Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Tales of Woe and Car Seat Installations

"You are really emotional. You need to get a hold of yourself."

Aw. I am really going to miss my husband.

That said, he's totally right.

Am in a very weepy place right now. We had our baby shower on Sunday (photos and recap to follow!) and we received so many wonderful gifts for Ninj. As soon as we got home, I reviewed everything and made a list for thank you cards. At one point, I pulled out a book that Koos had given the baby.

It's called Whoever You Are, and okay, seriously? Here are the first few pages:

Little one, whoever you are,
Wherever you are,
There are little ones just like you all over the world.
Their skin may be different than yours, and their homes may be different than yours...
But inside, their hearts are just like yours.

Annnnddd... blubbering! "This is exactly what I want to teach our babies!" I sobbed to J, as I tossed him the book. "But I can't read the rest right now. I can't get through it."

In my continued heightened emotional state, I fretted about the shower. "I shouldn't have asked everyone to buy organic, natural items," I told my husband. "I feel like a brat." (Although, it was somewhat worth it to have my mother announce to the ladies present: "As most of you know, Melissa is 'green.'")

Yesterday, we had an interview with a pediatrician. I'm not sure how that went. Most of her answers were vague. (Taking a cue from Modern Family, I asked what her thoughts were on "Ferberizing" babies. I am not sure I can tell you what she said.) We didn't fall in love with her, but then, she could be a brilliant doctor. How do you know? I asked her how many vaccinations a child would receive over the years, and she couldn't tell us. But she did have a website we could visit. So... there's that. There are four other doctors in this practice. Do I now make appointments with the rest of them, or just hope that one of them is more our style?

Yes, I am probably overthinking this.

On the way home from the doc's, J and I decided to stop by the fire station to have the guys there take a look at our car seat.

How many firemen does it take to install an infant Graco Snugride? Three, apparently. And it takes awhile. These three gentlemen were very kind to help us, but at one point, seat installed completely improperly, they told us that we should probably by a new one. (Our car seat is a few years old. We got it from my aunt and uncle, who's baby is two now.)

I think my engineer husband actually figured it out... Which, he could have totally done anyway. But at least it is now fire safety approved.

So there's that.

When we finally arrived home, I bugged J to go online and figure out if this particular seat had ever been recalled.

"Do you want to just buy a new one?" he asked me, ever so slightly exasperated.

"What, J? I am not supposed to be concerned that our infant car seat works properly? You just want me to forget about it?"

"You're right," he said.

"You know, I just need to be alone right now," I huffed. I retreated upstairs with my O magazine.

So, yeah. Just a tad touchy over here. I am confident we'll weather this influx of hormones. Good luck, J.

In other news: pregnant Brazilian waxes? TRAUMA.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guys, when the baby manual says "stop by fire station so pregnant wife is assured car seat is installed properly". You stop by the fire station. Even when you can figure it out yourself much quicker. Everyone wins that way.

J

Koos said...

Sorry about the sob fest, but I was the same way, but it only took me one page of "I Love You Stinky Face". So this little boy says "Mama, what if I were a swamp monster with slimy seaweed hanging from my body? Would you still love me then?" And she responds "Then I would live by the swamp and take care of you always". Hormones are fun!
And good job getting the seat checked,too.

Anonymous said...

Don't you think if they were smart enough to be something other than firemen, they would be?

God bless them though, they are braver than all of us put together, and thank the good Lord for governing their intellect to steer them into their noble profession.

All I am saying is maybe there is a better way to ensure child safety seats are properly installed...like maybe, talk to someone at the DMV, those people are geniuses!

Okay, just do what she says, you can't win anyway.

Lauren said...

Aw, cuzzy! We had the seat double checked at the police station and they did a pretty good job, so there's an additional option as well! And Mary- "Oh my goodness.... I Love you Stinky Face" is the sweetest, most "warm and fuzzy feeling about mommyhood" book ever!! I LOVE it!

Sarah Kurpel said...

Ug- in my 36 week, the midwife asked me how my moods were (segwaying into post pardum depression handouts) and I BURST into tears. The shear horror on her face and TBone's made the tears even worse...

It comes and goes but somethings make me smile more than sniffle- like a tiny bath robe on a hook.

Orlandos! said...
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Homevalley said...
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Homevalley said...

Oh Sarah - I should have mentioned that I was upstairs crying after the car seat incident, because obviously I am the only one who cares about our child's safety! And also: no one understands me at all.

Ah, how awesome we are. Only a few more weeks!

Laur and Koos - these books are emotionally manipulative. I am just grateful that no one got me "I'll Love You Forever." I'd be a puddle.

Mama_Bear_Sarah said...

you're def. not overthinking the pediatrician thing. i've heard horror stories. so be dilligeng and keep at it until you find one you like ...because when you do and you're both on the same page about things, it sooooooooooo worth it!

Homevalley said...

Thanks, MB Sarah - we have another appointment scheduled for next week, and then I think I may try to meet more of the docs in the first practice. I don't want to offend, but I do want to gel with the pediatrician. This could be an 18-year relationship.

Hope you are well. :)