On-time vs. Baby-time

For those who know me, I can be a bit persnickety.  Not in all areas, but I do tend to be a bit 'Monk'-ish.  One of my major pet-peeve was being late.  I've found that some persons have no regard for others and their time and honestly it pisses me off.  Fast-forward 11 months after childbirth.  How is my timing/scheduling going?  As anyone or most people with children, in particular young babies will tell you, getting ready to go anywhere is now a big-time chore.  My more experienced friends have driven the fear of God in me.  I have been told that it only gets worst and will eventually become a full-blown production.  (Thanks guys for allaying my fears).

Let me say, I can no longer spontaneously get ready to go somewhere and be happy and relaxed when I get there.   Nooooo.  All trips and I repeat ALL trips need to be pre-scheduled.  This includes knowing from this week, that I will be attending church next week.  I know you may find this amusing and to some extent, it is.  But, for all intents and purposes I am sooo serious.  I need to know in advance where the event is taking place and the time it will begin.  These are imperative to prep time and designated route.  Also, I will have to pre-arrange attire and back-up attires for the occasion.  Next, you have to remember big things like feed, diapers, wipes, medication and the list goes on.  Then the little things that can mean the difference between life and death eg: pacifier, toys to occupy.  All pre-packed and ticked off my to-do list (I know, I know, 'Monk'-ish).  

Let us assume that these things are all in place (laugh).  Rest assured this is the morning your baby will want to sleep late, be extra fussy getting ready, throw up on your outfit (usually have back-up outfit for baby,  not so much yourself).  After all this the car tyre may be flat, the battery has died (true story).  What do you do?  I find that going back to bed helps.

So where does all this leave me?  Consistently running late, especially since I have to obey the speed limit when driving with him on board.  Changing my work time from 8-4 to 9-5 yet still leaving late every morning and then driving like  fiend to get there on-time.  (I apologise to the people I have inadvertently cut-off, cussed-out and overtaken to get to work on-time).  The result, most often than not I am a frazzled mess, needing several minutes to function properly.  

While making a conscious effort to accept the things I cannot change, I am yet to accept that I will never be early again.  Instead I continue to try my best to be on-time (early may be pushing it at this stage).

Peace and love all. Xoxo.

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Diaper Doodie (Ooops) Duty

Am I alone or does a baby seem to be an endless poop factory?  Uuuuuugh.  Dang!  So you may be thinking to yourself, "How old is her child?"  Answer: 11 months.  You may then ask "Why isn't she over this by now?"  Answer:  I have not a darn clue.  Fact is, I asked myself those same questions a few days ago, hence this blog.  As a mother of an 11 month old I have no idea why the thought of a dirty diaper still fills me with dread and make me gag (not only dads feel this way).  When changing a dirty diaper I'm like an Indy 500 driver making a pit stop.  I go in, get the job done and is out of there faster than a speeding bullet.

All this has led me to consider potty training him.  I already know pretty much when he wants to poop.  However, as I sit here, I'm weighing the pros and the cons.  Pro (potty training) - there will be no smelly diaper pail to be emptied ever so often.  Con - I still have to clean him and now clean a messy potty (OMG!!! I feel a gag coming on).  Pro (diapers) - after cleaning baby, everything else gets tossed (no after cleaning of equipment).  Con - smelly diapers stinking up the place.  Where do these options lead me? Hmmmn .... getting my baby genius to clean himself and flush the the toilet or getting a potty that can flush (*slap* wake up girlie and smell the coffee, oops I mean potty).

I read a tweet from Discovery-Health that babies cab be taught sign language very early and let you know when they wanna go potty.  While this should be most helpful with potty training, I'm still not sure when to start.  Do I start now and still have to clean him and potty too?  Or do I wait until he can use a toilet?  Aah the decisions moms must make. 

Oh well ... smell ya' later :) xoxo

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Vacaaaaycion

Let me start by saying a stay at home vacation with a 10/11 month old is absolutely no vacation.  After week one of my two weeks, I feel like a complete wreck, more in need of a vacation than anything.  My only saving grace is not having to leave home for any early appointments.  Although I have long since perished the thought of sleeping in.  My child is unaware of that concept (tired smile).  He's up and at 'em by 6am in the morn (Lord, please let him remain this way when he starts school and thru' his teenage years. Amen).

