My sister and her baby are in town for a week (YAY!!!) and we kept our schedule clear so that we could spend as much time with them as we could. Saturday afternoon through dinner we were over at my mom’s, and then today, from Breakfast through bath and bed.
My mom had lots of delicious left-overs for us to eat. I was getting ready to eat at around 5 (breastfeeding, so not fasting this year) when my daughter started knocking on the bathroom door while holding a pair of pants. “ah, potty-tunity!” I thought as I put down my empty plate and went to help her. Once inside the bathroom, however, she opted out.
We proceeded to go through this a few times until we ended up in the bedroom, playing somewhat intensely. Then she pretended to lie down and I noticed a dark blob through her diaper. I inspected. Yes: all the water she had downed over the past few hours had served as an effective lubricant. I attempted a bathroom transfer and clean-up operation.
Success level: loooooow. She did not want to be put down. At all. At ALL. Any attempts to put her down, essential to the cleaning process, were met with increasing levels of tears and an even tighter grip on my body. I tried to calm her but without success, and eventually went for it. It was messy. She cried harder and harder until she was wailing. I felt (feel) horrible about this. I picked her up and she clung to me like a little sweet monkey, my little love-bug.
And then I felt a warmness on my left side. Yes, that is what happened next, on me, the floor, the stool. Plus some poop mashed onto my shirt as well. At this point I called for reinforcements. Mom brought a cloth, took away the diaper, ran the tub and brought me a clean shirt. Once she’d peed, baby cheered up a bit. We tried to wash her hands, which brought on more tears (usually it’s a favourite activity).
After that, the flow of activities continued on its predetermined course. She bathed, joined by her cousin. Drying off was followed by dressing up, though she ended up in her cousin’s too-big sleeper as attempts to put on her own clothes produced more tears. Then nursing, packing up and into the car.
Car = 15 minutes of nursing, then transferring sleeping and now crying baby to carseat where she settled quickly with a bottle. Thankful for cell phones, I called my mom who brought out my forgotten travel mug with tea. I drove my sleeping baby home and, miracle of miracles, got her into bed asleep.
Rapid pack-up and clean-up and then I raced back out to see a movie with my sister. Maybe my third theatre movie since baby was born, and the only one of the 3 I’ve watched through ’til the end. I had my cell phone on my lap awaiting a text from husband on baby’s status, but none came. I got home after she had been up for about 15 minutes, changed and bottled by dad. I nursed her and, another miracle, she went back to sleep. Thank you sweetie!
All in all, a delightful weekend of ignoring our home and to-do lists and focusing on time with family. Baby is now sleeping and more adorable and loved than ever before.