Day 4: Get to Know Each Other

 

My sister in law gave me this little nugget of advice. You need to get to know your baby. Yes, you carried this babe inside your very own body for 9 months, and he was literally a part of you. But, through the miracle of life, he is now his own little person, and even teeny weeny newborns have preferences.

Some like to be burped on their tummies, others like to be walked to sleep, others like having something cuddly near their face to fall asleep. Some run hot, others are freezy cats (mine was!), some like their space and others crave constant human contact. It will take you a while to figure out what it is that they need when they cry (or if they just need to cry!), and how to comfort them.

A friend of mine told me how her son would scream bloody murder when anyone else other than his mom changed his diaper as an infant. It upset him massively. People looked at her like she was crazy when she said that he preferred her to change his diaper, but she held firm. Today, that boy is a healthy teenager who is the most private and modest of all her kids. She was right! And she had gotten to know her son, so she was able to see his need. 

You won’t figure it all out the first day. Or the second. It takes time. And that’s ok. Just make it a priority to get acquainted!

Check out the rest of my 31 Day Series!

Day 3: The First Night Home

Psst...before we get into today's nugget of advice, can I just tell you something? Yesterday was one of those tired days where I felt like it took a herculean effort just to get simple tasks done. And Javi didn't take his normal naps - which totally threw off my plans for the day. Also, I planned to get some outdoor painting done, and it rained all.day.long. :-) Good thing I've learned to be flexible, hmm? :-) 

 When interviewing pediatricians, I asked each one for their most important advice to me as a first time mom. They all told me some really useful stuff, but they also ALL told me this:

“That first night home from the hospital is really rough. The baby is starting to come out of their “just born daze”, and is freaking out about the world. The euphoria, adrenaline and numbness are starting to wear off for you. Sleep deprivation is just starting to get going. Your milk probably won’t have come in yet. And now you’re home, alone, feeling underqualified and overwhelmed. Everyone feels that way. And everyone makes it through just fine. After you all survive that first night, it gets easier.”

Boy were they right. I had grandiose ideas of the baby sleeping in his own room from the very first night. We laid Javi down to sleep in his cradle, and went into our room. 2.5 seconds later he was crying inconsolably, and so was I. We brought him in our room, and tried everything to soothe the little guy. I wailed to Lover through bleary eyes “how could they possibly have let us take him home when we know nothing about babies?” Javi cried, I cried, and Lover held us both. It was a long night. But you know what? Morning came, and we had all survived our first night as a family. And it got easier from there. :-)

Check out the rest of the posts in my series, 31 Days of New Baby Advice!

Day 2: Flexibility

 I figured that the first thing we should talk about in this series is Flexibility. Because, seriously, without this, we're sunk. Webster’s defines flexibility this way:

flexibility(n):characterized by a ready capability to adapt to new, different, or changing requirements

The capability of adapting to new requirements. I think that right there is an awesome definition of parenthood. :-) Just when I think we’re settling into a really good place, and I’ve figured out how to deal with my six month old, he starts teething. Just when he starts sleeping (almost!) through the night, he starts throwing tantrums and exerting his will, and challenging me.

It’s when I try to control anything and everything that things get rough. Babies just aren’t rigid and monotonous. They just aren’t. And the sooner you come to terms with that, the easier this all will be. Because, by the way, life isn’t rigid and monotonous, no matter how much you want it to be.

Learn to be flexible. Accept that what is working now may not continue to work next week. Or tomorrow. Try new methods. Think outside the box. Don’t freak out over a missed nap.

Be flexible.

Check out the rest of my series, 31 Days of New Baby Advice!

31 Days of New Baby Advice

 Do you have a sister that you're close to? A mom that you talk to every day? An aunt that is your source of wisdom for all things baby related? I have four sisters in law, two moms and a whole plethora of aunts. I'm a blessed girl. I'm also surrounded by an awesome group of girlfriends that I can go to whenever I'm confused. I've consulted all of these lovely ladies many many times over the last 18 months. What do I do when the baby won't sleep? What's the best remedy for diaper rash? How do you deal with temper tantrums? The list goes on and on. 

But maybe you don't have a "village" surrounding you. Maybe you are about to become a mother, or you are adding to your brood, and you're feeling all alone and unprepared. That's the reason I wanted to write this series. I'm going to be talking about the things I learned in those first few weeks of mommyhood. About the awesome advice my friends and family gave. About the things that worked for me, the things that didn't and the things I wish I had listened to. 

I'm NOT an expert. I have one child. He's less than a year old. I don't have all the answers, or even a lot of answers. :-) But over the next 31 days I will share what I can with you, in the hopes that some of it will help you. I'm excited - are you? 

Check out all the other bloggers who are participating in the Nester's 31 Day series!

A Gift for Jenna and Alice!

 My sweet friend Jenna is due in just a few short weeks with her first baby - a little girl! :-) Over the fourth of July weekend we were able to visit each other for the first time in ages and get as caught up as much as we could in just a few short hours! We snapped a quick picture at the Starbucks that we took refuge in from the oppressive Chicago heat. It was so great to see her!

