Kiki Baba

Its my birthday today. The best birthday that I've celebrated in years. I can't help but reflect on what the past year has brought me.

My babycakes is passed out on the couch, what we thought was a late nap appears to be a baby down for the count. It was a busy day with lots of folks here to celebrate with mimosas and donuts. Sweet boy must be exhausted.

Last year, even at 8+ months pregnant, I didn't fully believe that my dreams were coming true. I was waiting until I had that baby in my arms to finally breathe. But here he is, asleep on the couch, and I am planning his first birthday.

Birthing my son was an experience unlike any I could have ever imagined or prepared for - and I rocked it. Parenting an unhappy baby, one who screamed for months, reduced me to basic survival. Watching my lover reveal the most loving fatherly heart melted mine. Experiencing my dreams coming true - this year has been so full of the highest highs and lowest lows - nothing about it has been easy and yet everything about it has been amazing.

Please join me in toasting to another amazing journey around the sun!

Kiki Baba

Thursdays with Baby Cakes

Written By Grandma

Looking at wisps of baby fine hair, the swirls of a perfectly made ear, the dimples of a chubby hand and wrist; listening to the sweet regular breathing of a sleeping baby; feeling a trusting body molded into my chest—these are the gifts I get to soak in every Thursday afternoon.  This is when my grandson and I are together for playtime and then a “Grandma nap.”

Meditation is a time of “just being,” contained or extended thought, reflection, and a time to think
about something deeply. I have been taking classes on meditation for several years and struggle to fit in a regular practice; there always seems like something else needs to be done.

However, when it is “Grandma nap time,” Baby Cakes and I rock in his room, while he is snuggled against me in the Moby, a quiet place with white noise (this little guy has acute hearing and an intense interest in what is going on around him),and I sing my favorite MaryLee lullaby “Noyana” to him.  There is nothing else that commands my attention.  My phone is not with me and my thoughts are only on my gratitude of being with this precious child.

Baby Cakes gets a long nap and I get a long time for mindful awareness, with numerous benefits: physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral. What a wonderful combination!  As his naptime begins to wane, and he shifts, wiggles, opens his sleepy eyes and sees me and then smiles and grabs a few more winks, I melt further into the rocking chair and hug him just a tiny bit closer.  This waking may take some time and I am in no hurry for it to end (though I do look forward to playtime that follows!).  Sometimes the dog barks outside and in an instant BabyCakes rears his head, opens his eyes  and is on alert… “What did I miss?” or “let’s get moving, right now!”

Moral of the story, you don’t have to wait to be a grandmother (or grandfather) to grab those times of
“just being” with and enjoying your child.  Even with an endless to do list, the days (and nights) do pass by and your memories of breathing in, watching and soaking in the presence of your child are more than worth it.

Is it Thursday yet?

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My mom wrote this last month for a local newsletter.
I had to share.

happy halloween

what the f mom.

Random Fear

I worry like crazy that someone is going to sneak into my house at night and steal my baby.

Otherwise, I generally feel like my baby cakes is invincible. I don't worry about illness, or injury, or anything bad happening to him.

But I am obsessed with this fear of someone stealing him out of his crib at night.
Too weird.

Nine Months On

I can't begin to describe the surreal feeling that is watching my baby play with the babies of my bestest childhood friends. Last night a good friend visited with her 2 year old daughter. She had also struggled with years of infertility. It gave me shivers to watch my baby cakes chase after her daughter. Our two little miracles.  

Little Dude is cutting his first tooth, on the top, and I feel so proud - as if I have anything to do with it!

I give up as far as any expectations about sleeping through the night ever again. I just give up.

Work is going well. Beyond loving my job, I actually really enjoy being out of the house and away from little dude. I never expected to feel this way, and am so grateful that everything has worked out the way it has.

Just this weekend my baby started standing on his own. We get a few seconds before he panics and sits down, but it is happening more and more, and I can watch him getting stronger.

