February suuuucked. My back went out, there was rampant pukey flu and much momentum was lost. Finally, finally my back feels better and neither 80 nor I are puking.
A few days ago I bought a new camera, which I’m using as the springboard for my photography business. It doesn’t hurt to have a new, slick gadget to help gain momentum. Now, to take some test shots and get comfortable with it …
Man alive, I’m looking forward to this being over.
Since I last wrote, 80 came down with a virus. Our pediatrician said there’s a bug going around that involves a lot of puking and diarrhea for about 24 hours. Push liquids, but not too much at once. If no wet diaper in 24 hours, call her back.
I can do that. This is doable.
Parents always say that the first year goes by quickly. I think they (wait, we) say this because:
a) it’s been our experience, and we’re incredulous that time has, indeed, flown by.
b) we’re trying to warn parents of newborns, so that they:
i) feel reassured that the endless minutes won’t feel like this forever.
ii) they take time to revel in the fact that their baby will never be this young again.
Take 80 for example. She’s 9 months old today. You’re probably thinking “wow, yeah, I can’t believe she’s getting so big, it seems like yesterday that I saw the liveblogged birth pictures.” You may feel a sense of satisfaction in seeing pictures and video of her looking like what we think of as a baby (sitting up, finger in the mouth, babbling) rather than the half-baked exofetus she was for the first bit.
Imagine that feeling times ten, and you’ve got how I feel. Jason and I will express this by saying “we’ve managed not to kill the baby!”
Just look at her. We’ve avoided all the scary things we read about (although it’s easy if do said reading), and she’s thriving. She’s like the best houseplant ever!
Quick update: J’s mom came for a week, to help out while I recovered from my back injury. She leaves tomorrow, and I’m confident I can handle 80 solo. My back feels about how it did before the injury, which is to say still kind of twingy, but I’m going to physical therapy so I can get back to feeling like a 32-year-old, not an 82-year-old.
Up until recently (or maybe secretly still) my mom would do a cartwheel on her birthday, just to prove she could. I don’t think I could do a cartwheel today (and definitely not on my actual birthday), so that’s kind of my goal. Plus I want to find a community cheerleading class.
Kidding.
I have a birthday wish. I want to blow the roof off my real-life superhero friend’s fundraiser.
You may remember me asking you to donate to the Walk for Hunger1 in years past. I walked as part of Team Civitron, and although I’m not likely to walk any part of it this year2 I still want to raise money for the cause, and support Civitron. Are you in? Would you give up a tenner to help feed hungry families?
Donate here, please!
1 it’s actually a walk against hunger.
2 seeing as I can’t walk at all right now.
It’s my birthday. I have a raging back injury. I’m feeling particularly old.
That being said, I still had trouble falling asleep last night due to birthday anticipation. I’m quite proud of my childlike ability to get excited about life. I wonder if it’s what makes me such a happy person, or a symptom of it. Either way, it’s my birthday, and I have plenty to be happy about.
A’Nova is coming over today to help out, which is wonderful because I’m not really able to do it myself yet. Also, if you asked me if I’d like Nov to hang out all day for my birthday, I’d say yes.
Tonight J’s mom is coming. She runs her own greenhouse, so she can stay for a week and help out while I finish healing up, and give me a chance to catch up on everything I’ve not been doing this past week. She doesn’t need to start planting seeds till the end of the month. While she’s here, I’m hoping we can talk about what I should plant in my garden.
So it’s going to be a good birthday. 80 just went down for her nap, and by the time she’s awake, Nov should be here. This morning for the brief time after J left but before 80’s nap, we put her in the baby jail. She’s safer in there, since I can’t keep up with her. I’m glad we have it, for just these situations.
It’s funny, I’ve often thought “Oh wow, I wish I would have done more spontaneous things, gone to more events, taken more little trips before we had 80.” I didn’t really want to blog about it, because it’s pretty whiny, and I don’t want to give the impression that life is limited now. It’s more like I didn’t realize how much free time I had until now.
Now that I’ve spent four days in bed (thanks to my back), I realized I’m starting to thing “Oh wow, I can’t wait until I can walk, and I’m going to go on walks with 80, go down to Harvard Square to look at people, play in the snow, and go visit friends.” Part of the reason why I’m lying here in bed is because I’d not being leaving the house much and not getting exercise. A million feet of snow will do that to you.
So now, I’m reminded that much like before I had 80 I should have done so many things that are harder to do with a baby, now that I have her I should go and do all of the things that are great to do with a baby, that maybe seem a little hard (restock the diaper bag, put tiny snowpants on) but that I’d kill to do today instead of lying here in bed.
Today’s lesson is: Pollyanna yourself! Also, don’t forget to exercise (especially walking) if you’re a new mom. Those ligaments are extra stretchy still and not being able to take care of your child is reason enough to get moving.
I’m going to claim it’s a snow-related back injury, but the whole story is that I was stuck during the most recent snowmageddon in the car1, and nursed 80 while twisted about in the back of our very small car. Said twisting (she’s a tall girl, and iI was stuck between the door and the carseat) torqued my back in an unacceptable manner.
In any case, I got home finally, got 80 upstairs, and promptly laid down on the ground never to get back up. My back seized, went on strike, and otherwise stopped working. Luckily, my friend Ro was already home from work, and came over to take care of 80 and make dinner.
That was Tuesday. I’m still in bed. I can now walk without limping, but if I am up for more than a few minutes, all healing unravels. It totally sucks, but as long as I lay still I’m OK. We have a babysitter for 80, and I’ve been playing a lot of Carcassonne on my phone. My friends have been awesome, fully picking up where family would normally be playing a part.
1 If the first thing that reminds you of is this Dr. Who episode, then you earn +50 points.