Week 5: The Finley Files

Hey, hey, Finley Mae...

TOP TEN REASONS I LOVE FINLEY THIS WEEK:

10. You were patient when Momma was at the ER with mastitis/the flu and was so exhausted she could barely nurse you. But you were also very sweet and gave her lots of encouraging smiles while she rested up. Finley, thank you for those special moments.

9. You will take a bottle! Aunt Reilly gave you your very first one (pumped breast milk), and you guzzled down 4 ounces in 8 minutes, then passed out asleep for 4 hours. This opens up a whole new world for you and I: for me, it means errands, a movie every once in a while, 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep... For you, it means new connections with those who love you.

8. You continue to be a charmer, only now on a much more sociable level. When we smile, you smile. When we point out something interesting on the wall, you look. When you're annoyed, you grunt. When you're amused, you half chuckle. You love to be held by everyone.


7. You love to cuddle, and you're great at it. Your favorite place to sleep is bunched up right on someone's chest, with your head tucked under their chin. Every night before we go downstairs to sleep, you cuddle with Grandma in her big bed. You look at the hats that h

ang on her bedposts: the big red hat, the funny straw hat, the Mickey Mouse ears... and then you zonk out. Grandma works long hours every day, and that is her favorite time at night, when she gets to snuggle up to you. You're like a stress ball--you relax everyone.

6. You're a CHUNKER! At your two week checkup, you weighed 8 pounds 9 ounces. We had you weighed while I was getting an IV drip in the ER, and you are... 9 pounds, 12 ounces! Woot! You must be getting ice cream for dessert from Momma, because that is absolutely splendid weight gain. And you've never looked more beautiful. You've got rolls on your neck, your cheeks are full, your little knees have folds of skin... All the more Finley to love. Keep gaining, my dear.
5. You know to always fart on Aunt Hannah and Aunt Reilly.
4. You remember your song from in utero. When I was about 7 months pregnant, I found a song I loved that I played probably 10 times a day for you. I sing it to you when you cry. And I played the actual song for you for the first time since you've been on this side of my vagina, and you remembered. You kicked to the beat, you smiled the whole time, and when it was over, you screamed. So I put it on repeat, and you grinned and kicked and waved your arms like you were doing the robot... It's your song, Finley Mae. (Look it up: "Time and Space" by the Accidental)
3. You are on a fantastic schedule. Eat every two hours. Awake and alert between noon and 2 am, with little naps. At night, you wake up, eat, fall back asleep, repeat.
2. You remind me every day of how lucky we are. There's lots of other babies, Finley, who are sick or sad. There's lots of moms who feel overwhelmed, or tied down, or disenchanted by life as a mother. There's lots of ugliness out there in the world. That's why when such beauty and magic and good fortune comes to Momma in a little package like you, I am as grateful as possible. Every day that you are healthy and happy is like Christmas to me.
1. You remind me every day of how strong I am. Even though we live with Grandma and Grandpa, and there are usually other arms around to hold you while I take a quick shower, I want you to know that I am the one raising you. I am a single mother. I am your parent. And it's damn hard. Every day I do it, though, and I don't even have to think about it. I don't dream about hitting the reset button and sending you away into the land of "someday I'll have children." The circumstances that brought you here, Fin... Well, I won't comment on them now, but they were not what I had planned. And thank heaven they happened so I could have you. I love you a million leagues of blue ocean, and a thousand rain drops on an Irish forest. I love you a hundred blazing comets, and a baker's dozen cinnamon rolls with extra cream cheese frosting. I love you one big juicy kiss.
Cannot wait for the next week...
Love always,
Yer Mama
P.S. Let's go to Disneyland next spring.