Four Months

This little angel is four months old.  Four months. 
She is a dream.  My sweet baby Zuzu (her new internet name I think).

Adding a new human to your family always takes a little adjustment, but I love when I get to that place where I think/say, How did we ever get along without you?  You know that feeling that they have always been a part of your family but you just didn’t know it?  I love that feeling.

Zuzu wakes up cooing and smiling.  She goes to sleep easily and typically takes long leisurely naps.  She smiles often, but particularly when she sees her mama.  The past couple of days she has added giggling to her repertoire.  She is a beauty with big, dark eyes framed by delicate baby lashes on the outside corners.  Not to mention her dimples and a cleft chin to die for.  I actually lose track of time when we’re cuddling and talking.  It’s like someone bottled up unicorns, rainbows, cotton candy, laugher, daisies, beach sunsets, and kittens, labeled it “Pure Joy” and then dipped my baby in it on her way down from heaven.  Now that I think about it, that’s obviously what happened.                                

You hear all the time, how going from 2 to 3 kids is a game changer–how hard it is, from man-to-man to zone defense, etc, etc.  But honestly this has been our easiest transition yet.  You are allowed to resent me for that statement, but it’s true.  I’m sure a large part of it has to do with the postpartum medication.  But I also believe a large part of it has to do with the little angle babe Zuzu is.  She sleeps well, she eats well and when she’s awake she’s happy, smiley and sweet.

How did I get my baby to do all these things you might ask?  I’m about to reveal my big, parenting secret.  Ready?

Nothing.  I didn’t do a damn thing.  (Sorry Grams…)

I say that not to brag, but hopefully to bring a little comfort.  If you’re currently struggling with a fussy baby who cries too much and sleeps too little, or a baby who doesn’t eat well (or wants to eat all the time!), who refuses to nap, is clingy, whiney or just plain grumpy know this: You’re doing the best you can.  Sure there are some tricks and tips that might help (and surely you’ve Googled and Googled until your Googler is sore) but for the most part it will just take some time.  See, I spent so many hours with my first baby trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.  I thought if I could just crack the code surely she would sleep longer, eat better and be less fussy.  What I know now is that PSP was just a tough baby.  That’s it.  The good news is, over time things got better and she is a delightful little girl.  So yes, I have a dreamy dreamboat of a baby now, but I’ve had that difficult, fussy, turn-my-life-upsidedown baby and I survived.  So will you.  It’s also entirely possible that the only person to benefit from this little pep-talk is 7-years-ago-Miggy.  

There is no bigger craps shoot in life than having kids.  Adoption aside, you get absolutely no say in who this little person is who is joining your family.  When you think about it, that’s amazing!  The familiar saying we often tell our children comes to mind, You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.  For me that’s especially true of babies.

This time, I hit the baby jackpot.

Happy Four Months little one.