Hiya,

Finally the rains of last week have subsided and the sun is out again. I was beginning to wonder if this wasn’t the UK that I was in, given the continual rain and cold weather of the latter part of last week.

I’m happy to report that I’m recovering well from my procedure last week, and I’m still going from strength to strength. I’m loving the time being with Mommy just about 24/7, and she is making the most of the little bits of leisure time that I’m allowing her. Much to Dad’s delight, Mommy has started a baking frenzy, and each evening Dad comes home to cupcakes, cheese cake, and lots of other wonderful yummy things. Even with Mom being so busy in the kitchen, the two of us are still getting some wonderful tummy time together, especially now that that long tube has been removed from my tummy, and I’m no longer feeling much discomfort from my hernia operation.

The latter part of the week was quite exciting in that Mom and Dad caught me chatting to the bunnies on my duvet cover and on the buffer around my bed. I didn’t want to let on to them that I was able to do that already, but I let my guard down and I was caught open mouthed, as it were. Sadly I’ve noticed the embroidered bunnies don’t talk back much, but I guess they’re bored of sticking around on the sheets. Another exciting development of latter part of last week was that Shatzi now shares my cot with me. As gentle and lithe as only a little kitten can, she hops up onto the edge of the cot and then settles down at my feet, where she normally spends the night. She said that she preferred sleeping with me because she gets beat up far less in my cot than on my Mommy and Daddy’s bed. Apparently they move about a lot, get up frequently (to do my cares), and so on, and as a result Shatzi told me she doesn’t get a peaceful night’s rest!

I spent much of the latter part of the week also perfecting my smile, and I even manage a giggle and a little laugh from time-to-time. My Mommy and Daddy have discovered that I now smile-on-demand, and to keep them entertained and happy, I oblige them their little whims. When ever I’m face to face with them, either while bathing, having my diaper changed, being fed or just chilling I give them a smile. Sometimes, depending on their reaction (as Dad normally guffaws with laughter at my smiles), I return the favour with a giggle and a little laugh. Occasionally I also do my little coy-smile, whereby I glance away and hide my smile behind my hands. They seem to love this too! My Harrison Ford type smile (one side of mouth only) is also developing nicely, and that too creates much entertainment for my folks. I’m bemused by their responses when I start cracking either ½ or full smiles, as one of them stays with me chatting to me and smiling, in an attempt to keep my pose, while the other scurries around trying to find the camera. Generally I’ve managed to elude being photographed smiling, but occasionally the folks do manage to snap one of me. You may be wondering why I’m a little timid about publishing my photos of me smiling? Well, its quite simple really, in that I’m still a toothless wonder and embarrassed at my gum-grin!

Thursday was a pretty quiet day, and Mom and I simply mulled around the house, whether after we headed off to do some shopping and visit Granny. Friday was far more hectic, with my having to see Dr Mears, my cardiologist. She did a scan of my heart and applied a Doppler test to reveal that there was much improvement in my heart, but that the shunt was still ever-present. She was however satisfied enough with my condition to half the quantity of the little blue tablets that I’m on (starting with a V, and sounds like Niagara Falls – I’m not going to write out the full name, otherwise all my fan’s anti-spam mail filters will erase this newsletter). My Dad was especially pleased with the reduction in the meds, as a month’s supply of the little diamond shaped blue tablets now only cost a ½ an instalment on his Merc!

After visiting with Dr Mears, we headed off to Fourways Mall to do some shopping and mull around Dischem. I then went with Mom to collect Tamsin from school; Granny joined all of us after that and we all lunched at a Wimpy, which was a new experience for me. At Sandton City, believe it or not, we bumped into Dr Nicoletta Hay! I was ecstatic to see my heroine again, and we spent some time chatting. She was incredibly impressed at my progress and I gave her the biggest smile I could muster up (gums ‘n all) to thank her for all she had done for me. For the afternoon we headed back to Granny’s place for a bit of a late afternoon visit.

