Christmas came early for Seth and I... Mom and Dad gave us the best present ever. (Especially because at least one of us knows that we don't need any more stuff. Ten guesses which one.) They gave us a day off.We had had big plans for this year's Army-Navy game, as it's our sacred annual tradition (and always a blowout weekend.) We had made those plans, however, before we realized 1) exactly how tiny a five week old is, 2) our (alert, precocious, incredibly active for a newborn) kid is not what anyone would call an "easy baby," or all that much of a sleeper, and 3) breastfeeding is a giant, limiting pain in the ass. So the logistics got complicated, and I was about ready to scrap the whole thing and watch the game with Finley from the couch.
But Mom and Dad insisted on taking her overnight and, after a rough (read: sleepless) week, I was only too happy to shelve my annoyance at the fact that Seth got to go to Baltimore Friday and drink beer with his friends while I had to sterilize breastpump accessories and pack bottle parts and spend the night making sure Finley would be OK at Belvoir. I hadn't realized how tired I was, or that undisturbed sleep- believe it or not- could take precedence over a night on the town. I walked in the door, laden with bags and one seriously fussy baby, and Dad spirited away Finley while Mom handed me a beer. I think I cried. Friday night I got 7 hours of sleep- a first since the arrival of The Sleepless One- and Finley was a gem. I woke up sleep-drunk. I could not have been more grateful.So Sunday, with no compunction and without really leaving any instructions for Mom and Dad- I figured they had done this a time or two, although I forgot that car seats were less complicated 35 years ago- I headed for Baltimore. My parents are awesome. As I left, Mom said: "we've got this. Get wasted!" Seriously. Best Christmas Present. Ever. I felt a little naked without Finley, but it was also kind of liberating. And eerily quiet in the car. (Finley hates her car seat and invariably screams.)
OK, it was a lot liberating. Seth and I had a terrific, baby-less day. We had mimosas for breakfast, beer and hot dogs for lunch, and Jack Daniels for dinner. We tailgated, got to do the last two kms of Mike's Hike (which was really special), froze in the stands while reminiscing about the fact that it was far less miserable than last year, cheered until we were hoarse for the Black Knights' almost-victory, and never once worried about our little beast. An Army brat (so, by definition, kind of homeless), I used to wonder why people always wanted to move "home" when they had kids. Now I know.I couldn't escape the bonds of breastfeeding, however, and required a hilarious lesson on the use of the manual breastpump in the stadium bathroom. I am grateful for my girlfriends- and for a husband who spends way too much on "club level" tickets. At least the bathroom was heated! Worth. Every. Penny.
At any rate, we had a great time pretending to be normal adults who could drink beer and not change diapers, while my parents dealt with a sleepless Finley. I'm grateful they didn't sell her to the gypsies. I think. They claimed it brought back memories.They're rock stars. If my memories consisted of screeching like a banshee, I'd get a hamster for Finley, and we'd be done with kids forever.
We're settling back in, after our time off. Grateful for this, which happened this morning ("recovery", even if Finley did not, apparently, require it):
And this (Dad is the cutest with Finley, and loves her even when she cries):
Oh, and April stopped by. And she also got the little beast to take a bottle (she's spoiled, and hates them.). Miraculous.
A note to Tony and Jayne: we swear Finley will be a better sleeper by the time you arrive. Please don't change your minds and skip the country!!!
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