The Father’s Day Reality

     I had a surprise camping trip planned, a homemade card ready to be crafted, a book from James to be ordered and all types of other Daddy friendly pampering.  I wanted to live up to the hallmark holiday because I do love myself a hallmark holiday.  I had one deserving dad on my hands- always serving, guiding, sacrificing and I wanted to give a big thank you.

 

    Fast forward to last Wednesday, when I called Marcus at 2 am, scream-sobbing, from the bathroom floor where James had just stopped breathing for a terrifying period of time & then projectile spit-up a extremely scary amount.  He literally left work right away and stayed on the phone with me as I tried to take care of a very sick James.  I was definitely shaken and crying, and even though he spoke calmly and was telling me what to do to keep his airway clear, I could hear the panic in his voice.  Over the past 5 days, we’ve spent nursing a pretty sick James back to health (he’s not quite there yet-boo) That meant we wouldn’t be camping overnight, I scrambled to make a card on Sunday morning, his book never got ordered and there was definitely no daddy-pampering.  The opposite went down- he slept sitting up in a chair holding the baby, got his fair share of baby bodily fluids all over, cooked for ME, and you get the pathetic looking picture.  I was bummed.  When we were stupid enough to take a hacking James to mass on Sunday, Marcus missed the Father’s Day blessing since he had to step out of the church after James had an explosive diaper alllllll over.

 

     Yes, that was our Father’s Day reality and I am figuring it is good God taught me this lesson at the beginning of my parenting days in hopes I can only get a better grasp on real life as I go on.  Marcus loved James long before he was born, he supported me in every way possible during my pregnancy and worked tirelessly through my labor and delivery with me.  He provides for our family financially and spiritually, leading us in prayer.  He was the my cheerleader during all the breastfeeding difficulties and such a servant and comfort during the whole postpartum period.  He had the tender touch to lull a fussy baby to sleep as well as all the rough and tumble play James loves.  Selfless with his time and comfort, Marcus is an inspiring parent and such a good example for me.  There is no card or no present or no celebratory weekend that can give back enough all that he has given.  And Thank goodness for that, since the snot trumped the celebration this weekend. Perhaps against our better judgment (but it was SO fun)  we fake camped during the day and headed home at night- to the luxury of the humidifier and the crib. It was kind of like last year but even better since I didn’t bring along the nagging morning sickness with me.  We all enjoyed our day camping, even the sicko and especially the man of honor.  Then he spent all of Sunday and today catching whatever James has.  Oh, Happy Father’s Day!

 

     Marcus, I love watching you be a daddy!

         

James P and Daddy on Father’s Day 2013

   

The Lineup

     I’m finding it humorous the things James plays with these days.  With the plethora of baby toys available,  none of them have proved necessary.  We all know when a baby is happily entertained you can engage in frivolous activities such as peeing, eating, paying bills, cooking dinner and keeping proper hygiene.  That is why this lineup is my new BFF.  I’m fat and happy and clean and responsible when these ‘toys’ are around

 

This is a lid to a candle. It is wonderfully loud to bang on the hardwood floor and fun for the baby. He’ll play with this one for a good 10 minutes.

An old remote with the batteries removed is apparently perfect for teething, or so says James.  I’ve made, eaten and done breakfast dishes while he baptized this sucker in his slobber.

A strawberry crate that he loves.  I tried to make it better by tightly tying some ribbons (he loves shoelaces) but he is indifferent to the ribbons so far.  The crate still works magic.

Oh, miracle empty tissue box, I might have you preserved in gold when your work here is done. James has loved you from the moment he learned to play happily on his stomach and you are still going strong. 

 

A very, very favorite.  I pull this out during mass and baby JP is as good and gold and oh so attentive to the homily.  It is the wire shaker ball inside of his daddy’s protein bottle. James loooooves it

 

Good old ice cream scoop and measuring spoons are the answer to the age old  “how do you cook dinner with an active 6 month old underfoot?”

Loves him a water bottle, and he is not even particular.  He is fine to toy around with Aquafina or Dasani or a Smartwater just the same!

A diaper coupon(cut out from the diaper package and too big for him to choke on).  I can’t understand it but he covets this thing so much that I keep it up high and use if for emergency situations. Obviously, I missed the deal but his obsession for this thing is totally worth paying the whole price of his overnight dipes.

