Day Four of being outnumbered

Hello, Internet! Ahh, it's good to be back. As we were driving home from the hospital on Sunday, it felt like I had been gone for weeks -- like I was coming back from vacation or something. For one thing, Spring has sprung. All the bulbs are up, the flowering trees are in bloom, and there's a green mist on all the branches in the woods. It made for a nice homecoming.

So, day four, and all is well! It's fun getting to know the newest member of our family. So far his personality seems to be the same as it was when he was Inside. When he was still a Bump he seemed to be a very mellow type -- never threw any wild dance parties, like Katie did. :) But he liked his comfort. Whenever I shifted position, like in bed at night, I would feel scrambling movement inside until he settled into another comfy spot. And he would insist on keeping his little feets in my ribs sometimes -- I could never knead them down because that's where they were comfortable, and by gum, that's where they were going to stay! Now that he's joined us outside we get to see all this stuff in action. For the most part, he's a pretty mellow guy. His needs are simple and easily met. He lets us know very decidedly when there's Something Wrong with the Universe (like the evils of Hunger, or Wet Diaper), but the instant we fix it he's happy again. However, should you disturb his comfort and dare to change said diaper, or worse yet, get him DRESSED, oh the horror! Torture! But then you pick him up when you're done and he's instantly calm again. I'm sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop -- for that one night when he wakes up screaming at 2am and can't be consoled, or we're in public and I can't get him latched on and he's hysterical, or something else Mr. Hyde-ish. But for now I'm enjoying his sweetness of temperament. :) He's sleeping on my lap right now -- like Miriam, he loves snuggling and sleeps best next to a warm body. We both LOVE the Moby Wrap. He feels like he's in the womb again, and I've got both hands free. Although I'm equally happy for excuses to sit down & hold the baby for extended periods of time. :)

It's been an adjustment learning how this whole newborn thing works again. For example, yesterday we were trying to leave the house for his first appt. with the pediatrician, and everything that could happen trying to get a baby ready to go somewhere happened. I fed him, but he was extra hungry and took so long that I didn't get lunch; I got him dressed, and then he spit up all over everything; I changed his diaper, but then he had an explosion just as we were trying to leave; then he spit up all over everything again and had to be dressed again. It was pretty ridiculous. Fortunately Mr. Pickles was taking care of the girls, otherwise we would have been much later than 15 minutes. (plus he made a sandwich for me to eat on the way, what a good hubby) It's going to be interesting trying to get everyone out of the house when I'm flying solo! How do all you moms of three do it?!? I'm beginning to understand why all the mothers of large families that I know have such well-developed senses of humor. :)

So far the girls have adjusted really well to having a new baby. For one thing, they're both totally in love with him. They think he's just so adorable, and tell us so. The other night when they were getting ready for bed, I put Joseph down in his crib. Miriam was supposed to be washing up, but she went over to the crib and was just starting at him. After a while Mr. Pickles called to her to remind her of what she was supposed to be doing, and she said, "I know, but he's just SOOOO cute." Melt, my maternal heart! The girls have both been so helpful too -- more than willing to fetch and carry and even help each other out. That's been tremendous. Initially I was concerned the most about Katie being jealous, but of course she's normally so independent that Mommy being occupied most of the time now hasn't seemed to faze her at all. Having Daddy home all the time helps immensely too.

I must say that I am LOVING being not pregnant any more! I never got to the point where I was desperate to get the kid out of me -- I never reached that level of discomfort, thankfully. It was mostly little things that got to me -- like when Joseph dropped, my knees began to suffer separation anxiety. And feeling like my hip bones were going to relax right out of their sockets was getting old. But mostly it got really annoying when I started growing out of even my maternity shirts. Fortunately I managed to keep so busy right up to the very end that I never felt time weighing heavily on my hands.

Now that he's out, however, I'm rediscovering all the joys of non-pregnant life that I had hitherto forgotten. Like taking deep breaths, for example. And hearing out of my left ear again. And being able to use the bathroom at infrequent intervals like a normal person. And being able to see my feet again, or bend over from the waist, or sit with my legs crossed -- just lots of little things. :) But of course, most importantly, I love getting to see the little person whom I've been renting living space to for the last 9 months. He's a total doll baby (complete with full head of hair) and we adore him. I'm sure some of you mothers THINK you may have had the cutest baby ever, but I'm sorry to inform you that you're mistaken. Joseph is by far the most scrumptious and beautiful baby ever to grace our planet with his presence -- and I'm his mother so of course my judgment is completely balanced and impartial.


Mother and Child by William Bouguereau (from art.com)