Temper tantrum?

I haven't posted since April!! That should give you an idea of all that's been going on. Well baby is now 8-months old and I believe he had an actual temper tantrum today. Is it possible for an 8-month old to do that? He was upset today because I wouldn't pick him up. At 22.5 lbs, it's become quite the task to carry this kid. Alas, he continued until he wore himself out. Kids I tell you.

BIG BABY

I know you have heard from me in a while, it may be because I am carrying around an 18 lb 5 month old baby who is breaking my arm. He is growing and learning so fast and I can't get enough of him. Before you have kids you have no idea how much you can love this little being!!

The most handsome kid

Isn't it something that before you have kids you never look at other children. But as soon as your kid arrives you (believing your child is the most beautiful ever born) begin to enter him into mini beauty contests which he inevitably wins hands down. You find yourself saying things like my baby is so much more handsome than that kid, or what an ugly baby, my baby is so handsome. Yes I know it's harsh but I can't help it. THIS KID IS JUST TOO DARN CUTE!!!

SO TIRED

I can't remember what a complete night of sleep feels like, and I'm getting more accustomed to working with less sleep, but will someone please tell me the days of 8 hours of sleeping are not over. As I type away at this keyboard, baby is fast asleep, and I would like to join him but I still have so much to do. Oh boy, the joys of motherhood. But ladies admit it, we love it.

First laugh

Yes I haven't posted in a while but cut me some slack... I've been busy. But today I will write about one of the smallest but most awesome moments I've discovered since being admitted to this prestigious club called motherhood. Yesterday Adam laughed for the first time! As his father made silly faces to amuse him he cracked a giant smile and did the most infectious giggle; prompting me to interject with my own squeal. It was so cute! Somebody please pass me a tissue, my baby's growing up!!

POST PARTUM HAIR LOSS?? WTH??

Before you have kids you likely have never heard of this thing called post partum hair loss. Then one day after you believe you've got this baby thing down you start to notice more hair on the floor every time you brush, or maybe a little thinning at your hair line. What could this be, is it the new product I started using in my hair or the change in the weather? NO!! It's post partum hair loss and it's coming at you with a vengeance. This is nuts! How much stuff do I have to endure post baby. Oh boy! If baby wasn't so cute I would be really upset about this!!

First day with sitter

Left baby today and he survived, as far as I can see. The sitter also survived. Life is good. Hope this works out. How do you working women do this? Answers anyone!?

Crying

I put baby on his back. He hasn't spent enough time on his back to practice rolling over. He's crying. Sigh! God give me strength.

He's found his hand. Is this the beginning of the end?

So baby has discovered his hand; and while this is a developmental milestone we are happy to see, we can't help but be a little concerned. Since the aforementioned discovery, we have been unable to successfully use the pacifier. Baby has become quite fond of sucking on his entire hand but has fallen in love with the pointer and middle fingers. While he's sucking on the digits he's also producing enough saliva to drown a small animal. Well, I guess all we can do is watch and wait, right? We don't want a finger sucker on our hands but is there anything to be done?!

Leave baby?

So yesterday was the first day I left baby home with babysitter for more than 2 hours. Firstly, I was up from 6 am crying. I woke up hubby to have him comfort me. After the usual he'll be fine and stop panicking, I proceeded to get ready. I left baby home with my sister and he kept her on her toes for the 9 hours I was gone. He cried (more like screamed) and he wouldn't take the bottle. I had to race home to feed my poor baby. Anyone out there have any suggestions as to what to do?How do I train him to take the bottle without making me feel like I'm abusing my child? Anyone out there who can help?

Shopping, what's that?

Went shopping with baby today. It was just the two of us. And I remembered why it is I don't venture out with him all by my lonesome. Today he didn't cry much, but it isn't easy toting around a 13 pound baby while pushing a shopping cart and navigating to ensure you don't knock anyone or anything down. Ah well, the joys of motherhood. Stay tuned for more interesting tidbit's.

