a day of unsuspecting surprises

After Graham had such an awful night's sleep, I was sure today would be a disaster. I had so much on my to-do-list, and my family's passover seder wasn't starting until 630p an hour away. Graham gets ready for bed at 630p (although we may need to push it later now since he's wide awake lately at that time). He was up at 5a and in bed with us, done nursing and somehow had double the energy that he normally does at 6a after a good night's sleep! Maybe it's because he had both of us to jump all over! After bouncing with so much force that I thought he was going to fly through the roof, we were both wide awake and laughing and this gorgeous and goofy character we've magically created. I needed my fuel to function, so DM went down to make me my chocolate milk and make G his breakfast while I nursed him again. We were getting an early start and going to get a lot done today!! I panicked for a second when I looked at my phone and it said 845a, but somehow my settings got changed to Uruguay time and I instantly gained back that momentarily missing hour of precious time. The first of 3 big loads of laundry was going. Graham wet our sheets after soaking through his diaper for the first time in a long time!! We got dressed, well...I did and he stayed in his pjs, and the two of us left to go to the gym. We got inside with my sopping wet diaper bag after my entire water bottle leaked. Graham went right to the girl in the daycare with a huge smile, I kissed him goodbye and thanked all of the heavens for this blessing!! I can't lose these last few pounds fast enough and am sick of not fitting in my pre-pregnancy clothes the same way again yet. But we don't need to get into my whole perception on my self image now. Exhausted yet energized, I went back in to see my happy boy crawling around with a toy in his hand, completely enjoying himself. The staff is incredible and feel so lucky that he is doing so well, so far. I hope he only grows to love it there more and more each time!! Nursed him before leaving while getting to know the girl who took care of him. When he was done, he just wanted to go back down and play more and stood  up with the baby play mat which is completely not strong enough or suitable for pulling up. With teamwork, she and I held it stable while cheering him on! After a few minutes, I put his jacket on and he was crying because I was taking him away from there!! We hurried to the car while he tugged at his hood and I asked him to please leave it on since it was drizzling--and he listened!! Just a few more seconds away from home and he fell asleep! Ugh! He woke up as soon as I lifted him up but went right back to sleep for 2 hours! I got to finally do a quick car cleaning, showered and did my hair. DM went to bbb to get a new car seat since he wasn't happy with the one he ordered and picked up some potting soil that I needed so badly for all of my new plant babies. Graham woke up so happy and not eager to eat, which is so rare for him even if I had nursed him right before his short naps. We got some little things done and I had to remind myself to nurse him. He was so distracted and content helping and watching me. The rain had stopped and he was unusually patient as I prepared his lunch, busy racing around the kitchen with shrieks of excitement. I sat him in his high chair and lifted him right back out as I had a brilliant epiphany to drag his highchair out onto the deck. G was thrilled and so was Charlie. My freshly straightened hair was fizzing up in the humidity, but the joy that dining outdoors brought him made it all worth it! Birds were chirping so loud somewhere beyond the misty air. Then, just when it felt too quiet, I remember again, just like yesterday, that we have the outdoor speakers! DM got home in time to see this springtime scene. It was quite the scene at that! Charlie was hovering, ready to catch any fallen food and it was Graham's only chance to pet him by leaning over the side. He clapped for his self achievements every time he put food in his mouth, whether it got in or not!

All fed and happy, I left him to pot my new plant babies from Nora after touching up the freshly painted different colored pots. Once that was checked off my list and I had lots of dirt under my nails, I went to for some real me time to get a manicure and pedicure! I put Graham down for a nap before I walked out but he apparently wasn't ready yet and wouldn't lay down. David plated with him a bit more and then he went down without a problem! Does he only give me trouble? And why do I have to nurse him before going down for naps? Meanwhile, the salon was swarming with ladies home from work, getting ready for the holidays. I was told it was a 20 minute wait. 45 minutes later, my phone was about to die and all of my quarters were eaten up by the meter. The poor women working there had to deal with all of the nasty comments from snobby women coming in and storming out once they heard the wait time. I felt so bad for them and could see them working under stress, so I sat quietly and patiently waiting for my turn. Luckily, I actually had cash to get more quarters and at last, 1 hour later it was my turn and the girl even charged my phone for me. I promised myself I wasn't going to spend the money on a massage too, but I always cave in, reminding myself I deserve that $12 treat for 10 whole minutes!! Worth every penny and I was feeling pretty good! I needed that pick me up since getting dressed earlier was so degrading. The cherry on top was pulling into the driveway, in my clean (enough) car and seeing my baby and husband waving to me through the living room window. I crept through the muddy garden, up to the window and we reached for each other through the window. I tortured him when I came inside and ran right past him to go to the bathroom. Together again at last, he was rested, happy and HUNGRY! Nursed and fed the last bit of tebeet