Showing posts with label infant. Show all posts

Friday, May 10, 2013

Scattered

My day is broken into bits and pieces.

I jump from task to task, never fully completing anything.

I cut the vacuum on carefully. I put some distance between it and Bo so to avoid startling her. If she startles then vacuuming is out of the question. I talk her through it. "It's ok Bo. It's not scary Bo Bo. Mama's just cleaning up." She stares at me wide eyed. I move quickly, repositioning her so she can see me while I work. I leave the vacuum cleaner sitting in the hallway because I've got to find a minute to get to the other half of the house. We trip over the cord for days.

I grab the kitchen sink squirt nozzle and shoot water onto the floor. I mop it up, backing out of the room. I run to the bathroom pulling off my damp socks. I use them to wipe the mirror clean. Leaving the bathroom, I throw the socks into the dirty clothes hamper and rush to wash my hands before I set up another round of bottles.

It's time to feed Bo. She falls asleep midway through her bottle. I hold her awhile. So she'll get accustomed to her baby bed, I decide to lay her down. Carefully I walk to her nursery. Carefully I lean over the bedrail. Carefully I set her on the mattress. I keep my hands wrapped around her for a moment. No sudden movements. I ease my left arm out, then my right. I'm free. I back out of the door.

Since I'm so close, I stoop to reach inside the dryer. I grab 1-3 things to fold on my way to the bedroom. Bo wakes up.

As I cook supper, a rare event, I carry Bo in the wrap, careful to keep her little feet out of the frying pan. Bo allows me to set her in the pumpkin seat while I unload and reload the dishes into the dishwasher. She's distracted by the clitter clatter of the plates and silverware. Thank God for small miracles. Thank God for dishwashers too.

I am never alone in the bathroom. Never. I wash my hair every other day. Just before it's time to go get Charley I make dry shampoo and make-up miracles happen. This is so all the other mothers will know I've got it together. Don't underestimate the power lipstick has on your face. Also don't underestimate the impact of that long string of spit up running from your shoulder to the crest of your butt cheek.

This is real. This is not the Jones' blog. I'm not that blog that's going to make you feel antsy if you don't go knead some dough, or bleach your husband's socks, or make pasta from scratch or some crazy crap like that, while balancing a baby on your hip. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. I mean I can pee while holding an infant. Doesn't mean I should. It certainly doesn't mean I want to.

So I say to all the new mothers in the world, aim low. Yes, aim very, very, low. Now listen...all you overachievers, just simmer down. I know stuff. I'm a Mama. So let me tell you, if you aim too high during these first few months of infancy, you're going to feel like a failure. That's the truth.

I mean you, dear mother, may have a long list of things you absolutely must do before the day ends. That may very well mean you are leaving the house to go to work. You may have one of those "jobs" banks actually value when written in that little box on the loan application. (Writing in "Mother" won't get you anywhere. Trust me.) Some of you have 10 children. I know there's no way around your chaos. All I'm saying is if you don't have to stretch yourself to the brink, then don't. Enjoy each day. Rejoice in the small victories.

I feel good if by the end of the day....

#1 I've managed to erase the evidence of the night out of the house.

#2 Charley has her homework done, is clean, fed, and feels loved.

#3 My baby is fat and happy.

I mean, just try to pick the dirty underwear up off the floor and love your baby.

And don't forget loving means wiping their butts, sucking the snot out of their noses, slathering lotion all over their milky bodies, feeding their precious fat faces every 3-4 hours, coaxing burps out of their tight little chests, moving them from your arms to the swing to the crib to the bumbo to the floor to the bassinet to your lap every 10 minutes to keep them happy, rubbing their smooth little backs and the peach fuzz on their heads, cutting their deadly sharp but near invisible fingernails while their arms flail about, wiping their chins while they drool like a saint bernard, searching for pacis, begging them to take the paci so to induce sleep, talking to them, smiling at them, making them laugh, praying for them, and kissing them all over.

And don't forget all those trips to Wal-mart.

3 Comments

Monday, April 1, 2013

Bo Magnolia: Two Months

Sweet precious Bo Baby,

We call you Bo Bo.

Your most comfortable spot is on my chest.

Sometimes I feel like we are glued together.

You are a big talker. You just coo and coo.

Sometimes when you're talking you make this really high pitch noise,

that I can only describe as delight.

It makes my heart leap.

Your smile makes my heart feel like it will burst.

You love it when I kiss your hand and then put your hand to your own mouth.

I say, "I kiss it, now you kiss it."

Makes you smile every time.

Sometimes, I show you my tongue and say,

"There's my tongue. Now where's your tongue?"

I swear you stick out your tongue for me.

You don't stick it out far, but it's there.

You understand me.

It is obvious that you already adore your big sister.

You are making new connections with your daddy and light up when he talks to you.

So far, you are easily satisfied.

Your cries indicate that you are hungry, need burping, are overly tired, or that you want to sit up.

You have strong opinions about your position.

You are constantly trying to sit upright. You lift your little head and grunt.

If you're lying flat and crying, I sit you upright.

The crying stops immediately.

It's like I hit the switch.

You still snort when you are hungry or when you are really upset.

I love it.

