Greetings from the couch

"I haven't done laundry in two weeks - unheard of! I load the dishwasher every 2 to 3 days - madness! The bed hasn't been made for God-He-knows-how-long - scandalous. But I guess this is the life for now..." - 1/9/06 Email to my Aunt P

Adjusting to life with a newborn baby apparently has a lot to do with things other than changing diapers, burping, lack of sleep and breastfeeding (or nursing for the squimish amongst us). At least I've figured out why at the beginning of the second week I did not wake up even when Moo was wailing at the top of her lungs during the night. I felt like such a horrible mother, but after talking to my friend who has a 2 month old son, we found out that I was doing too much during the day and tiring myself out. (Thanks Dee!) The remedy: less housework, more naps. Much easier said than done!

I'm even getting the hang of waking up every two hours during the night to brea- sorry, nurse but you wouldn't believe how hard it is to just stack the dishes in the sink and not wash them, or cut my eye after the vaccuum cleaner, or ignore the rumpled bedspread. But although I was skeptical, I can see where forcing myself to ignore some of the housework things is paying off - I really am starting to manage getting up multiple times in the middle of the night. There are lots of other adjustments to be made but J and I are taking it in stride. We're also taking heart in the fact that we're already half way to the 6 week mark... which will be half way to the 3 month start (when colic aka fussy baby, should stop).

So we're going to keep on taking this one feeding at a time (that's how my day is broken down now - into 2 to 3 hour slots!) and snapping those photos and videos to preserve these first moments and days.

• Mood: moderately tired
• Music: Coach Carter on Showtime