Seven

I read a medical paper that said the average child has seven sicknesses before his/her first birthday. Nixon turns one next week, and his seventh is upon us. I guess he’s holding up to statistics.

So, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Nixon in the middle of the night. He’s just got a little cold, but when he lies down he starts to cough. Coughs make me so nervous. Last night I went into his room where he was sleeping peacefully, despite what I felt were terrible coughing attacks. I wanted to pick him up and hold him to make things easier, but I didn’t want to wake him. So I laid on the floor next to his crib, said a little prayer, and waited until the coughing seized. I wish I could fix it.

This baby. He is amazing. To me he seems huge. He learns so much every day. He doesn’t need my constant entertainment anymore (which makes me a little sad), instead I watch and follow as he moves throughout the house on an exploration mission day after day. He finds little things wherever he goes, then leaves a trail of Nixon. I can’t believe how much he knows. He can flush the toilet and unroll the toilet paper. He can drive his cars along the ground and put them in the garbage can. He stacks his blocks and throws his cheerios. He teases with rocks and hides and seeks.

Nixon walks around furniture, but doesn’t walk on his own yet. I think I’ve had my first lesson in not comparing my child to another’s. I keep trying to get him to walk like some of the other children his age, and after he noodle legs it and cries, I step back and remind myself: He’s exactly what he should be. He’s got his gifts, like his mega-watt smiles. He’s perfect. Yeah, he’s perfect.

Using My "Sweet" Voice

Naptimes are not the same around here lately. I’m frantically trying to work most days, either for my paid job or on my church calling. 

I am completely overwhelmed and intimidated by the calling to be the Primary President in my ward. It’s been just a few weeks now, and some things are going well but definitely not all things. Parents cause more drama then the children ever could – I had no idea! The prior president had been in Primary for eight years. Oh, and she was a Kindergarten teacher. Sheesh. Are you kidding me?!

I’m getting over my youthful fears of mean children. I’ve filled 10 callings so far, created a third Nursery and reorganized several classes. I have no idea what’s going on with Scouts or Activity Days. That will be next.

I’m not sure why they called me. I haven’t been to Primary since I was 11, and sometimes I have no idea what’s happening. I’m learning how to get children to be quiet when I speak. I’m learning how to listen to their stories. I am learning how to make big words into little words. I’m learning how sweet they are and how super smart they are. I am developing an intense desire to teach them and to protect them. But I am so unqualified.

Do I have a little child voice? Did I accidently say a bad word during Sharing Time? Am I kind enough? Do I use simple enough words? I have a lot to learn. 

New #1

Pretty much everything is new these days. I’ve experienced a whirlwind and had little time for much else.

How about we start with my new job?

My old company called and asked me to be hired as a consultant and plan the tours for their convention since I’m the one who has planned them the past two times. Most of my work is from home during naptimes, a few times a month I have to go in for a meeting. The tours will be three days in October and we’re expecting somewhere around 20,000 in those three days. It will be crazy and the logistics are insane.

The Good Things

All that thinking has been good for me. I’ll admit it is nice to think about something else once in a while besides sleep schedules, baby food, developmental activities and poop (who knew that could be on my mind so frequently?). I worked really hard for five years in my career, and it’s nice to be able to use those skills again. And to be paid!

The Negative Ones

But, it’s hard. When I leave I feel guilty – Me and Nixon are best friends, and I feel bad every time I’m gone. I’ve left him many times before without a problem, but for some reason going to work makes me feel selfish. My sister said it will make me a better mom to leave once in a while, and I think she’s right. It’s still a little hard. I also hate inconveniencing people with requests for babysitting, even though it’s not super often. All of my work clothes are too big, so every time I have to go to the office I spend 30 minutes trying to find something to wear (minor problem, I know).

So far it’s been worth it. This particular project will only be until October, then I’ll have some decisions to make.

Nine Months Down

We have reached a milestone. Nine months in, nine months out. And what a happy boy we have! 

Here's where nine months has taken us.

Smiling. He has the most amazing smile, and he uses it a lot. He enjoys having his picture taken. When we go to the store he smiles at everyone. If they don't look at them, sometimes he yells. It's awesome.

Talking. Nixon talks a lot! He loves the sound of his own voice. Sometimes he yells his words, but usually it’s just a joyful babble. He currently says “dada,” “momma,” “hi” and he's said “ball” once. He's working on that and “whoa.” 

Moving. He has perfected the art of rolling. He rolls to get anywhere he wants, bypassing our efforts to encourage him to crawl. He scoots backward, but rarely figures out how to go forward. He loves to stand up! He can stand while holding something for a long time. He plays catch! We bought him a football for Easter and currently his favorite game is to play catch with us! So fun. He also likes anything rubber he can chew on and plastic wrappers. 

Eating. Nixon prefers vegetables over fruit. Carrots are his favorite. He mostly eats purees, but can also eat small pieces. Beyond fruit and vegetables he mostly eats cereal (rice cereal or cheerios). He doesn't like pinto beans, kiwis or avocado. We will try meat and cheese soon. Nixon is overcoming the pukes! He still has puke days, but we don't wear the burp rag as a fashion accessory anymore. He wears a bib all waking hours to protect his neck from a constant stream of drool. He is no longer the biggest kid on the block! He is in the 63 percentile for weight. 

Sleeping. Nixon sleeps to anywhere between 5-7 a.m. We try to let him keep trying until at least 6. If he wakes then, he usually goes back to sleep until 8 a.m. He’s a really great napper. He takes three naps a day most days, but we’re starting to drop the third nap. He likes to sleep on his side for naps, on his back during the night.

