Singing Time

Since Reuben's arrived Aaron and I have both been more musical. That isn't much of a change for Aaron but I feel like I'm going from 0 to 60. And I've noticed both of us are struggling to figure out just what to sing. I left Reuben with Aaron one night and from the other room I heard him serenaded to the Aunt Jemima pancake song, the Folgers coffee song (The Best Part of Waking Up), Run DMC, a McDonalds McMuffin song I wasn't familiar with, The Hobbit song, and other entirely unedifying tunes. I'm guilty too. I think, I'll just make up some little melody and then I realize I am humming the opening music to Star Trek and I think, Reuben I'm so sorry - you are now destined to get beat up in middle school. But I can't help it. I'm in a pinch and it's the first thing that comes out of my mouth which is terrifying. We've taken to tweaking some of the words and so a few of our new favorites now go like this

(To the Hobbit Song)
Reuben, Reuben James only two feet long,
Reuben, Reuben Cummings bravest little baby of them all.
He went to the Dr. duh-duh-duh
Then he went to a movie. du-du-du
He started a fire. duh-duh-duh
A magic ring he stole. (At this point I couldn't think of anything else and had to go back to the original lyrics)

(To The Battle Hymn of the Republic)
Reuben James Cummings will not wake up
Reuben James Cummings will not wake up
Reuben James Cummings needs to wake up so he can eat!
Reuben Cummings wake up now. (repeat 3 times)
Reuben James Cummings wake up and have something to eat.

Aaron adjusts a lot more songs, mostly stuff from musicals, but I don't really know them well enough to sing. I do sing Reuben the Who Am I song from Les Miserable but it goes Who Am I? I'm Reuben James! (not Jean val Jean)

But Reuben is probably used to it. The kids musical taste were probably skewed from the start. He went to New Pornographers, Feist, Radiohead and Ben Folds concerts and listened to a lot of Belle and Sebastian and Swedish pop (Irene and the Sambassadeurs) in utero. Now tht he's here and his tender, blank slate of a mind is before us I keep thinking I should dig out the Mozart, which I do enjoy, but I am really enjoying The Fratellis right now. So Reuben gets to too. You can give them a listen here. Punk inspired brit music for nap time - good stuff.

Fire!

Aaron and I took Reuben to his two week doctor appointment and found out the kid put on 2 pounds in two weeks. That's more than 2 ounces a day! We were so proud we ventured out for a family date. We ate noodles at the Noodle Company then went to the movies. I wanted to see Australia but it doesn't come out til today so we went to Twilight. I was a little nervous about how Reuben would do but he seemed to be enjoying the film or at least the darkened room. I enjoyed the movie more because of Reuben. At possibly the most romantic moment, Bella and Edward are leaning in, the whole theater was silent with anticipation, and Reuben chose to let out a huge whooping fart. Being the mature adults we are, Aaron and I immediately started cracking up. Which must have made the theater gods angry because about ten minutes later the theater caught on fire and everyone was evacuated. I kid you not: THE THEATER CAUGHT ON FIRE. So we saw half of Twilight.

Seriously

Today I assembled Reuben's bouncy chair which he seemed to really like. He was wide awake and happy in it for about an hour. When I took this picture he put on a very solemn face. I guess he feels the same way about pictures that I do. He looked so solemn to me that I think he has a bit of resemblance to Salmon Chase, Lincoln's Secretary of the Treasury and eventual Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Aaron doesn't agree. See what you think. Maybe it's just the similar hair style.

Run, Fatboy, Run Trailer

Aaron and I watched this movie this weekend and I LOVED it. I'm pretty sure this is going to be me in four weeks when I get to start working out again.

Pride Cometh Before the Flu

Earlier this week I felt like everything was going really smoothy and I even started to think that I had this mothering thing under control. Then Wednesday I came down with the flu. Fever, aches, throwing up - bad news. I was a sick as a dog. Aaron was a huge help and took work off on Thursday to help take care of Reuben. Reuben was a saintly baby and has started consistently sleeping 3-4 hours each night which really helped me get enough rest to recover. I really love this kid.
All this time home sick gave Aaron and me the time to finish reading Team of Rivals which I highly recommend even though I didn't enjoy the ending (due to the circumstances not the writing). I've started reading His Excellency, George Washington by Joseph Ellis which I like but is giving me nightmares about being attacked by French/Indian raiders. Combined with what I just learned last week reading A Voyage Wondrous Strange by Tony Horwitz (author of Confederates in the Attic) my mind is cooking up some very adventurous dreams.

