the original six

Funny thing about the Boy being home for a week: instead of resting at home, the three of us go out and run big errands (or pursue big entertainments). Not that much time to write, really. Also, I've been resting a whole lot more than usual in an effort to put this cold behind me. I seem to be on the downward slope, but we'll see if the virus can regroup & rally when I'm by myself this week.

A couple of new pieces to the big puzzle o' Blake: first, we've managed to get him asleep in his crib for longer than an hour. Twice! He's a long, long way from sleeping the night in a separate room (not that we have one), but it certainly expands our menu of nighttime choices.

Second, the Boy has begun a game wherein a ribbon is tied to Sprout's ankle & his mobile above. When Sprout kicks his leg, the mobile moves in his line of sight. He's fascinated with the cause & effect this creates and we can spend hours watching him kick n' stare. It's almost as good as Tummy Time, when we watch him fight gravity to keep his enormous head from lying on the ground.

I just can't believe how strong & bright he's getting.

Sue introduced us to this game.
Mostly she tries not to unleash her training as a behavioural scientist & run experiments on Robbie
- but sometimes she does anyway.

Blake is sleeping right now. It's one of the most amusing things he does; he won't fall asleep when everything is hushed and dark, but he's currently sound asleep next to a furniture construction site. We pretend that he's our union supervisor.

Why the furniture? Well, yesterday the Rocketfamily & my dad went to Ikea. I hardly need to tell you how that turned out. We needed a wardrobe, a bookcase & some miscellaneous storage containers. We came out the door with all of that plus an expensive dresser. What can I say, my dad gets carried away when he sees nice furniture. He paid for it all up front, which would be nicer if it didn't signal the beginning of the ever-popular "what do we pay for" rhumba. I know that my mom would prefer that we paid for it all, which is reasonable. But there's a miserly part of me that heard my dad promise to pay for the bookshelf & the dresser - and that part wants to take him up on his offer.

I suppose I could make everyone happy by paying off the furniture a bit at a time so my mom would get the money, my dad would be the generous one for putting the cash on the table and we could afford to pay rent this spring.

The thing is, I'm more ticked off because I wanted to help build the stuff, but there're way too many men up there for me to be anything but superfluous. Ack. One day I'll buy my own furniture AND put it together. Mark my words. Of course, I'll have to keep the whole operation a big secret from my dad, but I can do that (cf. my teenage years).

"i sleep in a drawer."

All 6 of the prenatal moms & tots (hereafter referred to as the Original Six) made it out to the postpartum group & post-postpartum group lunch this week, leading to much comparing of notes.

Oliver & Robbie snooze away. Oliver was born one hour before Blake in the next room (Hectate was also his midwife, but we snatched her first).

I promised Gila a picture of Stephanie & mini-Stephanie (a.k.a. Eva)... so despite Steph's embarrassment at having her photo taken, here it is.

I find it difficult to write about our conversations, because so much of it is comprised of very personal detail that is either too personal to put down or requires way too much backstory to be understood. So instead, some thoughts on the group phenomenon.

I wasn't sure about these people when we first met. It wasn't that I didn't like them; it was more that I didn't know them. We filled that room like kids studying for an exam: nervous, quiet, willing to learn anything. In that first class, at least, there wasn't a lot of socializing in the study group.

It got better as the weeks went on. We all got more comfortable with each other, and we began to use the snack time to chat. My problem was by the time the snacks were served, I was usually lying on the floor and not all that hungry. It wasn't just that I was pregnant-tired, it was that the Boy & I were in the worst of the FCN drama and I was lucky if I got home before 8pm most nights of the week. I was utterly exhausted, both physically and emotionally, and I really wasn't up to meeting new people. When Locasta arrived to teach the second-last class, she said, "by this point, you're either bonded or you never will be." And I thought, okay, then. Another opportunity gone.

I think that it was the mailing list that changed my mind. As I waited for the Sprout to emerge, I found myself eagerly following the birth stories of the Original Six. I was surprised that the others seemed to like me, despite my apathy in prenatal class. And after Blake was born & we started to run into the others at the clinic, I recognized that a bonding had taken place despite me.

Now I can't wait for Thursday morning. I can't wait to see the other mommies & the other babies. I can't wait to see who's grown, who's sitting up, who's sleeping through the night, and who's getting ready to go on a trip. I can't wait to dish postpartum experiences with the other moms. But most of all, I can't wait to get to a place where me & my baby are completely normal. I'm not the token mom - I'm merely one component of a full-on mom assault. It's very cool.

Not to mention the fact that I love all the Original Six babies! I never thought I would love so many, but there it is. I love Ciaran's accomplishments - he's like a postcard from the future (not to mention that he's totally a mini-Kevin and it makes me giggle). I love Dexter's wiry energy and his high-pitched shriek of displeasure. I love Robbie's serenity, what his mom calls his "laid back old man" charm. I love Eva's changeling looks and her Blake-like babbling (I'm sure that to Stephanie, Blake babbles like Eva, but whatever). I love Sydney's shoe-button eyes & intent goggling.

I love them!

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 2/22/2004 10:08:00 p.m.