Dr. Marryn and Mommy Hyde

Parenthood changes a person in all sorts of positive ways. Children teach you patience, unconditional love, exceptional care, and deep devotion. My child has also taught me that she holds the keys to my very happiness and sanity - or lack thereof. When she is a happy girl, so am I. When she is cross - watch out. Essentially, I am her emotional puppet, and she can yank my strings at will.

This holds particularly true for our sleeping schedule - or lack thereof. One of my favorite things to do is put her to bed. As I lay her down in her cozy bed, bundled in her soft pajamas, I gaze lovingly at my beautiful child. I sigh at her perfection as she drifts off to sleep. I dreamily waltz out the door, patting myself on the back for keeping her safe and sound for another blessed day. “I am really getting good at this”, I think to myself, as I turn out the lights.

Then the clock strikes 2:00 am, and I hear the sound that makes a mother’s heart drop into her stomach.

“Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh…..”

I hurl off the covers, and throw my pillow across the bedroom as I vault out of bed, making sure to make enough noise to passively awake my husband. He doesn’t have to be awake for the duration of this nightmare, but I want to make damn well sure he knows I am getting up. I stalk down the hallway, and jerk open the door. “What do YOU want?” I know I sound like a kidnapper speaking through a voice-alteration device, and I’m glad because I am MAD at this situation. Gone are the lovey dovey feelings of three hours ago. I have been wronged by this tiny person who obviously has some kind of vendetta against me by disturbing my sleep in this manner. I lumber over to the crib expecting to see some kind of smirk of satisfaction on her face, and I ready myself to discipline this horrid child. I peak into the bed and see…what do I see?

…my perfectly beautiful child, smiling and cooing, so grateful to see her mother in the middle of the night. Aaaaaand the flip switches back, we’re right back to where we were earlier.

This little gal is teaching me to be bi-polar.

"Who? Me?"

Uncle Brady & Aunt Abigail

Last weekend, my brother and his fiancé were in town to celebrate their engagement with our family. What an amazingly fun weekend! I’m a little depressed it’s all over to tell the truth. The weekend started with a small cookout at Mom’s. We celebrated big time with 60+ family and friends on Saturday night at Joe T’s, and then ended on a casual note at lunch yesterday at Dad’s.

I don’t think Marryn’s feet or hiney touched the ground the whole weekend as she was passed from relative to relative. My girl was a trooper for the most part, but melted down at night. We’re still feeling the effects of not having our routine in place for 72 hours, but it was well worth it.

Brady & Abigail are Marryn’s only aunt and uncle, as well as her guardians, and it was important to celebrate this milestone. We are looking forward to celebrating their wedding in August!

What a difference a year makes

March 1, 2010 - the test read positive. After several embraces, a few happy tears, and many deep breaths later, we braced ourselves for parenthood. Never could we ever have fully prepared for what would come in the next year. We have experienced sheer joy, frightful panic, and the deepest love imaginable for our daughter. When I reflect on the past year, I see the miracle of life and the beginning of a new family. I can only wonder what the next year holds. If it’s as half as exciting as last year, I’ll need to fasten the seatbelt of my Jenny Jump Up.