I’ve been bragging about how good my Shaggy Boy is.
When anyone asks how we are, I shrug and tell them cheerfully that it’s easier the second time around, and that it helps when you have a baby who sleeps for five hours a stretch every night and doesn’t fuss.
In fact, just yesterday I told a couple sitting nearby at a small-town ice cream shop that I was lucky indeed to have such a great infant.
Shaggy is great, yes.
And last night, he was awake and fussing from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. Then he woke up again at six, snuffling and grunting and looking for yet more food.
People, this kid can eat. He’s up to three ounces per feeding (on a bottle, no Judgy Judgersons allowed so keep your propaganda to yourselves) and he wants to eat every three hours.
That’s what happens when you birth a 9-pounder.
He’s changing, coming into his own, showing off his wee personality as of this, his two-week birthday.
He likes to be held. He likes his baby gym. He really likes it when I hold him and read stories to The Poo. He likes it when his sister rubs her face on his face, ever so gently.
And apparently he likes to stay up all night and watch bad movies on basic cable.
I gave up the fight at about 2 a.m. this morning, after hours of blog surfing in the darkness of the nursery. The quiet, dark room and comfy rocker had no affect on my night owl, and so I went downstairs to watch TV.
I came across one truly horrible Julia Roberts-Dennis Quaid vehicle called “Something To Talk About.” It is wretched, and the worst part? I actually saw it at the theater when it came out in 1995.
Mr. C wandered down around 2:30 a.m., to check on us and throw his solidarity behind me.
(As an aside, this is a most interesting development. When The Poo was born, the man slept right through every scream and whimper, and The Poo was an every-two-hours kind of gal. So I am happily surprised that this time, my husband is definitely sharing my pain.)
We sat in the dark for awhile, and finally I told him to go to bed.
“One of us should be rested,” I said.
“I can’t,” he replied, unable to tear his gaze away from the TV. “This movie is too terrible not to watch.”
There we sat, a finally-sleeping Shaggy sprawled on my still-aching abdomen. We watched as Julia and Dennis realized they still loved each other, even though their marriage had hit the skids, and I contemplated the lessons of karma.
Never, ever tell people that your brand-new baby is a good sleeper. Because karma? Has a strong, swift kick prepared for your ass.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Seems like Shaggy’s hit his growth spurt right on time, eh? Evan was the exact same way, except he would cry for two hours (from 4-6 pretty much every afternoon) just to get rid of extra energy. And when he hit his growth spurts he would nurse every hour on the hour (good times, good times).
This too shall pass. It’ll just feel like passing a kidney stone.
Eventually, Shaggy will be back to his own sweet self.
Hope to see you (and Poo & Shaggy) soon.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am
The one great line in the movie comes from Kyra Sedgwick. I too saw it in the theater.
Ok I know someone will say how horrible this is, but I’d slip a tiny bit of rice cereal into his last bottle at night. Cause he may be young, but he’s hungry and it will help him sleep better…and you too.
Oh and I’ve never once breastfed and I don’t plan to this time. I find it lovely…for others, just not for me.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:42 am
Yep, growth spurt. He should return to being the “good baby” in a couple days.
August 20th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
This too shall pass..but maybe not for a while. My own 8 pound baby still eats every three or four hours. He STILL does not sleep through the night. He has moved onto eating about two ounces of strained food a day, but still wants the booby (and me) all the time. Operation get him to sleep in his crib all night has been a loosing battle. I have had ONE six-hour stretch of night-time sleep since his initial “I’m a good baby who sleeps all day and night phase” and I look like it. Not wishing it on you, just saying….
August 20th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Have you ever realized that anytime that movie is on is sometime in the wee hours of the night. Horrible indeed…LOL.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Growth spurt. He should be back to his old self soon.
I think someone should start the “new mother channel” that shows only quality programming 24/7. I used to hate being up for hours in the middle of the night w/ the baby and there is nothing but infomercials and crap on. So frustrating.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Oh dear lord, that movie is terrible. It definitely falls under the ‘trainwreck’ category.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Oh yeah, my son was “perfect” until my mother-in-law brought me bran muffins when he was 10 days old. I ate them and it gave him gas. He learned to scream and didn’t stop for 3 months. Oy vey!
At least with not breastfeeding you don’t have to worry about what you eat!