An ivf friend with a babe about the same age as mine already cycled again for #2. I am still feeling very sure that we are DONE. I seriously don't think I can do the infant thing again. and the thought of twins absolutely terrifies me. This whole experience has kicked my butt big time!

Two good friends are expecting this winter and I want to sew them little presents, but haven't had any dedicated time to work on these gifts. It makes me realize just how little time I actually have for myself for anything anymore.

I continue to feel closer to my little dude. Its taken some time, but I am growing into my role as his mama. It helps that he shows me now that he loves me. Sometimes (rarely) when I leave for work he cries or reaches for me, which strangely makes me really happy. I love knowing that we are connected like that.

Much love to all of you who are still fighting for your dreams. You are always in my heart.

6 months ish

Nicknames:
I still call you baby cakes. When you wake up from naps I give you kisses and call you my little love boy. Daddy still wants your official nickname to be "E". Sometimes he calls you the flying spagetti monster. At the dr office today they called you Mr Velcro because you tried to take the scale with you after you got weighed. Little One calls you Quinnee and it melts my heart and you love it.

Exhaustion:
Yes. You cause massive exhaustion. Daddy and I are SO tired. really. so. tired. You quit sleeping well at night a few weeks back and its been a disaster.

Music:
You saw your first Cheese this last weekend. We met up with baby Gemma and Orion (at a 21+ Brewfest pre-show party in the basement of a bar on Telegraph) where you all played on a pool-table with adult bumpers preventing you from falling off. It actually worked out so much better than I expected, and you loved the live music and lights. On Sunday, We met up with your new buddy K (whose mom and dad seem like they could become good friends of ours) then Auntie Christy came to join us and you boogied down with her for a while before passing out.

We were hoping that you'd like music as much as we do. and it seems that you do. MaryLee is your favorite for car rides and almost always quiets you down.

Independence:
You want it bad. You started crawling right at 6 months. with  perfect form. We were at Max's birthday when you made 5 crawl movements in a row. Daddy looked at me and said 'did you see that?' You love to be able to move. I think that you are happier. and more cuddly too. When you are with me now you aren't struggling quite as much to get away.

Cuteness:
I've decided that you are actually very cute. I thought for a long time that people were just saying that to be nice - the way that all moms think their baby is cute. But I've decided that you really are quite adorable.

Your great-grandpa used to wear shirts with his initials monogramed in the top right corner. I still have one of his sweatshirts and love to touch those letters. Cousin MaryAnn offered to embroider some clothing for me so I sent her home with some shirts. She sewed your initials in big block letters onto the top right corner - just like my grandpa's. I love love love to dress you in those shirts. Grandpa would have loved you so much, and in this little way I feel like he is living on through you.

We sent another card out wishing a happy july 4th. So many people love you and love watching you grow. People think that because I can send a card out that I must have my act together, which is far from the truth. I just feel like it is so important to cultivate a community of people who love and adore you and who are invested in you and a part of your community. So many of these people waited so long for you to get here, and I want them to share in the joy that you bring us.

Parties:
You hosted your first big party- a six month birthday BBQ. You are a special little dude and we don't want your birthday to be overshadowed by the holidays, so we figured that we'd start celebrating your half birthday.  Daddy made tri-tip and mommy blew up balloons. And then the house filled up with people, most of whom had babies. It was quite the moment for us to realize that everything had in fact changed. It felt good to have people over again :)

Social:
You are SO social. You LOVE people. You crave lots of activity. You happily engage with anyone who will engage with you. You flirt like no ones business. I take you to the bank and the teller asks to hold you. I take you to meetings and you get passed around like a dooby - happy as can be - and bringing light and love to everyone who sees you.

Random things:
-You love to suck on fingers... any finger you can get ahold of. but sometimes you make daddy a little uncomfortable with how deep you jam his finget back in your throat... like is this really appropriate?

- We discovered a new word 'Boobyshine' - when mommy gets to have a cocktail and you get to have some boobyshine.

