Is my baby fat?

Being a new mother.... I know my baby fairly well, but when it comes to other babies..... well, they are still very much a mystery.

My pride and joy was born at 35 weeks, he was 4lbs 7.6 oz and I know, that's kinda small. When he was discharged from the hospital at almost 4 weeks, he was still fairly small -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 4lbs 8oz, but on the upswing -- gaining almost an ounce a day. I don't know what he weighs now, but it's somewhere north of 6lbs -- we go to the doctor next week and we'll get an update.

In the beginning, when you take such a small baby out, people do stop you to ooohhh and aaahhh and then remark how small he/she is.... I chalk these people up to well-meaning and usually end up telling them.... he's small, he was born early.... he's doing fine now, thank you -- bye, bye now.

From time to time, you run into other people & their new babies. You are almost obligated to chat with these people -- it's like you are members of the same club or something.... how old is yours, how much did he/she weigh at birth? blah, blah, blah.... I imagine this is painless for most, but..... when you are the mother of a preemie, this conversation goes something like
Other Mother: Oh, how cute
Me: Yours too, isn't he/she sweet
Other Mother: How old?
Me: Eight weeks, yours?
Other Mother: Oh my Gawd, he's so cute and so tiny -- how much does he weigh?
Me: somewhere in the 6-7lb range, yours?
Other Mother: Oh my Gawd, my baby's only 3 weeks and weighs 10lbs -- is my baby fat?

At this point I want to yell out YES, your baby is F'ing HUGE -- keep it away from my petite little dainty baby -- he might get hungry and try to eat him!

Instead, I say -- oh no -- your baby's beautiful -- mine was born 5 weeks early.....

What the hell is wrong with these people... is my baby fat? For christ sake the poor little thing hasn't even been alive for a month and you are trying to give him body image issues. Of course now I have to wonder if I'm a bad monther because I'm trying to dream up ways to get our kid to eat more -- and no, not so he'll gain weight -- he'll do that on his own -- we are trying to feed him more so he'll sleep longer!!!

Bet that fat baby sleeps great

Ahhhh the joys of motherhood

Today was a challenging day...... and it occurs to me that I've been a bad mother.

I woke up this morning -- and after tending to 'lil W, I noticed that he's starting to grow eyebrows.... isn't that cute? I alerted the Big W to this wonder.... and being the dutiful husband & father, he rushed over to see. In reality, this rushing was probably more to keep me from accusing him of being disinterested, but he came right over regardless of the true underlying reason and he agreed.... eyebrows are starting to form on my baby's acne-ridden, but cute, little face.

This is where the bad mother part comes in, it occurs to me that I have an 8-week old child, and I have not been recording these little milestones.... I have no idea what date he began liking his swing, or what day he decided he was going to scream like he was beaten whenever we changed his diaper.....

Perhaps this blog can serve as not only my responses to the Big W's blog, but also a place where I can record 'lil W's achievements.....

Just to catch up on the dates I do know -- after an extended stay in the hospital (18 days) we brought him home on 6/20 -- it wasn't until 7/4 that we brought him to his first Irish pub.... he has yet been to Church, but he's been to several pubs...... (this bad mother thing appears to be a theme).

The Lady Speaks

Yes, the Big W has been posting for some time... and although I could respond in his space, I've opted to start my own....

Of course 'lil W has opted to select this time to start having a meltdown, so I'll have to come publish something profound later (the never ending joys of motherhood), but..... at least it's a start :)