Original Post from 2014
So week eight went okay with some very nice days and some very lousy days. The only difference between these days is the amount of sleep, which has become a touchy subject because even when I'm left alone and Senthil has Koral downstairs, I sometimes cannot relax enough to doze off, generally because I hear her crying and can't ignore it.
I read an article this week about viewing your days as a parent - glass half full or glass half empty? Early in life, my sister said, "Everything is what you make of it" and got me thinking glass-half-full. The article below goes through a mom's morning like a journal. It's the same day written twice from both perspectives. Personally the half-full version is too mushy in this article and trying to sound perfect, and there can be all kinds of humor in the crappy stuff that happens. But I understand that it is encouraging positivity, and that's great.
http://www.babble.com/parenting/glass-half-empty-vs-glass-half-full-parenting/
It comes down to being just like everything in life, how you want to see it and make a choice. Unless, of course, you are either really really over-tired or sick. Then it's half-empty and you just have to wait for it to get better.
The husband -
Well, it's a strange thing. The first two months, Senthil himself wonders if he makes anything easier or should he just stay out of the way? One person told us when I was pregnant that the first three months, it's more a mom thing. I kind of have to agree. I don't want to agree, but it all comes back to nurturing that only I can give her right now. Senthil keeps saying it's good I have a strong instinct to nurture her and he doesn't have that yet. He plays with her but it's more for him, like he wants a cuddle so he cuddles her and kisses her and ends up rubbing his scratchy chin on her and she cries. Or he lays in a really comfy position on the couch and she's on his chest in a slightly awkward angle and crying but he thinks she's just exercising her voice. So reading the cues she gives isn't as much working with him, but he spends much of the day at work and not with her, so that makes sense. He does have these adorable little pep talks with her about life rules, and that goes well because he is looking directly at her face and can read her expressions. He'll hold her so they're face to face and say things like "Okay, Rule Number One: Milo is your Brother Doggie. Doggies have floppy ears. Babies have ears, too, but they're not floppy. Rule Number Two: Mommies need rest, too..." And it goes on like that. It's REALLY sweet and cute and I wish I could capture it on camera but he never lets me.
Senthil will be leaving on a trip for FIVE weeks soon, and he'll miss SO MUCH. I think it's okay, and he may even need the freedom, sort of like a "time out." But when he comes back, she'll be a completely different person. She changes so very quickly. I still can't figure out at what point she transformed from my tiny little newborn into this chubby loud yelling baby that she is right now. In my mind and memory there are now two version of Koral, and they do look quite different. Senthil loves her chubbiness and very affectionally calls her "fat one" and she "looks less like a little chimp now and she got cuter!"
Next: We Upgraded on some Stuff. I had to.
I had bought a little tiny fold-up baby swing. It didn't cut it. It cost way to much for what it was, but oh well, move it out and move on. I went to a friend's house last week and saw a REAL baby swing that goes sideways or front to back, plays music, is electric (not batteries) and has a revolving bird mobile. YES! I just thought Koral didn't like swinging. No, she didn't like that little swing. It was boring and the seat was uncomfortable. Yesterday I bought and assembled this Fisher Price wonder called "Snugabunny Swing" and it is SO worth it and SO much better. She loves it. She likes napping in it even without the swing going in the day as it is really comfortable and she likes the mobile for staring at when she's awake. Swinging is soothing if nothing else works. This was such a good choice.
The Mobile on her crib. I loved the little animal one we have. The problem is that it is a wind-up mobile, like every other mobile I have ever seen. But as soon as it stops, the baby that was almost asleep notices, wakes up, stares for a minute, and then throws the biggest fit you've ever seen, getting all sweaty and agitated over a mobile. So I got a battery-powered one that plays music for 20 minutes! There are many different songs, a night light, and I have high hopes. It is by Tiny Love, and called Princess something, and the mobile has little fairy houses and butterflies and a frog on it. We'll see if she likes it tomorrow. I just attached it today.
So so far, it's been the bottles upgraded to Tommee Tippee, the swing, and the mobile. If it will make months or years of your life easier, I say do it. If it's just weeks, maybe struggle through.
Okay - ready for week nine starting tomorrow! The two-month doc appointment is next Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment