Friday, August 15, 2008
Parenthood
It never ceases to amaze me how sometimes the smallest tasks are so much more challenging with a child. I thought going into this whole parenting thing that the biggest challenges I would face would be the ones you see on TV - a baby that won't stop crying, explosive poopies, and never getting enough sleep. And, yes, it's true, I feel like I just can't catch up on sleep, Alex has basically proven me wrong. If he cries, all we have to do is pat his behind, pick him up or give him a pacifier. And while he has had his share of nasty number twos, none has been horrifying or unmanageable. The challenges we've encountered have been more dealing with run-of-the-mill chores. Yesterday, for example, I realized we desperately needed to order new checks. Alex had just woken up from a short nap, so he wanted some attention. I held him while I logged on the computer to order the checks. I managed to keep him from banging on the keyboard, but only because he thought the inner flesh of my arm would be a good place to chomp down with those six teeth. Ouch! I still have a bruise. Then the stupid website would not accept my routing and account numbers as valid. So I called. I got an automated voice message system. Now, is there anything more annoying than that? Anyway, I was in the process of ordering checks and the robotic voice was informing me of the option to purchase a variety of designs. Alex started to babble and the voice stops short and says, "Do you wish to end this call?" No! So I completed the rest of the call by craning my neck and turning my head as far away from Alex as possible so the voice wouldn't mistake Alex's babble for my request. I don't want to end up with 20 boxes of kitten checks for Andy and Janice BLA MOB BA Dyer. Whew, I finally finished the call, checks ordered. I looked down and at some point, Alex had thrown up (not spit up; this was remnants from his lunch of carrots) all over my shirt and rubbed the top of his head in it. Ahh, the sweet (sour) smell of parenthood.
Monday, August 11, 2008
An Addendum ...
... to my last post: I'm sure some paparazzo are very caring, loving people. Who knows, maybe they even volunteer at their local homeless shelter. I just used that as an example. I know that a person's career isn't his or her only contribution to society. Ok, so no throwing virtual eggs at me if I've offended you and your camera-wielding ways.
No Pictures ... But a List!
Ok, so I've been terrible lately about updating this blog. My dear friend, who has a 7-week-old, has been doing waaay better than me about her blog. What does that say about me? Sigh. Oh, well, I have a good reason. Sort of. When Andy got his job, we celebrated by dropping a week's paycheck on a new camera. We love the Canon Rebel, but the bad part is the memory card holds too many pictures. We've taken more than 300 since we got the camera and haven't uploaded a single one. Yesterday I tried to upload some pictures, but couldn't find the USB cord. We'll get there eventually. In the meantime, here's another one of my lists to keep you entertained ...
Things That Surprise Me, Even After 8 Months of Motherhood
1. High Cost of Food. I know that the price of groceries has gone up; blame it on biofuels, China and India, soaring oil prices, or whatever. But I never knew feeding a baby would get expensive. Alex gets four bottles of formula a day (my frozen breastmilk ran out about a week after I stopped pumping), baby food twice a day, and a bottle of juice once a day. The formula runs about $25 per week (and we go with the less expensive powder, not prepared stuff). The baby food about $15 per week. When I was in college, I could feed myself for $35 a week (it was a stretch, but I could do it). Nobody told me feeding a baby could cost almost as much as feeding an 18-year-old girl!
2. Pride. I knew I would feel pride at some point, I just had no idea that I would experience such strong pride at this early stage. It didn't matter that no one else was around to witness it, but when my baby army-crawled, slept through the night unswaddled, and drank all 5 ounces of juice for the first time (all in the last week), I couldn't have been more pleased.
3. Happiness/Sadness. It's funny how some parenthood moments truly are bitter sweet. Today Alex moved up to a new room at daycare. I was happy - he's getting older, he's becoming more developmentally independent, he's going to learn new skills from being around babies that are further along. But I was sad - he had a fantastic teacher in his first classroom, he's going to probably get less one-on-one attention, and he's going to be in a room with some babies who can walk (yikes!).
4. His Own Good. I'm surprised how easy it is to do things for Alex that I know are for his own good. I don't like to see my baby cry, but I will stick an aspirator up his nose twenty times in a row if that's what it takes to get all that mucus out and let him breath a little easier. He hates it and he hates me for doing it (not really), but I know it's best for him and that's what is most important.
