I pin things here.
I write short things here.
My author page is here.
My photos are here.
I talk about books here.
Thursday
Aug282008
These are the easy days
August 28, 2008
My mom called the other day, wanting to know what on earth I was blathering about in my last post, when I said that I would be in this house for a long time, while in the very next breath I was talking about househunting.
I'm confusing, I know. That's what comes of writing while sleep-deprived and slightly delirious. You'll notice that I was rambling about lice, too. Ha ha. Who has lice? Not us!
Well, we do. Or we did. Hopefully. But enough about that.
What I meant about being in the house for a long time was that I'm in a sense in confinement. There is a custom that a woman doesn't leave the house for four weeks or more after birth, here in India, in China, and in who knows how many other countries. As soon as I moved here, I understood. Because if I leave, the baby comes with me, and really, Little Solo needs to be home, where it's safe and clean and (fairly, well okay, not all that) quiet.
So I'll be here for a few more weeks, and even after that, I don't think we'll be doing huge marketing trips in Solo's newborn stage of life. There simply aren't family rooms at the mall where we can sit and nurse. There isn't even a mall. I tend to be a girl who likes to be out and about, at least a little. I like the conquest of the market, the breeze rushing by me when I'm on the scooter. My creativity is fueled by motion, usually driving, sometimes walking.
That said, I'm looking forward to these next few months or weeks. It is a far cry from Kid A's infanthood, otherwise known as the time I stood in bank queues with him in the sling at eight days old, feeling like my uterus was about to fall out.
Now we're more likely to be doing this:
Little Solo is all shiny from the coconut oil of his first massage. I have to say that one of my favorite things about the birthing center here is their postnatal care. During the first week, one of the midwives has come to the house every day; to help take care of the cord, (good in this climate- it took longer to fall off, and I would probably have worried over it without them) just to talk, and to demonstrate the massage and bath. Of course I have massaged my babies before, but it is still nice to have a refresher.
So, yes, we'll be massaging and bathing and feeding and doing laundry and checking out the insect life and reading and doing math pages and workbook stuff and drawing and writing stories and Solo and I will be home together while the others run around doing their run around things. I will sink into "home".
By the way, Chinua uploaded his incredible photos from the day of Solo's birth to Flickr here.
I'm confusing, I know. That's what comes of writing while sleep-deprived and slightly delirious. You'll notice that I was rambling about lice, too. Ha ha. Who has lice? Not us!
Well, we do. Or we did. Hopefully. But enough about that.
What I meant about being in the house for a long time was that I'm in a sense in confinement. There is a custom that a woman doesn't leave the house for four weeks or more after birth, here in India, in China, and in who knows how many other countries. As soon as I moved here, I understood. Because if I leave, the baby comes with me, and really, Little Solo needs to be home, where it's safe and clean and (fairly, well okay, not all that) quiet.
So I'll be here for a few more weeks, and even after that, I don't think we'll be doing huge marketing trips in Solo's newborn stage of life. There simply aren't family rooms at the mall where we can sit and nurse. There isn't even a mall. I tend to be a girl who likes to be out and about, at least a little. I like the conquest of the market, the breeze rushing by me when I'm on the scooter. My creativity is fueled by motion, usually driving, sometimes walking.
That said, I'm looking forward to these next few months or weeks. It is a far cry from Kid A's infanthood, otherwise known as the time I stood in bank queues with him in the sling at eight days old, feeling like my uterus was about to fall out.
Now we're more likely to be doing this:
Little Solo is all shiny from the coconut oil of his first massage. I have to say that one of my favorite things about the birthing center here is their postnatal care. During the first week, one of the midwives has come to the house every day; to help take care of the cord, (good in this climate- it took longer to fall off, and I would probably have worried over it without them) just to talk, and to demonstrate the massage and bath. Of course I have massaged my babies before, but it is still nice to have a refresher.
So, yes, we'll be massaging and bathing and feeding and doing laundry and checking out the insect life and reading and doing math pages and workbook stuff and drawing and writing stories and Solo and I will be home together while the others run around doing their run around things. I will sink into "home".
By the way, Chinua uploaded his incredible photos from the day of Solo's birth to Flickr here.
Reader Comments (11)
Seems just as it should be. I will be getting to do this all over again come spring, and your lovely expression of the joy of newborns has me looking forward with great anticipation!
Oh the wonders powers of coconut oil! I heart it even more than apple cider vinegar.
That precious baby is positively glowing. The pics on flickr are incredible too. Just beautiful.
They have what they call "quarantine" in Italy after the birth of a newborn. Forty days at home. I don't think I made it a week before I went out though. Although India would be different.
He is lovely. You make beautiful babies.
Again. Again. And again, you blow my mind with your beautiful words, and your faith. Thank you for sharing.
Trisha
Rae,
Yaya's face holding Solo!! I don't think I have a word for that look. Just so beautiful!
And those cute little fingers already checking everything out!
I'm so impressed with India's stay at home culture for the new born and the home visiting.
My mom was devoted to that stay at home practice as well.(Germany) Used to think she was sooo square in my younger years. Now seeing all I have in Public Health I just think what a smart women she is.
So cute. I am really glad you are on top of posting these days. I wouldnt be able to do.
My little nephew looks so adorble. I cant wait to meet him one day.
A short period of "confinement" can't be a bad thing.
Why WAS I shopping with six-day-old Middle?
Oh my goodness, he's a beauty!
Wow, another awesome picture - thanks for sharing the pictures with the kids as well. Might I mention that I think you're amazing - all that you do right after another birth. I was thinking about that last night before falling asleep, about you living on the land, and how you did so much, yet still managed to home school Kid A, how you've always kept going.... how you'd go out and do a weekly shopping trip that took the whole day because you were so isolated! You do so well!
What a sweet little one.
I am totally getting baby fever again.
Been wanting to try the coconut oil but I cannot find any where I live :(
oh, and lovin' the recipes on the other blog.
My hubby is trying them out.
Thanks
I just want to congratulate you on your beautiful new Solo boy. I'm here from Pea Soup, and have been reading here and there in your blog, and must say, you have a truly beautiful and amazing life and family.
Congratulations and best wishes!!