Three months…

Dear Noah,

Today you turn three months old and in some ways this past month has gone really fast since we have been so busy with lots of things including your first birthday party, visits from friends both in Japan and abroad, play dates and outings galore and much more. I scheduled you three month check up for today and you also had your first immunization today which was the BCG which protects you against turberculosis- this is not a vaccine given in Australia very often and I debated about whether having it done was in your best interest seeing as the vaccine is said to not be very effective anyway but in the end, TB is still a problem in Japan and more than likely you will be raised here until adulthood so better to be safe than sorry I suppose. You were very brave though and you hated been held still more than you hated the stamp.

Here is your arm a couple of hours after the shot…So far it is just some faded marks but I think it will scar eventually and then probably fade again.

You will have your next immunization in about a month and it will be for Diphtheria, Tetnus & Whooping Cough (DTP). The schedule here is different from Australia and not everything that is done in Aus is done here in Japan for example Hep B, HIB and others too. Apparently HIB will be available in Japan soon but whether it will be too late for you then I am not sure.

Your 3 month check up itself went very well- you were extremely genki (as you often are in the mornings) and charmed the nurse and doctor with your smiles. You didn`t cry when you were weighed or measured or when the doctor made you do funny things with your arms and legs (Like banzai (arms above your head)- in fact you laughed)- You weighed 6110 grams and now measure at 59.5cm- I forget your head measurement but it is written in your baby book (boshi techo). You are almost 2 times the weight you were when you were born- a quick google revealed that you are average height and weight although the doctor today did say you were bigger than the average Japanese child. The doctor was also impressed with your head/neck control so you made mama proud!

Your fine motor skills and gross motor skills are improving exponentially and you will now stay playing on your tummy for 10 minutes or so without cracking up- and even longer if I lay down beside you. You are starting to kick your legs in the air more when on you back and even attempting to roll over- you have almost made it a couple of times and you get so frustrated when you get stuck on your arm! I think you will probably roll for the first time in the next month even if it doesn`t become a regular thing for a couple more months.

You will also now put your hand up to grab a toy I hold in front of you especially if it is spot, your star rattle sassy ball or your green orange and yellow ball that I just bought the other day (you have a blueish one too but it is attached to the pram)- in fact that ball might be the best 400 or so yen I ever spent!

I am wondering if you will be a lefty as well since you ALWAYS put your left hand out to grab with and even the doctor mentioned today when we were chatting and I held the ball out to you that you grabbed it with your left hand first. It is possible as Shun`s dad is left-handed (although rights with his right hand I think- often the way in Japan as they force you to use your right hand in school, at least they used to) and so is my brother, your uncle Paul. Plus there was a week were all you wanted to do was stare at your left hand which was hilarious to watch.

Last month I wrote that not having a set schedule with you was stressing me out a little but I think we have found the right balance now. You wake up for the day between 7am-8am and feed every 2.5-3 hours (usually) and will nap for 40 minutes or so each 2.5-3 hour block- sometimes you will nap longer, especially in the last couple of days which I think is either a growth spurt or your own way of cutting down on naps so that you will only have 2-3 a day (at the moment you have about 5)- you bath between 6:30pm & 8pm depending on your feeding and nap times throughout the day and you now go down like a dream at night. Very rarely will I need to come in and re-settle you after you have gone down. You bath, feed (in the rocking chair while listening to lullabies usually), burp and go into your cot. Sometimes you are awake when you go into your cot, other times you are already asleep- you will usually settle yourself though once you are in the cot which is nice. I usually get up to feed you once or twice through the night- last week it was only once most nights but this week it has been twice most nights again. Twice a night is totally doable though and I am no longer waking up in the morning exhausted- either I have gotten used to sleep deprivation or you are just letting me have more sleep than before! I think I am a lot more relaxed than I first was as well and when you cry I comfort you but I do not take it as a personal attack- babies cry and I keep telling myself that and we seem to be getting along just fine especially considering daddy has been so busy with work this past month.

He misses you and every morning when he has to leave for work he hugs you extra tight and gives you a kiss and says he doesn`t want to leave you. I am looking forward to when his current project ends because while he still won`t be home early enough to see you at night before bed he will be around on weekends again (and probably won`t be as tired as he has been) so you guys will be able to spend much more time together.

You do have your grumpy days but then there are other days (like the last couple) were you are so happy pretty much all day and such a joy to be around. I love days like that! You gave us your first official giggle last weekend and now everytime I hear you laugh it makes me laugh which usually makes you laugh more. For some reason the word “BURP” cracks you up- like in the video below. The first time you laughed though we were doing airplane on my legs and since it was a Sunday Daddy was home to witness it!

You have also become quite chatty and will happily chat with your sock octopus (named Takotako) or spot or with me. You can also hit your elephant rattle on your play mat and grab on to the banana toy that also hangs down. You like the crinkly sound that he makes!

You had another months filled with firsts-

Your first birthday party (Your friend Nanami turned two)

Your first trip to the park (in which you laid on the mat, cried, then napped in your pram)

Your first overnight guests that were not family (at least I think so, mummy brain!)- This was when Sarah, Sakura & also Nay came to stay!

Then Clare, mama`s friend from school. That was during your “left hand staring” phase which gave us lots of laughs.

We also went for a mama/baby play date with some of mama`s friends- we all met at Yurakucho and went to a Muji Cafe. You were a bit of a grump that day, which was a shame but we have another fun filled day together scheduled for early April (for Easter) so hopefully everyone will get to see your winning personality then.

We go out and about a lot- for example tomorrow (even though Daddy is working) we are going to the other side of Funabashi station to see James` new place. Plus we got out and do the occasional English lesson and also meet a lot of friends for coffee and lunch dates and what not- we have spent a lot of time with Cassie & Nana in the last month which has been great fun- maybe you don`t notice so much (although you do get excited when I put you in the carrier or stroller) but these little outings help me a lot. I think they help keep me sane. I love you, I really do, and in this past month my love for you has grown even more and I didn`t even think that was possible but you can`t talk back to me and so sometimes that makes me a little lonely I guess.

Late last month we went on a car drive to West Tokyo to see an old student of mine, Shion, and his family- you were a perfect little boy and I think you cried only once while we were there. Listening to Shion speak English (and his brother too) I couldn`t help but wonder which language you will be more dominant in and whether you first words after mama/dada or papa will be in English or Japanese. I imagine because you are hearing more English at the moment than Japanese that it will likely be English but it is still interesting to wonder about what sort of little boy you will grow into.

There are not many photos of the two of us Noah as usually I am the one behind the camera but here is a favourite of mine from the past month- I think it shows, at least in a way, how much I love you and how much I am continuing to fall in love with you.

I can`t wait to see what you will learn/do next- I am sure we will have another month filled with firsts- one I am most looking forward to is your first cherry blossom season and also your first meeting your uncle Paul & Auntie Gem who arrive in one week, oh and your first baby sign class is also coming up,

Love you lots and lots,
Mama
xoxo

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