5. Speaking of Snot. I never imagined how much it would suck to have a sick baby. I don't mean a seriously ill baby (I cannot begin to imagine the sorrow and anxiety that might cause), but a baby with a cold that just won't go away. I feel so bad for the little guy when I hear him cough or hear his wheezy breathing over the monitor. We do everything we can (saline drops, baby Vicks, two humidifiers, vapor outlet plugs, baby Tylenol/Motrin, warm baths, aspirator, etc., etc.), but you can't do much besides try to make him as comfortable as possible. But that's still not enough! Come, already, somebody invent a cure for the (all-too-common) cold!
6. Ralphie's Mom. Many moons ago I wrote in this blog that I wanted to be like Ralphie's mom from "A Christmas Story." I thought she was the image of a perfect parent - firm, but loving. Little did I know that I would be a lot like Ralphie's mom, just not quite in the way I pictured. Ralphie's mom had not had a hot meal in something like 10 years. We'll I'm working on it. The kid just knows when Mommy and Daddy are about to eat and he loves to get fussy just in time to spoil it. We're not sure if it is the sound of plates clanking or the smell of the food, but he has got it figured out somehow.
7. Magical Moment. I thought that by now the novelty of being excited to pick Alex up at the end of the day would have worn off. Boy, was I wrong. The best part of every day is the drive to the daycare, walking down the hall, and seeing my sweet baby boy playing in his classroom. I get all giddy and excited like it's the first day of school and I'm wearing the coolest outfit around. Ok, so maybe a different kind of excitement, but it really is fantastic. I know I probably walk in there with the goofiest grin on my face, but the staff all seem to understand. After all, who wouldn't be excited to see that cute chubby-cheeked face after a long day of work?
8. I Want to Make the World a Better Place. This doesn't require much explanation. I feel now that I have a child, my life has more value and I have more responsibility to build a more just world for my son and for all children. I know, sounds cheesy and a bit lofty, but I do. I just wonder how parents who have truly pointless jobs (like paparazzo who follow Paris Hilton around) justify their work. I know, I'm being judgmental, but seriously, does having pictures of some celebrity's cellulite do anything to create a better world for kids?
Things That Surprise Me, Even After 8 Months of Motherhood
1. High Cost of Food. I know that the price of groceries has gone up; blame it on biofuels, China and India, soaring oil prices, or whatever. But I never knew feeding a baby would get expensive. Alex gets four bottles of formula a day (my frozen breastmilk ran out about a week after I stopped pumping), baby food twice a day, and a bottle of juice once a day. The formula runs about $25 per week (and we go with the less expensive powder, not prepared stuff). The baby food about $15 per week. When I was in college, I could feed myself for $35 a week (it was a stretch, but I could do it). Nobody told me feeding a baby could cost almost as much as feeding an 18-year-old girl!
2. Pride. I knew I would feel pride at some point, I just had no idea that I would experience such strong pride at this early stage. It didn't matter that no one else was around to witness it, but when my baby army-crawled, slept through the night unswaddled, and drank all 5 ounces of juice for the first time (all in the last week), I couldn't have been more pleased.
3. Happiness/Sadness. It's funny how some parenthood moments truly are bitter sweet. Today Alex moved up to a new room at daycare. I was happy - he's getting older, he's becoming more developmentally independent, he's going to learn new skills from being around babies that are further along. But I was sad - he had a fantastic teacher in his first classroom, he's going to probably get less one-on-one attention, and he's going to be in a room with some babies who can walk (yikes!).
4. His Own Good. I'm surprised how easy it is to do things for Alex that I know are for his own good. I don't like to see my baby cry, but I will stick an aspirator up his nose twenty times in a row if that's what it takes to get all that mucus out and let him breath a little easier. He hates it and he hates me for doing it (not really), but I know it's best for him and that's what is most important.
5. Speaking of Snot. I never imagined how much it would suck to have a sick baby. I don't mean a seriously ill baby (I cannot begin to imagine the sorrow and anxiety that might cause), but a baby with a cold that just won't go away. I feel so bad for the little guy when I hear him cough or hear his wheezy breathing over the monitor. We do everything we can (saline drops, baby Vicks, two humidifiers, vapor outlet plugs, baby Tylenol/Motrin, warm baths, aspirator, etc., etc.), but you can't do much besides try to make him as comfortable as possible. But that's still not enough! Come, already, somebody invent a cure for the (all-too-common) cold!