chicken and rice and it was clear that Graham is officially not allergic to 2 new things (cloves & cardamom). His extensive list of foods is getting longer, his taste buds are maturing and his appetite is getting bigger! All dressed in the cutest possible outfit I could put together for Graham, and I was in my closet tearing it apart. I looked awful in everything that isn't leggings and a loose shirt. David declared that my final outfit choice was inappropriate for a family gathering so I went up to change one more time! And that was that. I didn't care anymore. Graham slept most of the way to LI and my hair was getting frizzy after fixing it again. Every year on passover the weather is foggy and misty! Got there fashionably late with one very happy baby, ready for the absolute worst! My sister pulled up at the same time as we did and of course looking perfect! I felt like shlumpy cow in my tent/swing dress and short black boots and pale legs in between. Forgetting about me and turning all focus onto Graham was what I needed to do. It's what everyone else would be doing anyway! Before going in sockless, I made David wrap him in a thick blanket to avoid any criticism on an insufficiently dressed baby. He refused to leave his hood on and made it into such a game. We put it up and he pulls down! We were bound to lose that battle with our encouraging laughter, and gave up to enter the chaos of my very very large family! We had it all planned out, ready for complete disaster. We got there at 7p, right when he is normally finishing his bottle before bed. The plan was no one would be allowed to hold him for the first few minutes until he got acclimated (just like at the gym daycare the first time). In hindsight, it wasn't a very elaborate plan. We squeezed into everyone standing very closely, not really prepared for all the poking and talking at such high volumes. How do I forget after all these years with my family? It was my first time as a mother with a small baby and saw everything from a new perspective -- his! "Whooooooo are all these freaks all up in my personal space??" DM kept him closest, all the while everyone else was too close for comfort. I was ready for crying from the anxiety of being overwhelmed and exhausted to set in any second. But the biggest surprise of all was that it never happened even once the entire night and all the way home at 10p! 3 hours of over stimulating excitement and he was a saint! He was passed around with complete willingness from aunt to cousin to uncle to Poppy to me and to DM all night. The loud, almost deafening verses of 30 something people singing Mah Nishtanah and Dayenu like a well trained choir only made him dance and smile with such a delight. It was 8p and he was twisting, jiving, diving and dodging me to peak over my shoulder and past my head and smile at everyone smiling back at him. We snuck him some hard boiled egg at the beginning and he was hardly interested! That's not normal for him to pass up food!! I polished off the bowl of bitter herbs drenched in lemon juice that no one else ever eats and I missed the rest of the seder. Kenna and I sat to the side and gave Graham most of his bottle. He's been holding it himself for a couple of weeks now but needs occasional assistance and of course, arms to lay in. He let me know when he was done when he sprung up like he was rejuvenated and ready to play! Sharon and I somehow arranged G w/ Charlotte, Daniel and Kenna for a photo op with all 4 looking right at the camera -- at the same time!!! Then the crowd started coming up for food and I realized that I missed the whole seder and my favorite parts..charosis and eggs! Graham disappeared after that, passing from one set of arms to the next, while I got to eat (way too much). I used matzoh and anything around that I could find fast enough to hide from G. But then when he saw me, I realized I didn't even need to hide. He was perfectly content arm hopping and crawling around. Every time I saw him, he had a huge smile on his face. His smile has changed recently, over the past week or two, and has become so silly but still adorable. He raises his eye brows, squints his sparkly eyes and curls his bottom lip in and his top lip out. People keep asking me if he's upset or happy, but I think he is very clearly happy!!! Andrew had him laughing and having a ball with his silly faces. The time was flying by and every time I checked the clock I was in disbelief of how awake, energetic and ecstatic he was to be surrounded by all of these familiar and new faces so late into the night. A few weeks ago, he wouldn't even stay in DM's arms when he saw me enter the room, and here he was being a rock star, party animal. Just when I thought I knew him so well, he surprised me more than ever all day and night, making it the best Passover ever. The clock was going to strike 10p any minute and we had to be the bad guys and put an end to the fun. A quick diaper and pj change and he was maaaaaaaddddd at US!!! Said goodbye to everyone fast and he was asleep in the car within seconds. About 45 minutes later, he woke up to the door opening and DM quietly and quickly carried him up for another diaper change (why? idk...) and to finish his bottle. One little cry as he laid down in crib and went right to sleep for the night. It was a day full of unsuspecting surprises. After a late family gathering at my grandmother's a few weeks ago, I really thought I knew it all. I learned from my mistake that night though, which is not to just pass him off to someone the second we walk in. But even later on that night, he couldn't see me without crying. We went through this whole week, expecting the worst night ever, and were pleasantly shown how wrong we can be and how incredible we already knew our son is. He amazes me everyday and proves to me that I will never know everything about him. He is constantly growing and changing, becoming more and more who he is and will be.