Like most couples, Justin and I followed convention and got a dog with our new house with the fenced in backyard. We had two years with Oscar before we started talking about having a baby. While I was pregnant, I would tease Justin about how he talked to the dog like a baby. He calls Oscar, "baby sweetie" and I wondered how that would go over with Oscar and the baby when he arrived. What I've discovered is that Oscar is not confused as the baby so much as Rory is confused as the dog.
Here's an example. Justin has taken to calling Rory, "Rory Pup". At first, I would admonish, he's your son, not a dog. Then, like a parrot, I found myself doing the very same thing. Rocking Rory to sleep, I would say things like "It's ok, Rory Pup." Last night, I even called Rory "Puppers". There has to be something wrong with our household in that we call the baby, "puppy" and the puppy "baby sweetie.". Of course, my dog does have more bladder control that my baby at this point. Rory did pee all over himself this very morning and Oscar hasn't had an accident in a very long time.
I hope this doesn't leave lasting damage on my son. I really don't want him to grow up thinking he's a dog. And calling him "Rory Pup" really does feel like an endearment. I will try to break myself of this habit though. For both the dog's sake, and Rory's.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
What I Didn't Expect...
So like many new mothers, I read the "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and it's nice and informative, but it doesn't quite cover all the bases. I've been home with Rory for two weeks now and there are quite a few things that no book prepared me for. Below are listed the unexpected surprises...these are in no particular order.
-I didn't expect to see myself so clearly in you Down to facial expressions. It's almost eerie. We have the same frown face. I feel my eyebrows furrowing and I look in the mirror and I see the same expression on Rory. It's not the "mad" look. It's the mildly displeased look and he has it down perfectly. Can you inherit facial expressions?
-I didn't expect to see you smile. And it's not just gas like books say. I swear he smiles when I talk to him. Yes, there's the smiling in his sleep..but he smiles at me too. And it's amazing. He has a dimple!
-I didn't expect to see you wiggle your ears. I can do that too!
-I didn't expect to be afraid of changing your diaper. You are a walking peeing, pooping projectile machine. I need another arm. With one hand holding your flailing legs, and the other trying to clean your bottom, I need a third to block the inevitable piss or poop you will squirt out.
-I didn't expect you to hate changing your diaper as much as I do. You scream like you're being murdered and all I'm trying to do is keep you clean.
-I didn't expect poop to actually fly across the air. I didn't know it could come out like a missle and completely bypass hitting the diaper or the changing pad but instead the surrounding walls.
-I didn't expect you to absolutely loathe bathing. You hate getting naked. You hate getting wet. You scream worse than when I change your diaper.
-I didn't expect the crying without actual tears. And the one day when I saw a single tear and I knew that you weren't supposed to be able to produce them...then I felt really bad that you had worked yourself up to such a state.
-I didn't expect your cries to be so loud. You truly do "roar", Rory.
-I didn't expect the dog to check on your crib as much as I do. I think he's actually checking to make sure you're alright. It's kinda cute. Like Nana in Peter Pan.He doesn't bark at night anymore either. It's like he knows to be quiet for you.
-I didn't expect to find you so funny. Like when you're hungry and you shake your head back and forth. Apparently that's called rooting but you kind of look like Oscar shaking a chew toy. It's pretty funny. Or when you shape your mouth into this little "o" and I do it back and you and we repeat this for awhile.
-I didn't expect you to be so strong. You are an 8 lb baby and I am a grown woman and changing your diaper exhausts me. Your neck muscle is amazingly strong. Sometimes you lift yourself right off my shoulder when I'm trying to burp you.
-I didn't expect you'd roll so much. I lay you flat on your back every time and you always find a way to roll to your side.
-I didn't expect you'd hate being swaddled. You were like Houdini constantly getting a foot free or a hand free. I always kick my feet out of covers at night too.
All in all, I think this sums up to: I didn't expect you to have such a distinct personality. For a little person who can only communicate with varying degrees of crying and grunting, you make your likes and dislikes known quite well. Even though I'm beyond tired and would empty my bank account for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, it's been fun watching you and learning you and seeing (finally) what you're like.
-I didn't expect to see myself so clearly in you Down to facial expressions. It's almost eerie. We have the same frown face. I feel my eyebrows furrowing and I look in the mirror and I see the same expression on Rory. It's not the "mad" look. It's the mildly displeased look and he has it down perfectly. Can you inherit facial expressions?
-I didn't expect to see you smile. And it's not just gas like books say. I swear he smiles when I talk to him. Yes, there's the smiling in his sleep..but he smiles at me too. And it's amazing. He has a dimple!
-I didn't expect to see you wiggle your ears. I can do that too!
-I didn't expect to be afraid of changing your diaper. You are a walking peeing, pooping projectile machine. I need another arm. With one hand holding your flailing legs, and the other trying to clean your bottom, I need a third to block the inevitable piss or poop you will squirt out.
-I didn't expect you to hate changing your diaper as much as I do. You scream like you're being murdered and all I'm trying to do is keep you clean.
-I didn't expect poop to actually fly across the air. I didn't know it could come out like a missle and completely bypass hitting the diaper or the changing pad but instead the surrounding walls.
-I didn't expect you to absolutely loathe bathing. You hate getting naked. You hate getting wet. You scream worse than when I change your diaper.
-I didn't expect the crying without actual tears. And the one day when I saw a single tear and I knew that you weren't supposed to be able to produce them...then I felt really bad that you had worked yourself up to such a state.
-I didn't expect your cries to be so loud. You truly do "roar", Rory.
-I didn't expect the dog to check on your crib as much as I do. I think he's actually checking to make sure you're alright. It's kinda cute. Like Nana in Peter Pan.He doesn't bark at night anymore either. It's like he knows to be quiet for you.
-I didn't expect to find you so funny. Like when you're hungry and you shake your head back and forth. Apparently that's called rooting but you kind of look like Oscar shaking a chew toy. It's pretty funny. Or when you shape your mouth into this little "o" and I do it back and you and we repeat this for awhile.
-I didn't expect you to be so strong. You are an 8 lb baby and I am a grown woman and changing your diaper exhausts me. Your neck muscle is amazingly strong. Sometimes you lift yourself right off my shoulder when I'm trying to burp you.
-I didn't expect you'd roll so much. I lay you flat on your back every time and you always find a way to roll to your side.
-I didn't expect you'd hate being swaddled. You were like Houdini constantly getting a foot free or a hand free. I always kick my feet out of covers at night too.
All in all, I think this sums up to: I didn't expect you to have such a distinct personality. For a little person who can only communicate with varying degrees of crying and grunting, you make your likes and dislikes known quite well. Even though I'm beyond tired and would empty my bank account for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep, it's been fun watching you and learning you and seeing (finally) what you're like.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)