How to run errands with a newborn

First, you need a newborn. I chose my almost 4 month old giant of a baby boy. You can chose any baby you find yourself particularly attached to. (Or feel free to borrow mine.) Next, you need a list of errands to run. I chose to take Hubsters his forgotten wallet so he could eat lunch, return a few things at Target, and get a package of diapers because we were pretty much completely out. I figured while I was out I might as well grab a carton of milk and a loaf of bread. 

Step 1: Make sure everyone is well fed - mom, baby, and puppy dogs.
Step 2: Get mom dressed while baby lays on the bed and cries. It helps if you sing silly songs and dance around the room in an attempt to cheer the baby up.
Step 3: Once mom is dressed, pick baby up and take dirty laundry to the hamper.
Step 4: Put the baby back on the bed and change the clothes that are suddenly covered in spit up.
Step 5: Change socks because they no longer match your shirt.
Step 6: Get baby dressed in the cutest outfit possible. Put on the last diaper in the house.
Step 7: Gather items needed for errands while carrying baby - make sure there's a fresh burp cloth over your shoulder to catch any spit up or drool.
Step 8: Say good-bye to the puppies and head to the car.
Step 9: Turn around and come back in to clean up the spit up running down your arm, down the baby's arm, covering the baby's side, and dripping down your back.
Step 10: Change the baby. Get a fresh burp cloth.
Step 11: Change your shirt. Realize that you no longer have any clean shirts that match your pants. Change your pants. Decide no one will see your socks in your tennis shoes so leave them alone.
Step 12: Get baby in car seat and start the car.
Step 13: Hear baby fill his diaper.
Step 14: Sigh.
Step 15: Go to the store and pray his dirty diaper isn't that bad because there aren't anymore diapers in the house.
Step 16: After delivering the Hubster's wallet, arrive at Target. As you put baby in the baby carrier, realize the car seat is very wet.
Step 17: Realize your hand is very wet.
Step 18: Put baby back in the car seat and go in Target anyway. (Going home at this point won't really help - there's no diapers at home anyway!)
Step 19: Clean up the spit up on your shoulder and back.
Step 20: Decide the milk and bread at Target is way over-priced and just buy diapers and milk storage bags.
Step 21: Drive to Walmart for milk and bread.
Step 22: Go home and pray the wet spot on the car seat isn't that bad.
Step 23: Put the baby in the bathtub fully clothed and hose him down.
Step 24: Do laundry and scrub the tub.
Step 25: Vow that you'll never run out of diapers again or leave the house without a change of clothes (for both of you).

Adventures at the Zoo

This post could have had so many titles...

Adventures at the Zoo
Adventures in Mis-Speaking
How to make your friends tease you for life
How not to identify animals
How to jump to conclusions
The time DJ spoke too soon

I could go on.
But I won't. You'd much rather read the adventure story.

So there we were... We'd been at the zoo most of the day and we were all very tired. DJ was headed towards a trail and spotted what looked like an empty cage. However people were gathered at the fence so I asked what was going on. He glanced over, saw the hip/hind end of an animal, and spoke a sentence that will live on in family stories for the rest of his days. "Oh look! It's more elephants! But like, a different kind of elephant." He then started to walk away. Since elephants are my favorite animal at the zoo I was very excited to see this "different kind of elephant" so I headed towards the cage. As I rounded to the corner I was shocked to see that this elephant was a very different elephant indeed!



Meet Moro. The rhino.

I laughed so hard I nearly fell down. I know I was doubled over for several minutes. I threatened to get out my pre-k flash cards and laughed some more. The rest of the zoo trip everyone teased DJ about it. "Look DJ - a different kind of bird!" "Hey DJ! There's a picture of your elephant!"

Sweet DJ continues to say he only saw the color of the skin and the hind end or hip of the animal in question. He spoke without seeing the animal. But that doesn't change the fact that he called a rhino an elephant.

