I know. It's insane. Take a minute if you need to recover before reading further.
Well, more like 2 months and a week. We are still working on having things happen on time around here. In the two weeks that it has taken me to write this post Owen has been growing & developing in leaps and bounds. He's smiling at us like we invented the world, mimicing our gestures and 'talking' back at us with awesome ebullient gurgles and coos. He is, in short, amazing at everything besides sleeping. (turn your volume up for full baby gurgle effect)
In that first bleary month there were so many wonderful friends who reached out to say "It will get better!" (thank you all times a million).
And they were right, sort of. It is better, but I don't know if it is easier. I think that "it will get better" is a code that experienced parents use to actually mean "you'll get used to it!" Used to tired, used to crying (mine, as well as his!), used to doing nothing but baby. And you will settle into it. It took a while for me to let go-- let go of expectations-- of dinner making, of diaper washing, or work doing, of anything and to just be present. And that letting go was the turning point for me, I think. That and the day when Owen decided that Adam could put him down to sleep too, it didn't have to always be me. The freedom!!!! I am drunk with it.
Verging on gratuitous amounts of baby cuteness in this post.
Anyway, Owen's not the only one developing mad skillz.
Since my hands are always full with the babe I have learned to do the following with my feet:
-open/close doors
-pick up phone from the ground
-open/close vegetable drawer in the fridge
-turn on bedside lamp
-change the channel on the tv
8 comments:
Wow - he has changed a lot.
And by 'it gets better' I think we also mean 'it changes'. It's a never ending string of challenges.
I hope to see you two at LLL on Wednesday (I heard you've gone back to work).
!!! turn on the lamp!!! thoroughly impressed.
I can't wait to see him
and you guys too!
yes. It gets different, that's the other way to say it. And there is NOTHING like having a child to get you very, very present. I think I might've told you the hardest part for me, but in the interest of repetition for (and from!) the mommy-brained: letting go of long-term thinking. "I can't live like this for the rest of my life! What if I never sleep for more than 47 contiguous minutes again? What if he throws up on me after every feeding for five more years??" Everything, the good and the bad, will change. Swim in it.
SUPER CUTE!!!!!!
Yes, you have figured out how to translate "it gets better" from Parentese into Plain English. It really means, "Don't worry... as soon as you think you've got the kid figured out, and you've reached a point that you've delusionally declared 'livable' (like "Oh, I can totally operate on 3 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period... no problem"), he'll totally change again."
Congrats on your newly acquired foot skills. Those are very useful. I learned last week (during a very clingy Bella phase) that I could make mashed potatoes with only one hand... start to finish! I impressed myself.
Happy holidays - hope to see you around sometime!
Chrissy McAllister
Hi Ginger! Great gurgling. I definitely agree with your post except that eventually it DOES get easier. Objectively easier, not just because you are used to it. Probably not yet at two months, but it does. I'll have you know that I am turning on lights and opening/closing doors with my hands these days! And eating soup without worrying about dribbling it on Adrian's head. And sleeping through the night 20 nights out of 21 (although still waking up at 5ish). Yes, there are new challenges, but I still think it's a lot easier than those first couple of months.
Of course, that is until we decide to have a 2nd ....
Hi Ginger! Lovely blog site. I think you might be adding something after "lover of cupcakes," i.e., ...splashing through mud puddles with little feet, etc.
Been wanting to reach out with my congratulations! Best to you
Holy crapoly, you guys made one cute baby. It's HARD! But so worth it!
It never occurred to me to use my feet - you are brilliant (and would make a much better armless person than me!)
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