Thursday, January 18, 2007

Since

I'm sick (again) and in the middle of a shitstorm at work (again) and my precious assistant just went out on maternity leave (not again, and the baby is adorable, but I am near helpless without her), and I'm working this weekend.

These are my excuses for this short post. I have the needle phobia one half-written, so that'll be out soon.

But today, one really cool thing happened: my son correctly used the word "since" in a sentence. This reminded me of how I once worried that I would be sad to see him leave babyhood behind. When in fact oh my god am I glad to leave his babyhood behind. Babyhood kicked my ass. He was a real HellBaby, but as a toddler, while he's still intense, he's a lot closer to the norm (if the norm encompasses channeling Bono, that is).

25 comments:

gabbiana said...

1) Awww.
2) I am totally digging his Mr. Potato Head tattoo.

Anonymous said...

Love the picture! I feel the same way. My daughter turns 2 next week and she's probably going to be our only (we're not doing another IVF so chances are slim to none).

I am still waiting to miss her babyhood. She was a difficult baby and I miss almost nothing about it. Well, the one thing I've come up with is not getting the cr*p kicked out of me every time I try to change her diaper.

Magpie said...

Great picture! Love the shades! Are you, dare I ask, still nursing? Mine stopped a couple of months ago, and only stopped asking a couple of weeks ago. I think I have a post brewing about that.

Anonymous said...

Awww...the tatt is cool, yes, but the detail that killed ME (when I enlarged the pic to see the afore-mentioned Potato Head) is the way he is holding the pick. He looks like he's ready to JAM. Too funny. My third one is sixteen months old, and walking around talking in complete sentences (very creepy; the kid is also growth-stunted and so very short for the age, and people FLIP. OUT. when they hear the things that come out of "the little baby's" mouth). I am still worried that I'll miss the sweet baby stage, but kind of ready to be done with the helpless infant phase, too. I was reeeeally getting that way before this one got so verbal. It's definitely easier when they can tell you WHY they are screaming. It both decreases the incidence of the fits and makes them shorter in duration, since you can either say "here you go" and make them happy or "no, that's not for you" and just have the tantrum over with. Nice.

Anonymous said...

With your needle phobia post you could also add in a part about how to get rid of "white-coat syndrome", if you know anything about that.

Orange said...

He looks so grown up! With the lack of clothing, though, I'm thinking more Flea than Bono.

Too bad guitar straps for kid-sized guitars are hard to find, eh?

(And I hope you feel better quickly.)

Sharon Bartlett said...

I enjoy reading your posts. I came across your blog quite by accident, while searching something else - what it was, I can't remember anymore. I'm a grandmother of three young boys who are all very close to me, so when you talk about your "hellboy," I get quick a kick out of it.
I work in academia, and I'm an avid reader. When I come across a blog that is well-written and interesting, it's like an exciting find for me.
Thanks for writing and sharing - and I hope you feel better soon.

DoctorMama said...

gabbiana -- he wouldn't let us wash the back of his hand for days. Now tattoos go on the forearms only.

magpie -- yes, you dare, and yes, we are, a tiny bit.

liza -- yes, speech is goooood. (And sometimes he's in the mood for his pick and sometimes not. When not, he wants a bandaid on his thumb, since he once saw a guitarist wearing one. I have to keep a giant box of cheap bandaids at hand.)

anon -- unfortunately, don't know about how to get rid of WCH. I even have it myself.

orange -- in fact, the guitar HAS a strap, but he prefers to hold it up himself. And Flea IS one of his favorite guitarists; it was the shades that made me think Bono. (Also the lack of a sock behind the guitar.)

nanarocks -- thanks!

Anonymous said...

I clicked the link and loved your BF post (Hellboy is cute, too). I couldn't have written your post (well, except for the actual writing part), including the traumatic early beginning (for 3mo, so it took a while), followed by being so happy I made it through. I particularly enjoyed the bit about feeling like you were being chased around by your husband & fussy baby.

So waiting to hear more. I weaned my son at about 20 mo, and, didn't worry for a second about nursing a walking/talking toddler. (But, my son was small, too, and starting walking & talking before he was a year old).

bj

B.E.C.K. said...

