or do you have bags under your eyes big enough to sleep in, if you ever had time to sleep?

Are you finding yourself saying 'its your turn' a lot?

Just checking, seeing as I'm 26 now, and have always thought I'd knock out a clone aged around 29-30ish.

Do you wish you'd pulled out and ruined the curtains, or is one gurgle enough to make forget you last slept properly a fortnight ago?

EDIT - And hello to granny Ponolops as well. Granny... never thought you'd be one of those, did ya?

EDIT2 - Ooops, sliped my mind who Zaks wife (partner? wife? not sure of exact status ) was. Well birthed that woman.

[TiG]

Doesn't Sair get some credit here too?

TiG

[Zak33]

Well..... it's as hard to describe as ever, but I shall try.

I find myself varying from such frustration as not knowing why he cries, to such huge waves of love for him that I feel bad about being angry 30 seconds earlier at him for yowling.

Everytime we have him weighed, I find myself keeping my fingers crossed even though I know he's growing and building his strength, just from picking him up. It's a bit like.....no it's not...it's not like anything ever.

The 3rd week has flown by, and we're nearing the end of the 4th, and i think we're getting better at parenting. Sharing responsibility hasn't ever been an issue, we work together on most stuff in life really well, and disagree little, so the team work is good, though I do feel, with all my heart, for single parents. My god...what a drain. I mean...I cant even butter toast one handfed without using my knee on the plate to hold the frikkin thing still, or go for a slash with a baby in my arms! So.......with no one else....with no respite....as a 1 parent family....how do people cope? We are very lucky.

In a funny way, it's like christmas having a kid to show people. I like giving people presents.....getting them is substantially less exciting. And looking at his 4 grand parents and 2 aunties and 1 uncle...is brilliant. They all adore him and weirdly has brought me and my brother much closer together. Letting them see him and hold him and love him...is like Christmas

But the tiredness is earth shattering mate. So hard...so difficult. Sair feeds him 3 times in the night, and each time can take up to an hour and he wakes 2 hours later. It takes up to an hour to drop off to sleep when you're really knackered and so I think TiG's right....she's taking the brunt.

I am working 8:30 to 6ish and she's doing stirling work of keeping him out of sight, and out of earshot, as I work from home a lot. But I'm lucky there too....because I can work slightly squiffy hours and do work-stuff later (or earlier) than normal people's work, and she can get some rest mid-day while I look after the squirmy, wriggly little monster.

And when he's in my arms, and I type one handed (look for the posts with no capitals) and he sleeps....I'm the happiest forum member in the world

Do I regret it? No. For us, it was the right time.

BUT....live your life first. We did and then we knew it was family time.

I'm learning skills that I want to share with people, and I actually do think it's getting close to Hexus.parenting time because I have learned stuff that would have made me bored and irritable toread 12 months ago...but skills that will help Lowe for example, have an easier life.

In brief: great but so bloody tiring it's hard to believe.

How to deal with the tiredness? You'll find this hard to grasp, but I have to recall the sheer exhasution of the boys in the Battle of Britain and the mammoth levels of exertion they went through back in 1940.

Then ....I get up and smile for another nappy change and a long long hug Cos with the exception of the sheer diving sexiness of flying a Hurricane..... this must be easier all round and more rewarding than being shot at.

[g8ina]

Now imagine twins

Sounds like you're doing a great job so far !

[tiggerai]

Now imagine twins

Sounds like you're doing a great job so far !

My brother and sister are twins...

My mother had 3 of us under 2... Hats off to that lady!

Zakky, more piccies please... I've got years yet until i can indulge in that pleasure.

And please please send all my love to Sair.

[Dreamscape]

I find myself varying from such frustration as not knowing why he cries, to such huge waves of love for him that I feel bad about being angry 30 seconds earlier at him for yowling.

That pretty much sums up the last couple of months for me.

On the tiredness front, I'm gifted I can just about sleep through anything ( My mum says I could sleep on a razor blade), but my missus is up alot with him, some nights, once an hour!

However wouldn't change any of it for the world, it is all worth just that occasional smile..................

[Tarffie]

And when he's in my arms, and I type one handed (look for the posts with no capitals) and he sleeps....I'm the happiest forum member in the world

Heh, I like that, childcare can't keep Zak away from Hexus

edit: or toast.

[Moby-Dick]

You and Sair are a natural a team as can be

I'm looking forward to the christening/non religious naming ceremony but we still get to buy baby stuff..

[Stewart]

/votes for non religious naming ceremony.

Don't burden the kid with a religious tag about 16 years before he is able to grasp the concept of it.

(Unless you are Christian loons, in which case... brainwash away chum!)

I'll give you a tenner if you raise him as an Everton fan.

[Guy]

Only having 1 parent, looking back now I think my mum did a damn fine job, and although over the years ive put her through hell, she's copied remarkably well and I am eternally grateful.

Zak Jr sounds extremely lucky to have 2 loving caring parents, one day he'l make you both proud

[joshwa]

It took me a looong time to realise that pretty much everytime our baby cried during the first few weeks / months was simply because he was hungry, and there was nothing I could do about it. (as we dont bottle feed). Was mightily frustrating at first, but when I realised why, it pretty much sorted it out. (baby: cries... me: Wifey!!)

But it was so great when they sleep at that age, just anywhere, so you can watch DVDs or use the computer etc... shame he's not like that now that he's 6 months old he's getting more interactive though which is fun

[Raz316]

woah, you're only 26?? You have the bitter tone of an experienced 40 something at least!

[0iD]

It gets easier, as time goes on. Savour every minute because although every day seems like an age now, it will end up flying by. And pictures, take as many of them as you can, you'll realise in years to come why you did

You get used to the tiredness Sleep is overated.

[listy]

i used to do late night feeds about 1 or 2 am and kids would sleep till 6 or 7 always felt better after 2x4 hours then one 8 hour

sleep is for the weak

but ive been night owl since i was about 13/14 31 this year so body is used to it

can get by on 2 hours

[Zak33]

/votes for non religious naming ceremony.

Don't burden the kid with a religious tag about 16 years before he is able to grasp the concept of it.

(Unless you are Christian loons, in which case... brainwash away chum!)

I'll give you a tenner if you raise him as an Everton fan.

No...no naming ceremony for us. As I've described in many threads here, I am not religious but i'm quite ok with the fact that other people are.

Everton....hmmm.....i may skip that. If that's ok with you.

[TiG]

I dub thee a level 1 Zak Jnr. heh

Actually Zak Jnr's naming ceremony will be the proud day Zak Jnr goes online and chooses his first online nickname

TiG