Role-model Mommy: Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner is the kind of mom I want to be.
She has the sweetest little girls — Violet Anne and Seraphina Rose Elizabeth — and she is totally devoted to them.
She and Handsome Hubby (Ben Affleck) are constantly photographed dropping off and picking up Violet at daycare, and taking her on little one-on-one outings. I’m sure when Seraphina (really hoping she is nicknamed “Sera”) is older, she will get private outings as well.
In some ways, it is obviously easier for a celebrity to be a stay-at-home mom — no money issues — but in others, it’s harder. Their careers can come to an abrupt end by choosing to stay out of the spotlight for a while, so many of them feel pressured to return to work immediately.
Three cheers for J-Garn for her awesome choice to stay at home! It is obviously paying off.
The power of eight
I had an unfortunate relevation last night.
Darling Husband and I were discussing his erratic work schedule. I was whining about how little I see him, and he explained, “I don’t wake you up when I get home because I know you need your eight hours.”
I froze.
He was totally right.
But my first thought was: “How am I going to survive the all-nighters that will come with le bebe???”
He was totally right.
But my first thought was: “How am I going to survive the all-nighters that will come with le bebe???”
You see, I am the anti-napper.
I have tried it a few times, and I wake up a total Cranky McCrankpants. I also wake up confused. The clock might read 5:39, and I will have no clue if it’s suppertime or very early the next morning. And that really freaks me out!
I have read in my baby book that mothers are supposed to nap whenever their baby is sleeping. But I am more of a habit sleeper. I like to go to bed around the same time every night — between 11 p.m. and midnight — and wake up at the same time every morning — between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.
This is math even I can do, and it equals a nice, even eight hours. I have just always been this way.
I am kind of afraid of the level of bitchiness that might come with being up all night with a squalling infant. Pacing the floors of our condo. Desperate for sleeeeeeeeep. Remembering the nights of my full, un-interupted eight hours.
Hopefully by the time the babe winds down, I will be so tired that I can nap. I’m sure by then, I won’t care if it’s 5:39 a.m. or p.m., as long as there is a bed and a small window of peace!
Fur-babies
Just watched Marley & Me with Darling Husband. It was very good, even though I sobbed all over Little Dog.
I’ve said it before, and now I feel compelled to say it again: dogs are kids-in-training.
In the movie, when John bought Marley for his wife because he suspected she wanted a baby — and he wasn’t ready yet. “A puppy should buy you a few years,” his colleague suggested.
It really is true. We got Little Dog almost two years ago, and she is absolutely our baby. She sleeps cuddled up between us in the bed, under the sheets. Whenever I take a bath, she comes in with me to be shampooed.
During that first summer, she even rode in a Doggie Stroller — a dark period in Darling Husband’s life.
Dogs are a great way to ward off those baby cravings, but those cravings can only be satisfied by a fur-baby for so long. After a couple of years with Marley, John realized he was ready for a real baby, and so they started trying.
Why, you’re right! I did start nudging Darling Husband at this point in the movie!
Riding in cars with babes
The other day, I gave Tiny Niece a ride home — yep, the same tot who presented me with that memorable card back in February.
I have driven her before, when she was younger, and it has freaked me out every time. She’s so little. And what if I get into an accident???
In the past, she has been buckled into a carseat in the back. Since I have a Sis who has always been extremely small, I know the backseat is the safest place for the little peeps.
Tiny Niece is older now — eight — but still requires a carseat, because she’s tiny. When I offered to drive her home from the in-laws’ place — literally three houses up the street — I didn’t think too much of it. I mean, it’s three houses. There probably wouldn’t be a single other car on the road.
The backseat was folded down and full of boxes, so I buckled her into the front seat. When I ran around and hopped into the driver’s seat, I was surprised by how nervous I was. She was so small on the passenger seat, holding her new pastels and her bookbag, talking about school.
My eyes zeroed in on the dash, where the indicator said the passenger airbag was turned off. I have never even seen that notification before — it was freaky that I noticed it for the first time that day. It’s like all my senses were on hyper-alert.
So carefully, carefully, I backed out of the driveway and cruised three houses up the street. I pulled into her driveway, and it was done. No sweat. Except I had been!
It was just another reminder that everything is different with kids. You worry more. You think of all the what-ifs … even more than you normally do!
And this was on a 20-second drive with no other cars on the road. Sheesh, how am I ever going to drive an infant on a highway???
Whew!
We’re in the clear.
Yes, it arrived this morning. Praise the Lord!
That was quite an experience. Even thinking that there was a chance I could have been, I found myself constantly aware of it. I literally couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Over the last four days, I have felt guilty about those nerves. I mean, I am the freaking poster child for someone who wants a baby, so how could I be praying for my period?
Timing — that’s why. Because getting preggo before July would mean I would be taking away a part of Best Friend’s happiness, and I do not want to do that.
Of course, if the news had been different, I’d already been taking the prenatal vitamin, so that was good. I was already drinking lots of milk, eating well, avoiding the bad stuff, etc.
It made me realize that if I hadn’t been doing all those things, I would have felt way more panicked — like, ‘What have I accidentally done to this baby, before I knew I was pregnant?’
Happy Friday, dear readers!
*sigh of relief*
*sigh of relief*
P.S. Even though we were both prayin’ for my you-know-what, Darling Husband admitted he had been kind of excited about a December baby.
P.P.S. I kinda was, too. It would have been like a Christmas present!
P.P.P.S. We agreed we will much happier with a May, June or July baby. A planned one!
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