How freaking adorable! Definitely one to show his future girlfriends. ;^)

Anonymous said...

Just glad I'm not the only one who doesn't crave the babyhood time. (As I sit, willing my five month old to WALK. Just LEARN!)

Anonymous said...

A friend breastfed her kid until he was 3 and a HALF. He wasn't a baby he was a LITTLE KID able to undo her buttons.

E. said...

The picture is so funny and adorable. Can't wait to hear more about needles and breasts (not together, though).

Orange said...

You know, I was thisclose to posting a link to a picture of Flea taken from the side, demonstrating his sockless deshabillé. He was jumping about, so his little Mr. Flea was upright. But his face wasn't visible in the picture, so...

Erin said...

Bono Baby is adorable! I love the toddler years. Every time someone said that they knew I'd be glad when P was out of his Terrible Two's, I would just look at them like they were crazy. Two was fun. Three is even better. I love these ages.

Anonymous said...

I think he has some serious charisma. Here's hoping he gets famous soon and buys you and Trophy Husband your own island.

Good luck with your shitstorm.

Romance said...

I just had to comment as I raising Demon Girl -- well, she is seemingly a bipolor baby who alternates between the Poopster (PTSD invoking pooper) and Demon Girl (baby who channels all the rage and frustration of the universe in a mere 14 pounds of spewing infant). How exciting to think she might one day channel Bono instead of Demon Girl. I will say, I have totally increased the miles I run weekly purely in self defense and so that I don't surrender her at fire station..

Anonymous said...

DoctorMama, I've been catching up on your old posts and I've discovered I really like you a lot. I think you're smart, articulate, and honest.

I especially like the posts where you boss your readers around, the ones with the numbered dos and don'ts lists. These are really fun (even the one on nosebleeds, which I don't even need advice on because I've had a nosebleed, but I still really enjoyed reading it because of the strict, English nanny style in which it was written, which was enormously entertaining).

I also like it that you gave me permission to run again, years after my orthopedist strictly forbade it in no uncertain terms. I liked the post about studying (even though I've never needed help with this) because it conveyed your "I can do anything I set my mind to" attitude. It was cheering and inspiring and made me feel as though I'd just met an impressive person.

I especially like reading about your mom (wow, did she ever overcome some significant obstacles! What a woman!). I wonder, do you attribute your I've-never-met-a-problem-I-can't-solve attitude to her influence?

victoria_pond@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I feel your relief... I had my very own HellBaby, who has turned into a much more sanguine (but still intense!) preschooler.

Anonymous said...

Adorable photo! A rocker in the making.

Anonymous said...

Hi DM,

There is no better rock star/philanthropist than Bono to imitate!

Dumb question: Is it possible to be a serious runner, have low body fat, and still produce enough milk to be of any use to a kid? I thought you'd just dry up if you exercised hard, maintained a trim figure and didn't breastfeed that often.

DoctorMama said...

victoria -- "do you attribute your I've-never-met-a-problem-I-can't-solve attitude to [your mom's] influence?"

hmmm. I wasn't really aware I had that attitude -- I guess I'd describe it more as a "when I've met a problem I can solve I tend to believe everyone should solve it the same way" attitude. But I see what you mean. You know that AA prayer that everyone quotes? The one that goes "grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to face the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference"? That has never struck me as something I need to tell myself. That stuff seems easy. (I do have lots of OTHER things I have to keep telling myself, though.)

And you know, that attitude IS something that my mother taught me. Thanks for pointing it out.

And anon: re: the "dumb" question -- well, sure it's possible. That's what our bodies are set up to do, after all. I don't know about top competitive athletes with super low body fat, but in general you'll put whatever calories you've got into the breastmilk first and yourself second. My BMI was probably about 21 when I was breastfeeding exclusively, and a little under 20 after that. (That's the closest I can get to body fat assessment.) Once breastfeeding is well established, the milk doesn't usually dry up until you really quit nursing.

Dooce Fan! said...

Ha ha, his picture is cute and funny. I would buy a record by him.

Anonymous said...

From one accidental extended breastfeeder to another, I wanna hear about the boobs!

ayumi said...

cute kid!