Done! Finis! The baby is in the mail! Yes, as Joe reported, THE 731 LEGACY is finished, and I don’t want to see it again for quite a while. I am so close now I wouldn’t know if a character we killed in chapter 3 miraculously showed up in chapter 23. And right now, I just don’t give a flying . . . well, you know. I love my baby, but I’m an exhausted mother of a newborn. No sleep. Round the clock feedings. The spouse wants to help, but can’t breastfeed. I’ve been so busy, so totally consumed by the nurturing that I’ve neglected my friends and now am out of the social loop. Especially out of the loop that involves my friends who have never had children. They just don’t understand what a job being a parent is. Got the baby blues and reacquired my baby fat as I have sat and rocked, and fed, and consoled, and comforted, and fed, THE BABY.
But alas, Grandparents, (the publisher) have taken the sweet, precious child for a few weeks. I worry that the Grandparents don’t know the baby like I do. Don’t know the idiosyncrasies like me. And God knows, they might screw up the formula or the schedule I so patiently and laboriously have established. And NOBODY loves the baby like its mother. But I need the rest and welcome another set of hands and eyes to tend to the baby. I trust that they love it enough to take care of it. Who else could I entrust my baby too?
But the baby will be back soon enough. And I will have had enough of a reprieve to again nurture it with all the vigor it deserves. Hopefully one day it might grow into a respectful adult and be regarded with admiration. Of course my hopes (outrageous, delusional dreams) are that the baby will mature, and when I grow old will pay for my diapers and care. But then who knows how your kids turn out—how they are received and perceived by the rest of the world? You can only give them all you know and then let them fly on their own.
So off the baby went last Friday. I miss it, but am enjoying the rest. The only thing is, I’m not adjusting well. I wander from room to room wondering what I am supposed to be doing. I think I could get used to that in a couple of weeks. But by then, the baby will be back, and I suppose I will also be knocked up again with another. Wonder what the new one will be like.
But alas, Grandparents, (the publisher) have taken the sweet, precious child for a few weeks. I worry that the Grandparents don’t know the baby like I do. Don’t know the idiosyncrasies like me. And God knows, they might screw up the formula or the schedule I so patiently and laboriously have established. And NOBODY loves the baby like its mother. But I need the rest and welcome another set of hands and eyes to tend to the baby. I trust that they love it enough to take care of it. Who else could I entrust my baby too?
But the baby will be back soon enough. And I will have had enough of a reprieve to again nurture it with all the vigor it deserves. Hopefully one day it might grow into a respectful adult and be regarded with admiration. Of course my hopes (outrageous, delusional dreams) are that the baby will mature, and when I grow old will pay for my diapers and care. But then who knows how your kids turn out—how they are received and perceived by the rest of the world? You can only give them all you know and then let them fly on their own.
So off the baby went last Friday. I miss it, but am enjoying the rest. The only thing is, I’m not adjusting well. I wander from room to room wondering what I am supposed to be doing. I think I could get used to that in a couple of weeks. But by then, the baby will be back, and I suppose I will also be knocked up again with another. Wonder what the new one will be like.
7 comments:
Awwww. Congratulations. It's got your looks. (Better than Dad's, I suppose). :)
Hey, Mark. The "baby" may have Lynn's looks but everyone says he gets his punctuation and syntax from me!!!
LOL :)
You hit the bullseye with this post, Lynn. I always suffer from post-partum depression. And my latest baby is off at its grandparents right now, too. I think he's coming home this week.
Lynn, congratulations on the new baby. No surprise that you're exhausted from the endeavor. You conceive of the idea, labor over it for months and months (sometimes years) until you bring it out into this world for others to forever judge you by it.
Whoever said, "I don't know nothin' about birthin' babies," just isn't a writer!
"Round the clock feedings."
Perfect. perfect analogy.
Also, the husband who wants to help and is really endearing about wanting to help but who in fact just cannot do anything but observe my decline.
I must say congratulations as well. THis is a moment for celebration. And if you ever need advices about taking care of babies, just visit my site and contact me!
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