We teased him (and continue to tease him) mercilessly. And that's how we narrowly escaped death...

My sister would like me to mention penguins. We saw penguins at the zoo. African penguins. We even got to see one up close in a little pet taxi. The zookeeper said she wasn't a happy camper because she'd just gotten a procedure. We let her move on her way. But she was cute. I'd love to own a penguin. But I don't think the dogs would like that very much...

3 months

Dear Caleb,

Today I was looking for something in the list of blog posts and I suddenly realized that I never wrote a post about you turning 3 months old! I think we've just been having so much fun and spending so much time loving on you that I completely forgot about updating your stats! I'm tempted to feel like a bad mommy, but I won't. First of all, it's silly to feel bad about not blogging your every move. Second of all, I didn't do it because I was way too busy spending time with you! So no guilt. Just a late post. That may be lacking in a few details (like your weight at the 3 month mark). Don't worry though - you're growing plenty big! You're completely out of 0-3 month clothing and I keep finding 3-6 month pajamas that are too short. Holy moly baby boy!



It's a little blurry because you were talking, but I love your smile!



You continue to be the most easy going baby I've ever met. You are full of lots of smiles, the occasional giggle, plenty of baby talk, and (most recently) an adorable squeal! You have your daddy's easy going side and your momma's happy, bubbly side. What a great mix!

I thought for sure you'd be a thumb sucking baby by now. However, that thumb remains stubbornly tucked in your fist and you'd much rather suck on your knuckles! It makes your entire hand wet and drool dribbles everywhere but I think it's adorable. I tell people you're not a thumb baby - you're a fist baby! You still prefer your paci at night (and during naps) but as soon as you are sleeping un-swaddled I have a feeling that's going to change.



Staring at your best friend, the ceiling fan.

You continue to be an amazing sleeper with the exception of one week when you refused to nap for more than 30 minutes. I think that was a big week for you though - you suddenly had a ton of new skills and couldn't stand to miss a single moment of trying them out. You're napping like the champion sleeper you have always been once again, but that week was a rocky one for sure! You love to sleep on your tummy and nap best that way, but at night you're still on your back in a double swaddle. At night you generally sleep an amazing 11 hours! By the time you wake up you're ready to play (and more than a little hungry).



You'd rather sleep face down but Mommy keeps moving your head!

This month has been a mystery for me in terms of nursing. I told your daddy at the beginning of the month that we had finally figured out a routine - awake for an hour and a half, sleep for an hour and a half. It was easy to follow and you were rocking it. Then, suddenly, one day you would only nurse for 2 minutes and you were done. You just about sent me into a tail spin little boy! We spent 2 weeks trying to figure out what was going on. We tried eating every 4 hours (sometimes every 5) but nothing seemed to really work. You remained happy and everyone I spoke to assured me that you were fine, even if my heart of hearts was quite troubled by this sudden change in events. I finally resigned myself to the fact that you were growing up and didn't need to nurse as often. (I may have cried a little.) Then, one day you woke up starving and have been hungry ever since. You're back to eating every 3 hours (if not every 2 and a half) and act like you're starving every time. You have added a wonderful addition to nursing that I never expected. In the middle of nursing you'll suddenly look up at me and start talking and grinning. Milk dribbles down  your chin but you don't care. You just seem so excited to see me and it melts my heart. Occasionally you'll go back to eating only to remember one more thing you needed to tell your momma. It's a precious time and I'm so glad you're not sticking with the 4-5 hour routine. I was missing you like crazy!





Tummy time has taken on an all new dimension now that you've learned to push up with your arms. You can finally get your head high enough to look around and I think you like it! Your favorite thing to do is watch TV, but I try my best not to let you see more than a few seconds. :) You have fallen in love with your mirrors! You talk and smile at the sweet baby in the reflection. You have a few toys you enjoy watching us shake, but you aren't too interested in reaching out and grabbing them yet. You can roll from your back to your side, but rolling over from your tummy has eluded you. I read in a magazine that the bigger the baby the longer it takes to learn how to roll over. You've got a lot of belly to flip over and those thunder thighs have to be heavy for you to lift up! It'll happen eventually - and until then I'm enjoying the fact that I can leave you on the bed for a few seconds without worrying about you rolling off.





