as i look back now, i can laugh...

...but at first, it was no laughing matter.

when roman was just a teency weency 8 days old, my sister and her little charlotte were staying with us to help us new parents out :) anyways.......she thought i needed to get out of the house, you know - to get some fresh air. because, after coming home from the hospital, we didn't leave the house much, well come on - a)roman was just days old and b) he was attached to his "light blanket" which needed to be plugged into the wall, because he had jaunice.

but, when he was finally rid of the light blanket, liza was set on me getting out. and i'm glad she was, it is good to get out of the house, but at the time i just wanted to be snuggled up at home....going nowhere :)

so...it was decided, we would head to old navy...because there's an old navy about 3 miles from my house.

then i got overwhelmed.....
i hadn't even put roman in his car seat yet, heck, i didn't even know how to buckle the thing?!?! i never practiced before we went to the hospital, and mr leif is the one who buckled him in before we came home.....and now he was at work, and i had no clue how to buckle my child in his seat. awesome....but. with a few tries, i finally got it figured out and romyroo was safely buckled into his seat.

then i got more overwhelmed.....
i didn't even know how to collapse the stroller, in order to load it in my vehicle. heck, it had been sitting all cute in our front room ready to be used, but i had no idea how to collapse it or open it up....but. with a few tries, i finally got it figure out and halled it outside to the car.

we were off....diaper bag in tow. nipple shield too of course, because just in case we would have to nurse......i needed that shield. romes won't nurse without it.

first, we made a quick stop at a new store across the street from old navy. i hopped out, got the stroller out and opened, removed romes from the car and set his seat in the stroller, and grabbed the diaper bag. change of plans.......since it was just going to be a quick stop, i decided i really didn't need the diaper bag with me, he was sleeping soundly anyways. so - diaper bag was placed back in the car. lock the doors. and go on in to shop!

hummdeeedumm....oh about 20 minutes later we were headed out of the store, slightly disappointed with the lack of cool stuff. but we were off to old navy.

oh CRAP. the car is locked.
my keys are in the diaper bag.
because.....when i originally put the diaper bag in the stroller, i put the keys in the bag. and then when i put the bag back in the car....(like the weird nervous new mom i was)....i forgot to grab the keys......yet still locked the car.

PANNNNNNNNNNIC!

we are 3 miles from home!!!!
i have a new baby who is only a week old!!!
we are locked out of the car!!!!
i'm a horrible mom!!!
i don't have my nipple shield!!!
his only source of life, aka my milk, is locked up in my boobs without that little shield...
i'm a horrible mom!!!
why did i even leave the house anyways!?!?!?!?
panic!!!
breathe.
breathe.
call mr leif.......
walk over to old navy because it's cold outside and mr leif was going to call tripple A. or is it AAA? for me........
browse old navy.
tripple A arrives in 20 minutes.
walk back over to car (seriously we were the weirdos trecking across a giant shopping parking lot, in the cold, with a one year old and a new born, looking like freaks, trying not to get hit)
breathe.
tripple A man unlocks car, and was super nice by the way.

get in the car.
breathe.
drive home and secretly vow to myself never to leave the house again.

though, i did.
you know, i left again, because.........
well........
now i knew how to buckle him in his seat.
now i knew how to collapse and open his stroller.
now i knew to always grab the diaper bag, and heavens, make sure i have the keys.
now i knew to make sure i have a nipple shield at all times.

hehehehehe.
yep, i can laugh about it now.
but at the time??? not sure i had ever been more scared and disappointed in myself......

oh the joys of being a new mom.
all sorts of firsts.........

(like tonight, i was holding romes. he was naky. and he peed all over my shirt. then it dripped down my leg, onto my socks, and made a cute little puddle on the kitchen floor. but. i didn't care. heck, i just kept smooching his cheeks, thinking 'oh next he'll probably poop', oh well')

a little recap...

...from my cell phone :)

this morning, i was browsing through my phone, and i realized that i have been capturing quite the memories........

i wish i would have my camera with me more - but trying to buckle romes up in his car seat is enough of a task for me right now :)

his first time at the doc....

i was so nervous to take him out into the 'real world'! we went home from the hospital on friday - and we had to go in saturday morning! he slept for 45 min in the waiting room, before going back to get his heel pricked...and he did so fabulous - only a little whimper!

he has already gone from his birth weight of 7lb. 12oz. to 8.3! i'm trying to chunk him up - but i have a feeling he'll be tall like mr leif so it will be extra hard to get him the millions of rolls i'm dreaming of :)

his first time in a sling...and his first time at the park!
sweet cousin time with charlotte

sitting in his little lamb...while mommy takes a shower!

(i've gotta get clean somehow!)

loungin' in his light blanket...

poor little rome had to wear this jaundice contraption for about 6 days after we got home

ahhhhh....this light blanket isn't too bad!

his first thrifted outfit :)

momma snagged this cute get-up for $2

his debut at church!

sporting some cute little sweater swag from great aunt joan!

more cousin time with char...

ohmygoodness.

tomorrow he'll be 2 weeks old. eeek!

hello to you..

...mommy's blog friends!

i'm one week old today!

nice to meet you!

Welcome home MR. ROME, by Mr. Leif

Hey all, this is Mr. Leif guest blogging on Lindsey's behalf. We have been blessed with an amazing son, Roman Joe Leif. He came into this world Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at 12:01 PM. Lindsey will let you know more about the birth story soon.

I had been told by everyone with children what an indescribable experience the birth of a child is, and that is the TRUTH!

Was I prepared? NO, I don't think you can be.

The fact of the matter is that life has now changed, and never again will things be the same for Linds and I, but I don't think we would want it any other way.

How will life change? I am starting to compile the things that have already changed, including:

1. I drive slower! (The ride home was funny, we hopped on the interstate and we were smack dab in the middle of Roman's first traffic jam).

2. I don't sleep more than 3 hours consecutively. I am guessing this changes, but for now I am cool with it.

3. I smile more than I ever have at all times of day and night, even when I can't hardly open my eyes because I am waking up for that midnight feeding.

I know that more significant things will change, but we are riding the wave of emotion and are loving it! Thank you for all your thoughts, and prayers. Linds will keep you up-to-date in the next few days.