Baby blog updated

The parent trap

I realize I have only posted baby pictures the last couple times, so I've been thinking of non-baby-picture things I could post about. (Though I've also updated pictures and a video on the baby blog. Ü)

-Like how being the parent of a newborn is insanely trying and, honestly, not very enjoyable. And how there seems to be a stigma against talking about that fact. As if we shouldn't admit this adorable new person in our household is more than we can and would like to handle most days. I had such guilt feeling like that, until others admitted they'd felt the same way. Phew. So either (1) all women truly love the newborn stage, which is amazing and by golly so lucky, or (2) not liking having a newborn is a

stage of parenthood you just have to get through. I'd guess #2 is the case most of the time, so I think it's something people should be allowed to discuss, if only because it's one less thing to feel mommy guilt about. Having a newborn is hard and it isn't fun, but it gets better (that's what everyone says; I'm still staring at that light at the end of the tunnel, though it's getting brighter). As long as you feed and love and treat with kindness this new person, it's ok if sometimes you dislike your current job.

The hard newborn stage, and the fact bottle-feeding doesn't make you less of a good mom, are two things I wish other moms would openly and without judgment discuss.

-How I listened to Christmas music on Sunday, 5 days before Thanksgiving, and that's just wrong, but it made me giddy. I love this time of year.

-How I keep wondering when I can take Nadine to the beach. Because I've realized I'm addicted to the sound of waves crashing on the shore.

-How, through sheer luck and joy, I trapped a mosquito in the dishwasher yesterday (after it bit me four times on my legs) and slammed the door shut and ran the appliance for a bit to kill the sucker (pun not intended, but hilarious). And it made me really, really happy.

-How I'm reading The Help and I love it. I look forward to feeding Nadine because that means I can read.

-How I bought these shoes, and they arrive in a few days, and I can't wait.

Baby blog updated

Baby blog updated

Now she's officially a member of the family

My mom has been in town the last week and a half, and it has been so wonderful to have her here helping in so many ways. Moms are great. She helped me finish Nadine's stocking! This is probably the last crafty thing I will do for a long, long time, and I'm so glad she was here to help finish the project. It turned out adorable. Probably because my mom did the letters. I love it.

But the animal is inside out. ... And it exploded.

The other night Todd took the mid-early morning shift and let me get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. He came up carrying a happy Nadine and said he needed me to hold her while he cleaned up a poo mess. I was thinking maybe she just pooed all over her changing pad. But oh no.

Below is a picture of her changing area--the changing pad is on the dresser. Do you see the drops of brown mess on the pad? Gross and no fun. But then look down on the floor, FEET from the changing pad. See those spots? Also baby poop. She exploded on poor Todd (or as Uncle Dave would say, she had an assplosion). She seems to like to shoot her poop at her dad.

So poor Todd was cleaning baby poop at 3 AM off our carpet; he said he got a blister from scrubbing the poo. A poo blister. As if the story couldn't get more hilarious. We were cracking up and had to take a few pictures. Apparently her intestines are really strong.

Nadine's feet say . . .

Happy Halloween!

To see the adorable costume her Grandma & Grandpa J got her, look at the baby blog.