Car seat!!

Before you have kids you have no idea what all those parents out there are going through as they load those precious children into car seats only to have them cry bloody murder the entire trip. Yes, I'm talking about the traumatizing experience of having your eardrums molested by the unwavering screams of your baby as you drive mentally and emotionally paralyzed trying to race to your destination. For instance, the other day baby cried for 40 minutes as I sat in bumper to bumper traffic due to an accident on the highway. I was only 10 minutes from home but couldn't get there fast enough. By the time I got home my brain was fried. When my husband arrived after work, I was still so frazzled I could barely talk; I was on the verge of crying. It seems to me that after all these years someone somewhere must be able to invent a car seat that youngsters will like. Well, maybe now that all those scientists at NASA will be unemployed they can put their minds to work on this most important task. Please I beg of you!!

Sincerely,

A new mother desperate for a scream free road trip

Traveling baby

This one will be short. We're at Cape Carnaveral waiting for the shuttle launch (the last night shuttle launch ever at the Kennedy Space Center) Baby is wide awake and it's 2:25 am. Anyhoo.. Before you have kids you have no idea what these parents who want to vacation are going through. Did you know how much crap is required to travel with baby. Not to mention the unpredictablity of baby in car seat, airplane, and any other mode of transportation you may want to experience. Sigh. Well I guess it's all part of the adventure called parenthood.

Can't leave baby!!?!

So today I left baby with my sister to make a well needed visit to the hair salon; and can I tell you from the minute I left the house it was a mad dash to get back to baby as fast as possible. Though my intellectual brain knows better, it's like a primitive part of you can't bear the thought of leaving baby with anyone. So as I proceeded to drive Miami style across town I felt no shame about cutting people off and racing to make those yellow lights (because everybody in Miami knows yellow light means go faster quick!) And even after I arrived at my destination I was only too happy to make my presence known in order for the hairdresser to realize I was there and meant business. Once I was beautified I raced back home to hug and kiss my baby. Mission completed!

PS- what will I do when I go back to work??? :(

Today he's 3 months

Before you have kids is a blog about all the things you don't think about or know before you have kids. Hence the name. It's funny because although you know your life will significantly change after the birth of this child, you are still amazed at the difference your existence takes on post baby. You think differently, you act differently, you even believe different things. Who is this person who now resides in my body and mind, you ask yourself. And despite the obvious change in you, the feeling of love and complete satisfaction with your new role is so fulfilling its indescribable.

So this blog will address all that takes place as I venture further into motherhood and watch my baby boy take shape in the world.

Before you have kids you don't understand when people say, "these kids grow up so fast!" You think, these idiots are so silly. Why would they want their children not to grow up. Then you have your own child and realize you're now one of those parents who want to keep the memory of your pregnancy, labor, birth, and the initial joy of learning about baby alive forever. So today on Adam's 3 month birth day I ask myself, what next? Will he be walking and talking, ready to go off to Harvard before I even realize what happened to the last 18 years of my life. I wonder about this thing. As I look in his eyes now and he stares back up at me, cooing and sucking on his hand I almost shed a tear, thinking how is this possible to be so enamored with this person. But alas I do have these 18 years to figure this out.

Next on my agenda, before you have kids you never think about when to do things like introduce cereal into baby's diet and whether or not you should breastfeed. But once that kid is on the way you've got some decisions to make. So right now I'm on the breastfeeding track. I've done my research and found breast is best. And this kid has already doubled his birth weight! So next step is figuring out when to add in cereal. The masses (aka family) are ready to stuff baby full of synthetically derived formula and rice cereal with all the extra additives. But me, I think it best to delay the introduction of genetically altered, hormone injected, processed American foods. We'll see.

Well that's all today folks. I hope my rantings can be of benefit to some other new mom out there. As we try to find our way separating fact from fiction, and tuning in to our maternal instinct, let's help each other be the best moms we can be.