It’s been almost two and a half years since my last ride on the newborn train. There are so many things to remember …
… How long do they nurse on each side? What was that technique for getting them to open their mouths bigger for a deeper latch?
… Baby acne … Is it normal to start this early? How long will it take to run its course?
… Did it work out better for us to change before a feeding or after? Did it really depend on the baby? Did Seth or Nora do this well with the peeing and pooping?
… Baby fingernails are like tiny razors. I think we file, not cut … But that booklet says to trim. Which one was right? What did we do with Seth and Nora?
… Did I feel this guilty sending Nora to the nursery for a quick nap for mommy and daddy on the last night in the hospital? Did I send Seth at all?
… It seemed so much longer to stay in the hospital with Seth. Is it just the difference between a spontaneous 7am birth and an induced 3pm birth, or is it because we’re not so totally overwhelmed?
… Jude is bigger than Seth and Nora were at birth, but he still seems so tiny. Were they really that small? How can they be so big now?
… Jude smells just like my other newborns, even though he’s already such a different baby. Why can’t we take smell pictures so I can keep this forever?
… Those perfect little feet, never having touched the ground. Skin that’s so soft and will never be this way again. Utter perfection, even with baby acne.
… Quiet moments stolen in the middle of the night when he’s still just mine, even though he’s on the outside now.
… Those hormonal surges that come the thirdish day that make you cry at the sight of a pizza box.
… The absolutely rank smells that a newborn baby can put out when he passes gas.
… The delight and amazing feel of a newborn tucked up into your chest, resting on your shoulder.
So many, many things to remember.