Swiper, No Swiping!

Funny scene at the house the other day when our cat, Jasmine, stole Kailyn's binky. The back story is, the cat had seen it for a while, was mesmerized by it and tried to get it in the past, but every time she got near it Helen would shoo her away. In true cat fashion, that made Jasmine want it even more, so once when we were not looking, she scaled the couch, dipped her head into the car seat/stroller where the binky was and came out with it in her mouth!

Helen was like 'Did you see that?' and laughed as the cat ran away to check out her prize. Luckily, she didn't go far, so I was able to get it back and wash it off.

I'm sure the cat was thinking, 'Awwww man!' This is what passes as entertainment for us these days...

Cherishing Baby's Health

I've got a friend whose newborn had to undergo heart surgery a few days ago. It broke my heart to hear about the need for surgery, down to the little details like how the nurses had so much trouble finding her little veins for an IV before the surgery.

I sent good thoughts to their family and also reflected inwardly, thinking about and appreciating the fact that Kailyn is in relatively good health (knock on wood.) She had a minor rash on her face recently and we were upset about that, so I can't even begin to imagine how helpless and worried that other baby's parents must feel.

Before we had our baby I asked another friend once to describe the emotional feeling of being a parent, and she told me it was like having your heart beating on the outside of your body- where it is incredibly vulnerable and susceptible to harm. I think that is an apt description, especially after hearing stories like the one above.

Chubby Hubby/Daddy

Since Kailyn's been born, I've gained a few pounds. I'd like to believe that it's 'sympathy weight' of some kind, but the truth is that I've just not gone out and run as much as I used to, choosing sleep over exercise. It's a decision I'm okay with, since taking care of a newborn is really draining and I need all the sleep I can get. But it is kind of sad because I try and stay in shape and would like to not have my pants so tight at the waist.

Hopefully once Kailyn is big enough to fit in the running stroller and the weather gets nicer, I'll get get back at it, hit the road and lose the poundage before summer starts.

But for now, I've got a little gut showing through my t-shirts and look like this when my shirt is off (below.) Oh well.

Parents- did you also gain weight when your baby was born? Were you able to lose it, if so how?

It Takes a Village

In a previous post I mentioned that my mother-in-law was going to be unavailable for the next few weeks to visit so we would be on our own with Kailyn.

As a subscriber to the idea that 'it takes a village' to raise a child, I have been happy to see our friends and other family members step up and help us share the load. Whether it's stopping by and bringing us food or coming over and carrying the baby for a few hours so we don't have to, it is definitely appreciated.

I think the most beneficial thing spending time with our visitors provides is a mental 'break.' Not carrying Kailyn (and for me, not worrying about dropping her or bumping her head into the wall) eases my mind a bit so I can relax and just enjoy conversations. On a recent weekend day, we had a steady stream of visitors- they came, they saw and they carried (the baby) from 3-9 p.m. It was great!

So keep up the good work, all! 'Our' baby thanks you.

Seven Weeks

Hard to believe that our little baby has been with us now for nearly two months. She's been a joy to have around but is definitely keeping us busy with diaper changes, feedings, taking/uploading photos, playing with her, etc. to the point where I barely have time to blog anymore, as some predicted would be the case.

It's hard to remember what life was like before Kailyn entered our world, though I faintly recall being able to sleep through the night on a consistent basis and play a full video game, watch a TV show or eat dinner without being interrupted.

But those are all minor things in the grand scheme of things, and the positive definitely outweighs the negative with this little one.

*Photo taken by Helen, who apparently thinks our daughter is a human doll. :)

For Mommy and Kailyn

This is how I feel about the two women in my life. (It's also a song I sang while baby was in the womb, though not as well as Bono):

I Love My Mother-In-Law

Historically, few people have ever uttered those words and meant it. But in my case, it is true. My MIL has been over the moon since Kailyn was born and has come over to take care of, feed, change, burp, hold, play with and talk to the baby. Of course, what that means is that Helen and I get more sleep, sanity, one-on-one time with each other, and sleep. Did I mention we get more sleep?

It doesn't hurt that Kailyn loves her grandma, and that she behaves very well when grandma is over, which in turn makes grandma love Kailyn even more (she's gone so far as to call our daughter 'her baby,' which is a little creepy, but whatever. I just chalk it up to the language difference.)

We are trying to enjoy this mutually beneficial situation while it lasts, since we know part of the reason it's happening is that Kailyn is the first grandchild for Helen's parents. So my MIL is expressing years of pent up love and doting on the baby. That probably won't happen if/when we have another kid down the line.

Unfortunately, grandma won't be available to babysit/night nanny for a while, so we'll be on our own with Kailyn. And for as good as we are with her, we definitely do not have the magic touch that grandma has.

Roller Coaster Ride

In addition to being on a roller coaster of emotions (mostly good) since Kailyn arrived, Helen and I have also experienced the ups and downs of baby's sleep schedule. There will be nights when she goes down for nearly three straight hours (the best that we can hope for, for now), then there are the nights when she is less cooperative. Usually you can tell from our moods and how dark the bags under our eyes are, how our evening went.

In some ways it's like handling a time bomb- you have to move slowly, walk quietly and be very careful in order not to set it/her off. Otherwise, our restful sleep will be obliterated.

Isn't She Lovely?

There are a few stereotypical songs that new parents play when making videos or slideshows of their new baby daughters - Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely?' and the 50's song 'Be My Baby' immediately come to mind.

But I recently heard another song that might supplant those options as the song I'd want Helen to use if/when she ever makes a video of Kailyn. Here it is:

Sensitive New Millenium Dad

When I was a news anchor, I remember thinking it was slightly odd when my co-anchor (who was a mom of two) got choked up reading about and watching video of tragic stories involving children, since she didn't know the victims personally. As a single guy with no children, I'd give her a funny look while we were off camera, our mics were off and the package/story ran. Wiping away tears, she simply said, 'Wait until you have children of your own - then you'll understand.'

Six years later, I think I get it now. Basically what she meant was that once you have a baby of your own, you automatically feel a kinship with other parents and share their pain when something bad happens to their babies. And as much as you try to avoid picturing your own kid in such stories, you can't help but see their angelic faces when you hear horrible stories involving children.

The same connection is true for happy moments, too. How else to explain why I got so emotional tonight watching 'Mario Lopez: Saved By the Baby' on VH1? In this particular episode, Mario's wife gave birth to their baby at the hospital, and the scene brought me back to what happened three weeks ago in my own life: wearing the clear scrubs and shower cap-looking thing on my head, having a baby girl come via C-section and feeling pure joy once I met my daughter for the first time. It's almost comical to think about hours later, but I nearly cried thinking about Kailyn's birth while watching AC Slater and his wife in a delivery room on TV.



So Kerri, you were right that I would understand someday how you felt. It took a few years but that day is here. Now please pass the tissues - I think a Hallmark card commercial is about to come on.