6. Ralphie's Mom. Many moons ago I wrote in this blog that I wanted to be like Ralphie's mom from "A Christmas Story." I thought she was the image of a perfect parent - firm, but loving. Little did I know that I would be a lot like Ralphie's mom, just not quite in the way I pictured. Ralphie's mom had not had a hot meal in something like 10 years. We'll I'm working on it. The kid just knows when Mommy and Daddy are about to eat and he loves to get fussy just in time to spoil it. We're not sure if it is the sound of plates clanking or the smell of the food, but he has got it figured out somehow.
7. Magical Moment. I thought that by now the novelty of being excited to pick Alex up at the end of the day would have worn off. Boy, was I wrong. The best part of every day is the drive to the daycare, walking down the hall, and seeing my sweet baby boy playing in his classroom. I get all giddy and excited like it's the first day of school and I'm wearing the coolest outfit around. Ok, so maybe a different kind of excitement, but it really is fantastic. I know I probably walk in there with the goofiest grin on my face, but the staff all seem to understand. After all, who wouldn't be excited to see that cute chubby-cheeked face after a long day of work?
8. I Want to Make the World a Better Place. This doesn't require much explanation. I feel now that I have a child, my life has more value and I have more responsibility to build a more just world for my son and for all children. I know, sounds cheesy and a bit lofty, but I do. I just wonder how parents who have truly pointless jobs (like paparazzo who follow Paris Hilton around) justify their work. I know, I'm being judgmental, but seriously, does having pictures of some celebrity's cellulite do anything to create a better world for kids?
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Noooooooo!
Yesterday, when I went to pick Alex up from day care, his teacher told me that when the babies went for a ride in the Bye Bye Buggy, Alex was holding a little girl's hand!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
First Day of School Jitters
I knew putting Alex in day care would be difficult, but I had no idea just how difficult. I have always heard that putting your kid in day care is hard; I just thought it was so because you're away from your kid and you miss him. Well, I've been back at work since February 1, so I'm used to not seeing my son nine hours a day. But putting him in day care was about more than not seeing him. I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to a place that is safe and he is being looked after by people who will give him the best care. My concern - and the reason I could not concentrate at work at all on his first day - is whether he is happy. How aware is Alex of the situation? Do 7 month olds have the capacity to feel emotions like abandonment? I don't know. I wasn't at all worried about putting him in day care until Sunday, the day before his first day. We went to church and put him in the nursery. There they give you a buzzer (like the kind popular restaurants give you while you're waiting for a table) and only seconds into the sermon, the thing went off. And quite loudly, I might add. As if to scream "This lady's kid won't stop crying!!!" to the whole congregation.
So, understandably, that made me concerned about how Alex would handle a whole day without mommy and daddy. I stopped by on my lunch break to peek in the window. There was Alex passed out on the carpet next to one of the teachers (who must have been sitting there patting his back the whole time) and with a full bottle beside him. I called the day care about 2:30 to check on him. His primary caregiver said she couldn't get him to take his bottle, but he had no problem devouring the sweet potatoes I had brought for breakfast (what can I say, the kid's a true Southerner).
I left work at 4 p.m. and excitedly rushed across town to the day care to pick up my son. I could not wait to see his face transform from sad and forlorn to exquisite happiness at the sight of his beloved mother. I went into his room and at first couldn't even find him. Then I looked down to my right and there he was, passed out, again. His teacher picked him up and he did not budge. I took him from her and rubbed his back to try to wake him up and get my long-awaited smile. He just rubbed his eyes and looked at me expressionless. I stood and talked to the teacher for a few minutes as we looked for his pacifier (note to self: bring pacifier strap). A few minutes go by and one of the other teachers walks by (a pretty, young one) and Alex flashes her his million-dollar grin. Huh? Where's my smile?!? Oh well. I guess that means he doesn't hate school.
