Confession about Easter

We didn't take Jack to see the Easter Bunny this year.  We thought about it but a) he looked kind of creepy and b) I didn't want to pay for pictures and not know how Jack would react.  He's been making this "Whatever Mom, this is soooo boring face" lately and I'm sure that would have been his Easter Bunny face.  I'm sure next year we will take him there.  We also didn't get him a basket.  I know, we are horrible parents.  I really wanted to get him The Velveteen Rabbit but I couldn't find it in town.  Typically I would have been able to go to Barnes and Nobles and get it but a water main broke there so they weren't open.  I'm still looking for it though.  I may shop on- line or go and see if Gigi has it and if Papa minds if we take it. 

Jack went to church on Palm Sunday.  We sat all the way up in the balcony so we could easily get up and move if we needed to.  Jack helped preach, yelling in this very serious voice.  I didn't realize how loud he was until the pastor commented that she loved hearing him all the way at the front of the church.  Oops!  I guess being named after a minister he kind of has the preaching in his blood.   After church we went to Grandma and Grandpa's house because Great Grandma was in town.  Jack showed them how awesome he is at rolling which is his new favorite thing.  He started rolling belly to back a while ago and figured out back to belly at his four month well check.  Except now he has forgotten belly to back and just kicks around like he is swimming when on his belly.

On Easter Sunday we went to my Aunt Robin's house.  Jack didn't cry when anyone else held him and he held on to Papa's finger which is a big improvement from the last time he saw him.   Our family had seven girls pregnant at the same time.  Five of the babies were at Easter and one mommy was in labor at that time.  So it's getting a little crazy at Norton get togethers! 

Norton Babies 1-5

For dinner we went to see Andrew's extended family.  He has some younger cousins and it's amazing to see how much they change over the course of a few months.  I don't think you realize how much kids grow until you have your own. 

I wish long holiday weekends didn't have to end.  I love being able to see our families and show them all the amazing things Jack is learning to do. 

Confession about Mondays

Most people hate Mondays. 

I love Mondays.  After being away from Jack for 27 hours in three days I look forward to that first fill day with him every week. 

We usually get up right before Daddy leaves and Jack sits in our bed talking to Daddy.  Then I read him a book or two. (He already has 88 books so I have plenty to choose from.)  We play, sing, take walks, sit in the yard, and run errands.  I love the challenge of trying to squeeze in as much time with Jack while figuring out dinner for the week and catching up on laundry and dishes.

We are trying a vegetable garden this summer so lately Jack and I have been going outside in the mornings or late afternoon to pull weeds up front or get planters ready for veggies.  I thought he would hate the grass but he actually loves it. He sits in the grass and grabs it with his hands.  He grabs blades with his toes.  He lays on a blanket and grabs his feet (who needs toys when the best toys are attached.) 

Andrew appreciates Mondays just as much.  After caring for Jack all weekend, work is a break for him.  Programming is something he is more comfortable and familiar with than parenting.  He spends most of Monday evenings singing to Jack.  He loves his ABC's (forwards and backwards), Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and the song his bear sings.  I love hearing Jack laugh at Andrew's silly sing song voice and the song motions. 

I am so blessed to be able to stay home with Jack.  I love having the opportunity to watch him grow and discover new things all the time.

Jack's favorite toy.

Confession about raising children

Before I had Jack I knew it all.

The following women were crazy: those that didn't want a natural delivery, those that used formula, those that worked demanding full time jobs (irregular or long hours), those that only wanted one child, those that used store bought baby food.... I think you get the point.  I was going to be the best mom and everyone else was inferior.

Then I met my "November mommies."  We were all due in November.  Our babies arrived between September and December.  We supported each other through 6 months of pregnancy, the newborn stage, and we are getting through that infant stage together.  We laugh, cry, and pray together.  We support each other 100%.

