Love
A question from a friend:
“I heard that when you have a baby, it’s a different kind of love then with your husband. Is that true?”
As I was thinking about it…Matt responded way to quickly, “She does kiss the baby a lot more than me.”
This face is just too hard to resist!!
It’s true, I am slightly obsessed with this little guy. It’s hard to believe I’ve only officially met him about 3.5 months ago.
Is the love I have with Max different than the love I have for Matt….?
Yes. I have a crazy love for them both…but they aren’t the same.
The love I have for Matt is a romantic best friendship. I want to hear about his day, tell jokes with him and gaze into his eyes as he speaks engineering gibberish I can’t understand.
The love I have for Maddox is maternal. I want to keep him safe, snuggle and feed him, bathe him, and smoother him with kisses.
I don’t bathe Matt…that would get a little awkward. Especially because I don’t think he could fit in the baby bath.
Being a new mom, I sometimes forget to show my husband that I love him as much as I show Max. It gets hard when all I do all day is hang out with a little cuddle monster who just oozes cuteness and monopolizes my time.
So as we head into Valentine’s Day to celebrate our intense feelings of affection for people…I’m reminded to take some extra time to show my significant other how much I truly do love him.
So join me in my public declaration to my spouse: I love you, Matt! And you get major bonus points for being there during Max’s first laugh. I’m sorry it just so happened to be while he peed in your face!
Classy.
Sound Off.
Funny & Cute Baby Noises
Here’s Max at 11 weeks old.
I’ve been trying for the past few weeks to get a laugh out of him…this is as close as we get.
COMMENT
How do we learn to parent?
I stare at Max sleeping in his crib and wonder what his life will be like.
The opportunities he will have…
Although Max is my first biological child, I was a parent before.
For 8 long months, we fostered a young girl (let’s call her “Singer“).
It was heartbreaking, rewarding and challenged my view on poverty.
Recently, I was reminded again, that not all children will have many opportunities for higher education, to join a sports team, to travel…
Sometimes their goal is to just survive.
We saw Singer a few weeks ago.
She went through the reunification process 7 months ago, and is living with her mom in a homeless shelter surrounded by cockroaches.
This is her life.
I don’t doubt that she is loved.
But I wonder how healthy it can be?
Is this what it will be like for the majority of her life, bouncing from place to place without a bed to call her own?
Singer’s mom didn’t have a mom to teach her how to parent.
Can the cycle be broken?
How do we learn to parent?
By example…
Instinct…
Education?
COMMENT
The Magic Moments of Mommyhood
Right after Max finished peeing in his own face, he proceeded to do this…
Spit up.
Crusty. Chunky. Spit up. All over my shirt.
What are some of your magic moments lately?!
COMMENT
6 Tips to Survive the Dreaded Growth Spurt
It was a dark and stormy night.
I could hear the screams from miles away.
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
The dreaded growth spurt.
And just when I was getting the hang of this baby thing.
Our nice little schedule was working great, until….
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
The dreaded growth spurt.
The past few days Max boycotted all 4 of his naps and decided to scream bloody murder instead.
Rather than eating every 3 hours, he needed to eat every 1 – 1.5 hours.
Which means as soon as he got done with one round of eating, I had just enough time to take a potty break, carb up and go for another round.
At night I would feed him a late night feeding and he would sleep until 5:30ish. That is until…
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
The dreaded growth spurt.
The past few nights he needed an extra feeding around 3:30AM. And he likes to eat for an hour during this one.
I slept through half of his feeding last night…
And if that isn’t bad enough…
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
I finished ALL 189 episodes (seasons 1-8) of my new flava fav, One Tree Hill.
What will occupy my netflix time during this season of…
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
The dreaded growth spurt.
Tips & Tricks to survive the dreaded growth spurt
(Please note, clearly I’m no expert, especially because I didn’t even notice his prior growth spurts.)
1. Stay hydrated
Some nursing moms need to eat and drink more…use it as an excuse to eat more ice cream.
2. Watch One Tree Hill
Seriously. Don’t worry, when you get to the season without Luke & Peyton push through, it gets better.
3. When he screams and cries, maybe your baby needs food and you should feed him.
It’s okay if it doesn’t fit the normal routine, he’ll go back to that eventually.
