First Xmas (exactly) at the Age of 5 Months

Everything is peaceful and quiet now. The Xmas tree lights up the room, there are Xmas films on TV without intermission, Xmas songs still ring in my ears. There’s no trace of the crazy fuss. It’s time to relax and enjoy every moment of the rest of the holiday and of the rest of the year of 2007! Dominik is sleeping, Krisz has a rest as well. Deservedly. Well-earned rest for both. Krisz helped me a lot yesterday, he’s a real goodhusband, did the honours of the house and spent time playing with Dominik. Parents were invited for dinner and we did the dishes and the preparations with our whole heart. The festive board included two kinds of soup: turkey stew with tarragon, thick soup made of maroon with pure Canadian marple syrup on top. Then fish in breadcrumbs with mashed potatoes, roasted fish fillet in creamy sauce with dill, sirlion with vegetable rice balls and tartar sauce… Although there were comings and goings more than enough, Dominik adapted himself to the circumstances very well (new people, rousing him from his sleep, different bath-times, etc…) and was my right hand.

Advent Season

Preparations are getting on slowly but surely in course of time. Part of the honey cake presents are ready although this part was made through 3 days. First day mushing the ingredients together, second day forming and baking (improving considerably!), third day frosting. Things going on quite slowly where there is a little one – we don’t want to have a pang of conscience because of spending not enough time with him/her, so we try to make good progress step by step. Additionally, the highest temperature is around zero so we can’t spend much time outside.
And to top it all, an indigestion balked my plans last weekend in spite of the fact that Xmas is not here yet. It was a serious one and my physical condition was ghostlike comparable with my state of health during pregnancy. I was pulled down and got between the sheets for 2 days. Thank God, Dominik is fine and it didn’t influence over him and his feeding. Many thanks for Mum and family for their help and for doing for him.

Santa's coming...

We’re preparing for Xmas feverishly, although rather in thought than in action. Very soon we need to carry into execution. I’m going to prepare more presents made with my own hand this year, mainly honey-cake / gingerbread specialities. Cinnamon and cloves smell sweet during baking! I’ve already planned the festive menu. I can’t wait the holidays mainly because of Dominik. He certainly will love the sparkling lights, the colorful decoration, his first Xmas tree. If he has all the vaccination, we'll try the swimming that is for babies. They're crazy about it as I heard and said to be asking the mothers for going to swim if they could speak. We'll see.

Laughing out Loud

The sweetest sound for my ears what you produce. You’re giggling, murmuring, whooping, howling and sreaming repeatedly, ”singing and having a talk” and even your yawn is in a drawling tone. You like hearing your own voice. You can produce not only the repertory of crying but also you are able to communicate. You discover not only your voice but also your hands and fingers. I adore to see you keeping in the backward, how you are place your little hands exactly in the middle quite close to your face, take much trouble over your fingers – you catch them and move them slowly, one by one while seeing absorbedly. You stuff your fist into your mouth, touch your tongue with your forefinger and thumb. You’re able to grab objects deliberately and smile at your reflection in a mirror steadily. Your legs rise heavenward while you’re working on the playmat and beating the figures hanging above you. I also like the fluttering gesture what you produce with your arms when you are naked.

All Saints

Waking up to beatiful sunshine at this time of the year is a real present. We started the day with gardening. While Dominik was sleeping in the baby carriage, we raked together the leaves losing by the trees, layered some spring bulbs, bed out some non-freezing plants and dag up the bulbs of the freezing ones.
I visited my workplace with Dominik the day before yesterday. You might remember what I wrote when I left the company. It proves very very true that I took my departure at the best time possible. Well, RKB is being liquidated, the employees quit their job en masse. RKB has been already just R&K because B sold his proportion of property which was a coup de théátre, too. The reasons are not clear, the management hasn’t explained the situation till now, there are only guessings and rumours in the air. The news really got to upset me and caused a great stir but I’m not so embittered because I didn’t have the intention of returning and on the other hand I’m not so surprised because I had a bad feeling about the company. Things were not the same that used to be, there were changes, disadvantageous changes which pointed the end ahead but I wouldn’t had thought that it would happen in this way and so soon. Certainly, we can’t consider that final, there is nothing fixed yet, especially because the management (the broken one) hasn’t pronounced their views.

We were in a country cemetery with my parents in the middle of the last week and lighted candles for my grandparents on my father’s side. It’s been Dominik’s longest trip so far. He was a good little boy if we disregard that he filled his nappy to overflowing on our halfway home (not with pee). I really enjoyed pushing the stroller in the country village from the cemetery to my godparents' house. There’s plain lowland roads free from bumps wherever you go, not mentioned the fresh country air. Everyone was surprised, Dominik has grown a lot! We met a baby girl of almost 8 months in the consulting-room last week and she had the same weight as Dominik has now: 7140 grams – still only mother’s milk.
We took part in a fair for babies with my Mum yesterday. The funniest thing was to hear the praiseful compliments of Dominik by the people turning and looking back while my mother was pushing the stroller and I followed them backward hunting for sweet little clothes.
Today we are going to take part in a „baba-mama” gym in the sport centre where I used to go regularly before Dominik.

