mom-mode post # 101 - on flying

You may think I'm crazy, but yes, I took my 3 month-old on a transatlantic trip. As life would have it, we had to take an unexpected trip to America to take care of some of my citizenship process.  The Lord worked out the timing so I could fly back with the grandparents and experience traveling with O before I have to do it all on my own on the way back.

Baby O did great. Sleeping through most of our long flight. He liked the little bassinet and really only cried a few times. I went in with the mentality that I wouldn't worry about his feeding schedule and would just go with the flow. That eased my mind whenever he got too fussy and the only way to calm him was by feeding him. That kept me and everybody else on the plane sane.

Security procedures was another story though... They make you take the baby out of the stroller, fold the stroller up, go through the detector with your baby, put your baby back in the stroller so they can scan just you, etc, etc. If I didn't have his grandparents with me, I would have lost my mind. Here's to hoping (and fervently praying) that the way back will go down without a glitch.

Thank you Gram and Granps for keeping me mentally sound on what has probably been my biggest undertaking as a new mom.

My next BIG undertaking: jet lagged baby. But that deserves a post all on its own.

mom-mode post # 90 - on shot day

My baby got three shots today. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I never thought I was going to be the mom that cries whenever her baby gets shots. I've never been the crying type. You know, the weddings are beautiful- "the notebook" was awesome - goodbyes are awful - crying type. I usually take the "tough it up" approach. I cope with things easier that way ( I was nicknamed "ice queen" back in high school, but that's a story for another day). Needless to say, ever since becoming a mother, the nickname couldn't be farther from the truth. And the "tough it up" approach doesn't seem so pertinent anymore.

After the medicine wore off, he cried. And cried. Until his little face was red and his little voice was hoarse. I held him ever so closely and could not fight the tears falling from my very eyes. I sat right next to his crib until his little body drifted heavily into sleep. I cried a little more. I sat down with a cup of coffee after it was all said and done and could feel the stress melt off my body. He may still wake up in pain tonight. But I'm praying he will sleep right through it all. Just another day in the life of discovering motherhood.

Moms tell you about days like this. My mom certainly did. And do I dare say it, I have a deeper appreciation for my own mama now.
At the risk of making this blog sound like one of those cheesy, sentimental 'forward' pps presentations, the often quoted 'before I was a mom' poem did say it better than what I am trying to say. Here's an excerpt: 
"Before I was a Mom;
I never thought about immunizations,
I never held a screaming child so the doctors could give shots,
I never looked into teary eyes and cried,
I never felt my heart break into pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt ...

Before I was a Mom;
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down,
I never sat up late hours of the night watching a baby sleep,
I never got up in the middle of the night to make sure everything was okay,
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby...

I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside of my body,
I didn't know that having something so small could make me feel so
important,
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment, or the satisfaction of being a mom."

I leave you with a picture of a happier day than today. Isn't he a cutie pie?

mom-mode # 46 - on mother's day

                                Hubby surprised me with a sweet get-away and the cutest photo book ever.


I remember how I felt the first night at the hospital. Overwhelmed at the fact that this tiny little being was solely dependent upon me for survival. Little old me, all stitched up and still numb from surgery. Little old me, never-babysat-much and clumsy. Little old me, a mommy.
Almost three months go by and we are celebrating my first mother's day. I'm now an, hum, "experienced" mother. Realizing that little old me was whom God chose to take care of this precious little guy. And boy, am I ever so blessed, so thrilled, so in love with our little family. I love my hubby even more and have a greater appreciation for him now that I've seen him as a daddy. And ever since that first night at the hospital, I've come to appreciate being my little guy's sole source of nourishment ( at least for now).
It was after a long night of being up with him, I found console in this quote ( I can't remember where I got it)

Heed this warning – I urge you to cherish every bleary eyed mid-night diaper change and feed as they are but a tiny portion of this parenting journey but just so special. Just as the kids start sleeping through the night those dark, quiet cuddles come to an end. Soak it all in.

And I am. I am soaking it all in.

( Oliver and I couldn't get a good picture together on mother's day. Either my eyes were closed, or he had a frown, or my hair was a mess... So we'll try to take some pics together soon)

mom-mode post # 45 - on "sitting up"

Thanks Mr. Joe and Ms. Erika, I just love my little seat!

mom-mode # 45 - on meeting gramps

Having a heart to heart with gramps.

mom-mode post # 98 - on making new friends

Oliver made a new friend ( Thanks cousin Sheri!) and was just thrilled about it.
(Not to mention the fact that he is just relishing in all the loving he is getting from his gram, gramps and auntie)

mom-mode # 78 - on having a 9 week old

("mom, I' not sure I like you holding me like this!")

Baby O is 9 weeks old. Wow. He wakes us up (at the crack of dawn) every morning with the biggest grin on his face. He "talks" to us and is jsut a very alert baby. He has started to enjoy tummy time and is pretty strong. He also loves Elvis. Love me tender, Can't help falling in love with you... He just relaxes and smiles. So sweet. Heck, he may even have enough hair to pull off an Elvis costume this Halloween! :)

I am just overjoyed with my little family. I don't like to bragg ( oh, but I do!). But they are pretty awesome and I feel pretty blessed.
Plus I got a hairtcut this week, which has helped me feel 100 percent better, no amtter how little I've slept.

Not satisfied that I already look enough like a local, the hairdresser gave me a haircut that all the girls here are wearing. So if I'm not out with ym two white guys, I pretty much blend in.:) It turned out great though, I'm not complaining. Just stating a fact. Plus, I absolutely loved the price: 20 lira. A far cry from the much higher prices ( plus tip) I used to pay in the States and Brazil.