A Likely Story

Last Saturday was a yard sale junkie’s heaven.  It seemed that every neighborhood in the area was having a community sale, and the weather . . . perfect!  So we loaded up, had a yummy breakfast at Jimmy’s Egg and hit the sales. I did get some good deals, but I also got some good laughs.  People sell some crazy stuff!  I am kicking myself for not bringing my camera to document it all.

Some of my favorite quirky items that I saw for sale were a box full of tennis trophies, a HUGE framed portrait of a yellow lab – it had to be 4 feet by 2 feet, a porcelain doll collection, some Bill Cosby looking sweaters . . . oh, and something in a Depends box – no clue what was in there, I was just cracking up that they used a Depends box to merchandise their items.

Bet you all thought that I fell off the face of the earth, didn’t you?  Nah, I’ve just been adjusting to the newest member of our family.  I’m happy to report that we’re all acclamating to having or in Lyla’s case, being, a new family member. I’m also in the midst of wrapping up the Nashville and Rutherford County issues of Who’s Who.  Yup, I’m already back at work – which really is a good thing. My brain seems to be working better than ever despite some sleep deprivation. Before I launch into a list of this and that for you to enjoy, here is a Lyla update.

*After a few days on the bilirubin lights which made Lyla look like a cute little glow worm, she got over her jaundice and life in our home started to resemble something normal.  Note that I said resemble   Every day she seems to wake up a little more.  She loves sunlight and to gaze into people’s faces (up close, of course) – she seems like a very perceptive little person.  She’s a month old now – already!  I’m finding that I simply cannot remember a lotof things about Jonah’s infancy, which makes me a little sad and makes me wonder if he really did cause me to lose some of my mind.  Like when do their eyes get to the color they’ll actually be?  Should I be worried about baby acne?  Also, despite her doctor telling me that she would not be pooping as often as the first couple of weeks – I absolutely freaked when she went three days without a poo.  No worries, this is what Dr. Sears, WebMD and Google are for.

*I got a new postpartum haircut yesterday.  It’s short.  I feel SO much better.

*I have to go to the dentist in a couple of weeks, and I am a little scared.  I’ve been guilt-flossing a lot lately. Because of lack of dental insurance before we moved back and then being pregnant (I was afraid I would puke on the dentist – how horrifying!) I have not had a cleaning in 2 years.  I hate the scraping! 

*We enrolled Jonah in “big boy school” a couple of weeks ago.  He’ll be attending half day pre-k at a local elementary school in the fall.  It’s really hard to believe that he is as big as he is.  I know it’s so cliche to say “blink and you’ll miss it” but it’s true. I feel like I woke up one day and my baby boy was long legged, smarting off and too heavy to pick up. I admit that I am so glad to have a baby right now or I’d be falling to pieces.  God has perfect timing.

*I’ve been trying some new Rachael Ray recipes this week.  Some have included some strange combos, albeit tasty, but I find myself thinking, “how does she come up with this stuff?”  I wish I was to the point where I could say, “Hmmm, I think this and that will taste good together.”  Do they teach that skill in culinary school?

*Office Spoiler Alert!  Michael got his job back (as did Pam and Ryan).  Wow!  Good job writers.  Also, Parks & Recreation is hilarious! I love Amy Poehler.

*I’m taking Jonah to the Arts Festival tomorrow.  I am trying to decide which fair food to indulge in.  I have been pretty good about not eating junk since I am determined to lose 50 lbs, but if I am at a fair, I am going to have some type of fair food. 

*Yeah, so 50lbs.  I need to formulate a plan, and a good one at that.  My husband’s been pretty successful at losing weight, so he’ll be my biggest source of nagging, uh – I mean, encouragement! 

Just yesterday I was asked if I “wore” my baby.  Hmmm . . . I had no idea what she meant.  After delving a little more into the subject with her I realized that she was asking if Lyla rode in a baby sling or Snugli or Baby Bjorn.  Ah, well yeah, sometimes.  But do I wear her?! 

Later in the day I was chatting with Kristen and asked her if she’d ever heard the term “baby wearing.”  Kristen had.  Apparently so have most other moms.  I guess I am behind as usual.  Kristen encouraged me to do some research and see what I find. Wowee!  This baby wearing stuff is a big deal.

For example:

Facebook came up with 500 groups dedicated to baby wearing. When I googled baby wearing I found links to companies that make slings/wraps, thebabywearer.com, an entry in wikepedia, an article from Dr. Sears, babywearing.com, and literally thousands of other forums, articles, groups, etc. wholly dedicated to strapping your young one to your torso and carting them around.

According to Dr. Sears, famous pediatrician who coined the phrase “attachment parenting”, and many of these sites some of the benefits of babywearing are: less crying, smarter babies, babies with better organizational skills (? okay . . .), babies are “humanized” earlier (again….okay), and the more practical ones – you can do things you need to get done, hands free!  This one, I get.

Am I against babywearing?  Not necessarily.  I “wore” Lyla for the first time last weekend while Jason, Jonah and I went to Target and some other public places.  It was nice because #1 – no one tried to touch my kid.  Strangers can be amazingly handsy with other people’s young children. #2 – I could walk around and do whatever with her sleeping securely on me.  That was nice.  Is this something I want to do 24-7?  Nope.  It’s not. Am I less of a mother for not choosing to do so?  No way.

That leads me to a bigger issue that I noticed when I had Jonah. Mommies and their identities.  When you have a kid for the first time, it’s pretty overwhelming.  Not only are you and your partner responsible for another living person, you’re thrown into this new world of “mommyhood” that includes all these rituals, language and rites of passage that you are totally clueless of.  Then you’ve got hormones thrown in with a generous dash of “Who the heck am I now?!” 

Here’s where babywearing comes in . . . go to any mommy website like whattoexpect.com or parents.com and you’ll find these lists of forums for people who are dedicated to various aspects of parenthood like exclusively breastfeeding moms, babywearers, all organic mommies, natural childbirth divas . . . etc, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs support and encouragement.  I’m all for that.  What doesn’t sit well with me is when so many moms seem to cling to some aspect of motherhood in order to find some sort of identity that they’ve lost or misplaced.  In reality, these are usually the same moms who love to lecture us other low-lifes who don’t care a thing about touting the party line for this cause or that.  “What do you mean you had an epidural?!” 

Let’s give each other a break!  Feed your kid wheat grass and I’ll keep giving mine mac n’ cheese.  No biggie. 

But seriously, I have to remind myself that kids don’t stay little forever.  Babies grow up.  I highly doubt anyone will be “wearing” their 12 year old.  If they are, wow – their chiropractic bill must be outrageous!  In the midst of constant feedings, endless diapers and all the sweet things in between, at the end of the day my identity is still found in Christ.  I’m still Crystal Zaragoza – a mom, yes, but also wife to Jason, freelance writer, daughter, bookworm . . . child of God.