Just a quick post to mark Joseph's 14th week...the weather has been extremely cold this week so we haven't been out much (therefore not much to report!).

We spent Monday with Kelly and William (mum and baby from mother's group). Kelly was trying some "controlled crying" and we were there for support! Tuesday Joseph and I had lunch with Denise in Titirangi - absolutely freezing out west with a killer southerly. Joseph's been wearing a lot of polar fleece and always a hat! Wednesday we made a quick trip to the osteopath for Joseph and that has pretty much been our week.

As you know, tummy time has always been a core competency for Joseph and here are a couple of shots showing his latest achievements. When he's on his tummy he actually makes crawling-like movements where he tries to pull his legs up and tries to get his bum up in the air. It is very interesting to see the development and hear how frustrated he gets.


More shameless parenting...Joseph is always smiley after a sleep and here he is earlier in the week.

Thirteen weeks notched up last night! Yippee!

An eventful week with very wintry weather, a city-wide power cut on Monday and a couple of medical visits for Joseph; plus Mother's Group to see his friends, William, Joshie, Taylor and Elizabeth (sadly no photos yet of MG's babies - forgot the camera!)

But ofcourse, the week started last Saturday with the All Blacks vs Ireland rugby test and Joseph was suited up to show his support for the AB's.

Our Plunket visit was on Tuesday and Nurse Joan gave Joseph a thorough check - length coming in at 64cm (+11cm since birth) and weight 7.5kg (16lb 11oz). So, he's a hefty boy in very good health - these are six month old sizes according to the labels on his clothes.

I am trying to get him into all the lovely clothes we were given before he outgrows them so everyday I seem to be coordinating a new outfit. Here he is in a top our neighbours gave Joseph and some cords that are hand-me-downs from the biggest boy in the whanau, cousin Harry.

Yesterday afternoon was Joseph's three month injections...he was a star and there was very little crying - he's been more circumspect in the past 24 hours but not too grizzly or sick. Dan came too and was able to comfort him!

Finally, a bit of smug parenting...a very cute picture of the big fella to end the post.

We've made it to twelve weeks! Time has both raced and crawled by! Joseph is a very happy little boy - we get lots of smiles and giggles but he gets grizzly when it is time to go to sleep during the day and about 5pm. Dan and I have both settled into a good routine with Joseph and we're both enjoying parenthood.

Since he's now a "big boy", I have taken to dressing him in "big boy" clothes during the day rather than stretch and grows all the time...here he is in a very fetching combo - stripey top from Victoria and denim overalls from Rachel.

Being a big boy means that he gets to do more big boy activities...Joseph had his first trip to the supermarket where he got to sit in the trolley. He found the rickety old trolley very comfortable and nodded off for most of the shopping trip.

We've booked our flights to Noosa for our annual, mid winter holiday...as such we need to get a passport for Joseph. Here's a selection of dud passport photos...



And here's as the one we went with.

He looks a bit like a criminal and he's stuck with this for five years!

We clock up another week tonight - 11 in total. Can hardly believe Joseph is nearly three months old!

A bit of a quiet week with not much going on...we went to Botany Downs shopping centre on Monday to get some larger sized singlets and I also bought Joseph some wrist rattles (part of his hot housing educational programme!) - as Dan pointed out they just fit around his wrist now so we're not sure how long they are going to last. Here's pic of Joseph continuing to improve tummy time skills and you can see he's wearing a wrist rattle on his left hand.

I've had to adjust the carseat as well to accommodate his growth; he looks so much bigger without the padded insert. I measured his length (very unscientifically) this week and I had him at about 63cm, meaning a 10cm increase in 11 weeks. We're off to Plunket on the 13th so I'll get an official weight and length then.

In an effort to save my arms and back from Joseph's weight and improve his head lifting skills, I often carry him around like this - he seems to quite like it and it serves a third purpose in that it stops him crying! He's wearing his red t-shirt to show his support for the Crusaders for last Saturday night's Super 14 rugby final (he had red socks on too).

Finally, part of Joseph's going to bed routine involves having a shower with Dan; he doesn't look too happy in this pic but he really does enjoy being in the water!