I've been a prisoner on my couch for the last month and a half.   Before the baby was born, I found a glider rocking chair at a garage sale for 25.00.  It wasn't the most beautiful rocker-but it was cheap and came with the footstool for free.  I figured I'd learn how to sew-and sew me up a cool slip cover for the rocker.  (hahahahaha)  The first week home,  I tried to use the rocker.  Unfortunately, my butt and the breast feeding pillow didn't fit the chair.  So I took up residence on the couch.  I set up my glass of water, reading material, piles of junk mail to go through etc...Then as I'm feeding, I just throw my trash on the floor for Jim to pick up.  I suppose I could put a garbage can there but it's kinda fun sailing the 453rd piece of campaign literature across the room.

Once done feeding, I have a little angel baby laying on my lap-the problem was figuring out how to transfer him from my lap to crib without waking the baby up.  So frequently, I would just sit with the baby on my lap until the next feeding occurred.  Add to this the dog's new fascination with my lap and you're likely to find me sitting on the couch with baby on top, pillow and Maxx snuggled up on my lap underneath the pillow.  I've become a chair for babies and dogs. 

Eventually, I'd get up and attempt to do something-but then the baby would cry and I'd be trying to clear the dishwasher with the baby in one arm.  It got even more difficult when I attempted to do anything while carrying baby in one arm and attempting to soothe him by placing my other finger in the baby's mouth.  We call that giving the baby the finger.  He gives us the real finger probably because of the crappy diapers we bought him.

We measured baby Chedda at the local pumpkin patch-hey as long as we're weighing pumpkins let's check out how big he's getting, right?  And since he is now over 8 pounds, I decided to try the baby carrier my sister in law sent.  Ahhhhhhhhhhh, heaven.  Of course I'm not completely free-since I still have a baby attached to my chest.  But it hides the leftover haagen daz belly and frees up a couple of arms so I can check email, read books and clean. 

With all my new found freedom, I was able to find these helpful rules to baby caring.