Delightful Everydays

The leaves are falling from the pear-trees standing in the middle of our yard. There are chilly mornings and surface frost. Chrysanthemums are sold by hundreds in the stores, All Souls’ Day is coming. This is the very end of the indian summer and in a little more than 2 months it’s Xmas. Dominik will be 5 months old on Holy Evening. He always establishes a new record and not only as compared to himself but also to other babies at the same age. Eg. he fell asleep at 6:30 PM last night and woke up at 6:00 AM in the morning. He slept almost 12 hours straight and did not cry for the breast hungry after waking up, he was just smiling. The other odd part is that I found him in his little bed as I put his li’l body in the evening with the difference that his li’l head was in the place of his feet. He turned exactly 180 degree. I was so surprised. In these days we manage official affairs, subsidies as regard to Dominik.

I adore...

…the way you search gaping for the breast with wide open mouth.
…your sweet little chilly hands.
…the way you wrinkle your forehead.
…the way you grab my finger.
…the way you sleep stretching.
…your button-eyes.
…the fragrance of your little clothes.
…your babbling voice.
…when you squint at me.
…touching your silky soft skin.
…when you rest on me.
…your satisfied milky pretty little face.
…the smile in the corner of your mouth.
…the way you stretch yourself.
…the way you look something for a long time.
…the way you take a special big breath.
…the way you purse your lips.
…when you stop crying when I close into my arms.
…the way you sip.
…the way you suck even in your dreams.
…YOU LITTLE BEGGAR!

Sunday Baptism

On 16th September was Dominik’s baptism. His godparents are my sister and her husband-to-be. There were 5 children besides Dominik but he was the calmest and the youngest. He was just sleeping and sleeping, even the large amount of holy water that the priest poured onto his little head and the cross that had been drawn with oil onto his forehead didn’t disturb his dream. His patron saint is St. Domonkos. We consider Robi’s, Nancy’s and Gábor’s attendance a great honour from Canada, they grace the ceremony with their presence. I’d like to give Dominik’s best thanks to everyone for the beautiful presents!

First Public Displacements

We took part in a wedding on Saturday. The bridegroom was Krisz’s friend who actually was my mate in the nursery. The ceremony wasn’t on a large scale. There was no professional photographer, so I had been appointed to be. I did this with the greatest pleasure and even if there is a photographer, I usually appoint myself to be the other one. I always try to catch the particularities. Posing is necessary but I prefer natural/unforced snapshots which spontaneous and reflect the situation of the moment. A perfect photo requires very good positioning of the photographer and being everywhere at the same time. In spite of the fact that it’s impossible, I always try to be on the watch that’s why Krisztián often angry with me because I always leave him alone while taking photos on the occasion of a ceremony like this. The quantity of the photos isn’t less important than their quality. I try to take not only the best pictures possible but also the numerous possible. I think Krisz viewpoint is understandable. It’s not my fault, taking photos make me happy. Dominik was an examplary little boy, slept through the whole ceremony.
Next day we made a little excursion to the game reserve to Budakeszi.

Whose kith and kin is he?

Our son’s features change day by day. At first sight, most people’s reaction is that he is the spitting image of Krisztián. Generally it’s said that the boys take after their mothers. I don’t know, we’ll see. His earache has diminished by now and since then he is calmer, he looks a different baby. He makes his voice heard only when he’s hungry (often and loudly). In the district nurse’s opinion he eats record quantity (800-900-1000 grammes per day). Fortunately, breast-fed babies can’t be overfeed. He eats heartily, often with a smile in the corner of his mouth. We took part in a routine orthopedic examination on Monday – everything is O.K.
Time passes by quicker than ever and I’m afraid in advance that he will grow into a man earlier than I’d think.

The First Month

Our sweet Dominik is a tiny little angel without wings. My heart bleeds for him because he has pains for a week, he cries a lot bitterly, almost all day long and hardly sleeps by day. The doctor said on Thursday that he has earache and prescribes drops for him. Independent of his awakeness at daytime, he sleeps through almost the whole night. Eg. when he falls asleep at 10 PM, he wakes up at 3:30 AM. He adores to suck, being at the breast, he’s developing very well. His present weight is 4530 grammes, 4380 was a week ago and was 3280 when we departed the hospital on 27th July. He’s a really strong little boy: holds up his head and turns over from the very start.
At long last we have the baby carriage – after more than a month waiting. It’s from Germany. It’s easy to handle and I like the colour of it. I hope Dominik, too.
We had a busy week as regard visitors. On Friday the cousins with children gathered together, only Vanessza (4) was missing whose nose was running so her mother, Erika decided not to bring her.

