Hello my fellow beings. It has been a while since I last wrote, I guess we needed some time to adjust and learn more from Gabriel. It has not been easy trying to cope with a growing baby… it is really a full time job and I'm glad Inęs is doing such a wonderful job during the day while I'm at work. When I get back though I find it important to try and be with him so that it allows Inęs to take a breather… we don't want her to be burnt out! (and of course I really want to spend time with him, I end up missing him terribly during the day while I'm away).
But we both think it is such a blessing to have him here… a look from him and you melt away. :-) I would like to think that he is improving with his sleep at night but lately he has been having a blocked nose and we are sometimes distraught to see him struggle to breath especially when lying down on his back… what is amazing is that even though he seems to be struggling is that occasionally he lets out a smile! But we are confident that he is getting better from it. After going to the pediatrician yesterday, he says it's definitely not a cold, after all he's really a healthy growing baby (currently weighting 6.62kgs and measuring 63 cm after just 2 months and 10 days, good breast milk they say ;-) ). The doctor says it could be genetics in that he has inherited some of Inęs' allergies - Inęs occasionally starts sneezing a lot especially if there is lots of wind (and there has been in windy Cape Town!). I also tend to get sinusitis around these times as well but I'm not sure if it is genetics or rather that he picks up our energies and at this point in time he's still not strong enough to transcend them.
Before that though, we took him for his first vaccinations… and I think that it is a contentious issue, should we or should we not give vaccinations. We felt that the first ones at least he should get. He was niggling for a day and a half but it went away. One thing we can advise is to do research and then listen to your intuition and make a decision. I doubt though whether we will give him the latter ones. I'm busy doing plenty of research myself to make an informed decision.
One tip I can give for during the middle of the night when you are trying to rock him/her to sleep and you are not sure if he/she is sleeping deeply enough to lay him/her on the cot is to ask your Higher-Self… it works rather nicely. Inęs and I "work" differently though, she tends to feel it more whereas I tend to "hear" it more.
Last weekend we went to Celia with Gabriel for the first time, and the first thing that came out was that we were not truly listening. Celia says we should attempt to listen more with the heart rather than trying to listen with the mind. When I try to make a heart connection first before even saying anything, most times he turns and looks into my eyes. We can then literally be like that for 5mins+. He tends to make little noises like "Agu or hmm", which we think is part of his way of communicating. I've tried sending messages through the heart and I get the feeling that slowly (even though it is frustrating sometimes) we are connecting. It definitely takes practice. Also I think (as does Celia and Inęs) parents have to have a new mindset in that we can no longer see a child as just a little helpless being, which needs almost our constant attention to care for him, but rather a combination of this young need-to-care-for child and of these wise beings who have so much to share. Respect is really what they need, and even as he grows up, we want to try and treat him where possible as an adult… I.e. give proper reasons instead of vague answers like "Because it is like that".
Inęs and I have started doing some exercise. We feel it is really important in order to allow us to cope better with the physical, mental and spiritual demands. We have started with Pilates and Yoga (and I a bit of tennis) at the gym. Fortunately the gym has a children's room with caretakers… it was hard initially leaving him there with "strangers" but he often falls asleep and anyway the ladies are quite good and will calls us if he cries big time. :-)
So my dear brothers and sisters we leave you again. Please feel free to email us to share experiences or even to correct grammar errors! :-)
Love and light José, Inęs & Gabriel
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