All the best, bud. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the well wishes, folks...

What a day.

Was meant to happen at 8:30 in the morning, so I arrived just before 6:00am for Spal - but it got held back 'til 1:30pm.
Very tired after 2 nights of about 4 hours sleep in a row...was dozing in the hospital room while waiting. Tests here, tests there.

Anyways, c-sect went through without complications.
Spal is fine. Very tired and a bit knocked around.
The baby, she's so tiny...honestly like a toy...of course I was immediately stricken by her. I sat with Spal (behind the curtain, I get fainty) when it was all done and held hands as we heard her first cries together.

Some of the issues a premature baby faces is inability to breathe right on their own - this factor was fine.
Also sometimes they're not very good at feeding.
She latched right on and fed for about 20 minutes.
She recognises my voice after all - I was able to calm her a few times by talking to her and letting her hold my fingers/thumbs.
She also has an amazing grip.

I changed her first nappy.

I find it really hard to even look away from her.

Anyways, by request, here is our baby girl
River Violette

OMG, cheebs, she's absolutely beautiful!! So perfect! Hearty congratulations to you and Spal! And give little River Violette a kiss on the forehead from me. Much love to all of you.

You did good! Gorgeous little girl! Health and happiness to you all. ::cool::

Absolutely gorgeous! Much love to her and well-wishes to you and Spa.

Good to know all went well and mom and daughter are both healthy. Take good care of her until Spa gets better, bud.

Congratulations Cheeba, She's beautiful

*Update incoming shortly*

Wow! Many Congrats, cheeba! She's really stunning! It's been a month since I've also become a father of a cute little baby girl. Is it the HDC's Year of the Fathers?! ::cool::
Wishing you 3 all happiness, good health & very best of luck for coming days. Take good care of them.::smile::

Just thought I'd add a couple more.
First is just one to show a bit of an idea of her size, she's really like a doll right now...The second is, well, I was looking as her, then realised a camera was on me...fond as ever of that, especially while super tired. But yeah I kinda like how it turned out, even if I look like some kind of guard dog.

Thanks man, and all the best to you and yours too.

Thank you to all for the well wishes and kind words throughout this process.
I probably won't update this one all that much more...she's still very tiny, actually has a tube in her nose right now as she's not really eating enough to sustain herself...I just gotta focus on getting both my girls back on their feet and home.
Thank you all again. - B.

Aforementioned pictures:

Awwwww - What a sweetie. She's beautiful. Congratulations. <3

So precious. Congrats again to you and Spal. Take good care of them, and yourself. Check in with us once in a while. You're going to be a busy man when your ladies get home!

Congrats to you both. ::cool::

Thank you,

I continue to be impressed by this little one.
Breathing is great, never a hiccup.
Body temperature regulation is fine.
Eating, she is learning and learning fast.

She actually latched on and got milk/colostrum from one breast that wasn't working prior.
This is impressive considering the major problem such a premature baby faces is the ability to feed and sustain itself, because they run out of energy so quickly and they're a but "immature" so learning is a thing.

She breastfed for a few sessions yesterday, one at 40 minutes.
20 minutes would be big for a kid this size/age.

I actually heard one nurse say to another when they were changing over, when referring to her breathing, then eating "She has surpassed every other baby on the ward, and she's 5 weeks younger."
I am proud here - and glad to know I've got someone on my hands with so much fight in her, she continues to impress me.

How could she not? She comes from strong parents. Granted, I don't really "know" you and Spal, but from everything you've written since you've been here - and Spal when she used to be a regular visitor - you both strike me as strong people.

Continued best wishes.

Hey Cheeb and family. Just checking in to see how your little daughter is doing.. I understand if you are waaaaay too busy to post! ::smile::

River came home today...just settling in.
Finally.
My dog seems interested, though he has to stay away for a bit.
She's done well. Feeding all on her own now.

Wonderful! Hope she continues to thrive!

Great that she's home! Continued wishes for her health and happiness.