Don't you just love the random Starbucks barista in the background? :-) 

 I wanted to send a little gift to celebrate with her - especially because I can't just pop in to see them when Alice deigns to make her arrival! 

I've been obsessed with baby hats forever, and now that I have my own little guy it only fuels my obsession. :-) So obviously, I wanted to make some little hats for baby Alice! I followed this tutorial  from Little Birdie Secrets to make a little ear cap, and then I also made another (a little bit bigger) with a cute little flannel heart on it. 

I also made a cuddly flannel blanket out of the cutest gray, white and pink flannel. I made it extra big so that it's perfect for swaddling little Alice. Hopefully she'll like it!

Now here's the part of the gift I'm super excited about - 

Tiny baby sneakers in a the most adorable plaid, and a tiny little popcorn bowl! I know how Jenna loves her popcorn, so when I saw this teeny little bowl I knew it would be perfect! :-) 

This was my first time wrapping the inside of a box, and I love how it contributed to the whole look of the package. It came out really cute. At the very bottom of the package I placed a novel that I read recently that I thought Jenna would enjoy. It'll come in handy for those marathon nursing sessions! 

All packaged up and ready to mail out! Hope you enjoy it Jenna! Can't wait to see pictures of that little girl!

Veronica graciously put together this virtual baby shower for Jenna so that we could all be a part of the celebration of baby Alice! Please check out the other gifts that these sweet girls prepared for Jenna! Thanks Veronica!

4 Little Fergusons (Midwest USA): 11 Lessons To Determine If You Are Ready For Parenthood
A Little Lunch (Eufaula, OK): Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Scones
City Songbird (Greensboro, NC): Merry Christmas, Alice!
Eats Well With Others (New York, NY): Peanut Butter and Honey Ice Cream
Hunting for Bliss (Bozeman, MT): Garam Masala Deviled Eggs
Pinking Shears & Broccoli Spears (Newark, DE): Making Food Good For Your Baby
Sydney Shares (Eugene, OR): Baby BLTs
That's Some Good Cookin' (Salt Lake City, UT): Cheesecake Cookie Bars
The Pajama Chef (Bloomington, IN): Iced Tea with Ginger-Mint Simple Syrup
Two Dogs In The Kitchen (Sterling, MI): Spicy Asian Meatballs
Veronica's Cornucopia (Wichita, KS): Raspberry Almond Fudge Cookies
Very Culinary (Sacramento, CA): Toasted Orzo and Chickpea Salad
 

Cleaning Up Messes

 I spend my day cleaning up messes. Wiping off meat sauce lasagna from chubby cheeks. Sweeping up graham crackers. Picking up blocks, stuffed animals and whatever else tickled my little guy’s fancy today. Vacuuming an unseemly amount of food out of the recesses of the high chair. Scrubbing the day’s dirt out of his hair, from behind his ears, off grubby fingers and toes.

I welcome the mess. Lonely in my too perfect and too clean house, I wished for a household of noise and chaos. I prayed for a child to follow me around, to make messes, to tug at my skirts. And my loving Father heard my prayer, and answered it.

On my good days, I don’t see the mess. I see beauty. I see my son’s insatiable appetite for learning, discovering, growing. I see the joy on his face as he grinds applesauce into his hair. The wonder as he opens a shoe box and pulls out the treasures I’ve hidden inside for him. I see a house that is lived in, used and enjoyed.

These are the things that matter. The cobwebs under my furniture don’t matter. The unpainted walls don’t matter. What matters is the fact that I am blessed beyond all that I could wildly imagine. Blessed with a little boy who is teaching me so much, without uttering a single word.

I 'm learning that this is how God sees us. Where we see imperfections, failures and disappointments, He sees beauty. He sees His child who He loves, who in His eyes is perfect. Yes, he still has to pick up our messes, but he doesn’t mind them. Because they are the evidence of the fact that we are learning and growing, and reaching out to be closer to Him.

Those messes don’t define us, we are defined by His love for us and His delight in the people we are growing up to be.

Dear Lucy

 Dear Lucy, 

Thank you so much for coming to visit me at my house. And for bringing your mommy and daddy too. I had such a great time with you - it was so much fun to have another me-sized person in the house!

I can't believe how pretty you are - I think you are the prettiest girl in the whole wide world. Well, after my mommy of course. 

I'm sorry that I tried to kiss you the first chance I got. I know that was presumptuous of me.

But your eyes are just so amazing, and I knew we were just going to be the best of friends. 

Thanks for showing me how to do all sorts of fun stuff, like waving and clapping and crawling. I figured out how to crawl last weekend - finally! I've been working on that for like seven months!

My mommy said to tell your mommy thank you for all the fun gifts she left for us. We love them all. Especially this little vase - I can't wait to fill it up with all sorts of flowers for her once I can reach door handles to get outside. 

In the meantime, I am working out daily. Next time you see me I'll be totally buff. The baby fat is just temporary, I swear. 

Anyways, I can't wait to see you again. You're my bestest friend in the whole wide world.  And I should know, I'm quite the little traveler. 

Love, Javi