This beautiful baby is Tara's four day old daughter, Wren. I am currently in California meeting Wren, and helping Tara and Kent get a handle on parenthood. You would think I would be a lot of help, having just recently dealt with a newborn of my own, but it turns out I am not.
It turns out that the skill set needed for a newborn is extremely specific, and goes away almost immediately after your child stops being a newborn, and starts trying to climb the kitchen cabinets. For instance, my swaddle is waaaay off. I used to be able to wrap Meg so tightly it was like she was shrink wrapped, all in under 15 seconds. Now, though, I am all thumbs. I couldn't even remember how deep the top corner needed to be to cover her little hands and keep them snug. Rookie mistake. Oh, and I forgot just how fast a newborn will pee once you take off a diaper, and how wiping sometimes makes them poop more. I hung my head in shame when a simple diaper change turned into a full outfit and blanket change because of my slow hands.
Of course, by the time my newborn skills come back, it will be time to leave, and put my toddler wrangling skills back to work. I hope Meg understands when I try to burp her instead of wipe her face, and when I make soothing ocean noises instead of playing "peek a boo." I also hope she doesn't mind when I call her "Wren." After all, Wren hasn't minded the fact I have repeatedly called her "Meg." Of course, Tara has also been calling her "Molly," which is the dog's name, so I don't feel too bad about that one.
After all, newborns are a lot of work.
17 comments:
Congrats to Tara! Time to get your skillz in order Auntie Libby!
Oh so true about those skills departing. I couldn't swaddle now if you paid me... or at least not until the infant was jittery and cold and screaming in need of comfort.
I still pride myself on being a master swaddler. Not that I do it to my own kids, but luckily we've had enough babies around in my family to keep the skill set strong!
I think Wren is a beautiful name. Congratulations to everyone!
Isn't that strange how the skills just seem to slip away. Have fun though...love newborns!
There's a reason why we forget just HOW much work newborns are.....so that we'll do it again...survival of the species and all that.
I'd say kids at any age are a lot of work...I have a hard enough time with a husband and cats! Give yourself credit :)
Yes, they are! I know what you mean about all of this... At the time, you feel like quite the expert with your newborn and probably couldn't fathom forgetting those skills, but...we all do. You are making me miss the smell of Desitin...
What a sweet little baby! My mom still mixes my name with my aunt and sister, so I expect that to be a lifelong pattern.
tara called her "molly" - lol. we are 4 sisters so sometimes mum would call my name after calling all the 3 sisters' names. :oS
such a sweet post! maybe time to have another fresh new baby libby? ;)
~ash's mum
You left with some good blackmail on Tara. She is not going to want Wren to know she once called her Molly:)
Pictures of newborns make them look so soft and serene and as if they could never be a minute's trouble.
I was eating chocolate when I read that about the poo. Mean.
I would personally feel bad to give the baby a Dog name
My dog's name is Molly too.
The swaddling skills come in handy for the pre teen years as well except you need to top it off with a little duct tape.
so sweet. newborns are so squishy adorable and they even smell new. I loved swaddling my children... now waiting for grands.
She's so adorable. Those days seem so long ago. *sigh*
AMEN - I keep catching myself saying "good boy" to Blythe, as I always do to Oscar. I don't even know what I would be telling her "good boy" for, necessarily (spitting up? pooping 3 times in 5 minutes?)....Whoops.
Still catching up on your blog since like two weeks ago when I found you!! Skipped ahead but don't want to ruin any surprises for myself so I'm purposely avoiding the comments above. Anyway, I skipped ahead to wish you a Happy B-Day tomorrow as I'm currently reading your birthday post from a year ago!! Love your blog so far and I don't know Meg too well yet, but I love her already!! She's a beautiful piece of sunshine that fell on the Earth!! <3 Smooches and hope to get completely caught up soon!!
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