By the time we got home Dad was already waiting for us and the afternoon downpours had subsided. I was excited to see that another 7 boxes of Infatrini had arrived for me during the course of the day. I did a quick mental calculation and came to the conclusion that there was now 35 kilograms of Infatrini for me to work through during the next month, or 14.4 litres! Clearly I have no choice but to put on weight with this amount of food to work through. Dad took over from my Mom and I was bathed, changed and fed, and we all settled in for a Friday evening in front of the telly, but not before Dad went to the local to collect some pizzas. I can hardly wait until I have teeth so that I too can part-take of this fantastic smorgasbord of cheese, tomato, garlic, onion, sausage and various other exotic toppings like artichokes and capers. I was propped up on the sofa in the study, between Mom and Dad, and we all stared at the TV.

Saturday morning Dad got me up early and we spent a whole bunch of quality time together. Mom deservingly slept late, and by the time she was up I had bathed, been dressed, eaten and even done some of my exercises.

By midday we were on the road, en route to visit the Goodman Gallery in Rosebank! I was overjoyed at this expedition as it would be the first gallery I’d visit, and certainly not the last. The gallery was filled with all sorts of abstract sculptures made of metal, representing printing presses, animals, and all types of abstract forms, by Willie Bester. After a leisurely walk around the gallery I signed my name in the visitor’s book and we headed off to Zoo Lake.

At Zoo Lake the three of us strolled around the dam, looking at all the wonderful greenery around us. The weeks’ rain had washed all the trees clean of dust and grim, and the grass and flowers were lush and thick. The ducks and geese were out in full force, many of them exhibiting families of little fluffy chicks. Once we’d completed a full circuit of the dam, stopping only for a quick feed for me and to observe the cute little chicks and wonder at the flora, we headed of to Moyo’s.

We were seated outside, but under a canopy, and we settled in for a relaxing late afternoon lunch, or early dinner! Mom and Dad did not hesitate in procuring strawberry daiquiris, and before long marvellous fragranced meals arrived for them. As is always the case, my Mom and Dad were not disappointed with the meal, and soon tucked into dessert. In passing I heard Dad mentioning to Mom that they had now been to all Moyo’s restaurants in South Africa; personally I recall being at the one in Spier, Cape Town, while I was still inside my Mommy.

It was just before dark when we arrived home from another exciting and exhilarating day. My feeds and those of the little four legged family members were seen to, and we settled in for a quiet Saturday evening, reminiscing about the wonderful outdoors we had experienced earlier in the day. I was really such a change from the hospital environment that I was so accustomed to. Just before drifting off to sleep, I heard my Mom and Dad making plans to go to Emmarentia Dam the next day, and they were planning a route that would not take us through the 94.7 Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Challenge.

Unfortunately my Sunday plans of going out and meeting with friends were short lived. I had a really bad night, and to make matters worse, I had an even worse morning. I’m not too sure what was up, but I really wasn’t my usual colourful self. I could not keep my food down, and I was really quite irritated and annoyed and opted to no stop screaming for much of the morning. My Mommy tried everything from bathing me to relax me, to herbal remedies and then finally a cocktail of paediatric medicine. Eventually I started settling, but not after my Mom and Dad had contemplated taking me to casualty to have me checked out. I was so annoyed at having felt so ill and that my social calendar for the day had been cancelled. I’d heard rumours that friends were scheduled to stop by, and I was also looking forward to some time at the dam with the Roxy and Jake. I guess it’ll have to wait until next weekend.

Sunday eventually faded into night and I settled down, but it was a fitful night. By Monday morning I had eventually overcome whatever was ailing me and I got back into my normal routine. I spent some time with Dad before he had to go to work and I was really saddened by the fact that I was now feeling better, but I couldn’t spend the time with my Dad. Mom took charge of me after Dad left, and before long we were on our way to the ‘Baby Club’. There were hundreds of babies there today, waiting to be weighed and measured. After about three hours of hanging about my measurements revealed that I had grown ½ cm and I now weighed 5580 grams, 220 grams up from last week. I was glad that I was still steadily gaining weight, even though my gain had slowed by 20 grams compared to the past two weigh-ins.

