Cameron's first week

Oh what a week!  We have officially had Cameron home with us for a whole week.  We still have no established routine or even a rhythm to doing things.  The first night was rough- both mom and dad wanted to be up for everything... right up until "everything" lasted until 4:45 AM with no break.  Then we figured out how to work in shifts.  Here are a few other lessons we learned from our first week with Baby Cameron:

1. "They" tell you to put a washcloth over baby boys' diaper region for a reason.  Dad got shot in the face twice already.
2. Mom is WAY more excited about poop than dad is.  (In her defense, mom has been watching the poop stages for progress.  There were concerns about C  losing too much weight at first, and diaper counts were the only real way to check for progress.)
3. It's ok to challenge the doctors a little bit.  Especially when the best answer they can give you is "I don't know."
4. It's ok to change doctors after only one visit.  Sometimes the vibe just isn't right.
5. When you don't sleep for several nights in a row, parents can get cranky.  As long as you realize it's just a sleep thing, and still kiss goodnight (or good afternoon, if that's the first sign of sleep) it will all be OK.
6. There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to soothe your baby.  I read all the books, and I tried all the tricks.  But in the end, when you can't figure out what your baby is trying to tell you, there is no more heartbreaking and helpless feeling in the world. 
7. There is no such thing as TMI between two mothers- especially new mothers.
8. The world doesn't have enough diapers or memory cards for my camera.  I'm going through both at mock speed.
9. The "silent" option on your cell phone was invented for new moms.  My outgoing message assures people that I am alive and well- just a little busy.  And I will return calls before C graduates from high school. 
10. My aunt said it best in a card:  "The days are long, but the years are short."  So at one week, I haven't technically learned the "years are short" piece of that lesson yet.  But as I'm reading my friends' Facebook updates about how they can't believe their babies are in Kindergarten/First/Second grades, etc., I know it must be true.  My goal is to savor every single one of these sleepless moments.  Because one day, I'll be putting him on a bus and sending him off to school, all the while wishing he was this tiny and falling asleep in my arms again.

Happy back-to-school for everyone who has kids going back.  This used to be one of my favorite times of year- it was a way to get a fresh start.  In a way, that's still happening.  We have a fresh start to our new family.  Instead of Trapper Keepers and pencil cases though, I'm organizing onesies, diapers, and wipes. 

But look at this sweet face... it's so worth it.

For those interested, my friend Shelby is doing a give-away on her blog for a lightscoop.  I don't know much about it, except it seems freaking cool.  Since we got our new camera and have been playing with it, I'd love to try one out.  If you are interested too, see her site for her give-away  here: http://www.bringingupmadison.blogspot.com/