It was a holiday here in Canada on Monday, Canada Day of course (incidentally, happy Fourth of July to my American friends who are reading this on their holiday) but we were pretty partied out after two days of celebrating the Little Dude so we decided to take it easy and have a little barbeque, but otherwise, just hang out, play some Lego and do a little belated spring cleaning. I don't love cleaning, but organizing has its appeal as long as I have nothing else major and no big quilting project on the go. So I decided to tackle our winter accessories and put away the mittens and hats that were still somehow in the basket by the front door. Now that its officially summer and there is NO WAY we can get snow at this point (did you hear that universe? Yeah, I said it, no more snow!) that basket need only hold our summer hats, umbrellas and crocs (don't worry, just for the kids). Done and done.
But you know how it is, one thing leads to another. And I noticed the diaper bag that sits on the bench there by the front door, and realized that it had been sitting there for some time. And really, when is the last time that I used that diaper bag? Our big two-year-old "Baby" uses one, maybe two diapers a day. At this point, I often don't even bother to bring one with me. And if I do, I just chuck it into my purse. That and the epi-pen and a couple of apples and sunglasses for everyone and we are good to go for the morning. So really, it was time to retire the diaper bag. I emptied it, found some stuff (oh that's where that spoon went.) gave it a quick wash and put it in the garage sale pile.
Ditto for the play pens. Haven't used a play pen in aaaaages. They pretty much are just large ugly toy boxes at this point; catch-alls for stuffed animals and large awkward toys, or toys I don't want the kids to play with (obnoixious digital sound button pressing toys, I'm looking at you). So they got emptied up and put away.
And then I noticed the shoebox full of instruction book for all of the Little Dude's Lego kits. You know, the little booklets full of pictures that show you step by step how to make the dumptruck or log cabin or what-have-you. I saw a nice organization idea on pintrest for these indispensable, but oh so looseable little books. Its as simple as filling a binder with those clear pocket things and then sliding your booklets into them. And then is can be stored upright on a shelf, taking up waaaaay less room. Genius. And I knew I had a box of those three holed pocket dealies in the office, so I just had to find myself a binder. So I had a scrounge around in an old box, and guess what I found? A plain white binder, with a simple handwritten label that said "Baby's Feed Log". Boy, did that take me back.
Back to five years ago, when I had a tiny (or rather, not so tiny, nearly 10 pounds!) newborn baby and I was trying to figure this whole 'taking care of an infant' thing out. I was going to say "figure this whole parenting thing out" but I have a feeling that they'll be grown and gone and I still won't feel like I've "figured it out". Anyhow, I followed the excellent advice of the "Baby Whisperer" books and made myself a log to keep track of when I fed the baby, when he slept, what his activities were etc. (and by activities, I mean pooping or having a bath. Its not like we had him enrolled in gymnastics) I know this method would not be for everyone, but BOY did it work for us. In those early, hazy, sleep deprived days, it was so hard to remember what you'd done and when you'd done it, as you did it so many times in a day. It almost boggles my mind to think back on those days of multiple naps and breast-feeding every three or four hours and changing many, MANY diapers.
Its so funny to look at these now, when my life is so different. I remember sitting at the computer and typing these little forms up before he was born, and making photo copies of them at work I think, and then filling them out. How I loved writing this stuff down! I know that says something about my list making, note taking personality, but it really was useful. It was so great, when he was fussy, to consult my notes and say to myself "Well, he had a huge feed, and that was recently, so he's probably not hungry. Also, he already pooped, so I doubt that's it. Maybe he's tired." And then I'd lay him down, and sure enough he'd fall asleep. It took some of the guess work out of it. Or at least, helped you eliminate some of the variables.
I also got more efficient with the format, and changed it so that I could fit more Eat/Activity/Sleep cycles onto one page. No need to go wasting all that paper.
And eventually got more efficient yet. Just little boxes to tick. Because Poop and Pee are basically just a yes or no answer. There's really very little need for a descriptor. And who's got the time?
Though my favourite thing about these is the comments box there on the far right hand side. These terse little phrases jotted down by Hubs or I hold so many memories. At the end of his first week Hubs noted "10:30. Started ot cry. had pushed way up and out of swaddle and was naked and bent back face butted against the headboard." I recall him doing that (getting out of his swaddle) but hadn't realized that he could get around in his crib so much at only a week old. Also, he had the hiccups alot. I was not a fan of the hiccups in a newborn. They would keep him awake and looked so stressful! One day it says we put him down to sleep at 9:30 and "we sang to him". Aw. Also, "changed his diaper and he swims and makes squawky-grunty noises." Oh how delighted we were by all his little noises. And sweet Hubs wrote one day "If you want, pump milk and wake me to do his 5:00 am feed." How I love that guy.
Some of the little jottings are of moments that I remember so well. For example, one day under the heading of "Burp" I wrote "GIANT puke. Doh! Felt very bad. Sould not try to feed him beyond what he wants." In my lack of parenting wisdom, and just wanting to make sure he had enough to sleep on, I kept making him latch on again after he kept pulling off. After two or three attempts to make him drink just a little more, he looked up at me with his big baby eyes and puked up a spectacular amount of milk. I mean, we were both soaked. I felt just terrible. But you know, lesson learned. Don't try to feed a full baby.
And there are a few good slapstick moments in there as well. Hubs wrote under "Activity" once when he was almost two months old "Foiled Dad by crapping right after a diaper change. No really, he smiled at me while doing it!" That made me laugh so hard, and when I showed it to Hubs he laughed too, and said he could remember that moment clear as day. A month later he simply wrote "bath + poop = excitement." Also, at one point he cryptically noted "Jerry Lewis impression". hm. Who did the impression, Hubs or the Baby? He says the Baby. Also funny: "Poop smuggler drops the motherload". Yep, I remember how much one's life revolved around poop.
I never managed to keep a baby book, but at least I have these notes. I can see when he first rolled over, and when he first slept through the night, and when he did the very cute and rewarding trick of "goo-ing" back in response to our "goos". Its also neat to see who came by for a visit, as I jotted down their names. Oh, such memories! A lifetime ago. But I'm not going to fall for the trap of wishing I appreciated it, or "enjoyed" it more because "it goes so fast." (for a really great related article, read "Before I Forget: What Nobody Remembers about New Motherhood") I was there, fully in the moment, living every bit of it. There is nothing like learning to respond to the needs of an infant to make you fully present, if you know what I mean. But one does forget, so I'm glad I have this momento, no matter how spare, of the passage of our days.
