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Oct 22, 2008

News on the Homefront

James Clifton was born on September 28, and is the newest member of our household. It has been many, many moons since I have been around a new born, but some things you don't forget. He is the cutest little thing I have seen for a long time.

I watched him for about an hour yesterday afternoon while his mom and dad went shopping (read: escaped!). He cried for perhaps 45 minutes, and my cat Roscoe kept meowing at me, as if to say "Do something, knot-head! Somethings not right!" He finally gave up and hid somewhere. I did all the normal things, burping, checking for doo-doo, making goofy faces, rocking him, walking around with him, offering a bottle, but he wasn't having any of it. I decided he must have had colic, I guess. Hell, I didn't know, but he was sure trying to tell me something. As soon as his Dad came in and spoke to him, he magically stopped crying. "Keep talking!" I told him.























I know my own boys must have went through similar things, but I guess it felt different then. But there is something about a baby crying that really gets you hopping. Its a visceral thing, in that you must take action. You feel that something is wrong and you have to fix it. What was nice this time, is that I could hand him back to Mom and Dad when my efforts to fix the problem didn't work. That was a pleasant change.

And all of the stuff they have for babies now! I am absolutely amazed. Everything either vibrates or makes some sort of music! You don't put the baby on his stomach anymore, as we ignorant Neanderthals did...you place him on his back. This is supposed to help prevent SIDS. No one uses cloth diapers! They still make them, and they are so much more functional, no more folding, but not that many new parents use them. I remember washing two loads of diapers a day, and hanging them in the hot Florida sun to dry. Now the diapers are disposable, and have Velcro tabs....no more tape! Baby powder has become obsolete, and is no longer approved for infant butts. I think it has something to do with preventing allergies. Even the bottles are better. Of course, breast feeding is still encouraged, but for those who opt not to breast feed, you don't have to boil your bottles or nipples anymore! (I mean the nipples for the bottles. Even I didn't boil my own nipples, though I probably considered it!!)

There are swings, and car seats that convert to carriers, that convert to strollers! Some of them even make nature sounds! There are little hooded blankets, and swaddling has come back into fashion.

I sit and wonder how my two boys made it through infancy to toddlers without all of the new fangled gizmos and such. I remember the special occasions when I could use disposable diapers, (when we went on trips to visit family) and how magical it was. (But God help you if you accidentally pulled off the the tape that secured the diaper---then you used whatever you could find, duck tape, electrical tape, Scotch tape, whatever. You couldn't waste that diaper....those f**kers were expensive! Guess what? They still are...

Things sure have changed! And for the better. However, it is hard for me to put the baby down after feedinghim on his back. What if he spits up? So, I just sit and rock him. Now that is a good feeling.

I just have to get my oldest son married, so he can start producing babies. Some of the young girls he works with have a crush on him, but he says they are too young. I find myself thinking, well, shit, think of all the childbearing years they have ahead of them!...So they don't know jack....just think of all the babies!

Oh, well, I must be patient. I can still enjoy the delightful company of J.C. (James Clifton). And it is so delightful!!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats on the family expansion :)

Babies must be so complex to handle *shudder* give me something easier like computing the dimensions of the universe.

Unknown said...

Yes, and they both take as long to do...the rest of your life!!

Catmoves said...

I hear you clucking, JM. Being a grandparent is wonderful, though. When you can't get baby to do what it should do, it's pretty easy to say "Here. Your son (daughter) needs you," as you hand them to mom or dad. Hehehehehe. It's called REVENGE.

Anonymous said...

Hey Deb, babies are so much fun especially when you can hand them back.

I laughed at the thought of boiling your nipples (not funny I know) but it actually happened to me. I steamed them over a pot of boiling carrots.

The doctor, who was from South Africa, gave me some kind of witchy purple stuff and said it wouldn't hurt my baby and to continue breastfeeding if I could.

I did (ow ow ow) and it was the funniest sight to see my little guy with a purple ring around his mouth. haha

Spadoman said...

So, I'm wondering how the breast feeding went, I mean, you know, you being old and all. You should use the bottle at your age. One for the baby, one for yourself, full of Jack Daniels.

Glad to hear about your blessing with a new Grand child. Best of everything to you and all you hold dear.

Now check your e-mail, I sent you some pictures.

Peace

Thorne said...

Awww. Grandbaby love is awsome. Congratulations, Grama.

dawn said...

Congrats my girl, but keep off the breast. It won't be good for your figure. You know I luv ya and always wish ya the best

Mary said...

Sometimes i wonder if all that vibrating stuff is good for them. Do I sound old?
At any rate...gosh we haven't had a baby in our family for a good long while. But I can wait some more. Kiss that baby for me though...I can't resist them.

Unknown said...

Leah, I say ouch! and ouch again!! It's best to hold the spoon when stirring boiling carrots with your hands!

Spado, Yes, me being old and all...keen observation, that. Nope, my nips are pretty well eroded away, what with dragging on the floor and all...never should have burned my bra!!

Hope you and yours are well and content.

Cat, Yes, it was a treat to hand the baby over to Mom and Dad when they came home. I had about exhausted my repertoire of funny faces....which in my case means looking normal....

Thorne, always good to see you here. And thanks for the congrats!

Dawn, Nothing is good for my figure these days...things are happening to it that I didn't believe were possible.

Mary, I know what you mean about that vibrating stuff. Seems like it might jar little bodies a tad too much. Baby has been duly kissed!!