We continue to go to Bible Study and MOPS. You're learning the ladies that sit at my MOPS table and have started awarding them with a few of your adorable gummy smiles! They're all in love with you and I don't blame them one bit!

 



The biggest moment of this month was Baby Dedication Sunday. Your daddy and I stood up in front of our church, our friends, and our family, and promised to raise you to love the Lord. Despite your daddy being very sick with a stomach bug, it was a wonderful day! Gaga, PaPaw, and Aunt Megan all came to see you on this special day. Granny, Granddaddy, Allison, and Alex joined us at church (and dinner after). Everyone was so excited for our family! We have so much to teach you about the God who made you and loves you more than I can even fathom. I am so excited for the years ahead as we get to watch you learn to worship Him! (Your Aunt Megan took a ton of beautiful pictures and uploaded them to Snapfish, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get them off the website and saved on my computer so I can share them with the world. I'll figure it out one day - I'm determined!)



Your daddy and I love you so much Pumpkin! You continue to be the biggest blessing in our lives - more than we could ever dream or imagine! I love you my sweet Caleb! You are my favorite snuggle bug!

Love,

Mommy

Happy

The following conversation occurred in our house this morning. The names have not been changed to protect the innocent.

Alli: (calling from the kitchen) How's Caleb doing in there?
DJ: He's happy.
A: Happy as a clam?
D: Are clams really that happy?
A: They must be!

A little later in the morning...

DJ: (looking at Caleb playing with his kick gym) Look at him! He's as happy as a lark!
Alli: Are larks happy?
D: They're as happy as clams I suppose.
A: What other animals are happy? I mean, can you be as happy as a giraffe?
D: I don't think giraffes are happy.
D and A: (in perfect, spontanious union) Aww, poor giraffes!

Hallowed Ground

Today I'm keenly aware of how fast Caleb is growing up. I looked at him in the cradle this morning and was shocked to realize the cradle that once seemed so large was now filled end to end with baby. During floor time today Caleb mastered playing with a toy he's been fiddling with for a month. This week we've moved nursing from every 3 hours to every 4 during the day. Nursing sessions that once lasted an exhausting 45 minutes now fly by at only 10 minutes. So when my (not so little) boy fought his nap with every ounce of his 3 month old being, I set aside my to do list. I stopped worrying about dishes to be washed and laundry to be put away. As I leaned over his crib and patted his bottom until my back ached, I realized something. I was standing on hallowed ground. This moment wouldn't last forever. This moment was a sacred moment of just me and my son. He won't need me forever. He won't want to snuggle forever. Then I thought of my friend with empty arms because Jesus called her baby home too soon. I thought of my friend who is being called home to Jesus and her babies won't have their momma to rock them to sleep. I thought of my own mother who can't rock her babies to sleep because they're rocking babies of their own. So there I stood, on holy ground, knowing how I'd longed to be a mother, knowing how blessed I was to have not just any baby but THIS baby, knowing how lucky I am to stay home while Caleb is young. There in that moment I had 2 options: continue to attempt to get Caleb to sleep in a cold crib, all alone; or scoop up my bundle of joy and hold him for as long as he'd let me. Now here I sit - on the hallowed ground of my rocking chair - while my baby fights nap time in my arms. I wouldn't dream of my day going any other way!

Pioneer Woman I am not...