In Confinement

This is the most difficult post I have ever composed. I have bothered my head much about what to write down from the thousand thoughts and experiences going through my mind. My feelings hardly can be put into words. Not only Dominik was born 3 weeks ago but also a mother. If I worded the first days I’d use the following expressions: complete exhaustion, crying fits, agonizing fear, first experiences, getting used to each other, getting accustomed to the completely new situation.
This period is a vicious circle at first. This is time for recover, it would be important to stay in bed lieing avoiding nervousness because of the involution of the womb and galactopoiesis. You know that you should relax but it’s almost impossible to carry out unless you have a mother like mine whose solicitude is endless. And then I haven’t mentioned the unexpected early visitors. You have just try to assimilate the fact that you have a baby, an own baby who needs you, only you and this time forth you’re responsible for him, you live for him and do your best while your life has been turned upside down for that you can’t prepare yourself during the 9 months. I think I would die of the bare idea of losing him.

Kontra Dominik...

...was born on 24th July, 2007 at 9:27 AM on Tuesday.

Weight: 3400 grammes
Lenght: 57 centimetres

Water left at noon on Monday – no pains.
Hospitalization at 4:00 PM on Monday – still no pains.
First pains from 3:30 AM per 10 minutes on Tuesday – bearable.
Pains from 6:00 AM per 5 and 3 minutes – begins to be painful.
Labour room from 6:45 AM – checking pains and fetal cardiac sound.
Spontaneous vaginal delivery from 8:00 AM.

The 38th Week

It’s terribly hot in Hungary. The mercury in a thermometer shows degrees above 40 for six days running. It’s tropical. I shudder only at the thought of being outside. The scorching sun is unbearable, the air doesn’t move. We are at home, unless we have some things to arrange. Krisz still has the plaster bandage on his leg, poor boy. He had to visit the doctor yesterday. He really hoped that it had been removed. Unfortunately, he suffered internal bleeding again, so one more week with it. He was said that his knee shows the sign of healing, it’s essentially better.
I hope that this terribly hot won’t have an influence on Dominik’s arrival. (The number of birth dubled because of the weather.) I mean, I would’t mind if he was born earlier but not yet. I still have some things to do before going to the hospital and not mentioned his father’s state. In my opinion he has not more than 2 weeks in my belly. He starts to take place in the birth canal, sometimes I have womb reactions. The orifice of the uterus is closed. I have to go to the bathroom more times during a night and it’s not easy to fall asleep again, every sleeping position is quite uncomfortable in spite of the fact that Dominik is very calm at night (only at night!). He hiccups a lot, four or five times a day. According to the last ultrasound (11/07/07) his estimated weight was 3077 grammes. I started to take some homeopathic medicine suggested by the obstetrix which may ease the childbirth.

The 37th Week

The number of medical examinations are increasing. We have to visit the doctor weekly and the obstetrix as well. The doctor examines the orifice of the uterus, the baby movements, appraises the results of the examinations due like ultrasound, blood taking, antibody, water test, NST. The obstetrix examines the baby’s cardiac sounds and movements (he’s still very active), the tightness of the placenta. This called non-stress test and lasts for about 30 minutes. It’s plain to be heard how the baby wriggle inside the womb.
But this is not everything as regard doctors and public health institutions. Krisz sprained one of his knee last Sunday. He missed his footing, he stepped on a block of wood in the forest and his knee-cap left its place. He reduced it (three times) but hardly could stand on it and it swelled up very much. We hurried to the all-night service then to the hospital where a lot of blood was drew off under his knee-cap and he got a plaster bandage. It’s from ankle to less under bottom. He has to wear it for 3 weeks. We’re at home together, he’s not allowed to move with it, he’s confined to bed. This kind of accident / any kind of accident never come in good but it’s the worst possible. I would need his help at this time most but I have to do things somehow without him. He can’t drive, I’m the driver to everywhere. Fortunately, there’s just enough place for my belly behind the steering wheel. I have to give him an injection into his stomach every day against trombosis. At long last he can rest up.