And not one of them is raising their child the way we're raising Jack.  (I should also point out that I did some things I swore I would never do.)  Some of them had scheduled c- sections, love the convenience of formula or store bought baby food, some are doing it on their own, some never want to deal with pregnancy again, some have very demanding jobs (we have some lawyers and our resident doctor)... but they are all superior mothers.

My "November mommies" have taught me that there are at least 120 ways to raise a child, and all of them are correct.

A small group of our November family.



Confession about us

We almost never happened.  We became friends shortly after we started working together.  We were a part of a group of work friends that hung out often and we happened to have a mutual friend from outside of work.   I knew that Andrew had feelings for me before he asked me out (he made the mistake of emailing my friend about me and of course she forwarded the emails to me.) 

The day he asked me out.

I had many conversations with my mom and grandma about dating him. I was worried that he was "too good" for me.  He was so much more reserved than I was.  I was worried about breaking his heart.  He had never had a girlfriend.  I was worried about how differently we were raised.  I was a child of poverty and abuse and he was a child of two loving middle class parents.  We were so incredibly different.  My mom and grandma finally convinced me to just give him a chance... that I may be surprised.

The day he proposed.

I'm glad I took that advice.

The day he became my husband.

I remember realizing I had fallen in love.  I thought I couldn't be more in love.  But then Andrew proposed to me.  Then we vowed our love to one another in front of our friends and family.  Then we found out I was pregnant. Then we miscarried.   Then we were pregnant again.  Then we had Jack.  every day I love him so much more than the day before.  Every day I love him for something new... for being my friend, my confidant, my love, the provider for our family, the father of my son.

The day he became a dad.



   I am so thankful to have found my soulmate.  I'm so glad I have him to go through the ups and downs of life with.  And I'm pretty grateful that I listened to my mom and grandma.

Confession about teething

It sucks.  Jack agrees.

Confession on dressing a baby boy

I love dressing Jack.  Most of the time he looks like a little old man wearing plaid and sweater vests.  I was really excited for summer because of rompers.  Since it was so warm out I put Jack in a romper yesterday.

See how cute his looks in a romper?

What they don't tell you about rompers is that there is no stretch. At all.  This might be fine if your child does not have fat arms like mine does.  Since there is no stretch in said rompers they are not easy to remove.

Long story short, I got his romper stuck trying to take it off.  Or, I got Jack stuck.  Either way it wasn't fun.  I was freaking out, he was crying.  Andrew had to get a pair of scissors to start a tear in the fabric.  Then he turned into The Incredible Hulk and ripped the romper off. 

It was scary.  Then it was funny.  We were laughing about it.  Jack even laughed so hard that he started to cry again (maybe it was a flashback.)

We are saving the romper and writing the story of getting it stuck on some scrapbook paper so we can look back in 20 years and laugh.  And, from now on, I am only dressing Jack in stretchy cotton to fit over his fat arms and big head.

Confession about recovery

Having a baby is hard work.  I knew it wouldn't be a cake walk but I didn't expect it to be that hard.  You bleed a lot.... like 9 months worth of no bleeding all in a few weeks.  You are afraid to go to the bathroom.  And you are so unbelievably tired.  I thought it was a joke when people said babies didn't sleep.... well, it isn't a joke.

My typical night looked like this:
Pull myself up the stairs (literally since I had a c-section)
Scooch back in bed.
Wake to feed Jack (scooching to get him out of the bassinet and just sitting right there).
Feed him for an hour, scooch back.
Repeat thirty-sixty minutes later.

By around 3 AM I would hurt too much to scooch anymore and Andrew would have to wake up and hand me Jack. 

I also re- opened part of my incision about 3 weeks out.  My staples had been removed and my stitches had dissolved so I thought I was okay to wear normal underwear again (as in: not granny panties).  I was wrong.  The bow on my underwear opened my incision again.  Now that I can see my incision again its pretty clear that at some point I opened it on the left side as well since the scar is much larger there.

It was exhausting.  I was a zombie.  But now, 4 months later, I kind of miss those sleepless nights.  I love Jack's independence but I miss him needing me so much.  This is why people have second children.