Parenting, the second time around - Part 2

I've learned a little bit about baby rearing lately. Mostly that a cup of coffee can cure anything. And locking myself in my room for five minutes alone is as rejuvenating as taking a whole hour.

Here are a few more things I have picked up along the way:

• Putting a baby down while you do something else is OKAY. When I moved into Nana's house at the time we moved down from Ventura, she reality checked me by telling me to putthatbabydownrightnow. I was convinced that he needed to be in my arms all the time, that he wouldn't be well-adjusted if I let him fuss on the ground, or something like that. What really happened was that he didn't ever want to crawl, and God forbid he cruise/walk on his own. Jonas is leaps and bounds ahead of him and I think it's because I let him be by himself every once in a while. 


• Babies are not breakable, they can handle a lax routine and they're kind of like clay. As in you can mold them, make them do what you want. When I had Gabriel, I was always at the mercy of his mood and nap schedule. I need groceries? Oh, the baby is napping, can't go. Have to meet a friend for coffee? Too bad, he's in a crappy mood, can't leave the house. I don't know if Jonas is more relaxed than Gabriel is, but we just go. We just do what we have to do. He sleeps, he eats, he does his thing. We all are happy. I took him to get a pedicure with me the other day and he was fawned over by all of the little Asian ladies. It was great.


• It's okay to sit around and snuggle your baby all day. Some days I am really productive and get tons of stuff down around the house, but then there are other days like today where I want to soak up both of my boys and leave the kitchen full of dishes. It's okay. They'll be there tomorrow, I swear. This goes hand in hand with #3.


• I might just be okay with only having two kids. There. I said it. I might not want anymore kids. I always thought I would want more and maybe in three years I will, but right this moment, I'm kind of okay with the idea of having only two. I will admit that I teared up a little when I started putting away the clothes Jonas is too big for and I thought that this might be the last time one of my teensy little babies uses them. And then I got over it.


• I am much more capable than I think. Sometimes I think, dang, I must be a shitty mom. I can't get Jonas to nap in his bed, I just snapped at Gabriel and my husband is expecting dinner on the table but I totally lost track of time. The damn ants are back in the living room (I really fricking hate ants) and the baby has been fussy all day and Gabriel just had a meltdown because he doesn't like napping anymore but still really needs one. I cry into the phone to my mom and say I just don't know how to do all of this. I'm losing my mind! And then I pull up my big girl pants, take a huge breath, drink a glass of wine after the kids go to sleep, wake up the next day and do it again. Because that's what we mamas do. It's kind of like if at first you don't succeed, try, try again...or something like that.