4. Also, when the baby cries…maybe you should too.
After all, I’m sure you’re exhausted and delirious and it may make you feel better
5. I know you’re probably tired and cranky (just like your little one) but don’t take it out on the husband.
Especially if he’s out fixing your car ALL morning and when he comes inside with crusty grease covering his hands, don’t cry in his face for the next two hours about how he doesn’t do anything. Whoops, sorry Matt.
6. Remind yourself…this is great!
The baby is gaining weight, which means…eventually…he’ll sleep longer.
Eventually.
(dun dun dunnnnnnn)
The dreaded growth spurt.
COMMENT
The Nine Months of Pregnancy
Sing to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas”
On the first month of pregnancy,
my doctor gave to me
a cup to fill up with pee.
–
On the second month of pregnancy,
my doctor shoved up me
one pap smear thingy
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the third month of pregnancy,
my doctor showed me
two tests results,
one fetal heart beat
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the fourth month of pregnancy,
my doctor gave me
four blood pressure tests,
two ultra sounds
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the fifth month of pregnancy
my doctor gave me
24 hours to collect pee,
four days in the hospital,
three ultra sounds,
two blood tests
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the sixth month of pregnancy
my doctor made me
30 days of bed rest,
four doctor visits,
three calls to the doctor,
two glucose drinks
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the seventh month of pregnancy,
my doctor gave me
four blood pressure tests,
one group B strep test
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the eighth month of pregnancy,
my doctor told me
one breeched baby,
two hospital visits,
one external cephalic version
and I filled another cup up with pee.
–
On the ninth month of pregnancy
I endured a total of
288 blood pressure tests,
96 days of bed rest,
36 cups of pee,
23 days of fetal heart rate monitoring,
22 ultrasounds,
21 doctor visits,
9 hospital stays,
7 methods to flip the baby,
6 blood tests,
5 nervous breakdowns,
4 midnight phone calls to Doc,
3 crazy nurses,
2 glucose drinks,
1 emergency c-section
and it was all worth it
because I got to meet my little baby!
–
Comment
Pump It Up: Convert the Medela Swing to Double Pump
Scene: There I was, stranded in the hospital for four days without my baby. Loaded on antibiotics my Docs were telling me to pump and dump so I could keep my supply up. Problem was, all I had was the Medela Swing.
A single pump. Which means lots of work.
Cue terrifying music.
So Matt being the inventor/genius/engineer that he is, converted our single pump into a double. It was a major money saver and works as well as the high-end pumps.
If you have a Medela Swing you should totally do this.
50 cents (and I don’t mean the rapper) and you too can convert your one hit wonder, into a two timing machine!
Check out the video Matt made explaining how to convert it:
Thanks, Matt!!!
COMMENTS
The Most Magical Video of All Time
Rich Millard of Rich Millard Productions and Liz Millard, his amazing wife and blogger, (who am I kidding – our besties) made us the most magical gift of all time.
A video of Maddox when he was 3 days old. I’ve watched it about a bazillion times and it still brings tears to my eyes.
It doesn’t hurt to have such talented friends.
Shout outs: THANK YOU Liz & Rich for all the time and hard work you put into this. You are so sweet and we are honored to have you guys as friends. We will cherish this video forever and ever. I love everything about it and am obsessed. THANK YOU TIMES A MILLION!
Need a magical video made? Check it double deck it! (link)
COMMENT
Top 3 Moments From Today
I thought I’d do a little blog post following the day in the life of a mother with a 6 week old. Hold on to your hats folks, because it is about to get really crazy.
And I’m talking Tom Cruise-jumping on Oprah’s couch-crazy.
1. First Fists of Fury
Maddox is figuring out to put his fingers in his mouth. Hopefully this will win out to his pacifier obsession…because every time he drops the dang thing it’s like a scene from Old Yeller, Ghost and It’s a Wonderful Life combined.
aka. there’s lots of crying.
~~~
2. Grip of Death
He started holding his toys. Guys, I warned you this post was riveting.
~~~
3. Spit Up in MY Face
Scene: He had just finished eating and after burping him a few times we gazed into one another’s eyes. Maddox then started doing a cute little cough. All of a sudden, a crusty chunk of spit up flew from his mouth and hit me in the face.
~~~
Oh the day in the life…
Friends, please wow me with some excitement…clearly I need it!
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