My Kid Is Better Than Your Kid (VIDEO)
Just chillin', yo.
I don’t mean to brag but my kid is better than your kid. Kidding! But yes, yes I do mean to brag (even though I know that your kid is more awesomer than any baby on the block and probably way advanced for his or her age). I kind of feel like you won’t mind if I wax poetic about ol’ Hank because I was such a negative pregnant woman that my positivity should be a refreshing change of pace.
Thing is, this little Henry boy is unbelievable. I know! What the hell? I said that about Violet too. It can’t be fair to have two good babies, can it? Maybe. Maybe if one has two terrible, awful, no good, very bad pregnancies it can be fair?
I’ve been accused of being a bad mom because I complain so much during pregnancy. Women have emailed me to say I scare them about having kids. No, no! You’re taking it wrong, I tell them. I hate, hate, hate being pregnant. I really do. But the baby is so worth it. Do I even need to say that? Because I’ll say it again: THE BABY IS SO WORTH IT.
This little Henry guy is a peach. You should know I’m knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder and every other thing I should do so as not to tempt fate to mess with me. But for all you ladies who say I scare them about having kids: this is the part you need to know about.
Pure bliss, I tell you. Pure bliss. The little dude is smiling and cooing and just generally transforming from a little slug-type thing into a real person. He’s getting up twice at night, that’s it. I put him down at eight-ish and he sleeps until one-ish. I feed him and he goes right back to sleep until five-ish. He’s still a little fussy in the morning, what with that pesky Witching Hour, but I bring him in for a cuddle on our bed and he goes right back to sleep. He cries when he’s hungry or when he’s pushing out a particularly hellish poop, which is really not so different from his father.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard. So hard. Sometimes you need to give yourself a time-out, sit in a corner and remind yourself that it all goes so fast. This freak out you’re having is one moment out of one day. Remember to see the big picture. They’re only young like this for a few years and then they’ll grow up and hate you and tell you they hate you and tell you how totally lame you are. So enjoy this time, the time when they need you and love you and feel no shame in crying for mama and holding out their chubby little arms for hugs and loves.
However (you knew that was coming, didn’t you), these past five days has been a nightmare. Wait, not a nightmare. You have to sleep to have a nightmare. I’ve been awake forEVER. Violet had croup, which led to 102 degree fever. Sickest she’s ever been, I daresay. So I’ve been with her 24/7. She’s slept in our bed and I’ve done nothing but migrate from bed to couch with my little ones. And ol’ Hank is just along for the ride, no problem. Hanging out like a champion hanger outer.
This is a long way of introducing video of my babies. Ever since she was about six months old I’ve played this music video for Violet by a band called Grizzly Bear. It blows her mind. She LOVES it. Sometimes, when we’re at a store and she’s upset, I pull the video up on my cell and she’ll happily watch it eight billion times. Recently she’s started singing along. It kills me, she’s so effing cute.
This week, when she was at her worst, not able to breathe, very nearly hacking up a lung, I turned on the video and she perked right up and sang along as best she could. Oh my God. My sweetheart, sick as hell, warbling her little heart out kills me. Years from now I won’t remember the nightmare of her being sick, but her singing along to her jam. So here we are on our life raft (the bed) during what I’ll now refer to as The Sick Period, watching Grizzly Bear’s video on YouTube for Two Weeks:
(And yes, before you ask, we fix her hair to look like Phil Spector on trial for murder on purpose.)
Pathetically adorable. And is Hank hanging out in the bathtub?
I’m about to lay down and die of acute cuteness overload. Seriously. That’s so sweet. Toddlers pretty much rock my face off.
You know, I thought that my son would grow up and hate me like I did my parents all through high school, but I lucked out. It never happened. My son and I have always enjoyed each others company. Weird, huh? He’s 21 now and asks me all the time the hang out with him.
@Carrie – I totally stash him in his tub in a pinch! He loves it in there.
@Ronna – That is so good to hear! But I think sons are easier, right? Do you have a daughter?
That just slayed me.
My mom and her mother didn’t get along well-my mother got along better with her father. I on the other hand, consider my mother a friend and mentor and respect and love her. I’m nearly 3/4 of the way through undergrad and we meet for lunch 2 or 3 times a month just to talk. My brother is only 15, but so far showing no signs of hating either of our parents, my sister was the same way-no parent hating. My dad and I had a rocky relationship for a while but even then no hate was present.
Aww, the poor little mama!! Even if I’m scared to death from all the pregnancy/birthing horror stories, I hope we have one as precious as Ms. Violet…if I ever get the nerve to ever get that far.
OMG. She is too cute and a half.
OMG Monica! Seriously the CUTEST and SWEETEST thing ever! Your poor sweet baby girl is so lucky to have you and her brother and her father and Max and Milo all to help take care of that sweet face!!
Too cute, your kids are beautiful, adorable, and super cute. Almost makes me want one!
Is Hank a nickname for Henry out there? Is that something you will use more? Over here (UK) Henry would be shortened (though not really, it’s still 5 letters) to Harry. Like Prince Harry. He is actually called Henry. Henry Charles Albert David to be exact! So your little boy has 2 of the same names as Royalty!
I just want to reach through the screen and give that poorly babe a cuddle. I hope she’s better now. And Henry in the tub – that is an awesome idea. I have to admit, as much as I love the name Henry (a strong contender in the boy name list with my last two pregnancies – we ended up with girls), I never I liked Hank as a nickname, but I have to say, your little one wears it well.
You are so right about time flying by. My youngest is about to be 7 months. 7 months!!! It seems like yesterday I was struggling through those newborn days, trying to make the most of it as I knew she was my last baby (of 3). And now? Now the three year old is more work than the baby!
That’s so sweet! I love that song too and played it non-stop for about (ah-ehm) two weeks, to which my daughter would also warble along! So heartbreakingly sweet, those little singing voices… Oh my. And by the way I am also hating this pregnancy (and we had a lot of trouble getting pregnant so there’s that guilt as well) and as you know it has nothing to do with how you feel about the resulting baby! And I don’t think very highly of people who would suggest otherwise. To put it nicely. Hope poor Violet is getting better quickly.
How adorable! Enjoy this time, it goes soo quick.
My (older) baby is now 16, and I am at this moment waiting for her to get of the train as she has been to London for the day with her friends. The thing is her friends get of the train 5 stops before she does :s and even though she is 16, I am having kittens about her being on her own for those last 5 stops. Oh, for the days when she was attached to my hip and thought I was the best thing in the world. Today I have restrained my self to ringing her once, just to see what time she would be home, and if she had a good day. My reply? 9.30pm and yeah.
that video is so awesomely cute. poor thing! I hope she is feeling better soon.
also, thanks for sharing the link to the Grizzly Bear song. I’ve never heard of them and I really enjoyed the song!
What a little sweetie! Poor girl. Hope she’s feeling better. But, man, do you have a beautiful family!
Poor, sweet Violet. She really does look like her father.
P.S. I dig Henry’s onesie and kicks. Adorable.
Oh, my goodness….she is SO adorable. My heart aches for her because I can see she’s not feeling well, but she’s still the (almost!) cutest thing ever. And I love, love how you have the whole “family” on the bed – just like at our house. We had to get a king size bed years ago so all five Goldens had a place to sleep…
Beautiful, sweet girl! Thanks for sharing!
omg, seriously, the cuteness, it’s killing me! What a poor sick little girl! But gotta sing to her song! I love it!