Little Help From My Friends

Never has this song title made more sense. With M starting his race season, and cashing in on our wedding vows to "support each other in adventures" I find myself needing to call in the troops. Between him finishing the race bike with the "delinquents" as I call them (his volunteer project) and then working on it overtime in his own shop because, let's face it, they're just teenagers not race bike mechanics, and then actually loading up and going to the races, I've found...I've needed a little help around the house.

Biggest shout out goes to my local girls C & S so are so in love with the baby it doesn't take much for me to get them scheduled in. They've spent many a countless weeknight or Saturday afternoon here at home with me and baby A cooing, walking, and cuddling her as she gets through her newborn grumps. S has been trying out new recipe ideas on us, to M's delight when he gets home late from the shop.

My best friend R actually packed up her giant SUV from Ohio with her two girls, favorite blankets and pillows, tons of toys and DVDs and lots of good natured excitement and headed to Chicago last weekend to keep us company. They're 6 and 4 - just the right age to have a sense of adventure, but not care that the digs were not fancy. They both happily slept on the floor of the nursery while their mom took the tiny daybed. We had a blast, and it just felt like Christmas to have them here in my own house.

My writing group partner Z often emails to see if I need to get out for a walk, so I bjorn Little A up and we head out to a local park with her 4 year old so I can pick her brain about traveling with babies, babysitters and other matters. My old roommate B will stop by and we will marvel at how much our lives have changed in less than a year. P with her own boy down the street supplied me with stew and fresh bread and salad in the early days, and sends me notes and lunch and dinner invitations, which we are going to start working on this week.

And my own mom is so enamored with baby A she is coming back for another week long visit at the end of the month. She hasn't visited me in YEARS prior to little angel showing up. Ahh the things babies do to grandparents! I think its helped our relationship a lot, for her to see how good I am at mothering, and how good my relationship with M is (and how natural he is with the baby). I daresay she's a bit impressed, and thankfully, comfortable here. I'll take it. 

I'm so glad I got over my aversion to asking people for help. But with a baby this cute, it doesn't seem too much of a stretch.