Noodle in the Nursery

Sunday morning, Phillip and I decided that today would be the day Noodle would go to the church nursery while he and I attended the service.  All morning the idea seemed fine to me... I had been in the nursery with her before, the attendants seemed competent and caring, they told me that they cleaned the toys regularly, and they had a set ratio of babies to adults, and the bottom line is, that Miss Wiggle-a-lot, would simply not sit still or last in our arms throughout the service anymore.  Phillip and I rationalized that, truth be told, she probably needs the social interaction from other little people her size, too.

So we left early (unusual for us Van Court's :) arriving at church at 10:40 (the service starts at 10:50).  We approached the nursery and I noted that there were maybe 7 other babies in the nursery.  My first thought was, "oh, it's definitely too busy, they won't be able to give her the attention she needs... this simply isn't going to work out."  Without words, I could tell Phillip was reading my mind.  He gently leaned over and said, "I bet some of those babies are from the service that's getting out, let's just wait a minute."  Sure enough... he was right.  Shortly after that comment 3 babies were picked up by their parents... and those babies seemed OK... so maybe my baby would, too?  The lady at the check-in desk asked "who is this?" referring to Sweet Callie-girl... and then I knew it was too late to run away, clutching my baby... like I wanted to.  I introduced her to Callie and we signed in her name and ours on the sign-in sheet... and then the lady asked "any special instructions?"  I started blabbering, "that she's a breastfeed baby, but there's a bottle of formula in her diaper-bag if she's super hungry, and she has very sensitive skin, so please use the diaper-rash ointment, liberally, if she needs a diaper-change..." Phillip cut me off and simply replied, "no, there are no special instructions."  The lady smiled and handed me a bracelet with the number 800 on it, the number that was also placed on Callie's name tag and on the sign-in sheet, to match us, and then asked if I would also like a pager... I jumped at the question "ABSOLUTELY". (Why would I say no?!?  If my baby NEEDS me... I want to be notified IMMEDIATELY... if not SOONER!!!) Perhaps the poor woman realized that she was dealing with a first timer and was trying to make the process as painless as possible.  Phillip handed Callie to the lady, where Callie leaned back a little to get a better look at this stranger that was holding her, and off to the nursery they went to play.

Phillip placed his arm around my waist and said... "let's go in"... and we walked through the doors of the sanctuary.  I could feel the giant lump forming in my throat.  I couldn't believe how powerful the emotions were I was feeling.  I was just leaving her in the church nursery.  She would be fine.  I had to keep it together.  The greeter complimented us on our adorable daughter and mentioned that she had noticed that Callie "doesn't miss a beat"... meaning that Callie is very observant and likes to really take everything around her, in.  She said her 17 year old daughter was the same way and now she's an amazing artist that's very detail oriented.  Phillip and I agreed that, that sounded a little like her Grampa Steve :).

We decided to sit in the very back row... closest to the doors that open directly to the nursery... ok, well, I decided that.  We sat down, and I looked at the pager I held, white-knuckled, in my hand... and I started sobbing.  This shouldn't be this hard... right?  Ugh... I'm nearly certain that with our 3rd child... we'll be dumping it at the door at just a few weeks old.  But this first one... well... we're all learning.  And I know that Callie needed to spend some time playing with other babies... I'm just selfish enough to admit that I really missed my sweet baby.  I tried to pull myself together and Phillip said, "let me just go make sure she's getting settled"... he wasn't gone but a minute or two and he came back smiling.  Callie was playing with another little girl and was just as happy as could be.  Everything was going to be just fine.

It may have been the longest church service of my life... and Phillip's watch wasn't telling the correct time... so when the benediction was FINALLY read... I raced out the doors as quickly as I could... to get my baby.

The lady at the desk came out with Callie in her arms and said that she was a very good baby, and that the only time she even began to fuss was when another baby got their paci, but as soon as she got hers... she was completely content.  I snatched Callie out of the lady's arms and clung to her... I missed my baby!!!!!  Callie's eyes were exhausted.  She had played hard... so Phillip and I agreed to just go home, skip lunch and get out little Noodle down for a nap.  We survived.  We all survived, Callie's first time in the Nursery... at 8 1/2 months old.  Phillip and I agreed that we would do it again next weekend... and the weekend after that... and that it would get easier every time.

I can't even begin to imagine dropping off Callie at her first day of school... or her moving out and going to College... I just can't... but luckily... we've got a little bit of time on our hands before we get there (praise God!).

Phillip said, jokingly, after it was all said and done, that perhaps in the "special instructions box" on the sign-in sheet that was merely 1/2 inch in height and MAYBE two inches across, he should have written "psycho first time mom" in efforts to warn the attendants.

In other news... Callie and I enjoy taking baths together in mommy and daddy's big bathtub... so here is a shot of her getting ready to take her bath...

I could just eat that chubby tummy!!!  And her little bottom is just ADORABLE!!

ANNNND... because I let her stand there for just a moment too long without a diaper on... here is her peeing on our floor... I love that she's looking down at it, like... what on earth is happening?!  And where is my diaper mother?!