musings of Mother Hood

6 weeks old!

Right after Colt was born, Nancy told me that 6 weeks was the magical time in a new Mom's life that things seem to settle into a routine and she's no longer the completely-clueless-crazy-person-with-the-new-baby --- rather she's starting to feel "normal" and a little more in control of things. I've really felt that the last few days. I was just thinking yesterday how it's starting to be no big deal to throw all our stuff in the car and go run errands during the day. If it weren't so God awful hot, we'd probably do more outside -- but just about the time the weather starts getting nicer, Colt will be a little older and more willing to hang out outside with us. I'm looking forward to that. But when Nancy told me that 6 weeks ago (and even a week ago!) I thought she was crazy and that I would never feel like I knew what I was doing. Not that I have it all figured out -- ha! -- but I'm starting to feel more confident and much more calm about taking care of him.

So he's much more consistent these days and can reliably go 2 or 3 hours between feedings -- so we've continued trying to get out of the house at least once a day. It gets a little easier every time. And this past weekend we almost got back into our normal (pre-baby) "weekend routine." 'Almost' because there was no sleeping in, but there was golf and there was homemade weekend breakfast and there was napping -- it was nice. Saturday afternoon I did a little What Not to Wear action on my closet in preparation for going back to work in September -- and laughed at how long it's been since I've worn my clothes!

Colt has almost lost all of the dark hair he was born with -- there are still a few random tufts left toward the back of his head. And he's got some pretty good peach fuzz all over where it's starting to grow back! And his eyes have lightened a little from the dark blue that they were when he was born. He has been sleeping almost 6 hours (in a row!) at night the last few days - which is WONDERFUL. And as long as I don't eat any dairy products he's in a really pleasant mood.  He's doing really great -- he goes to bed easily most nights, baths are less and less traumatic each time, he holds his head up unless he's really tired and forgets how, and he's starting to get less frustrated with his "tummy time" baby exercises.

We went to pick up Colt's pottery this week! A friend of mine owns a paint-your-own pottery studio here in Fayetteville called Different Strokes, and she wanted to do a keepsake plate for Colt -- so when he was 2 weeks old we went down and immortalized his little feet! She did a great job - I love it.

Not 2. Not 4. -- You get 3 strikes.

So, this may seem out of character – but I am absolutely obsessed with a mildly obscure reality show called “So You Think You Can Dance?”. I stumbled upon it a few years ago (yes, it has enjoyed several seasons now) and I fell in love. It’s a lot like American Idol – except with dancers. And it’s wonderful. Every week the dancers/contestants choose a style of dance out of a hat – and they spend the week learning choreography in that style – with a partner. The styles range from normal stuff like Ballroom and Hip Hop to – new to the show this season! – Two-Step and Bollywood. I love it!

So they start with 20 dancers – 10 guys and 10 girls. Each week they vote off 1 guy and 1 girl – so that there are even numbers for partnering and such. Three weeks ago was the episode that voted off the last 2 dancers to get down to the “Top 10” – which is a big deal because they tour the country after the show ends. Whatever.  Anyway, Comfort (girl) and Thayne (guy) were eliminated on that episode. Relatively uneventful. We have the Top 10. But WAIT!

The next week, during the opening dance sequence, I only counted 9 dancers! One of the girls was missing from the number. After they left the stage, the host of the show comes on and gives an update on Jessica (the missing girl). Apparently she had broken some ribs during rehearsing/performing the last few weeks and a doctor told her she couldn’t continue on the show. So! The producers of the show decide the only fair thing to do is bring back the last girl eliminated – Comfort. What?! They need an even number for partnering, but… this girl was not only already eliminated from the competition – but got beat by a girl with 2 broken ribs!

All I could think of was the 2008 Arkansas State Spelling Bee – which I had the privilege to attend in support of Clark County’s own – Elizabeth Teed. I’m not the seasoned Spelling Bee attendee that some are, but I am vaguely familiar with the process. You spell a word correctly – you stay in the bee. You spell a word incorrectly – you’re out. Very simple rules. You would think.

As the day progressed, we began to think they might be going for some sort of record for Longest Spelling Bee EVER. Maybe it wouldn’t have been such a marathon day if they hadn’t kept putting people BACK IN the bee after they spelled words incorrectly. TWO different spellers had the unfortunate experience of being eliminated THREE separate times from the spelling bee. I don’t know if anyone in attendance that day was clear on the technicality of the rules that were manipulated in order for this to happen – but MY goodness!

This week, as you probably guessed, Comfort was eliminated from “So You Think You Can Dance” – again. And now things are as they should be. Is it not humbling enough to be eliminated from a given competition once? But twice? three times? Seriously.

Maybe they’ll have a new rule at the Olympics this year – the “Do Over”. It’s all the rage.

5 weeks!

Well here it is -- 9:56 p.m. -- and I am finally sitting down to write my weekly Colt Report.

He started smiling some this week - but I haven't been able to get a picture yet. I hope he is smiling a lot more by this time next week and I can get a shot of it. He's really started to enjoy playing a little more every day. In the crib:

And on the floor:

If you look closely at that last photo - I was trying to get a picture of him checking himself out in the mirror. He loved it!

I set the timer to take our picture today. Try to direct your attention to the baby in the photo - instead of the crazy, sleep-deprived lady holding him.

He's getting more and more alert (and less and less hair!) every day. Still eating well and sleeping well at night. In fact, he's officially moved from the bassinet in our room to the crib in his room! 

I really have some incredibly talented friends. Nancy met us up on campus last night to take some photos. And they are amazing! She did such a great job. Here are a few of my favorites--

Until next week!

