Friday, April 16, 2010

Easy-ish

So, it's just hard to write while you're drastically trying to keep up with the basic laundry/groceries/billpaying/etc., even with an "easy" baby. But you already know that, don't you?

Just so you know, and "easy" baby isn't all that easy. I mean, he does wail inconsolably sometimes. He does want to eat every hour for at least part of the day. He gets fidgety in his car seat and he doesn't like to have his diaper changed. But that all seems kinda normal for a baby, so it's more or less what I expected.

My daughter was colicky and fussy and demanding and sensitive. I remember walking around the house with her for hours at a time, singing and rocking and patting and desperately hoping she'd conk out. Which she would, only to wake about two seconds after I carefully transferred her from my arms to a spot in her crib which had been strategically pre-warmed with a hot-water bottle. The frustration was so aggravating that I would cry at least twice a day.

This little guy is a piece of cake in comparison. He'll sit in his bouncy seat and stare at the light fixtures until he drifts off to sleep. (Sometimes.) He'll wake up and just coo for me instead of screaming his head off if I'm not right there. (Sometimes.) He'll gaze wondrously at the thrill of a warm bath, at the feeling of the water rinsing his head, at the leg massage I give him afterwards while he has some diaper-free time. I am astounded at the sheer amount of time that goes by while he actually looks happy. Which may sound ridiculous, but my daughter was so high-strung as a new baby that she had to be held all the time. One of her first words was "carry-you" since she didn't understand direct pronouns and we were always saying "Okay, I'll carry you" or "Do you want Daddy to carry you?". She said it like one word with a badly pronounced R, "kewwiyew."

Anyway, he's so much more laid back that I can put him in his baby-lounger in the bathroom and take a shower - or cook dinner, whatever has to be done. He wouldn't be happy in there forever, but I can get a half hour or so when he's fed and burped and freshly-diapered. He'll just watch us move around and turn his head to follow the sounds of our voices. He seems fine with just observing and relaxing. Or his eyelids will just get lower and lower and he'll conk out. Then we can have about 90 minutes, which seems like forever. It's kind of unnerving, really - I keep wondering if something's wrong with him, but hopefully he's just a mellow guy.

So, I'm not exactly at my wit's end, but I am trying to get one house ready to sell and organize another. I found a nanny-sharing arrangement, which is great, but I need to get to know her a bit before I decide if it's permanent. I had been telling everyone I knew that I wanted a nanny-share, hoping that something would eventually come of it. I didn't expect it to work out so soon, but it was too good to pass up. The other mother has 3 year old twins, so I think the nanny is happy to have a mellow newborn three days a week. She hangs out with him while I dash between houses - seems like she has the better part of the arrangement, but at least I am almost done moving.

Anyway, that's me these days. Mellow baby, part-time nanny, not working for at least a few more months... and I'm still propping my eyelids open sometimes, moaning about my creaky back and realizing almost every afternoon that I haven't eaten since six in the morning. If I am ever done fixing up the old house, landscaping the new one and figuring out how to get rid of half my husband's old junk without him knowing about it, I might actually worry about some kind of exercise. Meanwhile, elastic waists for me...

17 comments:

Pale said...

Great to "see" you.

My dd was a colicky, high-needs baby. The whole the first year was just hell -- none of this out-growing colic at 2 or 3 months stuff for us. My husband was traveling a lot overseas then, too, and we'd just moved to a town where we didn't have friends. It was a perfect storm of challenges. Then, like you, I got a mellow #2. The experiences were like night and day. I think, as you say, even mellow babies can be plenty hard to manage at least some of the time ... it was just that, by comparison, we weren't inclined to sweat much.

It really made me understand righ out of the gate the futility of competitive parenting. Every kid, every parent, every circumstance is different. If someone is patting themselves on the back or judging, they don't know what they don't know.

So glad to hear the little guy isn't being too hard on you. The whole newborn/real estate chores thing is enough for now, eh?!

Steady on. :)

Paula Keller said...

Sounds like you're doing SOOO good! Busy, but really good!

Prays (please God, send me mellow babies like Lorraines!).

Anonymous said...

i'm glad yoou have an "easy" baby and you have my sympathy on the moving thing as we moved about two weeks after i had louise. it sucked.

Evergreen said...

Wow, you've got a really full plate there -- trying to move with a 4(?) week old. I can't imagine it. Sounds like overall you are doing well. And yes, I too have an easy baby, but that doesn't mean they aren't a lot of work. Glad he's a good sleeper. :-)

Anonymous said...

Yay for easy babies. D was easy that way - mostly just content to hang out in the bouncy chair. And there's nothing wrong with him! So I think you just got lucky this time. Maybe it is his "eskimo" blood.

lastchanceivf said...

Thanks for the update! I think you do have a mellow fellow on your hands! And please, do post some more pics :)

Gwynn said...

I can't believe you squeezed in a post with everything that you are juggling! Unbelievable. That's such wonderful news that you found a nanny share so quickly. It sounds like, with the move, the timing actually couldn't be better.

And that temperament, I jealous! Mine wasnt' clolicky but many an hour was spent swaying and shushing before he would drift off in my arms (and then the dismount into the bed was a whole other story!) Enjoy him. He sounds marvelous!!

Nikki said...

Hi Lorraine - first of all, congratulations!! Secondly, I'm sorry I've been missing in action and haven't even congratulated you. The baby looks so cute, and sounds like he's a mellow fellow!

Hope you're doing well! ((hugs))

Natika said...

I think babies just get easier when we are older. You take the time to enjoy them for the little person they are. I love babies.
I have to move as well. This house is big and full of 12yrs of stuff. Splitting the stuff up between my husband and myself is gonna take some time. Weird to think I'll be a single mom on my own at 43. I haven't lived in a place by myself in 23yrs. Scary.

Lost in Space said...

You do know there is a rule that when you are gone for a bit on your blog caring for a new baby that you owe your readers some pictures when you pop back in, right? Okay, so I just made it up, but would love to see the little guy...maybe in person sometime soon??

Glad he is a mellow little guy and you are able to have a few moments. Do you need any organizing/moving help? Let me know.

Best When Used By said...

What a sweet little baby you have! Maybe it's good that you had your more demanding baby first and your easy one second.

Your comment about being half way through the day before you eat made me smile. That happens to me so often. It's usually 2 o'clock before I realize that I've only had coffee and really should try to eat something.

Good luck with the move!

RoseAG said...

I can't imagine trying to move with a 4 week-old. You are so lucky you happened onto the nanny-share. Even if you decide she's not the one for when you really go back to work at least you've got some help now!

It sounds like the work of moving is about right for you now. You can save the "exercising" for later.

Wombded said...

Sounds like heaven. How wonderful that it's all going so well. Enjoy.

Celia said...

It's not that I'm organized enough to keep my blog up to date, it's just the only thing keeping me sane.By crikey. If your body is sore from moving, try biofreeze. It's great for sore muscles. I don't remember if you are breastfeeding, but I don't know if it is ok to use while bfing.

Kami said...

Fixing up the old house? Landscaping the new one? Maybe that is why everyone seems to have more money then us. We couldn't begin to get those things done . . . we would hire someone.

Well, the cleaning we would do.

Our baby #2 is easier too, but then she has to be since she doesn't get near the attention as the first one.

I am starting my second week back to work and I am not too happy about it, but at least it is part time and I am at home with the kiddos.

Good luck getting all that done. You are amazing to even attempt it.

Celia said...

Girl... you post less than I do.

Pale said...

I keep thinking of you and wondering how you are. Missing your blog when I check the reader. Hope you are well!

Cheers,

D.