Is he asleep?

I cannot remember the last time I was able to get eight hours of complete and uninterrupted sleep. The idea that I used to sleep that much boggles every fiber of my being. I guess it has been 10 months, actually…

I used to turn over to my wife in the wee hours of the morning…

“How’s he doin’?” I whisper.

“He’s perfect.” My wife replies… “Go back to sleep.”

I hear the sweet lullaby music through Mauldin’s little monitor. The blue light illuminates our bedroom with it’s blaring, yet soft light… one wall bathed in a blue glow. I have gotten so used to the music that I barely hear it anymore. Although, I will notice if it stops.

“Did you put it on repeat?” my wife quickly asks.

“I thought I did,” I replied. “Crap!”

I throw the covers off and tiptoe on our cold, hardwood floor and make my way to the hallway. The carpet is a warm change from our room. I tend to have the ability to stealthfully enter his room, restart his music and walkout without stirring a mouse or a 10-month old boy.

The hard part is trying to get out of his room without stepping on and activating any of his toys!
“Mooooo!” or “whoo hoo!” would suddenly sound along with a few choice four letter words from my mouth. Luckily that hasn’t happened… my James Bond or Mission Impossible moves are pretty good.

Our son has graced us with the ability to sleep though the night without waking up, crying, wet or anything else that might cause a 10-month old cause to scream at 3am.

I haven’t known what to do… I used to wake up in the middle of the night for so long – I wake up now at 6am and don’t feel totally rested… why is that? I sleep yet I don’t feel rested? Ironic,

don’t you think?

I guess I should enjoy the uninterrupted snoozing because come June our lives will be turned into the late night feedings and rocking cycle again.

I thought the days or should I say nights of tired eyes was over… I was wrong, so wrong.

But, it will be so worth it!

My Life Would Suck Without You...

Today, after I picked up my six inch. turkey sub, on wheat bread, complete with Swiss cheese, mayo and just a squirt of spicy mustard, from Publix, I turned on the radio; to Sirius/XM 20 on 20. I was on my ride back into the office, in my car, when I heard Kelly Clarkson’s new song, “My Life Would Suck Without You!”

Now this isn’t the first time I have heard this catchy tune…you would have to be living under a rock not to have heard it! My apologies to my blog-fans who reside under rocks. But, I mean if you get internet access you could atleast turn it to xmradio.com, right? Okay, I digress…

I immediately thought, “My life will suck without my 20 on 20 playlist from Sirius Radio!”

I understand my days are limited where I can enjoy the “un-cut” versions of songs. I don’t even actually enjoy some of the stuff that is on the airwaves these days… Just the other day, to skew from the subject, just for a moment, Laura and I were skimming the channels and ran across the new season of MTV’s“The Real World” and apparently it is set in Brooklyn… I just felt so detached from that show now… I feel I cannot relate to it anymore… I felt, so, so… so, I’m going there, old. I felt old.

It is inevitable, upon the arrival of our bundle of joy, our song choices, for the car and at home, will be altered to child-friendly melodies. Sweetly sung diddlies that will enhance and put a signature smile of his gleaming face. But, then I thought, while looking in my rearview mirror and gazing upon the Graco snug-ride base, in the backseat, sans baby carrier and baby, that will today’s music really effect him that much? Will I be restricted to “safe” tunes? I know my wife is on my side with this. Can I stomach only the “safe” stuff? Also, another tangent, we were in a children’s store and they music they were playing were popular songs, but sung by a gaggle of children! It was basically making me ill to listen to it. Poor Ryan Cabrera, Tonic and John Mayer have had some of their songs converted into a tune where a chorus of children belt it out as if it is a song they would sing while in music class! I was appauled and threw up in my mouth a little…

I thought, what do I listen to on a day-to-day basis right now? What is frequently played on the airwaves? Lady Gaga, Rhianna, Britney Spears and T-pain… truly… will this genre of music poison my son’s brain and cause him to act differently? Will he be swayed to wear his little diaper down to his knees because that’s how his “homies kick it?” Has there been a study done on the effects that pop and ghetto music have on infants? Surly not! Do I want to be a case-study? No. So, what are our choices…lets see… well, the regular music we listen to now while mixing in the soothing lullabies, a little Radio Disney, here and there, the occasional, various children’s CD (Old McDonald, etc…) and classical music; as to stimulate our son, so he can be the next Wolfgang Amadeus. I know some people who swear by Christian CD’s and the like, but honestly, and let me preface I am not against the Christian music, however, it’s kinda lame. But, that’s just my humble opinion… comment how you will…

I sometimes see my nephews, niece or even children of my friends and the little one's try to dance... they shake their heads and basically get giggy with themselves! It's classic! Will Mauldin have rhythm? Will he bust a move? Only time will tell...

I would certainly like to have a well-rounded child, but I guess I will play whatever, in the car, and he will latch on to something he enjoys, right? So, either he will be wanting to sing-a-long to “How much is that doggy in the window..” or he could hum along to JT’s Summer Love. Whatever the case may be… the music I listen to will be limited… but honestly, without some mainstream music in my car… I may lose my mind!