A tremendously difficult job that comes with some of the best perks imaginable
Raising a Boy: It’s Just Different
People keep telling me that boys are just...different. I finally realized what that means. Last week, my adorable, happy-go-lucky, sweet, little 19 month-old took his plastic baseball bat and cracked our flat screen tv. And then he laughed at me
Letting Go: The Driver’s License
We had a big milestone in our house recently. My youngest son got his driver’s license. This has opened up so much for him, but also makes this mama’s heart ache and worry.
It is another step away from home. It’s another step towards growing up.
The special challenge of a spirited child
My second son was not an easy child. He was spirited and stubborn and his emotions often seemed to overwhelm his little body. He was also a loving and sweet little boy with beautiful blond curls who laughed often and wanted to snuggle with me, but so often there were tears and breath holding.
Living with teenage boys
I know it’s a total cliché to say time flies, but it really, really does when you have kids. It doesn’t seem that long ago that my boys, who are now 18 and 15, were toddlers. I don’t feel that much older but having to literally look up to my boys now makes reminds me I’m inching very close to 50 -oh the horror! For real though, where did all those years go??
Mom Life: The First Week
We made it home! Finally, after 72 hours in the hospital, baby Will came home! I had absolutely no idea what to expect without the ‘experts’ in the hospital to guide me. Thank goodness for my husband who has done this before and also…thank you, Google. Just over one week into this mom gig, I’ve been doing a lot of googling, sometimes frantically at 4 a.m. Here’s an honest breakdown of how the first week really went. (* FYI, I am giving you a TMI alert as this post mentions bodily functions and may not be suitable for all readers, especially men).
1/23/2022
Thoughts on this last night of the hospital stay (yes, I should be sleeping).
~ Tomorrow I will be wheeled downstairs with a beautiful healthy happy baby in my arms. I am mindful of how lucky I am to be a mom. This whole childbirth thing IS actually a miracle. There are so are many paths to motherhood and each must have magic moments like this. Happiness and joy are understatements.
~ Throughout my entire pregnancy and especially this hospital stay, I was reminded that I have a job which offers me outstanding health insurance benefits. This allows me to focus on my baby and my recovery with a significantly less worry than many people. I am not “more deserving” and didn’t necessarily “work harder” than someone else in a different field of work without such benefits. There is a major privilege component to health care in America. Again, I feel grateful even though I work hard.
~ Nurses. Where do I even begin? These people are amazing! I understand nurses are “paid well” and it’s a job, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve credit for doing it exceptionally. When I was in the thick of it (all things pre, during, and post labor) amazing, kind, and compassionate nurses took care of me. Nurses wipe away tears, clean up messes, and hold stranger’s hands. In my case, a possee of badass NICU nurses rallied around me and cheered me on during some pretty scary vulnerable moments. I felt like I had a team of fairy godmothers over the past couple days. Thank you nurses for doing your job with such compassion for others. I will never hear the word nurse and not feel so truly grateful for how Will and I were treated.
~ I am now someone’s mommy!!! They will hand him over to me (after removing his baby lowjack and no, I am not kidding) and off we will go….at 15 mph. My #1 priority is to raise a good human to send out into the world. I don’t care one bit about his percentiles and scores. I just want him to feel our love and to grow up able to give love back to the world. If he can respect others, especially women, then we have succeeded. It’s quite a big job to do and I’m leaving here without a manual or emergency hotline number. I’m definitely feeling a little (ok, a lot) scared. But I also know in my heart that we got this and we’re going to be justttttt fine.
Let’s do this!
-Tasha
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New baby observation 1/26/22
Bassinette nose: /n./. a nose with tiny circular temporary indentations in it as a result of placing one’s face against the mesh side of a baby bassinette to watch the baby’s every move as he sleeps for hours
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- my pregnancy memoir, page 184 - Tasha at 9 months pregnant
“A Cheerio just fell out of my shirt and I don’t know how long it’s been there”
