Retro Baby
Or how to dress your infant just to produce smiles on the faces of your own generation.

Related articles for your baby, here.

Catch
He cries increasingly. We sleep a little less. He smiles a lot more, too. Then he sings for a bit, before breaking into tears again. Walking around the house with him helps. Getting in the bathroom and turning a tap on, too. Life with baby is about catching the moments, i suppose. And submitting them to the mirror project, if you can.

Baby is up to something
Bruno is a month old today. To celebrate it, i've taken him to his doctor's appointment, who tells me Baby might as well grow up to become a strong and certainly tall human being. His 'on demand' breastfeeding seems to be taking him far. Everything else is as fine as i was hoping: sleeping hours, reflexes, vision, hearing, socializing. He smiles with his eyes open now, giving you a pure and huge beaming face once in a while. It disarms us.

He can sleep in some of his three-month-size piyamas and he has already outgrown one of his bodysuits. He has a certain control over his hands, still not totally responding for his arms. He loves noisy toys and his new ostrich puppet. He's starting to fully enjoy his bath. His favourite place in the house is his changing table.

I call him muffin a lot. I still speak to him in English, 90% of the time, which i'm very proud of. He has some wild nights, especially around the sunrise hours, but his sleeping habits can be very good. Make that excellent if his bathtime is long enough. He calms down with music or lingering in his father's arms. He's turning into something. I don't know what, but he's doing it very fast.

Sun
Where did spring go? Do i need to get out there in the freezing wind and get Baby B some warm clothes. Or can i just look around while i'm here..?

Uploading baby
Last night was long. I think i'm getting used to it. Ever since Baby was born, i've had trouble telling one day from the next, not being able to determine if Tuesday ended at 4 am or Wednesday came into my vision right before sunrise. Pablo is having the same problem with weeks. Going from Sunday into Monday doesn't necessarily take him into a new week. Living with Baby erases time concepts.

This morning, after the aforementioned quite long night, Bruno still didn't seem interested in sleeping. His tummy was giving him a hard time and, as the hours passed, i started getting jumpy. So i played the magic song. That's Star Estrella by Kevin Johansen. He relaxed for a while, but it wasn't enough.

Finally, i came over to my laptop, placed Bruno on my lap, and watched him doze off while i typed (with difficulties). When he finally fell into deep sleep, i placed him in his crib and... stared at him in a different format.

See? Even when he's not really demanding my attention, i feel an urge to give it to him, as if the time he grants me when he sleeps wasn't worth taking a nap myself, but rather logging on to Flickr, buying myself a larger account, and uploading my baby non stop.

Shopping intentions at the toy department


I think Bruno could enjoy this dino's colours and textures. And it will make a perfect spot to lean against while playing, when he grows a little older. But i'll just recycle it as a chill out cushion if Baby is not interested.



I know, i know. I have a soft spot for fake bugs. This ride on wheelie is quickly becoming a must-have.


I used to sing Springsteen's 'Pony Boy' to Baby while i was still pregnant and i love the way he watches me intensely whenever i sing it to him know. So i should probably get him his own pony boy to play with.

To sleep and then, not to sleep
Bruno and i took a much needed morning siesta today, after a rather long night of weeping, a bit of screaming and a lot of restless animation in our apartment.

Still, i know i'm not really in a position to complain because he did make a good chain of four hours of sleep during the first part of the night. It's the second and last lap he tends to have trouble with.

At first i thought he was just a little jumpy. Then i figured it'd be a wind caught up in his tummy. And now i'm aware that Bruno, at seventeen days of age, is old enough to start having his colic. My sister reassures me telling this should 'only' last till he hits three months.

So i'm calling out. Does anyone know any remedies to alleviate this poor baby's digestions? Use profusely the comment section...

Cheeks
So Bruno sleeps a lot, like babies are supposed to. Still, he's been having a few waking and crying to the top of his lungs periods since yesterday. Shhh... I can hear him making little noises from the sitting room. I took him to his first doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon. He didn't particularly enjoy it, and decided to pee on the pediatrician. Except he hit me. Completely.

Doctor said he's looking great and informed me that he has gained over half a kilo upon leaving the hospital. That's more than a lot. But he's not planning on a diet. Not that i would allow him. Just staring at those cheeks could eat up my entire day. At nights, i actually stare at the cheeks. And i touch the hands, to check the temperature. And i hold him tight, pretending to myself that it will soothe him. And i feed him every time he asks. Which brings us back to the cheeks.

His grandparents via daddy arrived a couple of days ago from their home in Los Angeles. They brought along a trolley suitcase full of pressies for the new and only grandson. Baby Gap is currently ruling his wardrobe. But brands don't matter, he'll still vomit on anything he (and his mum) is wearing, every day, at around 2 o'clock. I should probably try to predict these things. It would save me a buck or two in detergent.

Must go now. Baby noises are getting slightly louder. I gotta check on those cheeks.

Notes after Bruno's first week

He smiles by accident.

We dress him mostly in white.

He can sleep up to four hours and gets a lot more excited at night.

I get cranky.

I feel great and not so great. This can happen in the same twenty minutes.

I've lost track of time. Perhaps forever.

He loves flying in his daddy's arms.

I love looking at them both when they're asleep by my side.

Breastfeeding is difficult and exhausting. But incredibly rewarding.

Sometimes i can't believe he's our son.

I have post-partum cravings for (even) healthier food.

He relaxes with the sounds of Count Basie and Coldplay.

He smells like a perfect imaginary landscape.

Bruno, growing fast