Facebook, as you all know, is very new to me. I'm learning...at the pace of my children getting ready for school. I was hooked when I saw my second posting ever. Hey, is that middle column, where friends chime in, called a posting? Well whatever it's called, this one made me smile.
"Parker went to the nursery for the first time today at church. I forgot to mention to them (the nursery workers) that when he is tired you have to smash his face into your armpit, keep putting his pacifier in, between his screams and fighting of sleep, put the blanket against his cheek, (then) rock him and practically beat him on the butt before he will give in and (eventually) go to sleep."
Stephanie, I hope you don't mind my parenthesis. :) (I didn't think you would.) Thanks for letting me share this.
I smiled for many reasons. The first one being, I remember that first baby, and all the instructions that had to accompany him before I would leave. I remember worrying about him after we finally did leave...with my husband dragging me out of the friend's house like our dog, Hercules, dragging me out for a potty break.
The second one being, I know what it's like for the nursery worker. You smile politely, all the while thinking 'I do have four children, who at last check are all living. You may go." Trust me, I'm thinking that in a nice way, of course...yet, still thinking it.
The third one being, I smile because what this mother is thinking and what is in the realm of reality are two different things. I'll explain. The mother envisions me holding her firstborn the entire time, even if he does indeed fall asleep. She pictures me rocking him gently, while repositioning the pacificier if it happens to slip out.
I'm thinking the second I get him to sleep, he's going into the crib so I can get the fussy little baby who's in the swing.
Now we have a wonderful nursery staff at church, but the last time I checked we weren't quite at the 1 to 1 child to adult ratio that a firstborn baby has. Stephanie...I do promise to do my best, though. Parker will be well taken care of. (He is the cutest newborn, ever. :))
Yes, Parker has long directions, in which his mother ensures that we meet his needs and meet them promptly. Those long directions, which are simply the 'putting him to sleep directions' not the 'how he likes to drink his bottle directions' or the 'how he likes to be held directions' are as lengthy as the choice of names in my baby name book. Yet they reveal something very important, not about Parker, but about his mother.
She loves him.
I'm feeling a major "OUCH" coming on..are you? My mind is replaying 'a discussion' I've had with my husband. O.k., who am I kiddin...it was the prequel-arguement. The one we've played so many times, it wore out.
"What?" I ask in my self-controlled, superior, yet slightly snotty, voice. "You're upset because I forgot that one little load of laundry? It's only one load! Did you notice the clean kitchen, the vacuumed livingroom or the nice supper? What's the big deal?"
My actions, my 'doing the lists,' my 'taking care of each detail' reveal what? About who?
Me...
How much do I love?
Double Ouch!
How come being attentive to our husbands is so much harder than being attentive to our newborns?
"Because newborns are helpless," you're shouting. Yes, they are. But someday that precious little newborn, your precious little newborn, is going to be somebodies mate. How did you treat him, nurture him, respond to him and love him down to the tiniest of details?
How will you want his mate to respond to him?
How have I responded to my mother-in-law's newborn?
"Parker went to the nursery for the first time today at church. I forgot to mention to them (the nursery workers) that when he is tired you have to smash his face into your armpit, keep putting his pacifier in, between his screams and fighting of sleep, put the blanket against his cheek, (then) rock him and practically beat him on the butt before he will give in and (eventually) go to sleep."
Stephanie, I hope you don't mind my parenthesis. :) (I didn't think you would.) Thanks for letting me share this.
I smiled for many reasons. The first one being, I remember that first baby, and all the instructions that had to accompany him before I would leave. I remember worrying about him after we finally did leave...with my husband dragging me out of the friend's house like our dog, Hercules, dragging me out for a potty break.
The second one being, I know what it's like for the nursery worker. You smile politely, all the while thinking 'I do have four children, who at last check are all living. You may go." Trust me, I'm thinking that in a nice way, of course...yet, still thinking it.
The third one being, I smile because what this mother is thinking and what is in the realm of reality are two different things. I'll explain. The mother envisions me holding her firstborn the entire time, even if he does indeed fall asleep. She pictures me rocking him gently, while repositioning the pacificier if it happens to slip out.
I'm thinking the second I get him to sleep, he's going into the crib so I can get the fussy little baby who's in the swing.
Now we have a wonderful nursery staff at church, but the last time I checked we weren't quite at the 1 to 1 child to adult ratio that a firstborn baby has. Stephanie...I do promise to do my best, though. Parker will be well taken care of. (He is the cutest newborn, ever. :))
Yes, Parker has long directions, in which his mother ensures that we meet his needs and meet them promptly. Those long directions, which are simply the 'putting him to sleep directions' not the 'how he likes to drink his bottle directions' or the 'how he likes to be held directions' are as lengthy as the choice of names in my baby name book. Yet they reveal something very important, not about Parker, but about his mother.
She loves him.
I'm feeling a major "OUCH" coming on..are you? My mind is replaying 'a discussion' I've had with my husband. O.k., who am I kiddin...it was the prequel-arguement. The one we've played so many times, it wore out.
"What?" I ask in my self-controlled, superior, yet slightly snotty, voice. "You're upset because I forgot that one little load of laundry? It's only one load! Did you notice the clean kitchen, the vacuumed livingroom or the nice supper? What's the big deal?"
My actions, my 'doing the lists,' my 'taking care of each detail' reveal what? About who?
Me...
How much do I love?
Double Ouch!
How come being attentive to our husbands is so much harder than being attentive to our newborns?
"Because newborns are helpless," you're shouting. Yes, they are. But someday that precious little newborn, your precious little newborn, is going to be somebodies mate. How did you treat him, nurture him, respond to him and love him down to the tiniest of details?
How will you want his mate to respond to him?
How have I responded to my mother-in-law's newborn?
Maybe if they still had that adorable new born cuteness or totally pinchable cheeks or smiled when all we did was look at them... it'd be easier to remember! :) All excuses though I realize. Kids are the best teachers. Thanks for the reminder and even for the ouch, it was needed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. As our little one is due to make his appearance in the very near future, I must also be reminded to meet the needs of the first man that God placed in my life. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo glad I found you on facebook, and here!
Hope to see you at camp in a little over a week!
I had to laugh because your mother-in-laws newborn is plain spoiled as are the rest of her children! ha As I nurse my little babe non-stop and thats no joke..I am feeling pity for his wife to be!! lol
ReplyDelete