Short Story: Both parent and child can sometimes learn the same thing at the same time....patience.Long Story: Since the day I saw Jordan's heart beat on the monitor...I knew that both of us would need to learn patience. at that time I was a mom of four. Our family was scheduled to grow again through adoption and our precious Eliza was supposed to be arriving in less than a month. This adoption had been well planed in advance of this surprise.
It took a while for it to sink in....that I was going to be a mom of six children in a little more than 6 months from that date. All I could think of was the possible need for a straight jacket that evening since a stiff margarita was definitely out for a long while!
Well a year has passed since that appointment with Dr. H. And our little Jordan turned six months old last week, it sort of came and went without the usual fanfare. I actually think it was unnoticed by anyone but me. I really hope this is not how Jordan spends the rest of his life....being unnoticed.
Actually I really doubt that would be even possible...not With Adrian (the cruise director) and Melea (his second mother). Jordan has dimples and smiles and is always happy when someone is playing with him (or protecting him from all of Melea's hugs and kisses). His personality is emerging and changing and together we seem to be learning patience.
From the day he was born we have been working on this skill together. He was impatient to get here, and I made him wait till our furniture was delivered and I made lunch for the other children while having contractions. He was actually born about 1 1/2 hours after getting to the hospital.
Since getting here Jordan has been a challenge in many ways. Like most infants he wants what he wants "RIGHT NOW" . I had all the brilliant ideas of nursing and bonding before getting the others up and he would sleep while I got them ready for school. It actually never ever worked that way.
Basically if he was awake he wanted me! If hungry he wanted to eat now whether I had five little ones to bathe for school or not. I had a great plan and schedule to get every one taken care of and make sure they all got attention...only one problem ... he never read it....let alone seemed interested in following it after several months of trying to get him on it!
It was funny after having spent almost ten months waiting for him to get here and be a separate person from me...I had days I wished I were still pregnant...it was easier...he hated the sling, he hated the swing, he hated the bouncy chair all he wanted was me and his food source! It really made it difficult for all of us. Basically Jordan's job for the first four months was to teach me and the whole family patience!
I had to wait to sleep (I am thinking I might get some in the year 2025). Patience for me meant not screaming when I had to change him. It seemed that I could change him every 30 minutes and he would still pee through 4-5 outfits a day! We jokingly refer to him as"Sir Pees Alot". I am amazed at his ability to teleport urine our of his diaper(not get it wet) but completely ruin an outfit.
It meant that Eric had to help more with bedtime and get up time, and all the Kids had to learn to wait a little longer and help a little more. Either I needed to learn to cook while breastfeeding or we were going to eat a lot of take out (since Applebee's would be out now cause he won't do a blanket).
We all had to patient! It took time but Jordan became less clingy and I got used to hearing a baby cry for longer than 10-20 seconds before I could respond! (Of course there is that cry you know...I have to answer right now... I can't describe it other than you know it when you hear it!)
It was so much different with Jordan than with Miranda. All my other children wanted to help and hold and snuggle him. They are bigger, more mobile and in some ways much scarier to a mom of a little one! Well we have worked through that and we have learned and are practicing every day!
I found ways to have the kids help me safely and Jordan has sort of gotten used to a sister with one volume who"Pops up" out of nowhere and tries to "hug you" to death, a little friend who looks like she is going to bite you every time she really wants to kiss you (she actually ends up licking the baby); a big brother who signs your name upside down and wants you to play cars now! and a mom who can't believe how much have changed our lives already.
I know as a family, we have so much more to learn from Jordan. I hope patience is something all of us can keep learning. However when Jordan and I have accomplished this skill I am planning on letting him instruct Melea and Adrian.
I really can't wait to watch him grow and mature into a toddler...oh yeah patience....it will come soon enough.
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