"How did we do it with Ned???"

is a question we ask ourselves a lot lately in one form or another. How was it with Ned; somehow the human memory seems to forget "everyday-normal-life-things" really quickly. I often hear Ben say: "Surely Ned didn't do that!!!", just for me to inform him that "Yes, Ned did do that as well". Just the other day Ben had the great honour and privilege to change Ced's nappy, when all of a sudden this little 53cm tall guy started a pooing marathon. The unhappy dad looked helplessly at me and of course the question came: "Ned didn't use to do that, did he??", "Yes, he did that as well" was my usual reply. Well, poor husband was already on the second or third new nappy when all of a sudden our super- pooer wound up to the grand final and did a one meter poo shoot. "Did you see THAT???? SURELY Ned didn't do THAT!!!!" Well, I could not reply with my usual answer because I was struggling to breath due to a laughing fit which lasted for well over 1/4h. But well, Ned did NOT do these kind of shooting poo stunts, but thinking back on poor husbands face still gives me fits of giggles, it was too precious!!!!

I guess it is only natural to compare, especially because we seem to be "similar-looking-offspring-producers" (just like our friends Dirk and Hilde C. :o) ) and honestly, so often Cedric looks so much like Ned, but there are also biiig differences (at least in our eyes:o) ).

• Ned had very clear dark brown eyes, with Ced we are not so sure yet, it isn't the typical baby eyes blue, but also not as clearly brown.
• When Ned popped out one of my first observations was that the little guy had HUGE feet and real little "digger hands" (and his hands are still huuuuge) and his voice was rather deep (for a baby). Well, Ced doesn't have "digger hands" nor bigfoot feet, but he's Mr. Longfinger and Mr. Longtoes. I hope he has musical inclination because those long fingers might be rather useful with playing the guitar or the piano :o). But one of the first thoughts I had about Ced was "Oi, his voice is VERY high". Honestly, I had to get used this high cat-like screaming, which can be rather cute, IF it isn't a distress or "I want food, NOW!!!" cry.
• Ned also really liked his dummy, Ced rather sees me as his personal giant dummy and doesn't like the plastic thing very much; unfortunately I don't like being abused as dummy.

Unfortunately, I'm not a very good milk cow again and by the third day Ced had lost already more then 10% of his birth weight and we had to start him on formula, and drinking out of a bottle is just SOOO much easier then having to work for ones milk on the boobs; but as a dummy he likes it, great!!! And now that he's on the bottle he drinks like a camel and is back to his birth weight. It was the same with Ned and I wonder if he'll also grow as quickly as Ned. But it makes me a bit sad, that I'm not able to "feed" my own kids. If I had lived 200 years ago they might have died or not thrived at all because I would not be able to feed them myself. Or if WW III broke out, we'd have bad chances too. So, I am very grateful that I live nowadays in a country, where it is no problem to get good formula and I am grateful, that they invented formula. God designed mother's milk, so it is the best there is for babies and I would have LOVED to be able to breast feed, but it seems like I just don't have a calling to be a milk cow. I cried a bit but accepted the fact and now we move on and I try to see the advantages of feeding with a bottle.

Generally Ced is a very content little guy, burps and farts like a real man, so he doesn't have any problems with wind and he's also no "spitter" like Ned. Right now he's "sitting" in one of our bean bags, watching me type on the computer and (hopefully) will doze off soon. Nights aren't so bad either. He does say hello once or twice but besides that he does what we all are supposed to do at night: sleep (although I do have to admit, that he prefers sleeping next to us in our bed than in his bed).

Ned was with Oma and Opa for the weekend, which was nice and gave us some time to relax a bit, although, honestly, I did miss having him around (with tantrums and all). Today we walked to down town Mosbach and we tried out our "kiddy board" for the stroller. My dad had to make an alteration to our stroller in order for this kiddy board to fit on and after all that work, Ned does not like standing on it. Great!!! How in the world am I to manage walks with both kids??? Ned likes walking to a certain extend, but then he'd like to sit for a time or be carried. And with Ced occupying the stroller there is nowhere to sit for Ned and I am NOT carrying this 14kg bundle of energy (I almost wet my pants as it is without carrying an extra 14kg.... oh the joys of delivery). But we'll see, there are many occasions when I wonder how it'll be without Ben being around, but- like I said to my mum on the phone today- others did it before me and survived and so will I :o)))

So to finish off I need to share a little Ned story again. The other day we put him down for the night and normally, once he is in bed, he's a happy chappy, talking and singing away for a while before dropping off. Well, that particular night he kept on whining and whinging after we left him alone so I went in again after a while. Then he told me: "water". I told him: "You have your usual water bottle with you." But he kept on saying water, water. Until he picked up his bottle to take a suck to show me his problem: I could hear the funny sound the bottle makes when the "leak proof valve" isn't properly clicked in. I solved the problem and my son dismissed me with a cute "night, night" and a kiss :o)))).