- Not everyone will think this photo is funny, but we do... You seriously crack us up sometimes... and this picture proves that you are your fathers son.

a different kind of dream

I had a dream that ML and I ran away. We left Q sleeping on the bed at my SIL's house, and ran away in the dark of the night. I don't know where we went, just that it was necessary, and was away from Q.  We knew that they would awake to his cries and that he would be safe there. Safe until we could get our wits about us and go back for him.

It was a desperate dream. One that I dreamt from the couch of my SIL house, after losing my shit sometime after midnight, after Q had awoken again. I got Q back to sleep then woke up ML, to cry and to tell him that I needed help. More help. That I was falling to pieces. Crumbling. ML did his best to offer comfort, despite the fact that it felt to him like I was blaming him for not helping enough, and then sent me to the couch to get some sleep. He played the hero and while I dreamt about running away. He soothed our baby back to sleep the next few times he awoke that night.

Maybe it is because I wanted this so much. Maybe that is why it is hard to be real about how incredibly hard it is to be a mom.And, let me be clear, let there be no misunderstanding about what I am saying. THIS IS HARD. 


It's hard, and I. am. so. tired. 

I made an appointment to go see my old therapist.

I write this because I need to write. Because I need to get it out.
Because I need to be reassured that I am not alone in having these feelings.
Because I need to be reminded that this is the only thing I have ever wanted.

and thats the thing. this is the only thing I have ever wanted.
and I feel guilty for 'wasting' parts of it.

I am so lucky to be able to ask for help. But I am having a really hard time knowing exactly what kind of help it is that I need. I have a super-dad as a husband - he seriously spends more time with Q than I do and knows his cues better than me. I have a babysitter come a few mornings a week so that I can sleep, because when I say tired, it is a tired unlike any I have ever imagined, and sleeping for a few extra hours in the morning is the only thing that makes a day functional. My mom comes over a few evenings a week to help, and she really is helpful. But I need more. but I dont know what to ask for. I don't know what to do, other than wait for this to pass.

In other words, Q is adorable, incredibly social, generally happy, except when he's not, and so full of energy. He loves people, loves activity, loves the outdoors. He is extreme in his reactions, intense in his emotions, and so aware of his surroundings. He is on the verge of crawling, able to creep and roll his way around the living room to reach toys, people, and his dog. He is vocal in his happiness, and has a strong set of lungs he exercises when he is unhappy. He is perfect in every way. Our beautiful little boy with the softest round cheeks and big warm smile. He actually reached out for me with both arms the other day and my heart melted. It is incredible.

incredible, yet intense.
and so hard.

adorableness

Impending Chaos

Chaos is about to break out in the Foxy Family.
This kid wants SO desperately to crawl.
and the noises you hear, they are non-stop as well.

Happy Daddy's Day

Here we are again, Fathers Day is tomorrow.

I got my act together and ordered ML a special little gift, made a messy card from Q, and am planning a day vacation to the beach.

I knew that ML would be the most incredible dad. and he is.

I am back to work, still on a part-time basis, and he is now Q's primary caregiver. They spend more time together than I do. He know all the subtle cues and cries. I love it. I love seeing this man i love in this awesome new role.

For some reason I can't remember Fathers Day last year. at all. no recollection. Actually, i do remember that it was the week that my dad randomly showed up in town, so we got to tell him that we were pregnant. but I don't remember how, or if, ML and I celebrated his impending fatherhood at all.

But I can so clearly remember Fathers Day the year before. in 2010. That was such a hard year. I got my love a fathers day card that year. hoping so desperately that our dreams would someday come true.  He was in the middle of the FSH therapy. We were coming to grips with the choices that we'd need to make in order to become parents. It was not an easy summer. and yet we survived it, and are stronger for it.

I am grateful everyday for this life.
I am grateful every time I hear my baby cry.
I am grateful to leave for work and know that Q and ML are together.
I am grateful in ways that I simply don't have words to describe.

I am so excited to give ML his first ever fathers day present. It is a day I've waited so long for.