Day One: That's a Wrap

I got up at 5.30 a.m. because of all the noise downstairs. The Wife was watching TV as she fed NJ (who woke up at 4.45), and my in-laws were gathering their things for their trip back to the East Coast today. And the dogs, the Two Idiots, were running around after anyone who moved, looking to get fed.

There was a touching goodbye scene in the living room as they all left for the airport, then it was me and NJ. She got a little contentious after about forty-five minutes, so I decided to see if morning naptime could be moved up a bit. I put her in the swing, put on "Rockabye Baby: Lullaby Renditions of the Rolling Stones," and when I held up my iPhone in the dark to see what was going on, she was sawing logs. Then I lamented having had two big cups of coffee already, because otherwise I could have napped right along with her. Note to self: Coffee after morning nap.

The rest of the day went by without a hitch. No fussing on an errand trip, only smiles for a nice old lady at Staples. NJ got a little cranky on the drive home, then suddenly shut up. When I got home I found out why--she was out cold (see below). She napped for another hour or so while I ate, then when she woke up she ate and we did some chores (I wore her, full frontal Baby Bjorn going on, and she was enthralled when I'd reach down to pick up a bag of recyclables or put clothes in the dryer) and goofing around.



She knows what's up with the bottle now, too. When I was eating a snack I drank a bottle of water and every time I'd raise it to my lips she'd grunt in a particular way. (Maybe that's Unintentional Parental Embellishing, but I swear it happened.) I finished and then held her bottle out in front of her, and she reached for it greedily with both hands. Once we sat down and got started with the feeding, I had to pry her chubby little fingers off it so I could get a decent grip.

Another feeding, a brief nap, and The Wife was coming through the door at 5.21 p.m. I was glad to see her, and she was delighted to see NJ. All in all, a very good day. I'd worried about random crying jags, NJ rejecting the bottle and missing The Wife, missing naps, etc. and nothing like that happened. The timetable was off a bit, but meals and sleep ended up OK and there was plenty of playtime. The worst event of the day was when she peed on the changing table and then, as I was cleaning that up, peed in the crib where I'd put her. I could have sworn she was finished.

All in all, a successful first effort. I guess there's nowhere to go but down now.