OK, I'm supposedly on two weeks vacay, as such, I gave the nanny week 1 off for herself.  Can I tell you, after day 1 I've been wondering how she does it.  This lil' one knows no down-time.  He seems to be of the mindset "go hard or go home" completely oblivious to the fact he's already at home.  Gone are the days when you put him at one spot in the crib and he remains there quietly until I come to get him when I'm finished with a chore.  Noooooo. Now he screams on the top of his lungs as if he's incarcerated against his will or he shakes his poor crib to a wreck.  There are few quiet moments in that crib unless he is sleeping. Not wanting to keep him locked up, I set him free; where he instantly tries to climb all the grilles in the house or shake down everything.  I swear the dining room chairs have developed a complex from his manhandling.  I wouldn't be surprised if their legs give out with me sitting on them.

In essence my days entail getting up at the crack of dawn (or as we in Jamaica say "before cock crow")to clean, feed and play.  I try to sneak in a few chores in between.  When he's worn out that's when the work really begins (washing, cooking, ironing, cleaning) so that when he wakes I can yet again clean, feed and play (on repeat) lol.

So here I am waiting with baited breath for his nanny to return so I can get in some much needed rest.  For week 2 I hope to include a trip to the beach (nanny in tow), visit to friends and going by grandma to sleep away my sanity.

I've got to say while I've always been thankful for my nanny I don't think I had a full appreciation for all that she does, now that he is growing up and becoming more than a handful.  I thank God for the day He sent her.  Her job to care for my sweet pea first and foremost has been well done.  

Motherhood is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  So far it has also been the most enjoyable. To all the stay-at-home moms out there, I salute you.  To all the single moms out there I salute you. To every mom out there I salute you.  Men please support all the moms in your life, we need it :)

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PS:  Appreciate and make use of those around to give a helping hand.

Procastination leads to ......procrastination

Yet again I have been missing in action. *Sigh* all due to procrastination.  Does anyone remember the old adage "do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today."  When will I learn.  Due to my constant procrastination I missed several weeks of blogging.  I had a move and due to a misunderstanding I was without cable and Internet for two weeks and now my lappy has a bottom screen *sigh*  Enough about my misfortunes.

Who of you out there has tried moving with a baby.  OMG! not an easy task.  Not sure about you guys, but I absolutely abhor moving.  I hate the packing (deciding what to keep and what to trash). It is much worst with a baby.  After a full week of work and coming home to pack every evening after work ... D-day has finally come.  Not only do you have to think of the things you will be using first, you have to think of the things the baby will need.  On this occasion the new place was so crammed,  we had to spend the first night at Grandma.

Here comes the baby drama.  My now on-a-routine waking only once a night baby, has been totally thrown off by this upheaval.  The new environment has sent him back to his old ways of waking several times per night (exhaustion overload for mommy).  Also, lack of cable to occupy him when me/his sitter is busy, has led him to be underfoot.  He refuses to stay in his crib without cartoons to occupy him and has found his voice (screaming at an UN-Godly pitch) when alone.  I guess being out of his comfort zone and off his routine will do that.  After all he was only 10 months.  Poor baby doesn't understand all these changes.

On the upside, the cable and Internet services are now up and running.  However, lil' man has adjusted to not having TV as his comfort and so it has lost some of its appeal.  He is still interested in his cartoons, but only selected ones :s .  He is much more interested in exploring his new space (with new hazards) and his hobby of running down (crawling swiftly) mommy.  I swear he seems to have gotten twice as clingy since the move.  As soon as I leave a room he is in, I find him at my feet with his arms around my legs/outstretched.  I have also been trying to get him back on course for his night's rest.  As it is now, he wakes crying for me several times.  I have been trying to ignore these (once I'm satisfied that he's not hungry) and allowing him to fall back asleep on his own.  So far UNSUCCESSFUL (tired, wild-eyed mommy).  It has been slow going but I will continue to try as I hunt the illusive full-nights sleep.

Until we meet again. xoxo.

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