One Month Young

Another exciting week in the life of Baby Hood! Though I couldn't quite get my act together to have Colt participate in Cow Appreciation Day last weekend at Chick-fil-A, we did have a good week.

I know I've mentioned before that our backyard is like our own personal Wild Kingdom. This week was no different. In addition to our regulars - the bunnies, cats, and at least one unwelcome mole - we had these critters:

We needed you, Chip! We still haven't seen any bears, so you must have scared them all away when you were last here.

Jeff is back from his trip out west to Mt. Rainier - and my few days of single parenthood are finally over!

He had a good time and is glad to be home. While he was gone, Nancy and her family took me in -- so Colt and I spent the weekend playing Wii bowling (which I am embarrassed to admit made me sore for days) and hanging out with Nancy, Matt, Abby and Ethan.

Abby and Colt - singing the ABCs.

We had such a good time that we stayed all day Saturday. Inexperienced first-timer that I am, I didn't anticipate how long we'd be gone and I didn't bring enough diapers. So as we were leaving Saturday night - Matt and Nancy helped me put this HUGE diaper from Ethan's stash on Colt for the ride home. Poor guy.

We had a few visitors from my office this week, too - which was great. It was good to see all of them and catch up on what's been going on at work. Other than that it's been a nice, quiet, fourth week of "babyhood" for Colt and me. He's still eating and sleeping well - and growing like crazy. I didn't get to weigh him this week - but I think he's easily up to 8 pounds. And his Mama is trying not to get too upset at his beautiful little baby head going bald!

Thanks to all of you for the happy thoughts and well wishes --

You're Gonna Miss This

She was starin' out the window of their SUV
Complainin', sayin' "I can't wait to turn 18"
She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"
Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school
Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In a one-bedroom apartment, and her Daddy stops by
He tells her "It's a nice place"
She says "It'll do for now"
Starts talkin' about babies and buyin' a house
Daddy shakes his head and says "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'
One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'
And she keeps apologizin'
He says "They don't bother me.
I've got 2 babies of my own.
One's 36, one's 23.
Huh, it's hard to believe, but...

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this"

3 weeks!

Time is flying! Colt is 3 weeks old today and growing like crazy. He gained back up to his birth weight (and then some!) before he was a week old -- and, though we haven't been back to the doctor for an official weigh-in, I swear he's gotta be 8 pounds by now. When we were at Keith and Don's last weekend for the 4th, we weighed the little guy on their bathroom scale -- 8 pounds -- but with his clothes on and everything, I don't know how accurate that is.

He's eating well and sleeping well, and Jeff is trying to keep me from getting cabin fever by taking the two of us out - in some fashion - nearly every day. Colt's made appearances at Wal-Mart, Jason's Deli, Sam's Club, Chick-fil-A, the Post Office, Target, and today we had lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings. He is SO good for the most part and mostly sleeps while we're out.

Colt's already pretty good about keeping his days and nights straight -- and we spend our days playing on the floor, reading, and dancing to music on GAC tv. I can already tell that he inherited his parents' love of Country music and it soothes him like little else.

I think he's really close to smiling, and his muscles are getting very strong -- he'll be holding up his head and rolling over in no time!

Happy 4th of July!

As has become the tradition, Jeff and I spent the 4th of July with Keith, Don and crew -- and this year we brought our little firecracker along to celebrate.

There was food and fun -- and we were all marveling at the fireworks Don had bought this year and couldn't wait to set them off. I have no idea why - but it's legal to shoot fireworks in your front yard here in NWA... so we set up shop in the street in front of Keith and Don's house.

Shortly after that photo was taken, Jeff and I had our very first "must-protect-our-young" moment. We were on our way home, and had just put Colt in the car. We were sticking around to set off one of the "big" fireworks so we could show-up the pansies down the street. While we stood in the driveway - beside the car - Randy (friend of Don's from Dallas) lit something wild and it tipped over as it went off -- shooting horizontally across the ground - AT US - and AT the CAR containing our CHILD. And - it was time to go. We were in the car and out of the driveway in about 5 seconds. Happy 4th of July everyone!

The Baby Diaries: Week 2

Tomorrow Colt will be 2 whole weeks old - which is truly hard to believe. We waited for him for so long and we are enjoying every minute of him being here. I am almost ready to say that I can't remember what we did without him.

He's such a sweet little guy, and - understandably - I've been unable to fight off the visitors since he arrived. We have been so lucky to be surrounded by family and friends the last few weeks-- coming to visit, bringing supper, and helping us keep some sanity by helping out around the house. (Not to mention how polite everyone has been in not commenting on our overrun-by-baby-ness little house!)

Being the Northwest Arkansas native that he is, it is only fitting that Colt make a pilgrimage second only to a Razorback sporting event -- Wal-Mart! He escorted me on a short trip late last week, and - though he slept the whole time - seemed to enjoy himself.

And Grandmother and Pop came to visit this weekend! Grandmother tried unsuccessfully to convince Pop that they had come to take Colt home with them - but they enjoyed meeting him and we had a nice weekend.

Nearly as important as attending a game and calling the Hogs - we took Colt on a walk around campus on Sunday. Among his cool new toys (most of which he is not quite big enough to enjoy yet) is a jogging stroller - courtesy of Ross. It completely dwarfs him and I'm fairly certain the harness system in the seat would protect him should we want to stroll to the Moon and back -- but he loved it. We walked around campus and got some much needed fresh air.

Looking forward to a thrilling and fun-filled Week 3 -- we'll keep you updated!