Score One for Mom

In a previous post I talked about having a dry spell with getting smiles from Jude. That stage was short-lived. My little boy gave me four smiles in a row one day last week. Two were from behind his pacifier. I could tell he was smiling because of his eyes, and when I pulled out the paci, there it was. It doesn't get much cuter than a baby smiling coyly from behind a pacifier. Since then he's given me at least one every day, usually when I'm about to change his diaper. Taking care of him was rewarding before. Now I'm just plain overpaid.

I also overcame my apprehension and learned how to use a breast pump last week. Three whole hard-earned ounces!!! Not my favorite thing to do (I feel like a heifer), but worth it when I need a bit of freedom. I was fighting the idea for awhile because it seemed incredibly...unnatural, first of all, but also because I didn't want to mess up the supply-and-demand of my milk supply when it was still getting itself established.

My next big hurdle as a new mother: cloth diapering. Before Jude was born I often said I didn't even want to know how convenient disposable diapers were. But after consulting with a few other parents who use cloth, we were advised to use disposable for the first month or two because of the petite nature of newborns and the frequency with which they "squirt" (which is what we call it around here. Not pooping - squirting. Because that's what it sounds like.) Anyway, it's been nice while it lasted, but we're moving on as soon as our shipment of diapers comes in. We'll let you know how it goes.