BarefootinBoston


tired with envy
April 23, 2008, 1:36 pm
Filed under: baby, family, life, new mom, son | Tags: , , ,

Envy is one of the 7 deadly sins…why is it that this is what I always feel when I see a baby who is ‘behaving’; not crying, not fussing, not demanding.  Sure, people tell me all the time, that’s what babies do, and trust me, I understand.

But when E will not play on his own for 5 minutes, cries for an hour to no avail, regardless of what I do, there’s a little part of me that becomes jealous of the parents who have children who will play independetly, aren’t so darn stubborn and particular, and just let them have a minute here and there.

It all boils down to what I thought being a mother would be…this is not it.  I didn’t expect E to drain me this much of all my energy.  I was at MJ”s the other day and she was saying she felt badly for letting her son play in his crib for a little while as she rested a bit in her bed.  Gosh, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself!  E cries loudly if I don’t get him after a couple of minutes.

But, there we go again.  I love E for who he is, fussiness and all.  Of course, as I am finishing this up, he is waking up, after napping for maybe a half hour.  This is how he drains me…I get virtually no time to ‘refuel’ myself before he starts needing constant attention all over again.  How I miss those days when he would nap for at least 2 hours a day…



April 22, 2008, 7:23 pm
Filed under: life | Tags: , , ,

Today, being Earth Day, I felt especially guilty when I forgot my reusable totes at home!  But, just that I use them more than not, even at NON-grocery store places (which I see fewer people do…) makes me feel a little better when I forget them.

However, I came across this fantastic link to make your own bags out of old t-shirts…super simple and creative!

Go here!

So, that’s all I can write for now.  So much has gone on today with E being incredibly fussy (I really am starting to think it’s a milk thing-I gave him some yogurt and have noticed that both times I have he’s been really fussy), having ants in the house (ACK!), still trying to unpack, and having A gone tonight for a ball game and then working from home last night, I am utterly exhausted.



When does it get better?
February 19, 2008, 12:28 pm
Filed under: baby, new mom, son | Tags: , , , , ,

“When did it get better? I manage to ask. It’s the question I haven’t asked anyone because I’m afraid the answer is never…’It’s kind of a slow thing. One day you wake up and you look at your kid and you like what you see and your head feels clearer and you think of things you’re doing to do that day. And you don’t know what switched…and other days you find yourself wondering if throwing yourself out a five story window would kill you outright or just make you paralyzed.” Mommies Who Drink, Brett Paesel

E has hit the 6 month mark, almost at the 7 month mark.  One would think that by spending day after day with my bundle of joy that I would have figured him out by now.   That is not the case.  Every day poses a new challenge for me with him.  When he starts to fuss, I go through the list in my head of possible reasons…hungry, wet, poopy, tired, bored, overwhelmed, warm, cold?  When the answers to those questions all match up, I have no idea what to do.  This seems to be the case more that it should. I try not to compare E with other kids, but tend to think that A and I have somehow created a very particular little guy.  He knows exactly what he wants, when he wants it, and if we don’t oblige right then, we hear about it.  Now, figuring out what it is that he actually wants is the problem.  Maybe this will clear up when he can speak (or hopefully sign as I would like to start that), but I worry it will become a bigger problem and that he’ll be more demanding.

He’s stubborn like I am.  I have myself to blame for that one.  But when he’s happy, he’s the cutest most amazing being to be around.  But it’s those times where he is incredibly fussy for the  reasons that I can’t figure out that I wonder to myself, when does it get better?  It has gotten better, a whole lot better, but I still have those days where I just pace around, waiting for A to get home so I can hand E off to him and just regroup for a couple of minutes.

Does every mother go through this?  It is my hope that they do and I’m not some freak of nature.  At least I know some do, but I would hope all do.  Maybe it’s one of those things that no one likes to admit to…I have no problem doing it, but I am a lot more honest than most people.

Day by day, I do notice each little improvement.  A says that as soon as E is mobile, things will get better.  Well, at least E will be able to entertain himself a bit more, but I’ll certainly be running around a bit more too.   Since we’ve started the soy formula, E does seem a bit happier, although he still has his fussy moments that I cannot figure out.

MJ tells me that fussy babies are said to be more intelligent.  I think it’s one of those things people tell you to make you feel better, like rain is good luck on your wedding day…just things that people say to make you feel a bit better…