The Delaney and Waylon Diaries

#5 - Waylon's first Christmas

Christmas is great every year, especially since Delaney came along, but this year Christmas was so very joyful. Big sis came to visit us the week before and we had a great time hanging out with her which made our season so much jollier. And, of course, Waylon is here. He missed Christmas by two days last year and because I knew he'd make his scheduled C-section arrival on December 27, I felt like I rushed us through Christmas last year. I was so excited to meet him. This year having him here with us, and having him so engaged, so active, so adorable, well it really feels like our family, our wonderful little unit, is complete. He was. of course, much more interested in bows, wrapping paper, boxes and tissue paper than in opening gifts. Delaney was happy to help him rip into his gifts, though, and she taught him the ropes. He did delight in many of the things he received, especially a toy cell phone that his papa got him.

We had a lovely, noisy, chaotic and fun Christmas Eve at my parents' house with our extended family but opted for a small Christmas Day dinner at home, just the four of us. Roger and I had Alaskan King Crab legs while Delaney had cheese pizza and broccoli and Waylon enjoyed sweet potato, avocado and pear. I said grace before our small, family feast and tears dampened my eyes as I thanked God for all of the blessings we share: our love for each other, a beautiful new home, and an amazing array of family and friends. This Christmas, 2008, was a perfect way for us to begin wrapping up a momentous year of the challenges and changes we faced--sometimes with desperation, sometimes with grace--but always together.

#4

Today I'm thankful because:

- I won the Keen contest last Friday over at Jamie's Blonde Mom Blog! Mama's gettin' a brand-new pair of shoes this holiday season. How will I ever decide which awesome pair to get? I'm leaning towards the Arroyo II.

- I watched Roger and Waylon sleeping in the wee morning hours before I slipped into the shower. Way's an early riser so I always bring him into bed with us when he wakes. Seeing Way and his dad softly slumbering next to each other is a wonderfully sweet way to start my day.

- Delaney told stories about her imaginary friend, Julie, all weekend. And, she also spent a lot of time telling us about Reesa, her "daughter," and their wild adventures (like selling popcorn on the street). The only thing she told us that was more interesting than her Julie and Reesa stories was that (princess) alligators wanted to take her to another planet and she wondered how we'd feel about it if she went with them.

Dear Waylon,

If you're ever so inclined as to read this here blog and wonder why I didn't write about your babyhood in such excruciating detail as I did about your sister's, here's why: I am always holding you. Because you are only  happy when I'm holding you. Wait. Sometimes you're happy when you're crawling around but only if I'm right with you. If I leave the room, even if I go into a room that is next to the room that you're in and you can SEE ME, you are not happy. And by "not happy" I mean you scream bloody murder and spill tears all over the floor. And I'm flattered. Really. I love that you love me and need me and want me so much. But the holding of you? Doesn't leave much time for blogging about you. And I want to blog about you, here, on the blog. I blog about you all day long in my mind, cataloging every little thing you do, the funny looks you give, the way you've just learned to shake your head no (which is so cute today but probably won't be cute for long because once you start telling us no you'll never stop until you're 36 and you can finally admit that your dad and I were always, OK almost always, right and you are sorry for having said no and doubting us all those years. whew!). But by the time you're in bed and I have a few not-holding-you hours before I go to bed my arms, honestly, are too tired from holding all 21 pounds of you to type (not really, just kidding. no, not kidding. it's true. OK, not true. really kidding this time.).

You are so different from your sister. Although you were both the exact same weight at birth you now, at 11 months, weigh as much as she did when she was 18 months. I know that boys are generally bigger than girls but it cracks me up when you nurse and cuddle up to me because you're so big that I have to wrap you around my body and you're just my tiny yet gigantic baby all at once.

You're smart, oh so smart. You remember things like what it means to be in the doctor's office. You're fine in the waiting room but once we enter the exam room your eyes dart around and within seconds you start to cry. You know they mess you around in there and you don't like it one bit. And lately you've decided that you don't like diaper changes or getting your jammies on for bedtime. I'll be holding you in my left arm and reaching for your jammie drawer in my right and you'll start to cry. I'm not sure why because after jammies it's stories and nursing which you love but boy, you're not into putting on those jammies! And, the shaking of your head that I mentioned earlier? It's awesome. I know you're communicating with me, that our conversation is truly a two-way street and although you're telling me, "No! I don't want slimy baby food. I want chunks of real, honest-to-goodness, flavorful food, lady!" I'm loving every second of it.

