I cannot believe that Little Lady has been here for 11 weeks already! My how time flies…
I have a kind of funny, a little bit embarrassing confession to make. This happened several weeks ago, but I just have to share.
You know how new moms, with new babies; often discover a “dirty” spot on the baby? Like a roll that they didn’t move to clean, that got spit-up in it and it smells funny? And mom feels awful? (Please tell me I’m not the only new mom that discovered something like this?)
With my first, it was under his chin. I didn’t lift his little extra chin up and tip his head back enough, and I found his neck was dirty. I felt horrible.
With my second, I honestly don’t remember where it was. I know it happened, and my gut says “armpits!” But, I don’t want to swear by that, cause I don’t want to lie to anyone here.
So here I am with baby #3, and I know how to clean a baby. I lift up her chin, I scrub her armpits, and I even make sure to scrub the rolls in her super cute chubby thighs. I have this covered. She only gets a bath every other day or every two days, whereas the boys got them nearly daily because I don’t want to dry her skin out.
I’ve got this.
Then…
I was playing with her cute little feet, and I saw something, and I spread her toes out, and oh my. The poor little thing had some serious toe jam going on. And it smelled funny. Her little fuzzy socks had deposited fuzz, and it was half gooey, half dried out. Nasty.
I don’t have this.
I feel like an idiot over a little toe jam.
All of this, to come to my next point: A sweet lady was offering to help me because my hands were kind of full, and I waved her off, not wanting to be a bother. She asked if the baby was my first, and when I confessed that no, we have 5 kids, her eyes got huge. She sweetly said, “Wow! You must really know what you’re doing!”
My first thought: Thank you for not making some reference to birth control and/or what causes “that.”
Second: Nope, I just wing it more often than not.
Hear me out on this one: Parenting is more like a journey than a destination. What worked last week isn’t working this week. What works with the 14 year old does not work with the 7 year old. What works with the 7 year old does not work with the 5 year old. And diapers, even cloth ones that I wash all the time, those are the easy things in life right now.
Have you ever had a realization like this?
Regina Walker 
I love this! It’s full of grace and truth! Motherhood takes daily dependence on the One who gave them to us…and with 7 kids I certainly had my share of dirty necks and toe jam. There’s so much that has to change in our mothering, but one thing is constant: God’s help and faithfulness. Keep blogging, Regina. You are going to bring hope to many other moms following behind you!
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Thank you for your kind words! If it weren’t for Him, I couldn’t do it. The grace and love of God, along with the gentle prodding, correction, inspiration, encouragement, on and on I could go, all from Him, are what get me through the good and bad days!
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Regina, Good for you. Being a mom is the hardest, most rewarding job in the world. I also love your bio. Big families teach you so much about life. Your kids will be lucky to have learned to cooperate in groups in a way that kids in small families do not. Thank you for your gift to the world.
(My editor has 5 kids and she encouraged me to write the value of big families into my story. She, like you, did have to endure people making little comments…. but it is those people who are missing the boat. We should honor loving, married couples for giving our society healthy, well-rounded children. Especially when 40% of kids now are born to unmarried mothers. 3 CHEERS for you!!!!!
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The little comments are curious to me, often. We don’t have it down pat or perfect, my husband and I have both been through a divorce, and our daughter arrived before we married. We are married now, however. And praying and working together to break the cycle of divorce in our lives, for ourselves and our kids. Thank you for your comment!
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Not having any children I can appreciate your sharing that parenting is more like a journey than a destination! I have taken care of my ailing mother for the last 8 years and can appreciate that comment from truly getting to know my mother. Thanks for sharing. It really does sound like You got it! Best Regards, Wendy UBC http://wendybottrell.com
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Thank you for sharing, Wendy. I have not been in your position, I imagine you find your share of difficulties.
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Completely agree with you, Regina. What’s working with one child definitely doesn’t work with the other one and what’s even worse, what’s worked with the first one when they were twelve doesn’t work with the second one, now that they’re twelve. Why can’t kids be consistent? Very inconsiderate of them, really. 😉
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Children teach parents to be adaptable! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
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