Today Wyatt will is a month old, and I couldn't be happier about each new way he brings joy to our lives. The obligatory my-baby-is-one-month-old post is coming soon (probably when he's a month and a half; we have lives to live here people!). But after looking back at the last month I must throw myself a high five for all that I've learned to be and the me I haven't stopped being with a tiny miracle given to our lives.
One month, two books. DONE! I finished Little Bee by Chris Cleave and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, both high recommendations.
I'm learning to nap when baby naps. Well, sort of. Obviously, I am not doing that now, but I promise--I can!
I admit to myself my weaknesses as a mother and vow daily to pray for the strength to transform these into unyielding strengths.
Still chasing culinary adventures--blog posts to come: guacamole and my first meatloaf!
Baby unlocked achievements:
1. Putting on a onesie without driving Wyatt crazy. Who knew those things (touted as oh so convenient) would be so difficult to master?! After a day or so though, sign me up for the all-star team.
2. Cutting down on leaking diapers and Wyatt's watering of his room.
3. Soothing upset tummy!
4. Surviving month 1! Love you Wyatt!
All of these could not be possible without C. Cowboy. His unfailing encouragement when I'm doubtful, support when I need a break, and unbelievable fathering have made the beginnings of this journey not only do-able but FILLED with a beaming smile from my heart.
In a couple of weeks this Cowboy family is taking it back to the hometowns and heading to LA for a week-long visit to introduce Wyatt to family and friends back home. One might view this trip as a)completely overwhelming and daunting OR b) AN ADVENTURE!
I'm going with letter "b." So pack your bags, ladies and gentlemen. Wait, pack your bags? Wyatt can't pack his own bag, and boy is that little guy going to need some stuff. Or maybe just Momma needs the stuff to comfort her knowing that "if" something comes up, she's prepared.
Here's a look at what's already on the list:
1. Sleep sheep (yes, the one with the broken 45 minute timer). I need to call the company about that. But at least this one will be super useful in the car.
2. Sound machine (remains on until you turn it off variety) that someone gave me for a college graduation present. Who knew that would come in handy. Good thing I'm a pack rat and can't throw away things. It's been in a cabinet in the bathroom for 7 years. A few AA batteries and we are in business!
3. Backup AA batteries for said noisemakers.
4. Baby Swing courtesy of our friends Team Gates.
5. Burp clothes--maybe ALL that we own.
6. Pac-n-play -- baby's got to sleep somewhere.
7. Pacifiers (might buy extra in case what we have disappears at someone's house).
8. Sleepywrap
9. DIAPERS
10. Camera
11. Tide Free (for laundry while home)
12. Oh yea, the kiddo.
TO DO before we leave:
1. Set up mirror in car so we can see what he's doing if both of us are in the front seat.
2. Put up sun shade on window.
3. Load music on Cowboy's car stereo that suites Wyatt.
4. Drive around a bit more in Sugar Land to test the waters a bit and make sure he's ready.
So, faithful followers (all 4 of you, some of which have traveled with infants, some of which have had infants travel to your crib), any hints? Let the adventure begin!
Yes, I have a newborn, but no, that doesn't mean that my thirst for the juicy creativity of words evaporates. I could spend the blessed daylight (and nighttime) hours up with our little one catching up on marathons of Housewives of New York/New Jersey/Orange Beach (Hey, why not Housewives of southern LA?). Ok, I'll admit it, the New York season is my favorite, and you might catch me viewing Bethanny's Getting Married, but I decided to spend more time reading and hit our local, friendly, and yes, "kickin'" as C. Cowboy described it when he picked up my books on reserve, library. I have a huge list of wanna-reads, and they are often ones I have to request and wait for. I was hoping these would come in pre-baby, but I'll take what I can get. Come on--we have a baby now. I can't just got out and buy $14.99 Barnes and Noble editions. The more I save this way, the more cute baby clothes I can buy.
A couple of nights ago I began reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave and my parched literary tongue was instantly quenched. A lover of flowery and decadent prose (come on--my favorite book is A Tale of Two Cities), I took to Cleave's story from page 1 as his narrator talked me into believing that I'd want to be a British pound coin too. As I kept reading I found myself wanting to dog-ear pages of quotes I loved and want to record, a habit I find rude for library book renters. If you want to fold pages, get your own copy. But I snuck in just one. Hey, I'm breaking all sorts of rules these day--it's a Momma thing I believe. After finding out that a pack of Pampers Swaddlers didn't have the change-from-yellow-to-green-when-baby-pees stripe on the front, I proceeded to Target, returned an additional pack I had purchased, found the diaper aisle, and ripped open a pack to check for it on the new ones. No stripe--bought Huggies.
Back to our story. I challenge you to tell me these words don't shake your soul somehow--subtly with a gentle touch or forcefully with rattling power.
"On the girl's brown legs there were many small white scars. I was thinking, Do those scars cover the whole of you, like the stars and the moons on your dress? I thought that would be pretty too, and I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived.
In a few breaths' time I will speak some sad words to you. But you must hear them the same way we have agreed to see scars now. Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this story-teller is alive. The next thing you know, something fine will happen to her, something marvelous, and then she will turn around and smile."
Beautiful. Poetic. Sincere. Raw. I don't need to say anymore.
Then I woke up to facebook checking to find my dear friend, English teacher, and department head's status update. Wave on, sweet language, wave on. And I pray my little one's ears absorb and savor the sounds, the movement, the power of words and that his little soul burns, burns, burns with the passion of the universe.
