My little love turned one month old recently and I am still in disbelief he squeezed out of my womb and I can stroke his little cheek. When he cries for a long time, refuses the soothing pacificer, or oozies mustard colored poop all over me, the floor and himself, opportunities to learn to grow in God’s graces arise. “I love you even if you poop on me, spit up down my shirt (his favorite location to let it flow!) and cry until my head pounds.” And I hear God‘s Big Hare truth cry out, “I love you to the end of the heavens and back!”
The more I spend time with my son, I’m realizing he really is his own person I am still getting to know. When caught in the cycle of change, eat, sleep, repeat, I begin to quantify his exsistence into a secret individualized science. Nurse for 3 to 5 minutes then burp. Let fuss in crib for 15-30 minutes to allocate for self-soothing. Give an extra night-cap ( 5 or Less minutes of suckle time on the breast) to help ease him and gain maybe an hour of extra sleep (this is still a working calculation, further data and testing needed).
Then the artistic side of dancing with my new little person kicks in. My son loves looking at the light and geniunely seems content just looking around near people. He fights being burped and taking naps- fussing during both endeavors. He loves the pacifer and will even suckle in his sleep. He does not like being swaddled but prefers having his limbs free- often preferring to be held in front to see your face and his surroundings. He enjoys lifting his head and kicking off your thighs as if he is trying to crawl up your chest. He has learned to love bath time by floating on his back (supported by my hubby‘s strong arm) and kicking with his fat little legs off the side of the tub. Honestly, I spend a lot of time readjusting his position while holding him to oet his curious eyes and limbs fly freely yet comfortably. I am still learning his rhytmic dance to the tune of Matthew’s eccentricities.
Whether parenting is a science or art, I am an avid student learning the whims of my little man. Regardless the three month grace period applies. When facing something new- a location, job or even relationship, I always allocate a three month grace period: a time to cut myself some slack and adapt to the new situation. Lasting habits that turn into lifestyle mastery takes those 90 days to solidify. So as I am parent rolling with those trainig wheels- I am leaning on a lot of grace for the first three months (and really the rest of my life as a mom).
Comments