August 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
i LOVE that movie! it’s awful. i love kyra sedgewick and the mom (i know her name, i just don’t want to tell you) and robert duvall.
sigh.
it’s a pile of dung. but i love it. it’s like mashed potatoes on a cold day.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Ha ha. Yup. Guess what? Yesterday after I commented to you that The Boss was back to normal in the potty department, I went upstairs to put her down for a nap and found her sheets were wet from the morning. And she hadn’t told me about it. Karma, failure to knock on wood, just desserts…whatever you want to call it. It’s all a bitch.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
there’s a *slight* chance i may have seen unfortunate movie in the theater too…;)
August 20th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I’m in the same boat my friend. After two weeks of sleeping through the night, I excitedly bragged to everyone who would listen. Now my 2 month old has decided his playtime is midnight to 4 am, every.single.night. no matter how much or how little sleep he got that day.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
My husband and I have spent many exhausted, new baby nights watching some of the worst movies I have ever seen in my whole life. In fact, I think the new parent market may make up the entire viewing population for a certain type of awful movie…
August 20th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
We did netflix for 3 months after our daughter was born. Saw some great movies, but not sure what I was thinking getting “Hotel Rwanda” 3 weeks post-partum. “Something to Talk About” seriously would have been a better choice under the circumstances.
August 20th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
poor mama!
August 20th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
I totally hear you on the karma. I apparently haven’t learned my lesson, as I am now paying for my recent sleeping announcement. Very ill-timed, since hubby just left for a 2 week trip. Sigh…
I used to watch “It’s Me or the Dog” on those newborn nights.
August 20th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Ah, yes. The 14th day growth spurt. Remember it well. Just when you think you have your shit together day 1 comes and shows you that you surely. Do. Not.
That’s nice that Mr. C. stayed up with you!
August 20th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Oh how I wish it were easier the 2nd time around! I have one that is 14 and one that is just 15 months, so either I’ve forgotten how motherhood could be OR the 2nd time around is really on the other end of the spectrum for me. I just wrote my 2nd blog post on that subject and then explanation of how I came to my blog name… LOL! I never brag on the little one anymore because as sure as the sun will shine again, she’ll prove me a liar ten fold!
August 20th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Aw, it’s not karma. It’s just newborn crappitude.
I had a 7 pounder who ate every two hours if it makes you feel any better. And I don’t even remember what movies I watched in between. Although considering one of them might have been Something to Talk About - maybe that’s a good thing?
August 20th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I know. People say that big babies sleep better, but mine just needed to eat all the time to stay full. It really is a cruel trick when they sleep well for a couple weeks after birth and then start acting like normal babies all of a sudden. Very cruel. Hope he sleeps more soon, because that movie *did* suck!
August 20th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
A belated Congratulations to you on your newest little addition to your family!!
My 2nd was a great sleeper (which I stupidly boasted about) until about 6 months…
Congrats again and hoping you get some rest!
August 21st, 2008 at 5:42 am
He sounds so gorgeous though, either way. XD It’s like how we were about my nephew when he was born… aww, he’s so quiet and well-behaved, he sleeps so well at night, he doesn’t cry…
Well, he hit thirty days of age and that all did a complete 180 degrees…
You need to post up some more pictures of him. XD
August 21st, 2008 at 8:09 am
We had HBO when Ms25 was born, and “Valley Girl” seemed to be on every single middle of the night for the first month of her life. We saw it in increments, and finally rented it when she was about ten. She has had a life-long love of Nicolas Cage (Coppola in that movie!) and when she found her own personal copy of the flick in the bargain bin at WalMart, you’d have thought she’d won the lottery. You may think of STTA as “Shaggy’s Movie” for all time.
August 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I like that movie!! LOL! Especially when she poisons him. I am so evil!
August 21st, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Yeah, we get nervous when we say that our little Mini-Kamp is sleeping but we know that ain’t gonna last. Just waiting for Karma to rip me a new one.
Bring it on.
August 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Sounds like he is right on track !!
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:37 pm
did the same thing, still regretting it 6 months later. i mistakenly told everyone, “oh, it’s not so bad!” at 2 weeks old, the nighttime crying began, right after the 2 yr. old, who was going through a ROUGH adjustment period, went to bed. karma, you’re a hateful bitch.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Work has been crazy, but I have time to catch up tonight. I remember that karma thing all too well. (And my kiddo was bottle fed too, and is spectacularly healthy.)