I'm not entirely new at the mommy thing. I've been doing the SAHM thing for 5 1/2 months now. But it seems like I've still not gotten my footing. The Tiny Overlord (as my husband and I loving refer to her--TO for short) just keeps throwing new stuff at us.
Everyone told me about the newborn phase, and they gave vague descriptions that hint at terror. Vague enough that you (or at least I) wave off as over exaggeration. Well, the joke's on me, folks, 'cause everything "those people" said was true, and then some. What they didn't say was that, in some ways, it gets much harder as time goes on.
I, for one, have reached all new levels of exhaustion. Pre-TO, I thought I understood. I pulled all-nighters in high school and college. I even stayed up partying all night a few times in college. (Not in high school--I was too much of a high-achieving dork for that kind of tomfoolery.) So, going into this baby thing, I thought I was prepared. Plus, (I told myself) I am a night owl: around the clock feedings won't hurt me at all. I think I thought I had an "S" on my shirt or something.
TO came along, and now I'm humbled on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. That beautifully organized and classic Minimal style nursery? It's now functionally disarrayed, clothes and spit rags and swaddles draped everywhere. We have hardwoods and no rug in that room; this is the only thing that saves it from being covered in her toys.
Pre-TO, I swore I wouldn't let baby things take over the house. And I'm pretty sure my friends-with-kids (FWK) laughed at me behind my back. (Amber, Jenni: feel free to laugh in my face now. I can take it.) In the family room to date, we have a swing, a Jumperoo, an exersaucer, and a pack and play. If you don't know what those things are, congratulations! You have a life and are probably pretty well rested. And why do we have those things? Because I value my sanity, though I'm holding on to it by the tips of my fingers most days. Mommy me has realized that those Things keep TO off my hip and out of my ears and mouth. (TO continues to explore the wide range of Sticking My Fingers Into People's Facial Orifices. It's a new performance art she's pioneering.)
This blog, I'm hoping, will also help me keep my sanity. Once upon a time, I used to be a decent writer. I certainly enjoyed it. And if I can enjoy this, while managing to be entertaining and hopefully a little informative to others, I've accomplished something. Something other than changing diapers and wiping drool.
More TO adventures to come. . .
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Hang in there, it gets better!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've said this to other new mommas and I'm not sure if I've gotten around to telling you yet: Learn how to use a baby sling! Not the snugli things with all the buckles and pockets, just a piece of fabric with rings attached. It is much more versatile, and you can position your baby in a lot of different ways.
I was sort of forced to wear my second baby because I just didn't have any help, and it turned out to be easier than not wearing her. I never needed to cart a stroller around, I could breastfeed anywhere, and my baby almost never cried. It's almost like I popped her back in the womb, close to my body. As she got older, she liked to look at things, which is where the versatility of the sling really came in because I just changed her position so she could see stuff, and she continued to be happy.
Babywearing is part of a larger trend called attachment parenting, which I thought I would hate because I wanted a life of my own also. Ironically, practicing attachment parenting with the baby gave me a lot more time to do my own stuff. For instance, if I put my laptop on a countertop in the kitchen and popped the baby in the sling, I could actually use the internet most days!
Slings make babies happy. Happy babies make mommies happy. If you haven't already, try picking up "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp. It was my personal fave, and helped me stay sane!
Looking forward to more blogging from the baby trenches :)
Love that you've started a blog, doing so has helped me, sometimes just so I feel like I have a place to vent. The biggest thing for me in times of frustration is to remember that tomorrow's another day. That in a week, a month, 10 years from now, the bad things won't matter so much. Hope it gets easier on you chica ;)
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