One step at a time...

So I have no idea how mama's of newborns get ready in the morning. Seriously. Jori doesn't like to be set down too much while she's awake-sometimes she'll be a trooper, others not. She WILL let us put her down when she's asleep during the day without much fuss, and sometimes even before she's asleep but about to fall asleep. During the day. Night time is harder for her, at least at bedtime.

Anyway so here's my report for the day: I took a shower AND did my hair when it was just Jori and I home today!! Woo hoo!! She was so good-I just brought her bouncer into the bathroom, and when she was fussing she decided she would take her pacifier (SCORE! I think it helps calm her a lot, when she will accept it. But she doesn't often want to accept it) and she lightly slept while I bathed. I did have to do half my hair like 45 minutes later but STILL!!! When Sam got home at noon, I was showered and clothed! Progress!

I also am still learning how to nurse and change her in public. The first time I tried to change her in public was last Tuesday, and it was quite the fiasco:

Sam and I were out running an errand, and it was time for her to eat. She was still asleep so I woke her up, fed her on one side and decided I'd change her before feeding her on the other. Sam was there to help me stay covered while nursing, but obviously when I took her into a nearby women's restroom I was flying solo.

She was acting pretty calm, so I thought "no problem, I got this." I eased off her diaper and foom! Immediately a steady flow of water erupts from my baby's downstairs. Yikes! I grabbed her and half lifted her quickly, as we always do when she does this to try to save her clothes from getting all peed on.

Then she started crying. Duh.

So I was trying to sponge up the liquid with her wet wipes (and failing), when she decides she's not done and ALSO poops all over.

Oh boy.

Poor Jori was screaming at this point, and I was completely stuck. I couldn't set her down without making her lay in her own filth, but I couldn't really pick her up without getting it all over MY clothes either. And those wet wipes were NOT working!

Finally I just grabbed a wet wipe, stuck it under her bum and was able to at least semi-hold her so I could move toward the paper towels. I was relieved I'd thought of a solution.

But this was one of those stupid automatic paper towel dispensers, and it would not activate! So I was holding this poor half-naked screaming infant with a wet wipe under her bum, frantically waving my hand in front of this dispenser and almost yelling at the little light on it to turn red! Turn red! Arg!

Finally, one paper towel dispensed, so I gratefully grabbed it and took her back over.

But that was retarded-how much can one paper towel absorb?

And THIS is where an angel from above appeared.

This nice lady walked in, cheerfully said hello on her way to the Lou, then turned back and asked if I needed any help. I gratefully accepted and said I needed paper towels, which she quickly acquired for me. So I was finally able to sponge up Jori's waste, get a new, dry diaper on her cold little body, put everything away and wrap up my distressed newborn in a blanket.

Thank goodness for anonymous angels in our midst! I have no idea what I would have done without her. Probably started crying.