How much could possibly happen in a week?

Mommy Thoughts
There are things that you can not possibly prepare for when you cross the threshold into parenthood.  You hear all the time about what you'll learn: a new kind of love, a new level of exhaustion, a new sense of responsibility, a new outlook on the world.  It's all true.  A sister-friend (totally different from a sister-wife!) made an observation on Facebook recently about a conversation she overheard between some suburban moms.  She wondered if there was anything else in the world that they found interesting or substantial.  She was concerned.  I can say, almost confidently, that they do have other interests.  I'm still just as interested now as I was in politics, television, my social life, and my husband as I was pre-baby.  It's just that a person was introduced into my life who depends on me completely.  When you pair his dependence with this newly unlocked maternal love, everything else fades into the background.  (Don't let me forget to mention that I'm also one of those working moms.  I leave my house when it's still dark outside, and I get precious little time to sit and snuggle.  I feel like I only see him on weekends, so I spend a lot of time missing him, thinking of him, wishing I was with him.)  If I seem to have a one track mind, it's because I do.  He's growing so fast.  Almost 2 months have flown by.  The people who understand me best are the women who are living with their little ones - savoring moments as they slip away.  Put us together, and I'm sure we'd seem boring to almost anyone without kids.

Side note to SB: When it's you, people will wonder the same thing about you.  You'll smile, look at the tiny face that you formed and shrug it off, knowing that there will be plenty of time to catch up on news, sports, pop culture, or whatever it is that you're missing.  You're going to be awesome when it's your turn.  <3!

State of the Bebe

Bo will be 8 weeks old tomorrow.  He's holding his head up like a champ.  He's working up some facial expressions - I've seen fleeting smiles, and I'm waiting breathlessly for an honest to goodness big toothless grin.  I feel like we've passed a milestone with nursing.  He was slow to latch a couple of days this week, but we soldiered on and prevailed.  We're working up a bedtime routine - last feeding, lotion/massage, swaddle, singing, book, prayer, and bed.  Tonight was the second night.  He went down pretty quickly, and I felt vindicated.  He's still waking up between 11PM and 1AM and then sometime between 4AM and 6AM.  We're scheduled for the first round of vaccinations next week.  I'm already stressed about it. 

((ETA: He's still wobbly with the head holding... but definitely starting to get the hang of it.))

Family Plans
Cameron is going to pick up Tyler and Des tomorrow.  He'll finally get to meet their teachers for this year.  Des will be staying for a whole week - Tyler for the weekend only.  I'm excited for some girl time, and I know how much she wants to help take care of the baby.  My second set of parents are coming up on Saturday to meet the Bebe.  I can't wait for him to meet them!

Aunt Juliet and Uncle Jonathan will be here next weekend, and we have tentative plans for a pumpkin patch / haunted corn maze trip.   I'll probably definitely be sitting out anything described as haunted.  Someone has to keep watch for the Great Pumpkin after all.  :)  My guess is that Daredevil Des will be beside herself with excitement.

Routines
It's our second week back on the FlyLady program.  The house looks great.  The routines are starting to set in.  My filing cabinet is in better shape that it has been in at least a year.  The dreaded Tupperware cabinet has been organized.  The laundry is caught up, and I even gave myself a manicure.  I've built a family binder that keeps me organized and on track.  (I'm really geeking out about it - it may get it's own post.  Don't judge me.)  We can have a guiltfree restful and snuggle filled weekend.  I may even break out a fun kid activity or two from Pinterest.

Work
I'm learning about the sales world.  It's an interesting creature.  This week I overcame my fear of cold calling.  I drove to an industrial park, drove around, and talked to people.  I have to remind myself that people are, for the most part, nice.  The worst that anyone can say is no.  I even had one very nice man give me a tour of his warehouse. 

It was incredibly sad to see how many plants and factories have closed their doors.  Empty parking lots form desolate and dusty perimeters around sad buildings with dark windows.  It's a world that I've never seen before.  I'm relieved and terrified that there is an election around the corner.  I pray that in the near future, cars will fill the parking lots again and send the weeds that have set up residence in cracks in the pavement packing.

Research

I'm reading a book about attachment parenting.  It's an interesting take, and while I'm not exactly soliciting advice, I'd like to hear opinions that you might have on it.  Comment, shoot me an email, or give me a call.  We'll chat.  :)

My Intervention

Since being placed on husband-enforced couch rest for the 15 hours per day that I am not at work, I sit after work and stare longingly at hot spots in my house that just need a touch up before Baby Bo’s arrival.  Cameron does an excellent job of taking care of things – he is a smart guy and learns quickly.  Gone are the days when he didn’t know how to turn on the vacuum or which of my clothes CANNOTGOINTHEDRYER!  Keep in mind that if I sound like I am complaining, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that any issues that I have stem strictly from the fact that in my mind, no one can keep my house like I can. 

Last weekend, my aunt and my cousin offered to come over and help me set up my baby spaces.  Our house has limited square footage, and while Bo and Tyler will share a bedroom, I do NOT want Tyler to feel displaced by the new baby at all.  The crib and a dresser will go into Tyler’s room, but for the foreseeable future, Baby Bo will reside in a bassinet in our room.  I had plans to keep his clothes and a changing station in our room.  I was a little overwhelmed by what seemed to me to be 7 million tiny decisions and by my admitted lack of any decorative eye.  After 2 amazing showers, there were clothes, toys, nursery decorations, and all the miscellaneous baby things that inevitably go with bringing home baby.

We decided that Auntie M and Rebecca would come over on Wednesday evening, and we’d put everything in its place.  By Tuesday evening, it was clear to me that I was not going to be comfortable having anyone in my house in its current condition.  Cameron assured me that everything would be just fine, that no one expected my house to be spotless, and that he would clean Wednesday morning before work.  Wednesday morning, I texted Rebecca to tell her that I just couldn’t do it.  I just couldn’t have them at my house.  She asked me to call her, which I did.  She informed me in no uncertain terms that this was an INTERVENTION.  They were coming.  They were bringing dinner, and I just needed to tell her what I wanted for dinner.  (This might have lead to another mini-breakdown where I begged her to just bring ANYTHING for dinner as long as I didn’t have to make a decision.)

At 5:30PM, I arrived home from work and under strict orders from Rebecca, I changed my clothes, but I cleaned nothing.  Thankfully, Cameron - true to his word - had basically cleaned the entire house.  I sat down and wrote a few thank you notes and waited for the reinforcements.  They arrived with spaghetti (all ingredients fresh from the farm), garlic bread, AND dessert.  Once we had eaten and talked Bumbo recalls and baby shoes, we moved into my bedroom.

Rebecca refolded all my onesies.  Apparently there's an art to it.

  We sorted through ALL the baby stuff.  They helped me decide what needed to stay in arm’s reach and what could be put away for a while.  

Major life lesson: Diapers can NOT live in the linen closet.

They hung decorations and took tags off of toys.  

Auntie M made the quilt!  Super cute.  Letters were crafted by One Rad Mother and Mellow.

Thanks for these also goes to One Rad Mother.  She's amazing.

Basket of fun!

Super awesome wash cloth dinosaurs, made by Ben, for my diaper cake.   Love them.

Auntie M made a trip to the closest store for Rubbermaid drawers and baskets for sorting.  

Thank you, Margaret!!

We laughed.  We talked about packing a hospital bag.  We looked at bringing home baby outfits.  We oohed and aahed over onesies with whales that said “Little Squirt”.  We worked until almost 9PM.  Then we ate dessert. 

As quickly as they came, they were gone – leaving me tired and thankful for my family and friends who don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. 

*** Edited to Add*** 

The finished product!!