Pappaperm - Week 1

I don't have a perm - that's just the shortened name of paternity leave in Norway (pappapermisjon).

So this is week 1 of 15. Stine started her new job at NAV which means I am responsible for looking after our little man.

I have mixed emotions going into this - I never ever thought I would be in a position like this. I always wanted kids but having grown up in England, I was prepared to have a week off at birth (if I was lucky) and the rest would be up to the mum. Luckily, living in Norway means that the child gets a full year of parental care. Stine has been with Hunter for 8 and a bit months and now it's my turn! I am excited to spend time with the little man and gain a full appreciation of what it's like to have extended time with full responsibility. It's a little daunting an'all but I am sure that once I get into a flow, it will be great.

Monday:

Week 1 is all about routines. He has his routines pretty much set so I just need to work hard to keep them going. This is not something that comes naturally to me and I could easily be found at 4pm, still in my pants with Hunter rolling around in his PJs eating haribo while the cat tries to keep on top of the washing.

As it's the very first day, I thought I'd make a little list of things I would like to do during these 15 weeks and see how it goes:

- Nature walks
- Take the little man to the park regularly
- Bake
- Listen to seminal albums with Hunter
- Begin reading regularly with H
- Meet at least one other dad on paternity leave to preserve sanity
- Play football once a week
- Learn to cook a new dish each week
- Gain some sort of awareness of the housework that needs doing and actually do it
- Begin my masters

Today, though, I will settle will keeping the little man alive.

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Tuesday:

He's alive! The first day was actually super easy - he got a little overtired and it took me a while to get him to sleep for his nap but other than that, all went smooth. Went for a walk to the shop for some bits and I even managed to shower. Stine was on a soft start and finished at 2pm. She said that it was a soft start for her, but it is a possibility that her employers gave me a soft start.

Today already feels different. Hunter was up at 2am a few times, standing up and destroying the camera - then again at 4:30am and wouldn't go back to sleep. I realised that he hadn't shat for a while so I held his legs up while using several dry wipes to protect us both. After about 20 minutes a big brown snake appeared. By the time all of this was done, it was nearly 6am so I got him his morning feed and got him back to sleep. Half an hour later, he was standing up in bed all awake and that. Stine was a ledge and got up early so I could get some extra sleep.

Currently, he is sleeping so I have a chance to get my head together, wash, finish my coffee and write this. Plan for today is to go to the library to copy a load of my qualifications to send off to UDIR and get my teaching qualification translated. UDIR are still frightened of Y2K which means I need to print off the application form, copy all my shiz and send it in the post. While we're out, I'll pick up some ingredients for the first new dish: stuffed peppers. Can't believe I've never made them before but got to start somewhere.

Yesterday, we listened to Abbey Road as our soundtrack - going to try Velvet Underground today.

Admin bits.

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Wednesday:

Well yesterday was a mixed bag. He got overtired again and needed to burp but neither of us could sort that out. Two days in a row now at around 11am - going to completely miss this sleep and use this time to just head out for a good old walk and tire him out for his afternoon nap. He was perfect in the library while I printed and copied 20 sheets and again in the post office when I engraved the address on a piece of slate and gave it to the man on the horse, laced his palms with silver and saw him on his way.

The stuffed peppers went OK - need more flavour next time.

We gave Velvet Underground a listen while we ate - had a dance along to Heroin but didn't get through much of the album. Last night was another minger with Hunter not sleeping particularly well and pissing through his nappy and PJs, so I think we'll keep it chilled today and move to Transformer by Lou Reed.

Plan today is to call the barnehage (nursery) and arrange a visit this week and possibly sleep when he naps. Other than that, go for a little walk and chill as much as possible. Quiet one today.

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Thursday:

Yesterday morning was great - we had a long old walk through town to the water's edge with the little man on my chest. I like having him on there rather than in a buggy/stroller/pram as it means he is seeing what I am seeing. It also helps me see what he is seeing in the way he sees it. Everything is incredible to him: every tree, lamp post, pigeon and feck knows what else. So we took time to watch things, touch things and talk about things (I did the talking - he made some noises at times) Even watching the builders sort the road out was fascinating.

When we got home, he ate and slept for nearly 2 hours. That is unheard of. I managed to shower, eat and chill before he woke up - we then played with his toys and I attempted to train his brain with the old 3 cups and put something under one of the cups and he guesses which cup has the thing underneath it trick. He just likes cups. I need to find something he really wants to put under the cups, something he wants more than cups...

Then he got overtired and refused to sleep for ages so we went out and met Stine from work.

Transformer by Lou Reed went down a storm - we had some twirls to Perfect day and a sing along to Satellite. Today, the soundtrack to PS2 classic, Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX is on the old vinyl (Spotify).


Last night, we were up again for a while as he was up shaking the camera at 2am - I gave him some emergency milk after trying to settle him for half an hour and that did the trick - he still woke up at 5:30 though. While Stine was getting ready for work, I attempted to get the little man back to bed as he was clearly tired. He started being a little biiihatcho and I was about to give up when the motherfuking queen jumped in, calmed him down and taught me her technique. Thankfully, I managed to get the little tyrant to sleep from 7:30-9:30, I made the most of it and slept a wonderful deep sleep.

Cooking wise, I managed to make a second new meal of huevos rancheros to enjoy while Hunter had his porridge. It was probably a far cry from the original huevos rancheros but it was tasty as F (AF).

Now, I am writing this with a coffee with the American Office on in the background while Hunter plays with his FUCKING MASSIVE elephant in his play den thing. Not sure if we'll head out today - would happily stay in pants all day.

"Don't call it a prison" (Stine, 2019)

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Friday:

As if a week has gone already - it took a couple of days to adjust but the second half of the week has been awesome. Walking each day is working very well and the new method of getting him to sleep is working a charm.

Today, we went to Moa to get a gift for Stine (Hunter's idea) and then chilled at home - great to have mama back now for a few days of family time!

Anyway, that's it for this week.

Cheers.