And this is where I’m at…

Emotionally. I love being home with Nixon every day. I miss my career and sometimes I fantasize about doing something small on the side, but I have really never been more content. I love being home. Sometimes I feel a little less smart than I used to be. I don’t feel as confident in carrying on a conversation. I guess between early risings and limited adult conversation that’s bound to happen.

Physically. I am still nursing Nixon. Besides figuring things out the first week I have had next to no issues with it. I am so grateful for the ability to feed him, and I honestly love it. It's a little break every few hours with just me and him. I will miss that.

I get tired easily. I do some sort of resting every day, whether a nap or reading. I try to eat enough, but low calories might be the cause of this. 

I weigh about 10 pounds less than I did before Nixon. I would like to gain a few pounds and tone up a bit, but for the most part I'm happy with how I look.

I still battle pelvic pain daily. I know someday this will get better, but the pain takes an emotional toll. I feel like I should be able to do just about anything but I can't. I can't carry or push heavy things and running is limited. I am still working with doctors and exercises to get better.

I am not ready for more. I cry when I think about having another child, in fact. I love my little boy. Right now that’s enough.

A Pile of Rocks

Yesterday my little boy fell asleep open mouthed in my arms. Asleep in my arms! I can count with 10 fingers the times this has happened. But he missed his nap timeframe and couldn’t fall asleep unassisted. So I helped, and then I couldn’t seem to let him go. I love that memory.

The past week has been warm enough for Nixon and me to go outside for exercise in the morning. Depending on my pain threshold we either walk or run (Nixon rides contentedly either way).

One morning I came upon a pile of pretty white rocks. At this moment I was a bit harrowed up in the task of getting Nixon to sleep the night through without needing to eat. Tyler and I made a plan, we have been committed, last week was one of the worst weeks of our lives. Needless to say, I have felt like a horrible, mean mom for the tears that are shed.

So at this moment, with these thoughts and these rocks I determined to build my son a rock collection. I picked the best I could find and added them to his stroller. He is young, he doesn't care about rocks. But for me it was something I could do. I want him so badly to know that I love him, even when I don't feed him at 3 a.m.

I know this sleep thing is such a small thing. My sister gave me the great advice to keep trying but move on. Give in to the fact that I will be tired for a long time. She's right. If I step back from the situation, I know completely that I’m a bit too worried about it. He won't remember this and someday I’m sure he will sleep all night.

But for me, somehow, picking up those rocks made me feel like the kind of mom I want to be.

Anniversary Love

Three years and one child later, I came to the realization that I really, really love my husband. Even more than I thought I did.

He had a weekend planned of fun activities to celebrate our Anniversary, but I spent that weekend in varying states of attentiveness, caught up in a terrible head cold. On a Sunday afternoon he sent me to bed, and he set out to take the luckiest boy in the world on a bike ride. I slept, then awakened in fear. How long was I asleep? Are they safe? Did they get hit by a car? (Can we blame the sickness for this hypochondrium?)

Then came an overwhelming realization – I would give anything – anything – so that neither my husband nor my son would feel pain. I would give my whole world for them. And I felt so much love for them in that moment it was unreal. I got up from my bed, walked out to find them wrapped in blankets swinging on the porch swing. See why he’s the luckiest boy in the world? And I’m the luckiest girl.

We did celebrate our Anniversary, though. We rode our bikes to Winger’s, got our usual with a side of pie, then put the little guy to bed, and Ty gave me a massage. Maybe perfect?

Then, as an Anniversary encore, we took a sunny weekend at its word and broke out our new mountain bikes. I’m convinced mountain biking burns more calories than any other activity. Wow. We went on a trail that terrified me! Switch backs, bushes (we learned this trail was for running in the end), and I ended up bruised in a pile of deer droppings at one point. Even after all that I think the memory will be a fond one. 

The Lullaby Life

Tonight as we were getting Nixon ready for bed he was sad. He breaks down when he realized bath time is over and pajamas are on their way. It’s a ritual we sing through every night. But tonight, tonight was different. Tonight amidst the tears he repeated over and over, “Mama, mama, mama” for the first time. I can’t begin to describe how much I love that little boy.

Our child hit eight months old and became the coolest baby in all the land. My favorite part about him is how he smiles his giant, toothless smile for everyone he sees. He is so happy! Let’s be honest, babies aren’t fairytales and our baby can scream with the best of them. But most of the time he loves to sing and smile and play.

Mama is the newest word, but before that came “Da dad da dad da.” I was walking Nixon around the house to see pictures of the people we know, and every time he saw one of Tyler he’d say “da dad da dad da.” Tyler was beyond skeptical when I told him this, but I was convinced he knew what he was saying. Later that day we walked out to meet Tyler as he was coming home from work. We stopped to talk to our friends. I said, “Nixon, what’s your new word?” Without skipping a beat he looked at Tyler, smiled big and said, “da dad da dad da!”

Yesterday Nixon and I were out on the grass blowing bubbles and eating dirt (wait, that was just Nixon), and our neighbor walked by and said, “wow, that’s the life.” I thought about how right he is. I am right where I need to be, living a life that’s overflowing with lullabies and big huge smiles. 

I have a close friend who told me as soon as I saw my little boy I wouldn't want to return to work. She was wrong. I probably could have managed to leave him them. But now, now that we've officially grown attached, leaving is the last thing on my mind. I feel overwhelmingly grateful for every day I can just be Nixon's mom.