Instructions

Recently I keep thinking of the flight aviation instructions about children. I think it's a bit odd that my main parenting directive is coming from the pocket of an airplane seat instead of a well researched parenting book. Still, the advice seems effective: in case of emergency, first attend to yourself then help your child. My initial response a lot of times is to answer Reuben's need but I think we both do better when I follow the airline instruction.

For example, in the middle of the night Reuben will wake me up because he knows he wants to eat NOW. I have to go to the bathroom. I'm sure I could probably hold it in uncomfortable desperation. But using the airline guidelines I instead let him cry for a minute while I answer the call of nature. Then while he eats I enjoy myself instead of single mindedly imploring him to eat as fast as possible. It changes the feeding from a torture scenario to bonding time.

Also, instead of just obsessing about Reuben's breathing and hiccups, I'm doing my best to enjoy myself. I figure a happy me makes for kinder, more patient care. So here are a few things that I've been enjoying.



French Milk

Aaron picked this up for me and it is the perfect book to read when you have to hold the book one nursing baby distance away from yourself. It's a graphic novel so the print is large and a lot of the story comes through the pictures. The book is the sketch diary of 22 year old Lucy Kinsley's six month visit to Paris. Reading it takes me away from my calm little apartment and into the joy of exploring Paris. It also reminds me of all the glory of being an angsty art student - which alternately makes me feel depressed that I didn't manage to publish a graphic novel by the age of 23 and inspired to get to work and have as much fun as I know making her diary would be.



Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln ( I found this picture of President Elect Obama posing with the book and it is just too cool to pass up)
This is the book that is worth straining my eyes for. I've been plowing through it while I feed Reuben. I was enjoying this book so much while I was pregnant that Reuben was almost named Abraham. I'm grateful that I've still got another 300 of the 800 pages to enjoy so I feel well stocked with reading material.



Protein Pumpkin Oddwalla

This is pumpkin pie in sweet creamy nutritious liquid form. It's wonderfully easy to consume one handed and is the nectar of the autumnal gods. It also makes me feel like I'm Harry Potter where the pumpkin juice ran freely and always sounded delicious to me.



Dan's apple pie
Speaking of pie, Dan Cummings made us the most beautiful and delicious apple pie. I think he's ready for the state fair. That or he needs to open a bakery. I'm considering more children just to get another.


Gerber Onsies
Some brilliant genius designed a onsie with just two snaps at the bottom instead of the annoying three.



Moby Wrap
I strap Reuben in and I'm hands free. And he's so cute and happy cuddled up against me. I'm also proud of myself for figuring it out on my own and not dropping Reuben when I tried to put him in it.




Reuben himself
Who is possibly the most laid back kid ever.



Help - (This picture shows Reuben before he got rid of his jaundice. He was looking nice and seasonally orange for a day or two)
I don't think I'd be in such a good position to enjoy myself if it wasn't for all the help I've had. Aaron has been making breakfast each morning before going to work and it's so nice to have the time together and start the day of energized. My mom did a TON of work on our apartment and helped me settle in and I owe a lot if not most of my comfort to her. And Merilee Cummings brought me a delicious lunch and dinner and has been keeping me company the last two days which has been really enjoyable. Also thanks to everyone for the congratulations and welcome you've given to Reuben. It's been fun to hear from all of you!

Like Father Like Son

Reuben has been enjoying time with his Dad. Aaron has to go back to work tomorrow which we're very sad about. We've been enjoying our family together time up til now. Aaron has developed some pretty awesome swaddling skills. At the hospital the doctor who checked Reuben commented on how well the nurses wrapped up the babies. She didn't know that the wrap Reuben was sporting was done by his Padre.
One thing I love about Reuben is he got his Dad's crazy long feet. They're frog feet with monkey toes. When I was in college I had an assignment to draw 60 feet from life for a figure drawing class. Aaron graciously agreed to model and I completed the assignment but got in trouble because my drawings were "too long and oddly proportioned." The professor didn't realize the consequences of being too true to life. Anyway, Reuben like the good man cub he is has some feet to grow in to.

Aaron covered a lot of the labor. All I've got to say is I'm drug free and proud of Aaron and Reuben. I couldn't have done it without either of their help. And it wasn't that bad. I'm grateful for every yoga class I ever took and playing a lot of sports growing up. The pain was manageable and I never felt like I needed anything more than Aaron's and my Mom's encouragement. (I know that sounds sappy but that's how it went) Speaking of pain, here's a great Emily Dickinson poem that I think does a good job summing up the whole labor experience:

The Mystery of Pain

Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if it were
A day when it was not.

It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.

Especially combined with this poem which I keep thinking of over and over in regards to Reuben:

Love

Love is anterior to life;
Posterior to death,
Initial of creation,
And the exponent of breath.