19 weeks...just the two of us!

Well, that's daddy been back at work for one week and we have survived so far! It's been difficult to get us both organised in the morning - just things like me getting a shower, getting Sophie dressed, co-ordinating everything around feeds and not having someone else here to keep an eye on her while I go and do something! It'll probably take us a few weeks but I'm sure we will get into a routine of sorts eventually.

Being angelic for mummy!

Sophie spent most of our first day on our own awake and I actually did manage to get into the shower before midday which I guess wasn't TOO bad! We had a walk down to Asda for a few bits and pieces in the afternoon but it was far too hot, not to mention all the beasties that were going about, and Sophie got really crabby by the time we got home! Actually, we were both a bit crabby!


I've had to send daddy lots of photos of Sophie because he was missing her so much. It's the first time he's been apart from her since the beginning of June so it's really hard for him going back - and I've missed him too after being used to having him around for so many weeks.


The health visitor came again and Sophie is now 7lb 15. She had her third set of immunisations this week, which was absolutely horrible. She howled, and there were real tears :( I gave her lots of cuddles in the waiting room afterwards and she was ok after a little while but I found it so hard to see her so upset. She was fine after them - no ill effects other than a little bit sleepy and tetchy.

Cuddles for tired daddy after his first day back at work!

Sophie's Granny and I went to visit her Great Granny in the middle of the week. We had a rake in the lovely baby shop and Sophie came home with several new outfits for when she gets bigger!

She's had a really hungry week and doesn't seem to have stopped eating some days! She is probably having a growth spurt again.

Sophie with Granny and Great Granny

Great Granny having a go with the pram!

She's been enjoying lying on her mat, and has been desperately trying to roll onto her back. She gets as far as her side before getting stuck then she gets frustrated with herself and starts to cry.

Sophie had her 6 week (corrected age) check up at the Royal on Thursday and everything is looking great. She's doing everything she should be, and putting on the right amount of weight. She was checked by a paediatrician who tested her reflexes, checked her eyes and asked general questions about her, then a physiotherapist came to check that her muscle tone is as it should be.
She's certainly very strong and tries to stand up when I'm trying to get her to sit on her bottom if I want to do her outfit up at the back. She locks her legs and won't move them!

Sophie with Dona before her check up

Waiting to see the doctor...


Having a chat with Daddy

After her appointment, we met up with Dona, who had her baby last year at 27 weeks, and another mummy with her little girl, Lily, who was born at just 23 weeks at the same time as Archie. Then we went to the neonatal unit, and saw Roz, one of our favourite nurses. She was so pleased to see how well Sophie is doing - she couldn't believe the change in her. She looked after her on her very first two days in high dependency when she was just 7 weeks old. It felt very strange going back in there with Sophie, and leaving with her! In a way it felt as if we'd never been away.

Daddy trying out Sophie's harness - she's still a bit small!

Cuddles for Grandad

Before her appointment, we went in to Daddy's work so that his colleagues could all meet Sophie. She has lots of fans there and it took us ages to get round everyone! They were all so pleased to see her - lots of them had visited her while she was still in her incubator, so they saw a huge difference and were really pleased to see how well she is doing.

We went shopping on Saturday and got Sophie some new pink bottles with flowers on them, a fancypants Dr Brown's bottle and some new dummies to replace her tiny premature baby dummy. Then we visited Granny and Grandpa, and when we got home, Grandad visited. At night, daddy gave Sophie her bath for a change. Normally I undress her then Alan does her vitamins (a messy job - one of them is bright yellow and often gets spat out or sicked back up!) while I run her bath, then I bath her. This time, we swapped roles! Sophie noticed and wouldn't take her eyes off me while Alan carried her into the bathroom.









Sophie is getting more alert by the day, and definitely recognises Alan and me. We get big smiles when she first sees us in the morning, no matter how early it is or how sleepy she is. It's a lovely feeling!