I've been secretly hoping you do it forever.

When a loud noise scares you, you make the most pitiful frowny face before you start to cry.

I am ashamed to say I love it, but I do.

I don't love it when you are afraid, but I love that frowny face.

With a little love, you quickly recover.

Sometimes your little face itches and you rub it into my chest.

Back and forth, back and forth.

You're like a little puppy, but better.

In the morning you raise your little arms above your head

and wad your little legs up and you streeeetch.

I love to watch you stretch.

And you call the shots.

That's a wrap.

2 Comments

Friday, March 29, 2013

Greenbow, Alabama

I'm not actually from the fictional town of Greenbow. No, my actual hometown is not make-believe. Sometimes though, when we are feeling especially homesick, Chuck says things like,
"We need to get back to Greenbow, Alabama."

If you've never seen Forrest Gump this means nothing to you.

This is my photo account of our most recent trip to Greenbow (but not really).

After a few days in Georgia, my Dad and Uncle Sonny Boy were nice enough to drive out there to get the girls and I. (Chuck was working that week.) I really appreciated them making the 6 hour round trip. It was a pretty smooth trip, though there were lots and lots of back roads.

It was Dad's first experience with a GPS.

Let's just say he'll never use a GPS again.

Bo Meets Paw Paw and Granny

After I kinda thrust Bo in Dad's arms, he seemed to enjoy it.

He isn't very confident handling infants, though he did just fine.

Good stuff...

Bo and Dad's wife, Granny.

Unfortunately I did not get a picture with her and my Uncle Sonny Boy.

I'm pretty bummed about that.

Aunt Sara and Aunt JoAnn drove to Dad's to get some baby holding time.

My other baby was there too...

During one of our visits, Dad and Charley did some kite flying.

Bo's not really into kites...

Bo Meets Big Mama

Poor Chuck wasn't able to be there when his Mom met Bo. That kinda thing doesn't really bother him, but if the tables were turned MAN I'd be upset. I couldn't stand the thought of my mom meeting my baby without me there!

Big Mama held Bo every chance she got.

This is one of my favorites...

Bo napping on Charley's old pallet at Big Mama's.

Pallets should be a staple of childhood.

These days Charley's not willing to stay still long enough to lie on a pallet.

Bo Sees Granna Again

Bo Meets Granddiddy

Bo and my sister-in-law Katie

My step-brother, Jackson

Charley's little cousin Claire.

Bo slept in this thing during naps at Mom's.

It was handy.

When we were eating, we'd put it right in the middle of the kitchen table.

When we were getting ready, we'd put it right in the middle of the bathroom floor.

Charley and Bo took turns sleeping with me at night.

When it wasn't her turn, Charley slept on a pillow pallet.

Mom bought a baby play yard for Bo to sleep in when she wasn't sharing the bed with me.

The play yard was a good temporary solution but required a lot of in and out of bed time for me.

This will obviously improve with age, so it'll be nice to have the play yard for future visits.

Of course Mom was super helpful with baby baths and diaper changes.

Baby Dedication

Since we haven't yet found a church family in Virginia, I decided that while we were home I'd have Baby Bo dedicated. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of the actual dedication. It felt good to do this at home, with family. Of course Bo's public baby dedication isn't really necessary, since privately, I had already dedicated her to God and asked Him to help Chuck and I raise her in a way that would be pleasing to Him. But the little ceremony was actually a lot more meaningful than I had thought it would be. I'm glad we did it.

I was sneaking pictures during church.

I like to think that I am not alone with the mindset that no mother likes her picture taken 2 months postpartum. If you so happen to disagree, I'm going to go ahead and ask that you keep your mouth shut. I don't need to hear that you got your body back all super fast. Nope.

Just. shut. yer. face.

All that being said, as a mother, I make these photo sacrifices for my children.

Looking through photos of my mom, I never once thought, "Oh Lawd, she should have lost a few pounds before she posed with me."

No. I never did.

In fact and furthermore!, I am going to quote a line from a book I am reading right now:

“Babies like fat. Like to bury they face up in you armpit and go to sleep. They like big fat legs too. That I know.” Kathryn Stocket, The Help

At your service kids.

After the dedication and church we headed to

Aunt Sara's and Uncle Sonny Boy's for some good, good, food and some good, good visiting.

Bo and my cousin Kelly.

Bo and Uncle Jerry Don

Bo and my Aunt Pug and cousin Martin

And just because I had a minute to borrow

my cousins lens thereby allowing AUTO focus to work...

Yeah, it's kinda hard to do self-portraits on manual focus.

Bo's Baby Shower

My Aunt JoAnn has been determined to have a little baby shower get together for me and Bo for a long, long time. My Aunt Sara was nice enough to host. Now, in the south it's common knowledge that baby showers aren't proper for second children (poor second children). That's why I was especially surprised that my Aunt JoAnn and Aunt Sara, the queens of southern etiquette, were even willing to suggest it. But they kept it classy, only involving family. There were no games like, "Guess the Size of her Giant Baby" or "Guess the Size of that Lardo's Belly" and that was fine by me. We were able to stock up on quite a few diapers and wipes and a mighty fine stroller.

And these are the only photos I got...