6/4/07

Month 12: Birthday Boy

Guess what this Friday is? Miles’ FIRST BIRTHDAY!! Here are some questions people have been asking me:

Q: Can you believe your baby is one already?
A: No, I really can’t.

Q: Didn’t it go by so fast?
A: Yes and no. In the beginning, during the sleepless haze of the “fourth trimester,” no, it didn’t go by fast at all. In fact, the first two months felt like two years. Maybe around the 5 or 6 month mark, time started speeding up.

Q: Are you doing anything special for his birthday?
A: Not really, if by “special” you mean sending out hand-written invitations, renting a moon bounce and making up goodie bags for two dozen kids. We’re having some of our friends over for happy hour, and then a small family party. I figure it’s the last year we can get away with it before Miles starts to notice he’s getting the short end of the birthday stick.

Other people, mostly other moms with younger babies, have also been asking me stuff like, when did he start getting teeth, sleep through the night, recognize his own name, etc. The answer in most cases, I’m afraid, is that I don’t remember. I know, I know. I hate that, too. It’s only been a year, for Pete’s sake. Plus, I have a leg up—I’ve been blogging about this stuff. Even so, I don’t remember EVERYTHING. Sorry.

If it helps, I DO remember that he started walking at 10 months. Specifically, the one time in his whole life that I left him overnight and therefore wasn’t there to witness it. Thanks, Miles. C., however, was here. (“I swear I didn’t encourage him!” he said.) And a couple of weeks ago, Miles started a cute new trick. If you ask him, “Who’s number one?” He holds up his chubby little index finger and waves it in the air. So cute.

Other “firsts” I actually wrote down:
1/15/07: first time he stood up in his crib
1/21/07: first time seeing snow
3/27/07: first taste of meat (before this he was a vegetarian, like me)
5/31/07: first haircut (he's not a big fan of the clippers)

So, I’m wondering, can I legitimately call myself a “new mom” anymore? Or is there some cutoff date when I become an “intermediate mom” or “advanced beginner” or something? I still feel like a newbie most days. And anyway, I’m not changing the name of this blog.

I’d like to give a shout-out to my friend, S., who is a new mom for the third time, to a third son! God bless her and baby Dylan. That girl’s a trooper, huh??

TIP O’ THE WEEK: I’m only on page 38, but so far I’m loving this book: I Was a Really Good Mom Before I Had Kids: Reinventing Modern Motherhood. Just for the title alone.

8 comments:

Emma said...

Happy birthday Miles!
I just found your blog and I'm enjoying reading through the archives while my 4 month old girl sleeps strapped to my chest in a baby carrier. I couldn't get her to take a nap in her crib.
Love your writing. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Emma

Anne said...

Hi there,
I just read your entire blog before I realized we live inthe same city. I really enjoy your honesty and flexibility with regards to your son. Too many peole have a "the baby must be convinient" mindset. It's nice to find someone who obviously takes great joy in her child, deespite all the drudgery it can be.
I also never clean my house. ANd even at 2 and a half, my son's hair gets washed MAYBE once a week...
Can I link to you?
-Anne

Anne said...

And my boy didn't sleep until he was two. And is still a motion napper. Hang in there.

Mom2Miles said...

Thanks, Emma!

And thanks, Anne. Sure, you can link to me. What's your site/blog?

Anonymous said...

I'm late to the game...Happy Be-lated Birthday Miles!!!

Jenn Crowell said...

Hi there, I found your blog link from Writers on the Rise, and as a fellow writer mama of a newly-1-year-old, I can't stop laughing in agreement at all your posts!

I'm also ex-Baltimorean and am probably going to get crazy homesick reading your blog, but it's such a fabulous read I'll take the risk! :)

Libbydale said...

I'm enjoying your blog. Yes, you are still a new Mom because every stage of your child's life will be the first time you experience it! I am now a new "working" Mom. A new stage of my motherhood experience with a 3 year old going through his various 3 year old anxieties, attempts at independence and the major learning curve he's reached. Anyway, I too missed Patrick's first steps. I can't remember where I was but Daddy was there and witnessed it all, but not with a video camera unfortunately. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Libby

Alicia said...

I just gave that book to a new mom ... looks histerical. And since she's the one who's been the "odd one out" while the rest of us were birthing the babies for the last couple years, she's had many opinions (most kept to herself, but we knew they were there) ... so it's going to be fun watching her discover the reality of motherhood -- still great, but different than expectations -- with her new baby boy. :)

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