One Month Ago...

One month ago, I was just getting into my bathtub, to remain there until 6 pm or so. While part of my brain knew that I'd have a baby to hold in my arms by the week's end (induction had been slated for Friday), a large portion of my brain was convinced that she was never leaving, and she would complete high school via braille correspondence through the skin of my belly.

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Turns out, Amoryn showed up that very day. The festivities commenced just after I got out of the tub, had a snack, & spoke to the midwives.

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"No, nothing. Maybe the odd twinge, but they've been happening all along. I'm going to go & have a nap, & then supper."

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I learned differently.... I laid down for the nap, & wow! Contraction city. Four & three quarter hours later, we had a baby. Huzzah! My darling girl had arrived!

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And with her arrival, she brought a lot with her. Some of which is an interesting array of noises, many that translate to the adult ear as "Waaa". (When really, it's "waa", "Wah", "WAAH!", etc.) I've gotten better at understanding, but I've also developed this list to check & diagnose issues:

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1) Diaper? Fusses, howls? Initial sniff test, peer in diaper, change diaper.

2) Hungry? Howls? Mouth open wide? Binky being rejected? Attempts to latch to father's arm? Offer boob.

3) Gassy? Which end?

3.a) Burpy? Fussy, fidgety, flaily, hungry but still savage despite breast? Burp in upright position.

3.b) Farty? Fussy, fidgety, flaily, stiff belly? Gently massage lower belly, bicycle legs, & lay baby on side. (Adult also has option of laying on side.)

4) Overtired? Fussy, fidgety, flaily, glaringly wide open eyes? Walk, stairs, dance, sing, celing fan, bathroom fan, stroller ride, car ride...

5) Bored? This is new. Still in early diagnosis. Propping upright seems to help.

6) Imaginary Goblins Pinching Baby? Tough one. The IG disappear once adult shows up, but takes time for poor baby to relax. Poor baby is also aggravated by misdiagnosing 1)-5).

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Not to say that all Amoryn does is cry & fuss, but if the crying & fussing isn't dealt with quickly, it escalates, and that makes it hard to savor the deliciousness that is our little mumbley girl.

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I get the biggest kick out of watching her wake up. (So far, anyways.) She screws up her face, stretches, & waves her arms, & in general, channels EXACTLY how I feel about waking up.

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She loves sunshine & ceiling fans. She is taking baths on advisement - the wailing has reduced and she might even deign to enjoy one in the future. She watches things more now, & smiles & chuckles in her sleep, and is starting to make eye contact. We're still waiting for the first full eye contact & smile, but that's okay. Judging by the sweetness of the sleeping smile, the real mccoy is going to knock my socks off & reduce me to a gibbering fool of a mama, trying to get her to do it again.

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I'm already a bit of a gibbering fool, truth be told. She's pretty hard to resist; Am's used her super baby powers to hypnotize parents, grandparents, cousins, & aunties alike. Even Pat's bachelor coworker seemed fascinated.

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All in all, she's fantastic. I wouldn't trade her for a million years, or even 8 hours of sleep all in a row. And for me, that's really saying something.

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I think she's waking up; gotta go & catch the show!