27 August 2009

Little Joseph

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying little Joseph!

Part of it is being more relaxed and confident than I was first and second times as a mother. Part of it is being so stinkin' thankful that he's alive and well. But a large part of it is because he is so chilled-out.

I'll always remember the first few days with baby Nat. He popped out of me, opened his tiny mouth and roared like a lion. He repeated his roaring many times in the next few days. I used to look into his red, screwed-up face and say, "There's a lot more of that coming over the next few months. Years." And there was.

Baby Anna-Lucia popped out of me and in a similar fashion, opened her tiny mouth and roared like a lioness. Again, I wasn't naive enough not to know there was plenty more where that came from.

But Joseph only seems to cry when he's hungry for milk, having pain in his tummy from that same milk, or because he needs to suck something to remind him of the milk. He never seems to cry for no good reason. I am shocked and aghast. I don't think babies are supposed to work this way.

When he does cry, he has a very quiet cry. Granted, he does a loud snort in between each cry, but the actual cries are quiet. Maybe like the roary little mews of a lion cub. I don't know. Either way, it seems unusual.

Today, I took him to the shops. I sat in the Coffee Club with my chai latte and decaf caramel latte (hey if you've got 2 for 1 hot drinks with your VIP Club card, you gotta use it, right?) remembering the time I sat in Gloria Jeans two years ago, trying to squeeze some miserable drops of enjoyment out of a coffee while I juggled a tiny red screaming baby girl. People glared at me as if I was pinching her to deliberately make her cry. I didn't enjoy that coffee at all.

Today I drank my chai latte, my decaf caramel latte and a whole wine-bottle-full of cold water while Joseph slept in the pram! Nobody glared at me. I enjoyed every last drop. I discovered I prefer the chai. I congratulated myself on finally buying new face washers for the kids and four funky shirts for Nat. I chuckled at a little boy who, when admonished by his mother for publicly fishing something large from his nose, loudly promised her, "It's okay! I'll put it back in my nose!!"

Good times. And having little Joseph with me asleep in his pram only helped me enjoy it more.

I can't tell you how much I am enjoying little Joseph!

13 comments:

Tracy P. said...

I'm so glad for you! They all come with their own packages, don't they? This was good timing for an especially sweet one. God knows these things. :-)

sewfunbymonique said...

I often think that my third might have been like Joseph. Different, more mellow. We never gave it a try and stopped at 2. Enjoy the babyhood beauty!!

Jen said...

that is so awesome. My sister's kids were babies like Joseph, calm and quite so I do know they exists. I just have never had the pleasure of birthing one. But I am glad that you did.

Alison said...

Yay for chilled-out mellow babies!

Joy said...

I've heard that about third babies. My sister has one that just turned one. He's so easy and just goes with the flow.
Glad you got some coffee time in and shopping with your little prince.

Joy

Femina said...

Well done - you finally got that mythical "good baby" (because babies who cry are BAD). Those of us who know better know that ALL babies are good and wonderful things... and it's a huge bonus when they're also mellow like Joseph! :)

Sassy Britches said...

Well, talk to my mother about this one! She actually called my grandmother and asked her if she thought maybe I was retarded or something because I slept 22 of 24 hours a day. My grandmother looked at her and said, "No, her older brother was just abnormal!" Ahahahaha!

Oooo, reading that makes it sound like I'm telling you that Nat and Anna-Lucia are NOT normal! You know what I mean...

CynthiaK said...

Now that is what the third babe is supposed to be: calm, cool and gives mommy time for her chai latte. Nice work, Joseph!

Glad to hear you are having some peace.

Long dark hair, blue eyes said...

I am so pleased you are enjoying yourself with Joseph.

I am planning on all my babies being just like that - cute and chilled out. Hush now - let me enjoy my delusion.

Hippomanic Jen said...

So glad you're enjoying Joseph. I think it must be third babies (particularly when they're boys). Exhibit 1 - Guess where my Beloved falls in his family? - QED.

tinsenpup said...

How lovely! I got the cheerful one the first time around, lulling me into a false sense of security. This second one may well prove something of a shock.

Anonymous said...

Considering the trauma of your pregnancy, it only seems fitting that Joseph is so mellow! Hmmmm... maybe your reward for all the ups and downs before you held him in your arms!

Nana Tantrum

Allegro ma non troppo said...

God preserve us from people who give us looks when our kids cry. Strangers telling you your baby's hungry. Shop assistants who tell toddlers to behave.

Yeesh.

I'm glad Joseph's often content. But I bet you're exhausted anyway...