It's 8:04 a.m. and I'm sitting here in the quiet sipping coffee and stretching out my last few moments of solitude before awaking an energy that could rival a professional sports team. The demeanor of the cat and dog is generally reflective of mine; soak up these last few sleepy and peaceful moments before the baby awakens. The hum of the air conditioner muffles the dog's snoring; the cat is precariously positioned like a pretzel whilst perched high up on the couch in her feline slumber. The tiny clock at the bottom of my laptop is a constant reminder that my time is limited. Minutes from now I will hear Naomi's sleepy groan from the nursery, signaling me to start an assembly line of items to fulfill her needs. She has a ravenous appetite and it's a delicate balance between sneaking in first moment snuggles, diaper changing, and getting that bottle to her before she becomes intolerable.
Not every morning is like this though; there are admittedly mornings where I crave her presence. Yes, most mornings I savor that coffee a little bit longer, and appreciate the dull grumble of a snoring dog. I do wake up once and awhile and my initial thoughts are of the most amazing warm cuddles from baby Noni. The only problem is, I typically get a full 2-4 minutes of cuddling, snuggling, muzzling and the like, then it's on to play time. She is an intense morning person. After only a few moments of being awake she's ready to take on the day... at least for a couple of hours until it's nap time! I get a taste of lovely baby cuddles followed by a tiny hand that pinches while little lungs wail in delight of my less than pleased reaction.That is definitely the silver lining to the whirl wind of Naomi; the pure happiness in the room. While the dog, cat, and even myself are overwhelmed with the tiny screeches, quick and unexpected movements, and generally amplified energy levels of her presence, there is really something special about her first few moments of the day. To her, this new day is something to behold, an opportunity to explore and play. She takes delight in the simplest of things. Unfortunately for Camo, part of her morning routine includes bulldozing through his dog bed. Neko is often greeted with a fist full of baby fingers in exchange for cat fur. I'm usually off the couch more in the first five minutes she's awake than I was in the hour prior. She keeps me busy picking up items she's discovered or blocking off areas I wasn't aware were no longer barricaded.
Knowing her habits and personality more has helped us tremendously in day to day life. We can typically pinpoint behaviors that signal needs or desires, which makes life much easier. A small example of this would be knowing how to curtail and cope with her crying. More often than not, her crying is either associated with hunger or fatigue. Take the above mentioned "assembly line" preparedness morning strategy for example. I know that most mornings, I have about a 2-20 minute window to get her a warm bottle before she starts crying (depending on whether or not daddy gave her one when he left for work). Catching her before she is upset is key to having a "good day". I'm also aware that often times after she finishes a bottle she begins to cry, and that it typically lasts about a minute. It's one of those things where she's simply expressing her displeasure with the fact that she has polished off her meal in 2 minutes flat. We all feel a little upset from time to time when our delicious meal is finished, right? Not long after she realizes that she is full, she gives up, and it's on to terrorizing the cat or pulling out half a dozen wipes from the container in one scoop.
Regarding her mobility, we have a new distinction to report. She has a habit now of "taking a knee". She will be crawling along and suddenly stop in the position of having one knee planted while the other foot raises her upward. It's really quite cute. (See above picture!)
Lastly, Naomi has already joined the ranks of the work force. Our little bug is an international sensation! Okay, I might be exaggerating slightly, wink-wink. She, landed her first gig modeling for the spring and summer line of clothing for Combi-Mini, a Japanese clothing company. She will be featured (along with other babies and children) online and via catalog. Admittedly, her new "work" was a tremendous amount of real work for mommy. It was a series of two long travel days to Tokyo with a balancing act of tending to her needs while helping the photographers get the shots they needed. We both finished day one in tears, while day two went about as smoothly as one could ask for. I can't wait to see how the photos turned out, as I'm sure it was all worth it. It's crazy to think that by the time we get to see them she will be walking and saying her first words! Until then, I will keep you posted on monthly updates as usual.
