Development stages

It is really interesting to follow the progress of baby Magnus, the things he is learning and struggling with. In the beginning in the hospital, just eating was problematic.

After we came home, the first couple of days, sleeping in the night was the big issue. But soon he became a very seasoned nightsleeper, and we could work on the big thing at the time: Lifting the head.

A baby head is incredibly big related to the rest of the body considering that he doesn't have much muscle. We were told to quite often put him on his stomach and try to induce him to lift his head and turn from side to side. It was especially important that he was willing to turn his head to both sides. Magnus was an early expert, he would lift and lift and drewl and smile and lift some more, and cry when he was tired, and he turned from side to side.

When the baby starts smiling to you, the sun is shining every more brightly even indoors!

The next thing was tummy aches. The nurse was concerned that he might be getting too much food (he ate quite often at this time, and was gaining weight very fast), so we agreed to try to wait at least 3 hours between each feeding.

Then we learned a couple of positions to help him get air out of his stomach, and not least: We were suggested to try Minifom, a great pharmacy thing for reducing stuck air in small stomachs.

Also, we were suggested to walk him a lot outside, however Magnus didn't get that this was supposed to be nice - just cried and cried. But finally he started to enjoy it somewhat. Not enough to fall asleep, but enough to enjoy it.

Stomach problems got a lot better with Minifom, and eventually he managed to start sleeping during the day.

New era - working daddy

Beep beep beep. Click. Zzzzzz. Beep beep beep. Click. Zzzzzz. Beep -CRASH- G-R-O-A-N.
It's morning after an all too short night. First day back at work after Magnus' birth. This brings up mixed feelings. It will be incredible to get out of the house and meet the world again. After 5 weeks in the house I feel like a jailbird longing to get out.

But the getting-up-in-the-morning-part and the I-will-be-busy-working-part doesn't taste quite that good on my tongue. Haven't even gotten to the "I miss my baby"-phase yet.

As I walk into the office everything feels a bit like same-old-same-old while I was half expecting everything to be different, no fanfare. But no, something is different. From all corners of the office come people that start smiling when they see me, come and shake my hand and congratulate me. This is nice!! I feel good now.

Good feelings' gone the minute I open my e-mail client and find the batch of unattended emails after 5 weeks of absence. And I already long for the sight of little Magnus. Fortunately I come prepared, and in a jiffy I have a new background picture on my desktop. Gone is Yoda with his lightsabre, and in comes the man of my dreams.

Another new experience of the new era is to pace back and forth outside the meeting room with several people waiting for me while I'm on the phone with a nurse, discussing my son's sleeping problems and aching tummy. "Sorry, I just had to take this call. Yeah, he'll be fine, I'll try some medicine for him today". I'm now one of those guys who have other priorities than work.

The clock is slowly moving towards end-of-day and I am already longing to go home. I see his face in my mind while driving home through the rain. Shhhh, he is finally asleep. But there he is!!! Sure, I won't disturb. After dinner, I can hold him and rock him for a while and try to prolong his sleep a bit more, only partially successful. But that warm little bundle feels very good in my arms, and those big eyes melt my heart.

Oh man, it's only 9pm and I am already half asleep! Shortly thereafter Magnus goes to sleep in the Big Bed, and I can't help myself but lie down next to him and just look and look. Yep, I want to sleep here, close to my son. Mama - you can go sleep in the quiet room, I'll look after him. A new day is over.

Tummy ache

"He's a good boy and sleeps through the night". Problem is, nobody else does. Magnus has gotten a restless-spell. He still sleeps through the night, but almost not at all during the day anymore. He is grumpy and demanding, wants to be held all the time, and not just any way, either. If you do it wrong, you'll know in short order. There's more crying than usual. What's happening !?

One of the big heart aches of being a first-time-daddy is a crying baby and you just don't understand why. You hold him the way he used to like, and any other way you can think of, you rock him, talk to him, sing to him, and he just cries more and more.

We try this new thing, the pacifier, but it comes out even faster than it goes in - poor little thing wants to cry! And the worst of all - when you have tried everything you've got and nothing works, along comes grandma and he's quiet in 2 minutes. Groan.

When asleep during the night, he is really restless. Every 10 minutes there are lots of sounds and squirming and sometimes almost-crying. Magnus sleeps, but nobody else around does. Mama and Daddy has decided to take turns sleeping in a quiet room to get undisturbed sleep while the other pretend to sleep in the same room as the fussing, unhappy baby. "Yeah, it's your turn to sleep tonight"...

Now one night, I make a discovery... I have put him in the big bed next to me, and I put my big warm hand on Magnus' stomach. This seems to calm him down a bit, but then when he is still squirming more than usual I try to put my arm around him and roll him up on his side... Ptptptptppt. Oh yeah, several series of adult-sounding farts make their way out the back door, and baby calms down for a spell. A-ha! Now baby, why didn't you just say so, I could have done this for you long time ago!

But what works on a Monday doesn't necessarily work on the following Tuesday. Okay, Baby has tummy ache, we'd better call the nurse on Monday and ask advice.

A new life

A new life has started. All the things that needs to be learned! Sleeping in the night, sleeping in the day - a baby is really supposed to sleep a lot!

Eatin, burping, on and off with clothes, diapers, bathing, strolling... A lot of firsts are taking place.









Grandparents are also really excited about baby, and they trip over themselves in making him comfortable and happy.

I was once told that getting a baby was somewhat like falling in love. I can now attest to that the feeling is not the same, but it's very nearly related. I just love the little guy...



It is extremely nice when so many people come to visit to meet him, and they all want to hold him, of course. All the ladies, anyways (plus one or two exceptions)! It is a good feeling to have caring friends. And we even receive presents and cards from friends far away! It is all very touching - THANK YOU ALL!! for thinking of us.



Magnus has a playpen in the living room where he sleeps during the day, and in the night he sleeps in the bedroom where it is dark. It looks like he early started to understand that dark room is night time and that means sleeping - what a relief !
At any rate - although we have a housefull of grandparents to help, and we are not yet working, this is for us - a new life.