On the day that I became a mom, I wanted nothing more than
my mom. A year later I feel like I can actually admit that when Clara was born, I was plumb terrified. She was
so little and she made alien-like noises and I didn't quite know what to do with her. You know that mother-baby bonding business they always talk about in child development classes? Nope. There was none of that out-comes-baby and
POOF! We're bonded! action like many of my friends talked about. You see, this gang of ferocious hormones instantly swarmed my body, kicked the real Season out and turned the new Season into a freaked-out mess. I knew that the only one who had any chance of fixing it was my own mother. She was planning to drive up to stay the week anyway, but I got on the phone with her and somehow convinced her to drop all of her responsibilities (which—she has a lot of 'em) and leave as soon as possible. There's a good chance she sensed the masked desperation in my fake
calmcoolandcollected tone. (Mothers can sense things like that, I've learned.) In the mean time, luckily my night-time nurse was as sweet and motherly as they come. Heaven sent, I tell you. Heaven sent.
For the next week my mother calmly handled a crying newborn and at least 29 melt downs from yours truly. Then I begged her to stay an extra day. And she did. And when she finally
had to leave, Tom's mom took over and stayed another week.
Boy howdy, it's a good thing mothers are on this earth.
My mom with a four-day-old Clara.
P.S. In case you're concerned, Clara and I HAVE since bonded. Whew. That was a close one, wasn't it?
3 comments:
The only non "tricky" birth I've ever heard of was the heroine of The Good Earth, so I guess it's safe to say that the only place you find a glichless birth is in fiction! That being said, you and Clara seem to be bonded like super glue!! All's well that end's well...
I've been so bad at checking blogs and I feel like I'm so far behind. The sax video is so cute. I love the shoes you're wearing. Clara looks like she had a bang of a birthday! I wish we could have been there. I know we'll do most of our catching up when I see you next week, but for now I love all you posts :)
Your post brought back a flood of memories. What sweet days those were.....the midnight chats Clara and I had (and 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. and more!), the success of finger-feeding, her first bath. What a roller coaster of emotions: the ultimate joy of her birth, the wrenching worry that she wasn't getting enough to eat, the eternal fatigue, the bliss of holding an adorable sleeping bundle in my arms, the pain of having to leave when I so wanted to stay. I have loved watching my baby mother her baby this past year. You and Thomas are wonderful parents and Clara is one lucky little girl!
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