Becoming a new mother seems like a good time to adopt a new religion or create one that's forgiving, motivating, and supportive enough to get you through tough times and just normal days, seeing as "normal" days are mixed right up with every other kind of day you might have. I don't find myself praying to any sort of higher god very often, but I do catch myself saying prayers in mind mind to some persistent existence, some something out there that might help me win the lotto or get a promotion or raise the smartest, best, most incredible child the world has ever seen - you know, the usual stuff.
Something must be listening, because even though I have yet to win $100 million or become the president of the company, I think I have a pretty rad kid. He was awesome when we stayed at my parents' house for the week and Z had to head back to work. We spent quite a few hours in the car, which, thankfully, he seemed to enjoy.
This has got to be one of my favorite 'Rad pics
He got to don all of the different Christmas outfits we got for him (damn you, Target! I'm a sucker for your baby clothes!), too. He enjoyed his holiday pjs. He showed Grandma and Z's family the outfit we bought him for the family holiday picture. He even put on a tux for the party my parents threw on Christmas Eve (his first Christmas Eve and his first tux). I'm in love with that tux. I think we need to throw a fancy soiree just so we can show him off in it since he'll only fit into it for a couple more months. I'm in serious need of some scrap- or photo-booking after the holiday break.
These pjs had reindeer-head feet. So festive
I'm proud of this year's holiday pic. Then there were four!
He may only be 4-months old, but he's quite the dapper gent, ready to party
All partied out
During the break we also had our first experience with formula, and it was a stressful one. I didn't know until too late that the well of me was starting to dry up, so while we were out shopping with my family, 'Rad started getting hungry and I didn't have a bottle of breast milk ready to offer him. I took him to the dressing room at Gap Kids to feed him, but the moment I put him to the boob he started wailing inconsolably. I tried for a few minutes to get him to latch, but he got even more upset. So, I packed him back into his car seat and went on the hunt for formula.
I bought two different types, mixed them up in the car, my sister warmed them up under the bathroom faucet at T.J. Maxx, and 'Rad shunned both of them. He was pissed. I finally got him to settle down, took him to the car, and got him to take the boob. The screaming little maniac that I took to the car turned into the sweetest, most smiley baby after he had a belly full. I felt terrible for making him wait so long to eat, and I felt uncertain about how I felt about giving him formula for the first time, even though he only accepted a few dribbles of it.
Later that night I still didn't have enough boob juice to give him, so I warmed up one of the bottles of formula that I tried to offer him earlier. Bingo. The dude just wanted the stuff above room temperature. He took it without question and didn't have any adverse reactions to it. It was against my plan to give him breast milk exclusively for five months, but it just wasn't meant to be; I've started to run out of milk and baby boy needs to eat. I'm still a little disappointed that we didn't make it to the five-month mark, but I am also looking forward to not having to pump 5+ times a day and being able to eat or drink whatever I want without worry. It's time for me to let it go.
I don't have any pictures of it, but our New Year's celebration was low-key and perfect for my energy and motivation level. We stayed home, my sisters, brothers-in-law, and I played Just Dance 3 on the Wii, we all made sure we had coins in our pocket before it struck midnight and shoved grapes into our mouths during the countdown. We even went outside and watched my Danish brother-in-law light of a few fireworks, ducking into the house after each one to make sure no police cars came around to find out what the ruckus was all about. 'Rad was asleep during the whole thing, even through the fireworks which were lit off very close to the room he was sleeping in.
Here are some quick highlights from our holiday:
And here's a big highlight from today:
Connor rolled over for the first time! Z got it on video and I was running around him in circles, shaking 'Rad's toy and cheering him on. You'd think our horse had just won the race the way I was jumping up and down and squealing with excitement. Goodbye setting 'Rad down on the bed or his changing table without a worry. Goodbye sedentary baby boy. Goodbye world as I know it, 'Rad is rolling around town.
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