The 36th Week

Working days are over for a while. The farewell was painful. I was whimpering even on the previous day at home. I hate the ends. The last occasion was the graduation ceremony (2004) when I had the same feeling. After I had had my degree in my hand I felt bad because that document made me understand that college years were definitely over, there were no more days within the same frameworks.
The colleagues working on different buildings came into the office to say good bye and gave their best wishes. I hope that I managed to impart my skill and knowledge to the new girl during the last two weeks. At the end of the day, the last day I picked up the rest of my personal things, the kind gifts I got and I gave my closest colleague, the dearest colleague a lift for the last time.
But there’s no time to being grieved, it’s time to celebrate! Krisz’ 29th birthday was on Friday, my father nameday on Saturday, Annamária Day on Sunday (my mother’s and sister’s nameday), what’s more one of our friends from the country visited us at the weekend. He is going to work in the capital from July.
And now I turn over a new leaf, I do know what to do on my free time. In the last few weeks I cooked very seldom, so I want to make up for what I’ve missed. I’m going to prepare something delicious every day or almost every day. And then here is the baby’s bedroom. It’s high time to furnish and buy the things missing. I got a lot of complement from my cousin and one of my colleagues which they won’t need any more. It was very kind of them, it’s a great help at this time. In these days my mother and my sister are my two right hands, they help me to clean the windows and give a helping hand to me in anything/everything.

Let's see the photo of the week (on the right):

The 34th Week

This is my last week at work at the office of RKB. Friday will be the day of goodbye. I countdown the days remaining, I can’t wait the day on which I don’t have to get up to go to work, to lay low in the traffic jams during the rushing hours, as against I have to get up for the reason of other things, for somebody else. In a little while. It’s a mistake to believe that I didn’t like my work, I loved it. But it’s time to leave. On one hand because of me and my baby, on the other hand because changes begin at the company not in the right direction, as I see. Our direct boss (hierarchically right under the 3 owners) broke the news to me and my colleague exactly two weeks ago that he gave in his notice on that day. Following day he said that he leaves in two days time, the owners had disregarded from the period of notice. We were completely shocked. He was a stable point of the company, his work was thorough and conscientious, worked with great accuracy, he was a perfectionist, thought of everything, nothing escaped his attention. Everybody thought that he would had been the last person who would left the ”boat”. It was a great surprise for everyone. A question was raised in most people: is the boat sinking? Maybe yes, it is. If it doesn’t fall till now, it will from this time forth – think many of us. Our boss didn’t let us know what was the real reason of his decision but it’s a fact that he had to deal with such a things (finances) a lot which were not his duty at all. We were so sorry, we got on well with him, we could collaborate very well. When I got the office early in the morning he was already in. When I left the office late in the afternoon he was still there. We miss him very much. The owners are not planning to make the vacancy filled, they rather reorganize. This is what terrifies everyone. Those people are rising who are uncompetent, talentless, are without abilities. And we don’t understand why. I’m selfish and I say that I’m glad that the things happened in this way. I mean I’m happy that our boss didn’t leave earlier, we leave RKB almost at the same time. People say that every beginning is difficult, I say the end is similarly difficult, often tearful. I liked this company, I wouldn’t wish a better one, I had a very good two years here and I feel bad about leaving it irrevocably but I think I won’t work at RKB any more. This idea presents itself for a long while, it’s not correlate with the current events. I have other plans beyond RKB. And I’m very happy that it won’t be so painful in the circumstances. During the last two weeks I’m busy with training the new girl for playing my role in the future.

The 33rd Week

Flower carpet was on view on Sunday. It was a really hot morning, the boys were fussy. The fair-ground wasn’t as large as usual but I didn’t omit to buy my rosary. We managed to persuade my father to drive to Szentendre to the Skanzen in that afternoon. It was my mother’s idea. Traffic jam and searing sun were ordeals. In the evening we ate BBQ by favour of my father and tried to denominate the BabyBoy.

The 31st Week

The baby boy’s figured weight on 30th May: 1883 grammes, which is relevant to its period in the doctor’s opinion
Umbilical cord blood harvesting: nowadays we have some things in our mind like stem cells, auto-transplant preparation, its utilization and opportunity. Childbirth is an unrepeatable opportunity for auto-transplant preparation. As placental blood, which is otherwise destroyed together with placenta, contains stem cells. These could be used for transplant in the case of severe disease of a child. He may never use its transplant but at a critical moment it can save his life. That’s why they say: ”Give the life to your child twice!” I’m busy with selecting the most competent company whose service is based on processing and storage of stem stells to be available whenever needed and whose price is the most reasonable. Up to now, a Slovak company proves to be the most competitive.
Fruits: it’s summer season which means that I can abound among the most relishable fruits like peach, melon, cherry, in a while apricot, etc… At our weekend house we picked cherry again. This is the late type and it’s bigger and scrunchier. The tree is full of cherry – every single sticks – we hardly afford to pick. As you can see on the picture rightward I ate a lot! (To tell you the truth my stomach is much smaller in the mornings. My weight is invariably 68 kilogrammes.)