Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Right now, I am beat to hell. Not as beat as Mommy is, but beat nonetheless. As mentioned in Monday's entry, we got essentially no sleep Sunday night, because we knew were inducing labor Monday afternoon and we had a case of the nerves.

I didn't bring an overnight bag on Monday night, so I came home with Melissa's folks, and sat up drinking beers with her dad until 3:30 AM, then came downstairs and wrote the blog entry until after 5:00 am, at which point I fell into the sleep-that-isn't-sleep: you know, the kind of sleep where your body sacks out but your brain can't slow down. Last night I stayed in the hospital with her, and the kiddo had us up and down pretty much all day and all night. Worse, we had a roommate, and every time our little Sammy fell asleep, her guy woke up and started wailing on his own. We slept maybe 6 hours at the most, in spurts of an hour here, two hours there.
Byl the Born Again was right about one thing. No, not the part about "lifting my name up in prayer." BARRRF.
No, it was this line: "I think this child will be a great thing for you. The love he will
unleash in your life will almost unbearable it will be so great." Holy fucking shit. maybe it's the endurance test I've been through, but man oh man, i can barely keep my emotions under control when I pick up the little fucker. I nearly broke down on Monday night when I sang him off with "The Tennessee Waltz." I tried, unsuccessfully, to do a couple of Lefty Frizzell tunes today. "Mom and Dad's Waltz" would get the waterworks going whenever I got to the "And I pray every day for Mom and Daddy" line. Never mind "How Long Will It Take to Stop Loving You," I can't even get three syllables into the first verse. I posted this to the bluegrass list-serv I belong to, and I can barely get through the emails I've gotten from people without my goddamn eyes welling up. Here are some corkers right here:

My wife and I always thought "Two Little Boys" was pretty corny, but
after our twin sons were born (three years ago next week), Jessica
suddenly found she couldn't even hear it, much less sing it, without
getting all choked up. I could still sing it but it definitely had an
effect on me that it never had before.

The boys love bluegrass music - got their first experience in the womb,
with their mama thumping the bass right up against her growing belly.
They got their first "guitars" (actually ukuleles) for Christmas this
year and they love to "play" them. Only trouble is, they insist on
using the same picks I use for my mandolin, so I gotta go lay in an
extra large supply. Lucky thing I don't use tortiseshell!

Congratulations, Brendan, to you and your family!

-- Stewart


This one was one of my favorites:
Brendan, when my 2 children were born the first
thing I done was put them in the crib, turn on the
stereo loud and play F&S. They slept with no problem.
If you think about it the hospital has lots of noise.
When you bring the baby home he or she is used to
noise. Don't sneak around being quiet afraid you'll
wake the baby. Get them used to a normal household
right away and the'll be happier babies. My kids grew
up knowing the words to all the classic BG songs. We
also never had night time feedings. Feed them as late
as you can and if they cry the first couple of nights
they get over it quickly.Then feed them early in the
morning. Believe me it's eaiser on the parents and the
children. Just a few hints from an old man. Love and
cherish them while they are young. They get old quick.
My two are 35 and 31. Maybe later you can let them
eat more possum. Mike O'Ferrall


as is this post by Janice:
Pretty soon you'll be walking the floor at 3 AM jiggling him in your arms and pacing in time while you sing "rabbit in the log", and then before you know it HE will be singing "papa please don't whip lil Benny". You didnt name him Benny did you?!? Anyway. Congrats. Now go right now and buy an old beat up mandolin to lay around the house and every time you catch him eyeing it stomp your foot and snarl "you GIT away from that BOY!!" and then if you ever catch him touching it make him go mow the lawn. That way he'll be sneakin and playing it every chance he gets and will be on the big festival circuit at an early age.
Janice