My son spits up. He spits up a lot. Sometimes it's cute because he smiles while it runs down his chin. Sometimes it's not so cute when we're running late and he soaks us both. My original plan was to use receiving blankets to wipe up dribbles and use an occasional cloth diaper to clean the bigger spit ups. The reality is that I now own 31 burp rags and never leave the house without 2 tucked in the diaper bag, one in the car seat, and usually one across my shoulder. We have them everywhere!!! Therefore, it's rather frustrating that one package of burp rags isn't as thick and absorbent as the others. I dread when those are at the top of the pile and I end up with one of those across my shoulder. I just know it's one good spit up away from soaking through to my shirt. So when someone mentioned to me this morning that I could make them more absorbent by boiling them for 10 minutes I was thrilled. I immediately put it on my to do list! Therefore, when I was folding laundry this afternoon and discovered that all 10 of the bag rags were clean at once I quickly pulled out my largest pot. The story of my adventure follows:

So there we were, enjoying a quiet Friday afternoon. Caleb was peacefully napping and I was ready to get these burp rags in the pot! At first I attempted to stuff all 10 in one pot, but I quickly discovered they wouldn't fit. I figured 5 rags at a time wasn't too bad so I shoved them in there and filled the pot with water. I turned the stove on high, poked the burp rags with some tongs a few times, and walked away. Then, my ADD exhausted new mommy brain took over and I took total leave of my senses. I began putting things away around the house. I picked up the stuff that mysteriously accumulates on the coffee table, I examined my hair do in the mirror, I told myself if I was a good stay at home mom I'd hang up those clean clothes thrown in the chair, I sat down and began reading blogs of people I don't even know. And then I heard it. That unmistakable sound of water boiling over and hitting a very hot stove top. I'm not sure how the lap top got to the floor - I may have thrown it, I may have dropped it, or I may have set it down gently - I just know that I high tailed it to the kitchen to assess the damage. The water was boiling over so violently that I wasn't quite sure how to grab the pot and pull it away. I reached around and turned off the burner and then managed to grab the pot and slide it to a cooler part of the stove. And then I just stood there, staring at my steaming pot of burp rags and water boiling away on a hot burner. (Praise the Lord for a glass-top stove!) Suddenly I realized I had no plan for what to do with the burp rags now that I'd boiled them and I had no idea how long they'd been boiling. Should I let everything cool and then try again with the next batch? Should I keep boiling this batch? Should I try to remove these burp rags and try to use the already hot water for the other batch? When I did remove the burp rags where in the world was I going to put them? So I stood there, literally scratching my head, and wondering what I'd gotten myself into...

I finally decided that my best bet was to pull the burp rags out with some tongs and put them in a bowl. However, when I got to the cabinet I realized my biggest plastic bowl was in the fridge full of yummy leftovers. So I had no choice but to use my large stainless steel mixing bowl. As I stood there holding steaming hot boiled burp rags I realized a metal bowl was not my best option. But what was I going to do? I couldn't really wander around the kitchen with a drippy cloth diaper clutched in my tongs... So I loaded up the metal bowl and careful drained out the excess water. I left it to cool on the counter and added the other 5 burp rags to the pot. I was determined not to make the same mistake this time, so I didn't add any water and I never left the stove. As I sat there poking at my pot of fabric I wondered how many homemakers had done this before. How many women had boiled their clothes in an effort to clean them? Suddenly it dawned on me. I am no pioneer woman. I'm so firmly attached to my 21st century luxuries I would make a horrible pioneer! I smelled something burning and furiously began stirring the burp rags around in an attempt to stop the fabric from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot, much like cheese or noodles tend to do. Then it hit me - the fabric wasn't burning. It was the water and minerals on the bottom of the pot that were cooking off as the burner heated up. I rolled my eyes and thanked the Lord for putting me in this century and not the 1800s.

