For Posterity

Routines are boring, but they work. Oh, welcome aboard, Captain Obvious. I'm a pretty laid back, go-with-the flow person, and I had always assumed I'd incorporate that part of me into my parenting style. Turns out I'm successful with this some of the time. But I realized pretty early on in the months since my boy's been around that I never feel more on top of things, more in control, than when we're able to stick to a routine. Especially since I've gone back to work. Having a plan is actually calming. For example today, HR woke up for the day at nearly seven a.m. (after only one nighttime feeding - thanks for doing your part, buddy!), and that got us off to a great start. I had time to get in two feedings, get myself ready for work, eat breakfast, help Mike get himself ready for the day and get some good play time in. Nobody was too tired (I'm talking parent-tired, not before-kids tired) nobody was late to anything, we're all happy. So today's on the right track. So far. I just know that if I tried to free-form it, I would feel way too scattered, and be on edge by the time I got to work and the whole day would knit itself into an itchy sweater of anxiety. No good. Sticking to the routine as much as possible: very good. It's true what they say, children crave consistency, but so do parents. The challenge is to make sure we keep a little flexibility, because it's the baby's job to throw a curve just when we think we've got it figured out. So far when we have deviated--and we deviate a lot, frankly--we've been fortunate enough to have decent results. HR is a pretty chill baby, he's slept away from home with very few glitches. He is not enamored of riding in the car unless we can get him to sleep first, but that's getting better as he learns how to entertain himself. Overall I guess we can chalk any success up to equal parts effort and luck. The real thing we're all bad at is naps. He doesn't like to be put down for them, and we don't push him too hard. I know that has to change for all of our own good, especially because that late afternoon nap is key to him not being overtired by bedtime. But it'll come in time, and if it doesn't I guess we'll all survive.

Does anyone watch Huge on the ABC Family channel? I love that show. The writing is just so good for the most part, the characters rich and beautifully imagined, and though I don't love the whole cast (Nikki Blonsky rubs me the wrong way) I think that many of them are amazing, especially the young man who plays Alistair. I don't know if it's just great acting or if it's his real personality that shines through, but something about him is so sweet and magical. His character also keeps me mindful:- I vow that if HR wants a princess unicorn doll for his birthday instead of a catcher's mitt that's what he'll get.