WEEK TWO

Visitors, visitors, visitors! I felt like I was becoming a pro at making my baby look like an angel. I would always time it so my little man was fed, changed, clean and asleep whenever somebody was coming over. God forbid they seem him cry, let alone see me try and deal calmly with him crying. I think that’s what I was most afraid of. Watchful eyes prying and judging as I take a little too long to comfort my own baby. So I kept up this routine until all family and friends had met him at least once in this perfect state. Just once to show them what an under control, wonderful mother I was! Look a bit closer and they would have seen the deliriously exhausted mom who didn’t have a clue what she was doing. Luckily my mom and dad were visiting this week to offer some relief. I LOVE my mom but I have to say it, she’s a neat freak. I am not a messy person by any means, but this doesn’t stop my mom front finding every spec of dirt in my house. Normally this has been a bone of contention between us…but now…I’ve never been so happy for her to clean everything!

‘You want to take everything out from beneath our kitchen sink and scub??’ That’s wonderful!! Unfortunately my dad has to leave early due to an illness in the family, but my mom decides to stay and I’m happy she does. It’s so nice to have her here with me while my husband returns to work. Somehow I feel closer to her now then ever before. It must be a mom thing.

We take Oliver for his first stroller ride. So far so good! I’m relieved because I’ve heard all these horror stories of babies hating their strollers, and since its coming on summer I’m relying on the stroller to get out and about, enjoy some fresh air, and hopefully loose some baby weight. The only thing is…he only really likes it when he’s sleeping…

It’s so important to have a scence of humour with a new baby. One day I was changing a VERY poopy diaper. And of course with Oliver’s squirmy kicking legs he managed to get poop all over his feet. That’s fine…I start wiping those off. Then he starts spitting up, and not just a little, but a lot… so I grab a wash cloth and start wiping that up. Then comes the pee. And not just a drizzle, but a shooting fountain straight in the air. It’s then that I have to take a step back with a hand on my little monster and start laughing saying to him ‘ I don’t even know where to begin!!’ You could very easily get frustrated in such a moment, but they are so little and helpless, and really don’t know any better There’s nothing you really can do but laugh.

Mid week my mom goes home and I’m left alone with my baby for the first time. Scary! I decide to put together the Baby Bjorn bouncy chair that was given to us and try him out in it. I’m so pleased when he sits in it quiet and content. Little did I know then that it would become my new best friend!

Babies require a lot of stuff for being so small. Just to get out the door is an ordeal! I find that I’m intimidated using the stroller all by myself because he tends to fuss in it unless he’s sleeping and I’m not quite ready to deal with a crying baby in public yet! And, I have to carry it down some stairs to get to the sidewalk. So, instead I pull out the sling that I bought by Blue Celery and find it a lot easier to manage. He loves being in there, and there is less stuff to worry about bringing. I try to take him out for short walks. I have to keep reminding myself to take it easy. I am still on pain killers, but by the end of the day I find that I’m in a lot of pain. We live in a town house and those three flights of stairs are starting to take their toll.