Baby Bug got her first real bath in a baby bathtub today. I’ve been a horrible mom. I’ve only been washing her face and I’ve only given her one real sponge bath since she’s been born. To tell you the truth, I was terrified of immersing her in water. I don’t know what I’d do wrong but I guess I was just afraid I wouldn’t know what to do at all. It’s very hard to hold her squirming little body and wash in between all the many folds and creases. I think I was just intimidated. So I just let her be dirty.

Today my mom and sister-in-law and nieces came in to visit for the day. I took advantage of their willingness to help with the baby and got some lessons on how to wash Baby Bug properly. Boy did I learn some things! I had no idea she was so dirty! There was old dried stinky milk in the creases of her neck and I had no idea! My SIL was very thorough and probably washed ten layers of dead skin off Baby Bug. She is a much cleaner baby now. But more importantly, I feel a lot less afraid of the baby bathtub. It actually seemed pretty easy and Baby Bug actually liked the warm water. She only squealed a little bit.

I think today was a turning point.

First of all, Baby Bug was an angel baby all day long. We didn’t have one badger baby episode. Not one!

Second, we went to Target and I finally bought a nursing bra. Oh. My. Goodness! What a difference! I am so much more comfortable. I don’t know why I’ve been squishing myself in to my old bras all this time. Life got a zillion times better today. It is much easier to nurse with the proper bra. I thought I was too cool for those snappy things that fold down. I was wrong. They are so much better than the old way of just pushing my bra up and letting it cut off the circulation to my boob.

Thirdly, Toby bought some baby saline drops and giving Baby Bug a drop in her nose before nursing does wonders for the awful snorking sound that she used to make. No more sputtering and gaging. Phew!

Fourthly, I bought some new pajamas at Target. I didn’t even try them on. I just bought larges. I never used to wear large, but I have a mom body now. I put them on tonight and they fit perfectly! It feels so good to wear pajamas that aren’t stained with milk and aren’t a t-shirt and sweats out of Toby’s closet. It feels so good to match again.

I think I can do this mom thing.