“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the...stars…” — Jack Kerouac
Ok, so my title sounds like I'm a spoiled brat. Maybe not spoiled, but let's say blessed. I am thankful for the hard work that Cajun Cowboy and I have put into our lives to enjoy such luxuries. Yes, we'd do just fine raising our little one without it, but take a look at the top five reasons why I love spicing up mommy-hood with apple's contribution to the smart phone world :
1. THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT! -- C. Cowboy and I spent 5 days charting Wyatt's baby patterns (yep, how often does he eat, what does his poop look like, how often does he wet his diaper, when are his naps, etc.) on a printed chart that he created while wondering if we should open the itzbeen timer given to us by a dear friend. Techno-savvy Cowboy, however, went on a mission and found Baby Activity Logger, a much cheaper version of the itzbeen and far more practical as our phones go with us everywhere anyway. Plus, we can sync our data, helping us both to be on top of the ongoing baby activities. There are even ways to view in chart form the patterns that your baby is developing -- all for a whopping 5 bucks! Hey, some people spend their 5 dollars on footlongs. This new mom wants what iPhone's got!
2. SAY CHEESE! -- The iPhone definitely helps capture tiny moments when the camera just might be out of reach. Because this wonderfully functional cellular is always with you in order to track baby's eating/sleeping/pooping, it's always available to snap those darling moments when baby is making the perfect face.
Exhibit A -- Contentment
Exhibit B --Praying with the angels
Exhibit C -- Pondering hunger
Exhibit D -- Perfection
3. ENTERTAIN ME ALREADY -- Words With Friends gaming and facebook updating -- When you are up at all hours of the night and waiting for the little guy to eat or fall asleep, there's a way to avoid falling asleep yourself! However, this of course comes with the understanding that your friends won't be replying or updating any time soon if you find yourself seeking a response.
4. YOU SAY YOU WANT PICTURES? -- The iPhone makes it so easy to snap pictures and email family to check in on their precious new addition or even share with friends on facebook.
Check out what we shared this week:
Telling everyone we made it home
Studding it up after my first doc visit
5. IT TAKES A VILLAGE -- if even a cyber one. Perhaps it's after a night of no sleep from our little guy or maybe wondering about how often he's "supposed" to eat--having an iPhone makes it super easy to email my professional mom friends to ask for their opinions and a sharing of their experiences. Even if it's the middle of the night (that's a motif here!), you can count on a response in the morning. I love my particular cyber village and can't wait for all these "pitos" of mine to meet our miracle baby.
As of 4:05 Wednesday I will officially have been a mother for a week and want to introduce the little guy who's spiced up our lives with love more than any other seasoning on the rack. Yes, calm down everyone, you will get your pictures to oooohh and ahhhh over (plus a special bonus addition Meerkat update), but first I must tell you what I've learned so far about this whole mother thing.
Nobody told me how little boys have trouble keeping their teetee in the diaper. Night one at home and I'm rocking the middle of the night feeding/changing diaper/putting back to bed. I'm thinking--I got this nighttime thing. Next feeding--the little guy has not only wet his diaper, but his outfit. Ok, I think, I'll feed him and change his diaper and outfit and put him back to bed. No problem. Next feeding, new outfit is wet again! Since we didn't know the gender until Wyatt was born, we had far fewer clothes than we'd need. Cajun Cowboy was quickly updated on the developing situation and sent with clear instructions the next day to Target for more sleep and plays.
Turns out that I have an inner craving for pop culture gossip that I've been in denial about. Cajun Cowboy brought home the latest People and US Weekly for some "light reading" while I'm up with our Cajun Shrimp at night, and I soon realized that man, I just might care "who wore it best" amongst celebrities.
These magazines aren't just for light reading though. Turns out, celebs have valuable lessons for us and teachable moments abound with each page turn. For example, the wisdom of Lady Gaga shines though when quoted, "When I wake up in the morning, I feel just like any other insecure 24-year-old girl. Then I say, 'Bitch, you're Lady Gaga, you get up and walk the walk today.'" I can hear myself now, "Bitch, you're Wyatt's Momma, now get up and walk the walk today." I'm not a L. GG fan, but this just might work like a charm. :) Not sure if I wrote about this little girl but she also embraces the approach.
Mostly, I've learned that it is seemingly impossible to love more than I love this little man, and he's a daily reminder that God loves us this very same way.
This is what we've been up to:
First I was born and met my Momma and Daddy:
Now I'm on the way home from the hospital. It was raining like crazy, so we were a bit stressed. Grandpa calls this my "elf" look. Maybe I will have magical powers--will keep you posted, but I've got my parents wrapped around my fingers already!
We briefly tried out the bouncer from Aunt Shelly, Aunt Mary Allen, Aunt Ali, and Hammy. This is one of my mom's favorite outfits by the way. I'm not sure about how I feel about vibrating yet.
And now we sleep in the newborn napper part of the pac-n-play from Grammy and Grandpa. Doesn't it look like heaven. Maybe when I'm older I'll invent one for adults.
Happy Birthday America! I celebrated Momma's favorite holiday in style (yes, the outfit was purchased that very morning and quickly washed by Mamie Jewels to sport today). The over/under on how long I lasted in this before peeing on myself....2.5 hours. Any betters? Let's just say it wasn't too long, but I was adorable while it lasted.
See, same day, different outfit. We tried our best to pose under the sign Uncle Rich and Aunt Kristine (and my cousin Rich J) sent. It was such a surprise and made Momma and Daddy so excited. Uncle Rich comes through in the clutch. I hear he has this thing called "the vision."
I hung out lots this week with Mamie Jewels and Nana and Pop. What a blast! They weren't lying about how awesome grandparents are.
(Ok, I have to include this quote about my mom:)
A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships. ~Victoria Secunda
The sweetest sounds to mortals given
Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.
~William Goldsmith Brown
(And if there are typos in this post, well, get over it. I'm a Momma!)