After the ‘Baby Club’ Mom and I headed to a tyre dealer – another new experience. Late last week Granny’s car wheel got punctured, so Mom needed to have it repaired. The tyre dealership was really cool with lots of heavy duty tools lurking about, the smells of grease and exhaust fumes filling the workshop, and the sounds of pneumatic jacks lifting cars up and down resounded off the walls. Soon we were en route to Granny’s to deliver a newly repaired and balanced wheel for her car. I spent some time listening to my cousin Ryan playing guitar, and Tammy teaching me all sorts of things like telling the time, and both of them playing an absurd game called last touch with my mom. We stayed for a short visit then headed off home.

It was mid afternoon by the time we arrived home and I was surprised to see Dad’s car and the bike in the driveway, which could only mean Dad’s Home!!! I couldn’t understand why, but I didn’t mind. After rushing inside the house we found Dad working in the study. Apparently there was a fire in a cable tunnel beneath the city which resulted in the power to many blocks of the city being interrupted, including Dad’s building. Dad managed about three hours work on the battery power of his laptop, then had a bunch of meetings, where after the power still had not been restored. So after his last workshop he headed off home.

That’s about it from my side. Other really important news to share is that little Isabella, my friend from NNICU at Morningside Medi-Clinic, has also finally arrived home after 143 days. I’m really happy that she is finally in the comfort of her own room and cot, in her Mommy and Daddy’s house, as that’s where little people like us belong. Sadly I won’t be seeing her for some time, as she stays in Rygerspoort near Cardock in the Eastern Cape, but it would seem the farm air is doing her lots of good, Izy has picked up weight, a whole 100 grams. I’m sure our parents will make a plan to get together sometime. Also, I’m sure little Isabella’s Mommy and Daddy will let her use her Dad’s laptop so we can IM and email each other! So in closing, welcome home Isabella, and I’m missing you stax!

Hugs, love and kisses,

Jarrod

Figure 1 Tummy time

Figure 2 Smiles

Figure 3 A Walk in the Park

Figure 4 Pretty flowers at Zoo Lake

Figure 5 A new local fluffy resident

Figure 6 We Got Our Ducks in a Row

Figure 7 Pretty centre piece at Moyo’s

Figure 8 Mom and I sharing a daiquiri at Moyo’s

Figure 9 Perfecting my grabbing action

Figure 10 Shatzi and I sharing my cot

Figure 11 Izy at home in her own cot after 143 days

Figure 12 Being a little cuddlebunny

3 Comments on Miles of Smiles

  1. Lisle says:

    Jarrod, I can’t tell you how much I look forward to your updates (months ago, I would have to brace myself before I read them). I am so incredibly excited to see your “Phat” campaign is paying off, well done for putting on weight! And your folks are right, you have a brilliant smile.
    Take Care
    Lisle
    PS. be honest…is Izy your Girlfriend? (I promise i won’t tell anyone…. she is very cute……..)

  2. Bronwyn says:

    It is really amazing to read all the positive stuff in your blog, and to see how big you are getting, and extremely handsome i must add!!! Well done on gaining weight, gr8 news, hey i have plenty to give away if you need!!!!

    Well keep getting bigger and stronger, you are really doing so well, a little super star!!!

    Love to you all
    Bronwyn, Gary, Brannon, Rhianne

  3. Jenni says:

    Hello Little Man

    Wow I am so glad to hear your progress you really are going from strength to strength.

    As for that smile of yours I think you are going to have all the girls running after you! Hmm, I think I totally agree with Lisle… Jarrod and Izy sitting in a tree K I S S I N G, first comes Love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby carriage…. Well I think you better slow down on the baby carriage part, but I guess you parents won’t mind the Love part…

    Keep up the good work Angel

    Lots and lots of love
    Jenni

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