Unfotunately, I'll be going back to work on Monday and leaving my wife to fend for herself during the day with a toddler, an infant and two active dogs.
We're both a little leery about how that's going to work out. I've been the one on diaper duty 90% of the time while home (compensating for being rather lactically challenged), so Amy'll have to take care of the output of two bums and two hoojackapiffies.
Since I lack the time and mental gumption to come up with any sort of expository post on the (mis)adventures of the past two weeks since Tavish entered our lives, below is a series of pictures depicting some of the domestic bliss in which the Frasers were morassed for the past fortnight.
Thumbnails can be clicked and embiggened.
Tavish Aaron Fraser enters this brave new world eyes open and arms raised, ready to face whatever assails him.
Mom and Dad will do their best to help from time to time.
Declan seems to take an immediate liking to his little brother and over the course of the next couple weeks gets into the habit of patting his head, saying, "Baby!", and announcing his intention to "Kiss!" Which he promptly does.
His parents' hearts melt.
Bumpa and Granny are, respectively, stunned and enamoured of this eight pound marvel at the hospital.
Dad gets a wee tender moment in with the new son.
It really IS true what they say about no lack of love for second children.
One Big Happy.
Amy, getting accustomed early to the new level to which she'll be taking her multi-tasking.
"You're going to take my picture, aren't you?"
"Yes," I said.
"Fine, then. I'm going to be asleep."
And so she appears to be.
"Dad, you sure like to do this self-portrait thing with the camera a lot."
"Shut up and smile for the camera, Dex."
"You wan' my graham cracker, Bee-Yotches??? You come over to my basket and just you geddit, then!!"
Pretty much the only times that Tavish cries (so far) are for intermittent gas pains, when Dad takes a little too long changing him 'cause he's spit up all over hisself (again) and needs to be totally nekkid for a minute, and when his parents don't immediately notice the obvious signs of a hungry baby. Otherwise, BAM!, he's an armful of contentedness.
(He's also been kind enough to poop directly into the palm of my hand twice now.)
I've got the whole world...
Uncle Buster managed to bargain a few days off work in the north country to come 500 km south and see his namesake, taking a bunch o' time to hang with his other favourite nephew. Declan is quite enamoured of his gunka.
The whole family's in this one. Tav in the seat, Mom and Dad up front, and Declan with his uncle on the sofa in the back.
We took an evening to go visit the paramedic (Brad) who delivered our new boy. Had a hard time getting Dex back out of the ambulance to go home.
Mini-Me's first bath at home. He was sure to voice his discontent. It only took about five days for his umbilical stump to fall off.
Mom likes her new boy. A LOT.
Declan's just like his old man: falls asleep with a book on his chest and an empty bottle by his head.
No amount of rooting will find a nipple on this chest.
Declan steals his brother's new book, intent on finding out just what it is that makes hippos go berzerk.
Towards the end of a spaghetti dinner; the first where we didn't cut his noodles up for him.
That's a speck of beef on his nose and a red ninja on his forehead.
Daytime naps are a must for father and son both, these first days.
A filial dogpile.
Very nice photographic retrospective. Methinks the boys shall never be starved for love.
I can't quite get my photo plugin working right. It works fine on my other blog, but not my main one. Humph.
Posted by: Mark | Friday, 17 March 2006 at 12:33 AM
Such a lovely array of photos. Enjoy your last couple of days at home! And btw, Hippos Go Berserk WAS a gift for Declan.
Posted by: Paula | Friday, 17 March 2006 at 06:48 AM
I respect what you're going through and sympathize with your fears ... as I remember it, it somehow wasn't nearly as stressful being at home all day with the wife and kids (when they were tiny), as it was arriving home after work and seeing the state of my wife who had been home all day by herself with them! (did that make any sense?)
Ahhh, those were the good'ol days! (Thank God we'll not be having any more of those!)
Posted by: Jim (of Brazil) | Friday, 17 March 2006 at 01:45 PM
Wonderful pictures, Simon. I especially like the wee tender moment with Dad and Tav and the one of Dex and Gunka. Too bad your time off went so quick. That was so nice to go see the paramedic...
Posted by: Linda | Friday, 17 March 2006 at 03:19 PM
"Lactically challenged"? You crack me up!
Posted by: Linda | Saturday, 18 March 2006 at 09:08 AM
Thanks for sharing the pics. Looks like you are busy.... and enjoying every minute of it. Good for you, Simon. Tina
Posted by: Tina | Sunday, 19 March 2006 at 11:49 PM