Not pictured: Tupperware lids, paper towel rolls, my car keys, the hand towel in the kitchen, sucking on the leg of the coffee table, the door stop….these are a few of his favorite things..

 

Here is what he doesn’t play with. (Although I should take the ball and gym bag out…he likes those a lot…I just added them for effect)

 

Save your money, mamas!!

A Day at Home

Since Memorial Day was so crazy, I wanted to attempt and stay home the whole day (gasp!) on Tuesday so James would get a little break from the car seat & so I could catch up on laundry, diapers and such.  Thanks to these pictures, I’m bringing you along for the ride…

 

A bit earlier than I like to rise, but James said GET UPPPP.  Actually our morning really started at 1:30 am with a steam session in the shower to alleviate a very stuffy, can’t breath through his nose baby.

 

first order of the day…get the diapers started!

 

Then James chills in the bumbo for a hot second while I splash some water on my face, put my contacts in, etc

Buuuut he is really getting too big for the bumbo, since he can arch his way out of it.  A mad dash to rescue arching baby below followed the snapping of this picture..

Breakfast time! James does not eat solids yet..he just plays with them.  He also often insists that I cook my breakfast while holding him.

Feeling fancy so it is french toast with bananas, powdered sugar and maple syrup today (and a thin layer of PB for some more protein).  It was delicious and a nice break from my normal egg burrito.

 

Morning playtime for him

  

Breakfast dishes & trimming up some chicken for tomorrow’s dinner for me. I’d rather sit on the living room floor and chew a giraffe.

Multiply this times 8 or 9. Allll the live long day. And, don’t be fooled that the camera caught him laying on his back.. I am normally sweating, trying to snap his diaper on while he is rolling onto his stomach, half-hanging off the table.

 

We got a treat today! My brother Chris came over to say good-bye before he headed back to SC.  It was a treat to have a visitor from the outside world! He promptly wound my son up to the crazieth degree then peaced out. Thanks for coming Uncle Chris!!

  

See the booty in the air? That means he is out. Nap numbero uno!

 

The diapers are done so I hang them up and put them outside for some miraculous sun bleaching..they dry super fast this way, too!

Then the heavens opened and all the angels sang because finally….the best part of the day…The shower awaited!  Most days, since we normally go do something, I take one while he is awake which means conditioner half rinsed and only one leg shaved but not today! It was glorious!

Better late than never..morning prayer

A day full of laundry awaited, no fun during this naptime

Can I call this gardening? Trying to take care of my geraniums.

Nap is over, so it is getting dressed for the day and some quality swing time. 

An apple slice babysits while I do my least favorite chore: unloading the dishwasher

 

Nap number two means I get to blog, yay!

Aaaaan he’s up. A snack to get us through the afternoon and more floor playtime.  The front of our house is shaded at this time, so we step out to enjoy and ice cube or 3.  We lounged around on a blanket and chatted with our next door neighbor for a while.  When I went back inside, I decided it was time to turn on the AC.

 

During the last quick cat nap of the day, I conquered the rest of the laundry and chatted with my mom on the phone

My view during our late afternoon walk

We practiced crawling, which can be soooo frustrating, huh, James?

In fact, things were getting really fussy and I was feeling very sleepy so it was time to get a little help from Motown and dancing around the kitchen.       

But it didn’t last. Witching hour was truly upon us.  This picture is really mean but can you see his two little teethies?!

He didn’t eat any

 

But he got filthy. So it was time for the inaugural bath in the sink. I couldn’t decide which of the four pictures I liked the best..

 

Tonight's lineup

Books, songs & prayers before bed

He went to bed around 7:15 and I didn’t stay up too much later..he still gets up to nurse in the night so I need my survival sleep!

Not pictured: the nursing sessions that happened every 3 hours

Also not pictured: The dinner clean-up.  All those steamed carrots and mashed avocado all over the floor and in the nook & crannies of the high chair.

There you have it! What went down when I stayed home to recover after the crazy weekend.  It was a pretty good day.  Both his morning and afternoon nap were an hour and he was in a happy mood until the early evening.  I didn’t cook a real dinner since Marcus was working and we had given the house a good clean the Friday before so neither cooking or cleaning was on the agenda which makes everything much easier.  Other days James only sleeps for 30 minutes at a time and never lets me put him down.  I still like him, though- he’s a cutie!