Figuring It Out
Transitioning into parenthood has been challenging, to say the least. Lack of sleep coupled with baby's crying fits of unknown origin have made the nights unbearably long and the naps unbelievably short. There seems to be an endless list of "to do's" from laundry to sterilizing bottles to cleaning up projectile poop, and not nearly enough hours to complete any of this stuff (thank God that my mom is bearing the load right now, but when she goes...well, the ball will drop). Of course, two trips to the ER at the local children's hospital (in three days) don't help either.** Suffice to say, we are tired.
It has also been an adventure trying to figure out Baby Loquacious' cues and preferences. Not unlike a difficult logic problem or a good mystery novel, we need to piece together a whole bunch of little tidbits of information over a period of time in order to form some sort of coherent snapshot of our kid. Only by trial and error have we discovered a few choice clues to help us survive the days (and nights):
* white noise machines and the shower running are ambient noises that help baby sleep
* she likes being bounced and walked around; rocking on the rocker just won't cut it
* car rides make her sleepy
* nursing makes her comatose, even though she latches at a funny angle and prefers latching on her own rather than being guided
* gripe water is her drug of choice; it reduces her gas discomfort even though I have no idea how it works
* she enjoys the taste of Vitamin D drops
* there are distinct types of cries that she offers up depending on whether she wants to feed or be changed
* skin-to-skin is a very comfy place for her to be, especially with me
* she likes to be really warm (taking after her daddy), which is why bath time is such a tough go
* swaddling only works if she gets to keep her arms free; she's a bit of a Houdini and hates being totally restricted when she sleeps
I won't lie - these first weeks of parenthood are hard. They test the limits of our patience at a time when we are most tired, and there isn't much in the way of consistency where schedules are concerned. We sleep (or try to sleep) when baby sleeps, and we feed every time she wants to eat. We change her the moment we smell something afoul in the air, and we fit in showers and meals around baby's ever-changing schedule.
And yet, despite the challenges that these next few weeks will pose (and have posed), I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that my darling little Baby Loquacious will only be this age once, and the season is short, so I make the most of every opportunity to love on her and serve her with a joyful heart and a willing spirit. She may be a bit of a grump sometimes, but in the end she is a wonderful little baby whose sweet giggles and cuddles make all the sleepless nights and difficult days worthwhile.
**PS - The ER trips were educational for Mommy & Daddy. Baby Loquacious is fine and thriving.
It has also been an adventure trying to figure out Baby Loquacious' cues and preferences. Not unlike a difficult logic problem or a good mystery novel, we need to piece together a whole bunch of little tidbits of information over a period of time in order to form some sort of coherent snapshot of our kid. Only by trial and error have we discovered a few choice clues to help us survive the days (and nights):
* white noise machines and the shower running are ambient noises that help baby sleep
* she likes being bounced and walked around; rocking on the rocker just won't cut it
* car rides make her sleepy
* nursing makes her comatose, even though she latches at a funny angle and prefers latching on her own rather than being guided
* gripe water is her drug of choice; it reduces her gas discomfort even though I have no idea how it works
* she enjoys the taste of Vitamin D drops
* there are distinct types of cries that she offers up depending on whether she wants to feed or be changed
* skin-to-skin is a very comfy place for her to be, especially with me
* she likes to be really warm (taking after her daddy), which is why bath time is such a tough go
* swaddling only works if she gets to keep her arms free; she's a bit of a Houdini and hates being totally restricted when she sleeps
I won't lie - these first weeks of parenthood are hard. They test the limits of our patience at a time when we are most tired, and there isn't much in the way of consistency where schedules are concerned. We sleep (or try to sleep) when baby sleeps, and we feed every time she wants to eat. We change her the moment we smell something afoul in the air, and we fit in showers and meals around baby's ever-changing schedule.
And yet, despite the challenges that these next few weeks will pose (and have posed), I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that my darling little Baby Loquacious will only be this age once, and the season is short, so I make the most of every opportunity to love on her and serve her with a joyful heart and a willing spirit. She may be a bit of a grump sometimes, but in the end she is a wonderful little baby whose sweet giggles and cuddles make all the sleepless nights and difficult days worthwhile.
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