#deararchie

[dear-archie]

14th July 2016 Dear Archie, Today you went swimming for the first time, and despite no smiles from you, you seemed to enjoy it! You wore your cute little swimming outfit/wetsuit and swim nappy underneath with no problems, didn't mind one bit when we had a quick rinse in the shower together (your first time under a shower!) before getting in the small pool, and didn't batter an eyelid as we entered the pool! You stayed in the pool with me holding you for a good 15mins without crying or even looking upset once, and let me glide you all the way to the deep end a couple of times. You even tried kicking your legs a few times! You were very nosey looking at what was going on around you, and concentrating hard on the new sensation of floating, the new sights, sounds and smells. Your mouth went under the water a couple of times and you didn't care. I loved every second of being weightless in the water with you son, and I got to cuddle and hold you as we enjoyed bobbing up and down. You look so, so cute and chubby in your little wetsuit! Afterwards we got in the shower again to rinse off and you enjoyed it! There was a nice lady in a shower near us who couldn't take her eyes off you and kept commenting on how cute you are. You have admirers everywhere we go little man! As I got you dressed in our own changing room, you only whinged a little bit when I was pulling your arm through a sleeve, otherwise you were so content and just relaxed on your towel as I got dressed! We finished your day with your 6 week checkup (even though you're 9 weeks old now), a spot of food shopping (which resulted in me also buying a new swimsuit in the sale and some clothes for you to wear on your first holiday) and a walk to our local park with Daddy. For the first time in weeks it didn't pour down with rain, and there was glorious sunshine! Me and Daddy are hoping to take you swimming again on Saturday morning so he gets to enjoy seeing you in the pool as well! I'm so excited! The photos are of you in your wetsuit, the smiles you gave me as we went shopping, and Daddy cuddling you in the park :) I love you son, Mummy xXx

[dear-archie]

8th July 2016 Dear Archie, Yesterday was a very sad day little man. Your Didush passed away in the morning. He'd been in hospital for almost 2 weeks following a heart attack and had pneumonia, and unfortunately he didn't recover. Your Didush was 92 years old and before he went into hospital, he was still able to dress himself, eat with his family, get around the house and have a conversation. He even cast a very important vote that changed the history of the UK! He was very much the centre of the family and did so much to look after everyone in it. Always making sure no one struggled for money, that everyone was well fed and watered, always said "come on, have fun, be happy!" He was a very smart and a very strong man, and had a LOT of history in both Ukraine and here in England. Your Daddy will be able to tell you more about that :) He was so proud of you son, and loved you so much that he insisted on holding you as much as possible! Every time we brought you to visit him he would yell "My Great Grandson!" and have the biggest smile in the room! The first time he set eyes on you he cried with absolute joy. He liked to call you "King Archie", which I absolutely adore. Your Grandad and Lola were so fond of him too - Didush was at mine and Daddy's wedding (looking super dapper as always) and was very popular! The last time you met him, he smiled at us and yelled "My Great Grandson!" from his hospital bed as we entered the ward, held you on his chest and rubbed your little tummy. He had a chat with you about you being a big, strong boy, called you King Archie and chuckled about it. He was so very gentle and affectionate with you as always, and you were lay on him like you were in a hammock! You brought utter joy to him for the last two months of his life Archie, and me and Daddy are so grateful to you for arriving when you did and being his little buddy, even for a short time. Although I'm pretty sure your Didush mustered up some extra strength to hold on that bit longer just to meet you, and to make sure we were all ok. And that's exactly what he did. What a man. Today me and Daddy stayed at home with you to grieve. You were such a little star for Daddy. I came downstairs in the morning to find you smiling and chuckling to him as he played with you on your play gym. You played with him for hours and really helped him get through the day. Thank you for that son. You're a little saviour and you don't even know it. RIP Didush, aka Dido, aka Michael. We will love you always and you will never be forgotten. Mummy xXx

[dear-archie]

Dear Archie,

Yesterday you turned 8 weeks old! But I didn’t get time to take a photo because, you know, I’m kinda busy ;)

Time is going so, so fast. The days are now so quick and I often find myself looking at the clock thinking “wow, it’s the evening already, you’ll soon be going to bed!”

You had your first set of immunisations this afternoon. Lola came in the room with me while Grandad waited outside. I was already nervous and I was right to be; you were so upset but did so well. Your first vaccine was an oral one which made you cry and took 3 of us to admitted it (me holding you on my lap, Lola holding your head still and the nurse administering the drug), but the first time you vomited it back up and we had to do it again. But then your injections in both of your thighs came and you really cried, like all babies do during injections. I cried too and so did Lola a little. But then I cuddled you close and you stopped crying, and then you fell asleep. I felt so guilty, especially because you were giggling and smiling at us before we went into the nurse’s room. My poor Bubbles :( We took you straight home, and you woke up in Grandad’s lap and started smiling and getting excited again you gorgeous little man! But then we had to administer your Calpol, which is a brand of liquid Paracetamol, to keep down any fever from the meningitis B vaccine you had. You were fine for a few hours and slept in Lola’s arms, but it’s now the evening and you’ve really struggled and have whimpered a lot. Fortunately you have had no fever, haven’t vomited at all since and are able to sleep and feed just as well as ever. Here you are looking “So so so so so so handsome like your daddy”, and refusing to smile when I whip my phone out to take a photo. You were all smiles and giggles until you have to perform!

I love you son.

Mummy xXx

[dear-archie]

So, so in love ❤️ There is no way to describe it. #babyboy #deararchie #mummylife #motherhood #mumsofinstagram