We're all home and chill now. I had rambling philosophical post almost done about the differences between the first and the second time you have a kid, what you know, what you know you don't know, etc. Then I was having trouble trying to log into the shopping cart of some organic store in another browser window--looking for an appropriately well-compacted cotton crib futon--and the damn hippies' website crashed my browser and erased all my Deep Thoughts.
Which is probably a more appropriate metaphor for bringing a new baby home from the hospital anyway. Here's a shallow recap:
this kid's a sleeper, and an eater, in ways the first one wasn't. So far, she's been really chill. What we thought back then was normal--the difficulties latching or taking a nipple or pacifier, the screaming--wasn't "just the way babies are"; it was "just the way babies who have deep suction--a giant vacuum cleaner tube shoved down their throat the minute they're born in order to clear any stray meconium that was floating around in the amniotic fluid--are." So there's a difference.
The whiteboard in the hospital room was great; it made us feel like we were at a babynaming offsite. As for the name[s], we ended up with just four, not five, all OG family names. We found that we see names differently; I kind of saw names in last and first name pairs, plus a middle, while she saw three middle names. Ultimately, the lifelong logistics of five names, conspired with the immediate logistics of leaving the hospital--the birth registrar only works weekdays, so to do the five-name thing right, we'd have had to come back or send in the paperwork, which we really didn't want to do.
Despite an extensive tour and detailed explanation of all the design elements and features, the kid seems really indifferent to all my milk crate lashing, cube modding, and light switch coverplate swapping efforts. A crushing blow.
We, on the other hand, are once again in love with our Bugaboo Bassinet. I hear it also converts to a stroller when the kid gets bigger? Seriously, wheeling the kid around the house in smooth, quiet, goodlooking comfort is a huge plus. Especially since the crib isn't set up yet.
The kid is pretty stoked about the new kid, which is an awesome relief. Though what that also means is watching out to channel her ethusiasm in ways that don't end up with baby-on-head, or with precious sleep-disrupting rambunctiousness.
I've gotta go do some interview with Dutch TV [non-baby-related, go figure, the sheer randomness of which has overcome my tendency to not make pseudo self-promoting mentions like that. Thanks to everyone for the nice comments and emails and stuff, we really appreciate it.
Congratulations, guys! Hope everyone is doing well.
Congrats on #2! And super-congrats on the easier-latching, less-screaming version! I'm sure it makes those first few days much more restful, especially on the mom.
We'll have to remember that when we have #2, since our #1 was initially a non-latching, screaming ball of misery which may indeed have been caused by the vacuuming. Were you able to request that they not vacuum, or were you merely lucky?
BTW - the milk-crate shelving looks nice. I especially like the mixing/matching of horizontal and vertical crates. You might be able to solve the sag problem with a plank of pine/plywood painted the same color as the crates on the facing edge. Just a thought.
I was going to suggest the same with the planks and ask the same vacuuming question as GFR, so in general I just second his/her post.
Congratulations!!
welcome home. jdg (formerly known as dutch) has his own TV station now? day-um! ;)
Congrats again and welcome home. Hope that version 1.0 and 2.0 continue to work well together. Aren't calm babies wonderful? Props to the misses for breastfeeding.
We love our Bugaboo for the same reason. We invested in it with Girl #1 and got so much use out of it (even the stroller attachment). Now, girl #2 loves it too. Also, FYI: it comes in very handy when they are stuffy with colds and can't breathe well at night...we prop them up all snugly in one of the reclining positions of the Bugaboo and they sleep next to our bed, allowing their noses to drain and passages to stay clear. :) That said, we miss them in our bed when this happens.
Congrats on your baby.
Another Modern Lovin', Hippified, Homebirthin' Mama to Two (whose husband is a Modern Lovin', LEED-certified, Architect Daddy to Two)
I tried to find this in your archives before I posted, but didn't see it...have you seen this beaut yet?
http://www.oompa.com/baby-toys/category.cgi?item=SVSCOOTER&type=store
we mentioned to our midwife that our #2 is easier and sleeps a lot more, and she said that he's easy cuz he has to be (ie, we are too wonked out to manage complications) and sleeps because we are not sitting there staring at him waiting for him to wake up like we were with #1. In fact, sad as it is, most of the time I spend with him he is sleeping so I can nap (or spend valuable time on dt). anyway, he's been a bit colicky, which the first never was, so I guess the easiness was a developmental stage. and they seem to be totally different people. and #1 loves #2, but so much that she likes to squeeze him real tight - not so great.
my own philosophical musings after the birth, when I was mostly taking care of our older daughter, was that when there are two you realise that no matter how good a parent you are you are messing with your kids heads - ie the fact that i was so devoted to our daughter was now a problem, as i had to back off with her to engage with him. oops.
I'm finding #2 much easier too. And I'm also realizing just how easy just having #1 was even though up until the day #2 was born, I thought #1 was so incredibly difficult.
As the old saying goes... "Kids are like pancakes, you always f*ck up the first one". No, really - glad #2 is easier. I agree with Daniel... you don't obsess over the second one because there's no time and limited energy. Forget boiling the dropped binkie, spit on it.. wipe it off.. and get on with it. :)
[we were at the pediatrician's office yesterday, and there was a couple, clearly over the moon, and eager to tell us all about their 4wk old, how old is yours, ooh, 4 days? When I pulled the pacifier out of my pants pocket, they both stared. -ed.]
The nice thing about the second one is that you're not as paranoid you will kill the baby. At least, that's been our experience thus far.
OG? Like Bonnie Capone Montana Allen?
Congrats! Number 2 just arrived home here, too. For a natural crib mattress, we went with and love the Savvy Rest - natural latex with organic cotton and wool. Very nice!
Good luck!