So, understandably, that made me concerned about how Alex would handle a whole day without mommy and daddy. I stopped by on my lunch break to peek in the window. There was Alex passed out on the carpet next to one of the teachers (who must have been sitting there patting his back the whole time) and with a full bottle beside him. I called the day care about 2:30 to check on him. His primary caregiver said she couldn't get him to take his bottle, but he had no problem devouring the sweet potatoes I had brought for breakfast (what can I say, the kid's a true Southerner).
I left work at 4 p.m. and excitedly rushed across town to the day care to pick up my son. I could not wait to see his face transform from sad and forlorn to exquisite happiness at the sight of his beloved mother. I went into his room and at first couldn't even find him. Then I looked down to my right and there he was, passed out, again. His teacher picked him up and he did not budge. I took him from her and rubbed his back to try to wake him up and get my long-awaited smile. He just rubbed his eyes and looked at me expressionless. I stood and talked to the teacher for a few minutes as we looked for his pacifier (note to self: bring pacifier strap). A few minutes go by and one of the other teachers walks by (a pretty, young one) and Alex flashes her his million-dollar grin. Huh? Where's my smile?!? Oh well. I guess that means he doesn't hate school.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Quick Update
Like mother ...
Alex doesn't like peas. He's not really a picky eater (so far, anyway), but he really doesn't like peas. We've tried sweet peas alone, and a country vegetable mix with peas. Like his mama, he just doesn't like peas. If you really want to know how much I hated peas as a kid, ask my dad about the time I sat at the dinner table for hours and was only released from that prison cell after I regurgitated peas onto my white t-shirt. Well, that's pretty much the whole story, but, trust me, if a kid is willing to make herself puke, it's probably just easier to give up. I promise, though, I will not force brussel sprouts on the poor kid.
Daddy
Daddy will no longer be a stay-at-home daddy. While Andy has thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Alex, he's looking forward to embarking on a new career path. On Monday he starts work as a recruiter for Hyundai's manufacturing plant in Montgomery. Which leads us to ...
School
Alex starts school on Monday! We got Alex into our #1 pick for day care (it only took us calling three days in a row). He begins his learnin' on July 7 at Growing Room. Yeah, it's one of the pricier ones, but we believe it will be well worth it. While I'm not looking forward to leaving him with strangers, I'm (selfishly) looking forward to seeing the happy (I hope!) expression on his face at the end of each day when his mama comes to get him!
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Alex has figured out that wherever he wants to go, he can get there by rolling. That's bad news for us. In the last week, we have found he has rolled off his mat and doing the following: pushing his pacifier beneath the couch, pulling on the dog's butt hair, knocking the fireplace tools off their stand, and smacking the heck out of Andy's PlayStation 3. He's not supposed to be so mobile yet! Aack - we need to baby-proof the house quick!
Alex doesn't like peas. He's not really a picky eater (so far, anyway), but he really doesn't like peas. We've tried sweet peas alone, and a country vegetable mix with peas. Like his mama, he just doesn't like peas. If you really want to know how much I hated peas as a kid, ask my dad about the time I sat at the dinner table for hours and was only released from that prison cell after I regurgitated peas onto my white t-shirt. Well, that's pretty much the whole story, but, trust me, if a kid is willing to make herself puke, it's probably just easier to give up. I promise, though, I will not force brussel sprouts on the poor kid.
Daddy
Daddy will no longer be a stay-at-home daddy. While Andy has thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with Alex, he's looking forward to embarking on a new career path. On Monday he starts work as a recruiter for Hyundai's manufacturing plant in Montgomery. Which leads us to ...
School
Alex starts school on Monday! We got Alex into our #1 pick for day care (it only took us calling three days in a row). He begins his learnin' on July 7 at Growing Room. Yeah, it's one of the pricier ones, but we believe it will be well worth it. While I'm not looking forward to leaving him with strangers, I'm (selfishly) looking forward to seeing the happy (I hope!) expression on his face at the end of each day when his mama comes to get him!
Rollin', rollin', rollin'
Alex has figured out that wherever he wants to go, he can get there by rolling. That's bad news for us. In the last week, we have found he has rolled off his mat and doing the following: pushing his pacifier beneath the couch, pulling on the dog's butt hair, knocking the fireplace tools off their stand, and smacking the heck out of Andy's PlayStation 3. He's not supposed to be so mobile yet! Aack - we need to baby-proof the house quick!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
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