Mamafied defined

So my blogging journey begins with our kitten of less than 7 months arriving home ‘fixed’ with a cone on his head, our new AC until unwilling to start up on the hottest day to date so far and discovering our typically mild mannered and pretty mellow 11 week old baby boy does not like the heat.

Over the past year or so, I’ve been inspired by some blogs, but like some other things in my life, I drug my feet, pitied myself a bit for no apparent reason, had a nip of wine, passed out and forgot about the whole idea until the next month. No more, not after the events of the last week. Too relatable, at least I think. At times I found myself laughing hysterically and/or on the verge of tears at any given moment.

I’m a light sleeper, I can literally wake to a pin drop. So needless to say having a newborn has kept me up countless hours. Every deep breath, sigh or grunt leaves me completely alert. Now having Dropkick Murphy (DKM, the cone head kitten) back home, sleep has gotten worse than ever. I lay there listening to him to scratch his cone against the wall, bump into the doors and still attempt to pounce on our older (very ornery) cat. The old, ornery cat, Aniken, hisses at DKM now that he is back home and even worse hisses at us for bringing him back home. So, more lack of sleep on top of the already tired new mom didn’t mix kindly with the AC breakdown.

Edward (aka 'E', the mild mannered 11 week old) has kept his crying to a minimum. Apparently he was saving it all up for this warm day. He discovered that full length onesies are not the only clothes that exist (since winter was persistent and stayed way too long this year), his feet can be free and heat all in one day. I’m not sure which precipitation level was higher, his tears or the beads of sweat rolling off his forehead. We spent a lot of time under the fan, while the AC repairman profusely apologized.

But, we survived. Cone comes off tomorrow, AC is ALMOST fixed and cool rains are ahead.

I’ve learned a lot over the past 11 weeks…

You can survive (although looking strung out) on a lot less sleep than you ever imagined.

Lullabies aren’t so bad, especially when you listen to the renditions of Johnny Cash and the Beatles classics.

A Husky can make a great Nanny and only demands to be paid in biscuits.

The world would be a much happier place if ‘they’ could bottle up the smell of babies and make it into a perfume.

I have learned other things too, but these seemed to be the most important.

As for ‘Mamafied’…. my husband described me as this a few weeks ago. I was mortified and angrily questioned him about it. He simply explained that I had really stepped into the ‘mom role.’ I found it insulting. I didn’t see myself as one of ‘those’ people that instantly became obsessed with their kid and forgot there was a world revolving outside their door. After all, we were making a great effort to get out, hang out with friends, I was back to running and felt like I was still keeping up with the things that were important to me BE (before Edward.) So I thought about his term ‘Mamafied’ and redefined what it meant to me.

                                                   Live Wildly. Love Deeply.

This is what Edward has brought to me.

Live Wildly…
Be adventurous. We wanted to get E out early…Phillies games, 

the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore, restaurants and houseparties. 

But, newborns are scary and we're clearly novices at this. The prepping of diapers, creams, burp cloths, and clothes took an obscene amount of time, but it was all well worth it. Once the initial fear subsided, we enjoyed ourselves and he was able to enjoy our world.
As long as it gets 5 thumbs up on Facebook (likes) I consider that a good approval rating. So we’ve gotten him out and been adventurous. I want to plant a tomato garden and have a honeybee hive out back. Not for me, but for him, so he can learn, get dirty and have a healthy sweetner right in his own backyard. ‘Life’s a garden, dig it.’ – Joe Dirt

He’s brought me spontaneity. I’m a planner, it’s genetic. My Nana is asking what I want for dinner before my first bite out of a pancake. I’m from a long line of planners and I love it. At the first sign of snowfall, I’m gathering up the apple cider, Jack Daniels and sleds. With the first warm day I have the Coronas on ice and I already have our 4^th of July menu planned out. The problem with a new baby is he changes all plans. There is no plan. My life works on three hour feeding intervals and I love it. He makes me live in the moment.

No regrets. I’ve tried on countless occasions to capture that perfect smile, coo and laugh on camera. But, by the time I pull up the app a wave of seriousness has swept across him. I’ll never get that very moment back. There will be other amazing ones ahead, but that one is here and gone. I can’t live in the past. Embrace what you’re given at that very moment and have no regrets.

Love Deeply….

Just when I thought I had it all figured out, he comes along. I never knew I was so capable of love and taking so many photos.

Being better. We all want and strive to be good people and do better. I’ve never worked harder at this than over the past weeks. Saying more please and thank you’s, giving compliments when they’re due and working on relationships. Who knows….maybe it will sink in at his ripe, young age.

So, maybe the sticky days pass through as a reminder to us. DKM adapted to life with the cone well. He reminded me that boundaries and limitations can be a good thing, We all need to slow down sometimes. As for the AC breaking down, open the windows and turn the fan on high and breathe in that sweet, long awaited Spring air (except now I’m pretty sure my kid has allergies.)

In conclusion to this long-winded first entry becoming 'mamafied' isn't just about becoming a mom. It's about wanting to become a better person, spouse, daughter, sister, friend, art therapist and learning to become a mom along the way. I want this to be a space about life. The things in my life, art therapy, family and friends, pets, new motherhood and my two greatest escapes….creating art and running.

He said it, I realized it and I’m forever grateful that I’m ‘Mamafied!’

Stay tuned for my Etsy link! Coming Soon!