Hey guys...
So River is four months now.
Funny, these pictures I posted here look so "old" now.
I remember that time that was both crappy and awesome at the same time, in and out of hospital, while getting to know our little one.

She's very vocal now, multiple syllables, smiling a lot, using her hands a bit more, and even laughing.
She has grown in a healthy way, eating well, and getting bigger and brighter every day. Sometimes I'll just say Hi to her when she wakes up, and she just beams at me.

Spal is fine, and is great with her - I love watching them together.

Hm...looking back over this thread brings back some memories...
I know, I could have been better about updates, just - pretty busy time guys.
Anyhow, here's a new pic.

She's so precious and beautiful, cheebs!

Thank you, I think so too...
I like how she can make me smile, just by being.

Oh, Cheebs... She's beautiful!

By request...still late...
Well its about time I headed in for an update hm?

I've had it in my head not to be "that guy" when it comes to showing his child to others etc, which is why I don't come in too often.

Anyways, update.

So River is now One year, one month and a half.
She has 8 teeth in the front, and a few molars coming in...very quick development in the teeth department, not so much the hair - though I'm happy to report that she's now at least a little fuzzy with some colour coming in.

Always smiling and laughing.

She eats most solid foods now, which is something I'd really longed for, to be able to share with her and watch her try things.
It's so cute, she grabs things from me now when she wants to eat them, she took spals sandwich the other day. She too, has the love of pizza.
She loves toast, and fish, and more often than not prefers our cooking than the shelved food which is awesome, healthier and more financially sound.

She is sitting (AGES ago), standing, has done "coasting" kind of walking, and just yesterday believe it or not, she has started walking.
Sure she can only go about 3-4 steps in a row between objects and people at the moment but if crawling was anything to go by, I'd give it another week.

Her personality is like...I don't know if I've influenced this but she's a bit of a shit-stirrer...in a good way yknow? Sometimes when Spal is trying to settle her, she looks over at me and grins, and she knows, KNOWS this sets me off...then I get in trouble for stirring her. ME. Stirring HER. Riiight.
I wake up with her smiling, and sometimes she does downright demonic growly voices...makes funny sounds, and imitates people.

She is obsessed with remote controls. Doesn't use them, just holds them.

Her vocals are really coming along, she's got g's, t's, m's, d's, "gwa" "oh" and "aa" sounds, and seems to put them together in her own language, and really looks you in the eye when she's talking that baby talk...She seems very adept at figuring out items and how they work too.

So yeah, the sleep routine isn't great but it's settled at least.
I'm happy with her. She impresses me...and I still can't wait, while I know I will miss her baby self, to have our first proper conversation.

Anyways, here's the lady.

OMG, she is SO freaking adorable! So glad everyone is happy and healthy!

And, yeah, it's good to see you here. You should stop by more often. ::wink::

I also realised, I never showed you guys this...kind of gives a perspective of what size she was right at the start...big changes...

Thankyou, I feel like, she is one of the most beautiful chicks I have ever known.
You too...yknow, maybe...here and there. Not buried yet.

...and here's a couple more, 'cos I think they're cute. one a while back, couple pretty recent. Pretty eyes, no?

Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous little girl!

She could be the one to save this planet from evil!

What a beautiful kid! Thanks for the share, and congratulations.

Excellent update. What horror movies have you started her on?

She's already in a horror movie! ::big grin::

Touche good man! We have seen Vorhees and he is us.

I've no idea what that means.

It means we are all Freddy Krugers, Jason Vorhees, Michael Myers, and Leatherface in our own way. I think that's what you meant by the munchkin already being in a horror film?

Wonder which type of killer the child will become. ::smile::

My daughter is no killer but if you continue to be a smartass mummy might become one. :P


hahahaha omg I remembered my password after all these years. Aww I miss this place.

Humans are killers, however, from what you've told me about your daughter not being one, it seems to me that she's lost that crucial tool to defend herself if she ever needed to use it.

Nice to "see" you again, Spal! Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!

How many billions of people in the world now?