Barfy Baby

We have a barfy baby on our hands this week. Q has been unusually hungry. He is eating two jars of baby food at a time. He used to only have one. It is hard to anticipate what his appetite is going to be at any given meal. Babies do not tend to be patient or reasonable. Yesterday, I was trying to change his dirty diaper before lunch, god forbid. He was not having it. He was crying so desperately you would think I was yanking out his eyelashes or something. Which I wasn't, just to be clear. After the very last spoonful of sweet potatoes he immediately started his desperate crying again. So, I had to quickly follow with some peach-mango-oatmeal, which actually sounds pretty tasty. I made sure he went to daycare armed with two jars. It is a challenge to strike the delicate balance of food though. He seemed to have too much last night. He barfed up some partially digested carrots all over my white (of course) sweater. Thankfully, I wasn't wearing my suit jacket at the time. Not long after, he vomited some milk onto T. At least he is equal opportunity. I respect that. I just hope it is regular run-of-the-mill spitting up and not some sort of stomach flu. He has the faint aroma of barf about him now. It's about time for a bath.

My yoga class was lovely this morning. Every Monday and Wednesday when that alarm clock shrilly rings, I have a slight feeling of dread. Once I get a cup of coffee in me and a few downward dogs under my belt though, I feel like a new woman. It is great to have 20 or so people show up to start their day with me. T and I had to do pull off a baby swap this morning. We are forever handing off keys, cars, car seats, and babies. Ah, the life of a modern mama.

--MM

Lazy mama

Does it make me a bad mother that I blew off Q's baby library program this morning? I suppose I could actually still hustle and go, but I just can't bring myself to do it today. In my defense, I did already go to one session and now am driving to the next town to do another session. Does it make me a bad mother that T and I argued over who had to go get Q this morning when he was crying? Should I bound out of bed and rush to scoop him up? I eventually won the battle of wits and T went to feed the little guy cereal. Can you tell I am feeling a little guilty this morning? Q is bouncing in the doorway right now in his Tigger exerciser. He loves that thing. He is still smiling and cooing at his mother. He doesn't know she is a lazy mama this morning.
--MM

Rudely interrupted

I was shocked in my yoga class this morning. I just started teaching again Monday and Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. after taking maternity time off. I have to get up at 7:00 a.m., which is quite painful most mornings, but that is another story. Anyway, we were just easing into our meditation, breathing deeply, relieving our stress and all that, when the jarring ring of a cell phone sliced through the air. I opened one eye to give the perpetrator a glare expecting her to slink over and shamefully silence it. Instead, the nervy woman answered! She proceeded to carry on a conversation on her yoga mat rudely interrupting our relaxation. To make matters worse the same annoying ring tone shattered the air again later in class. You think you'd learn! This time the woman at least had the decency to walk outside for her conversation. I must admit, I have left my cell phone on at inopportune times before, but I least have the good sense to be embarrassed when I turn it off, or pretend it's not mine as I look around annoyed. This same woman also carries on loud conversations with nearby yoga mates during class. Annoying. I must perfect my one-eyed glare to get my message across.

--MM

Never enough naps

One of my favorite things is a nice juicy nap. I took many this weekend. I have only gotten about six hours of sleep a night at most this week, so I was due for some big, fat naps. I taught aerobics and yoga on Saturday and had a shoot later for work, but after that is was nap time. I impressed myself without the amount of sleeping I did. My husband had to convince me to actually wake up and nurse the baby. I often wish men could do that or wish I had another woman in the house. That would be quite convenient. I thought I might even be up late because of my extensive napping, but T and I were passed out on the couches by about 12:30.

Sunday began with big, fluffy cheese-covered bagels. Do they still count as a single bagel even when they are the size of your head? I think so. After some more napping we embarked on a 5-mile run, each pushing Q halfway. He fussed for the second half. Poor little man. It was a beautiful day for a run; sunny and mild. I must say I am so happy we are not training for a marathon right now. It was nice to not feel that pressure. I like running for the joy of it.

We had a delightful noddle dish tonight with peanut-sesame sauce and napa cabbage. It was from my Vegetarian Times magazine. I love that publication.

And so another weekend comes to an end too quickly, and another busy week begins. In five days, I will be bleary-eyed and nap-deprived once again.

--MM

Daycare envy

I truly appreciate my daycare. My provider does a wonderful job. She is a tiny, pretty thing with huge fake boobs. She seems passionate about kids and seems to really love little Q. I never worry that he is not safe or underfed. I think he is in wonderful hands, though today I had some serious daycare envy. I was working on a story on daycare, and visited one in a wealthy nearby town. This was the daycare of the century. It is only open seven hours a day, four days a week. That's because the clients are stay-at-home moms who want to enrich their children's lives and perhaps get a massage or volunteer at the same time. Imagine daycare being a choice and a luxury? Most of us will never be that lucky. This daycare had just six children and no openings for years on end. The same children stay together from toddlerhood till they venture off to Kindergarten. It was quite the child nirvana with a huge backyard filled with oversized playthings and a indoor classroom/playroom with everything in miniature. The kids are currently learning about space, so there is everything from a tiny dark alcove with glow-in-the-dark planets to a craft project of the moon's surface made by pressing marbles into clay...like asteroids hitting the moon. Pretty amazing, huh? I found my self wondering if Q is getting everything his tiny malleable mind needs. I found myself wishing I had lots of money and the means to get massages while my son is making moon surfaces. I found myself longing to live in this rich town, where I could walk to get coffee and bask in culture and prestige. But, it's always seems better from the outside looking in. Q is in a safe place and that's all that matters. But, it would be nice though.

--MM

Coffee and manicures

My baby wakes up every morning at 7. I stay up till at least 1:30 a.m. watching my tivoed shows after work. This leaves me dripping with tiredness every day and absolutely dependent on caffeine. Yet, I still make it a priority to get a manicure every two weeks and a mani-pedi every month. Some may find that frivolous and a waste of time. Perhaps, I could spend that hour or two napping. Yet, I find it vital. Looking down at my perfectly polished nails and feeling my soft little feet brightens my day. Not to mention the unrivaled bliss of having someone rub your hands and massage your feet and lend an ear to your gossip and complaints. It is one of the aspects of my carefree child-free life I hang onto with both manicured hands. Still to survive, I must exist on cup after cup of coffee. A part of me feels like it is high time I cut back on my caffeine intake, but that is just an impossibility. Plus, I live for cinnamon dolce lattes. If manicures and coffee are my major vices in life, that's all right with me.

--MM