I carefully watched the clock to know when the burp rags would be finished, but completely forgot to remember what time they started boiling. I just knew what time it currently was. As I stood there attempting to stir fabric, I left my wrist over the pot a little too long. I now have several small red spots where the bling on my bracelet heated up and burned my skin. (I'm telling you - ADD exhausted new mommy brain is the worst!) When I got tired of poking at the burp rags I decided that enough was enough and took them off the burner. Then I was met with another debate - what bowl did I use now? The first batch was still steaming so I knew I couldn't touch them quite yet. Then suddenly I remembered! We had several large plastic bowls we keep for serving chips at all the many wild parties we throw. I could use one of those!

So now I have 2 bowls of steaming burp rags sitting on my counter. One bowl is way too hot to touch and the other is pretty and purple with little polka dots around the top. I'm not sure what to do from here. I attempted to pick up a burp rag, only to discover that the top had cooled nicely but the bottom retained its heat like you wouldn't believe! So I turned the burp rags over like the strangest tossed salad anyone has ever seen, and left them to cool. I don't know if they're more absorbent or not. I know they're hot! I know that pretty purple bowls work better for hot things than stainless steel. I know that I am not a pioneer woman. And that's how I narrowly escaped death...

Today

Today, I had big plans. Special, wonderful, amazing plans. My dear friend Brandi was supposed to come visit. She and her husband were going to spend the night. I was supposed to get to spend two days in a row with her! We were going to have uninterrupted visiting. Visits that weren't interrupted by a nurse coming to draw blood or another bag of chemo hooked up to an IV. I had dreams of telling her all of my adventures in mothering and hearing the latest updates from her 2 sweet children. It was going to be a little taste of heaven right here in my living room.

But yesterday, Caleb started coughing. The doctor said it's probably nothing major. It's probably just a cold. But it could be much more. It could be something as scary as RSV. So Brandi can't come.

You see, 16 months ago Brandi woke up and had some trouble walking. Thinking she'd had a stroke, her husband took her to the hospital. The doctors said it wasn't a stroke. It was cancer. Brain cancer. A scary, aggressive tumor that had taken hold of her precious brain. The details of that day are forever etched in my memory like some horrible, awful, never ending nightmare. In the past 16 months Brandi and her husband have thrown their heart and soul into the fight against the tumors in her brain. A month ago, the scan showed what no one wanted to see. The tumors were growing. When I found out my heart dropped. Growth? There couldn't be growth! We'd been praying! We had a connection with a God bigger than cancer. How could there be growth?!?!

Brandi immediately started aggressive chemo. In the past month, she hasn't been feeling well. Everything looks like the cancer is winning. I wish I had words to describe how I feel. Because Caleb has a little cough, Brandi can't come see me. It's just too risky. I spent a good part of the morning crying in my selfishness that I wouldn't get to see Brandi today. Then I cried that Brandi might be called home. I wanted to kick and scream and beat my fists against the chest of an almighty God. God, being the amazing Father that He is, let me throw my temper tantrum, then quietly sat me down in my favorite chair and told me to pick up my Beth Moore Bible study. I rolled my eyes at the sight of the book because I'm so far behind on the homework assignments. (Life with a newborn is more of a challenge than I thought it would be!) But I couldn't shake the quiet whisper in my heart that said I needed to pick up the book and get in the Word. So I did. And in big, beautiful letters across the top of the page were words that I know were written just for me.

"Every good and perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Him there is no shadow or change." (James 1:17)

It's one of Brandi's favorite verses. Her blog is built around it. And suddenly, it felt like Brandi was in my living room - that little piece of heaven I'd been longing for. The Lord reminded me that my life was full of good and perfect gifts. Brandi and I have been friends for years and I've been blessed by her wisdom a thousand times over. She's a good and perfect gift in my life. I know that I'll get to spend eternity with her praising a God who never changes!

Today is not what I dreamed it would be. But today God had a fantastic plan that was bigger than my little plans. So I'll trust that whatever happens at her doctor's appointment tomorrow is a beautiful part of His plan. I'll trust that His healing is complete and perfect - whether it's on this earth or in a beautiful homecoming. God is still God. That's all I need to know...