Speaking of food, you love real food, never had a desire for baby food, and I can't believe I'm OK with feeding you big pieces of stuff like broccoli and chicken and peaches and pears, especially since I was so scared of doing that with your sister. But you're good at eating it. You take it in stride and ask for more and you want to try all sorts of new foods, you want to eat the crackers and chocolate and chips that your sister or dad or I eat. We feel bad that you can't yet. But one day soon, you will.

You always have a serious look in the photos I take of you which is so cute and funny and reminds me so much of your dad. You study things: leaves, grass, dirty socks, computer cables, carpet fuzz. But you have a great smile and a completely goofy side to you too. I'm just not a good enough photographer to catch those smiles yet. So when you see your baby photos (all 18,000 of them) remember that you did smile often and much and I really tried to capture it. Because your smile, your spirit (strong-willed, smart and sweet) captures me every single day.

I love you and I promise to write more about you here if you promise to never stop wanting me to hold you. Because my arms will never ever get too tired for that.

Love,

Mama

#3

Today I am grateful.

- My colonoscopy went well and I did it without any sedation drugs! Everyone told me beforehand that I was crazy to do it without the drugs but it was important to me to try since I'm breastfeeding Way (and it kinda felt like they were daring me, so...). The lactation consultant at our hospital told me it was safe to get the drugs and go home and breastfeed him but something about having Versed and Demerol injected into my system less than two hours before feeding my baby didn't sit well with me. The procedure certainly wasn't as comfortable as those I've had in the past when I was mildly sedated but I powered through the cramping and minor pain and felt like a Rock Star Mama when it was over. Everything looked good (well, to the doctor that is...it all looked pretty gross to me) and now I don't have to forgo food for 36 straight hours again for another three years. Yeah, me! The downside? No more solo bowel cleansing for three years. Darn. I was able to finish a whole book last night, people!

- The Earl of Sandwich (our new most favorite spot on the planet) opens in the morning so Roger took me there after the test to scarf down my best sandwich ever--The All American--which quickly quieted my screaming hunger pangs, after I first slurped down a Starbuck's Espresso Truffle, that is. So much for losing a few pounds from that fast.

- When Waylon was born he gave Delaney a present ('Cause he knew that it's always good to bribe the elders in the tribe you're joining): a kid-friendly digital camera. Here's how my daughter sees me through her lens.

#2

Today I was thankful that Roger made it a point to come home early to take the kids so I could start my test prep (colonoscopy tomorrow--hurrah!) in peace. You know you're a time-deprived mom when you look forward to a few hours of uninterrupted bowel cleansing  (ewwwww...TMI much?).

I'm glad that even though Delaney was bouncing off the wall at bedtime she stayed in her bed and that even though Waylon obviously didn't want to go to sleep, he did as soon as I turned off his light and closed his bedroom door. The evenings are the only quiet time we get and it's so much nicer when we get there peacefully.

Something different, #1

I haven't been writing regularly here for a long time so I'm going to start doing something new. To get me to write something here, at least one little anything, each day, I'm going to start a gratitude journal of sorts. It may not be interesting to the average person dropping by but in the years to come I hope I'll look fondly on these glimpses of what is important to me now and that for which I am thankful. Life is short and I want to remember the moments, even the tiny ones, that compose this wonderful life I've been given.

Today:

I am grateful that Waylon was happy to be in my arms for 20 minutes while waiting at the cable company. Most babies his age would have been squirming to get down and crawl around but he was completely content to sit in my lap and let me talk to him.

I loved it when I picked up Delaney from school and she said to me, "Mom, you HAVE to come to my school. We have so many Jesuses there now!" Turns out it was one (baby) Jesus, one Mary and one Joseph as part of a nativity scene under her class Christmas tree. Never mind. I can't wait to see all the "Jesuses" when I take her back on Wednesday.