A week of firsts

By Published On: March 2nd, 2015

Wow! What a week! What a wonderful week. Last week […]

ben sleeping throughWow! What a week! What a wonderful week.
Last week we had a party, the first for Baby Ben, and it’s started a trend firsts for the O’Sullivan family—and two of them are massive ones.
I want to start with one that I know, from chatting to all of my friends who have children, is a big deal.
The first of this week’s firsts is that Ben slept through the night! All the way from 7 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. the following morning! And as all parents who experience this for the first time, my partner and I fully understand it is quite the milestone in his development. I’ve never been so proud of someone sleeping before! (As cuckoo as that sounds.)
But of course consequently that meant that we didn’t sleep very well at all. I woke at 2 a.m., 4 a.m. and quarter to five when I stayed awake waiting for him to stir, and my other half woke at 1 a.m., half 3 and half 4 when she waiting for me to join … and then Ben an hour later. And I’m sure we’re not the first parents to do this.
He’s growing so quickly. I’m so glad that this blog exists as I’m already reflecting back on it, and I know I shall for all of my life.
When he did sleep through I was over the moon, and I knew that it was going to be the thing I share with everyone this week; however, the second first is even more of a big deal.
Seriously, it’s huge!
It’s Gigantic!
It’s gargantuan!
(Have I built it up enough?)
OK, so here it is …
(One more pause in increase the drama.)
HE GIGGLED!
And I was there for it!
I’m not ashamed to say I cried through joy. I’ve been wondering what his little laugh would sound like and hearing it for the first time melted my soul. Since he starting smiling a few weeks ago (see “And then a smile for me“) we’ve been trying to get a giggle out of him, and it was far, far more amazing than I thought it would be. I promise to get a picture of him giggling; it’s heartwarming. I just never seem to have a camera when he does.
Besides his birth, I cannot remember a time in my life where I’ve had that instant warming of uncontrollable joy. I wish I had a recording of it and a billion Twitter followers to share it with!
I’ve tried to put into words exactly what the sound of his giggle is like, but I can’t. The closest thing I can say is it was like, air. Like fresh, clean air. It was the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.
Seriously, I cannot cope with how much I love him, and despite how hard being a dad is, especially in the early days with the no sleep and constant sense of worry and dread. The guessing what he needs and the feeling like a failure that I can only assume all new dads feel—these wonderful moments make it so worthwhile.
With him sleeping through the whole night, which he has done a few times now, and that amazing little giggle, it’s been an immense week, and the joy his little laugh gives me is equally monumental.
And I’m so grateful I can share all of this amazing things with you all. I am a very lucky man.