about 2 1/2 wks in

so many things we can't understand or appreciate until we live them. bein a first-time parent has erupted wave upon wave of newness... among the waves - new understanding and new appreciation.

for silly things.... like i never got why those first few numbers of a baby's life were so important. you know - date, time, wt, length. but now that a little person, whose initial existence outside the womb was somewhat defined by such numbers, is in our home, a few numeric digits are forever imprinted w/in me: 12/25/2010, 1:37pm, 8lb, 11oz, 20in - she's born. and a few more: 12/27/2010, 2:10pm, 8lb, 3oz, 20in - she's ours. and that's just the beginnin of a lifetime of countin....

or simple things....things we, as adults, usually ignore or pretend don't exist in adulthood...like fartin, burpin, poopin, or moltin. for some reason, when an 8lb little person's digestive tract functions properly, we educated and respectable adults grin from ear to ear. when adults have odd skin conditions that can't be hidden from the general public, no one knows quite what to say or not say....but when a newborn baby literally grows out of her pre-delivery skin, we don't bat an eye. adults are weird.

it's amazin how quickly so much of life can change....maybe all of life when the vehicle of change is in the form of a baby girl. i talked to grandma earlier. she asked what all was goin on. my response? well, i'm either feedin, burpin, changin, or holdin riley. if i'm not doin any of those things, i'm washin and boilin her bottles, mixin formula, or washin clothes. since comin home about 2 1/2 wks ago, i've cleaned the toilet once, swept the kitchen floor, and left the house 2, maybe 3 times. i've realized i don't have time to check and respond to email, check and post to facebook, read, write, and update the blog as i please. not to mention clean house, cook, pay bills, or call friends.

but if you have kids, you already know all of this :)

and you do ridiculous things when you become a parent. at least i have. i watched oprah yesterday. she interviewed ricky martin. i watched an 8 year old little boy breakdance on ellen's talk show. i've read multiple brochures about bathing. i'm now watchin the nightly news (grandma and mama will be proud! maybe this one isn't so ridiculous). i make up songs - sometimes to recognizable tunes, sometimes not.

if i've given the impression that i'm complainin, please forgive me. about 20 minutes ago, i was rockin riley....w/her little sweet face - my most favorite face - turned toward me, sound asleep. w/o thinkin about, i found myself whisperin "you're so beautiful.... for the rest of my life" and soft tears of unspeakable gratitude fell...