Happy New Year, geeks, nerds and whatever else you might like or not like to call yourselves! Sorry it took me a few weeks to get back here but my life (and brain) have been occupied by the Tiny Dictator in so many ways. Mr. Megan and I have faced some new challenges with Max already and I’m excited to share them with you and how we’ve used our super nerd powers to overcome them.
Oh, where do I begin? A new baby presents so many obstacles to a well organized nerd’s routine. I’ve always prided myself on being a great multi-tasker both at home and work. I manage a salon which at any given moment means working on a client in my chair, answering the phone, keeping one eye and ear on my other stylists, keeping track of my time (or lack of) and probably even planning how to fit in my next bathroom break between appointments. All at once. At home I’m not still for long, either, always picking up, wiping, organizing and tweeting, all while keeping one eye on whatever tv show my husband and I are currently obsessing over. All at once. With the arrival of Max, my skills of productivity and organization have been pushed to new limits and I’ve found myself coming to terms with the fact that I can’t be that person anymore, at least not for the next few months. With all the new responsibilities and hurdles Max brings to my daily life, I’ve had to let go of many bits and pieces that I previously thought so imperative to my peace of mind.
It was too easy in the beginning to let the death of ‘old Melissa’ weigh heavily on my mind, at times even making me feel sad for what I believed I had lost. But then I found in myself a strength that my nerd genes have gifted me with: the ability to grow and adapt as a person. A demanding, needy Max who does not like to be put down or left alone forced me to learn to do most things with one hand while juggling his wiggling, slippery body in the other. His short, unpredictable naps mean whatever I accomplish in the way of cleaning and organizing must be done at a running pace, always ready to drop what I’m doing when the dragon awakens and screams to be fed. A dirty diaper or a hungry belly will stop us from leaving home on schedule, which means my new routine is based on keeping his butt clean and his stomach full. Waking every two hours during the night gives me little chunks of time to catch up on reading my comics and my twitter feed. Being resourceful and creative have never been more important abilities to me as they are now.
Getting back to writing at my previous output is still a work in progress, as typing more than a few sentences at a time is almost impossible with only one hand available. Recently, I was clued in to a voice to text program for dictation that seems promising and I’m very excited to give that a shot. We’ve found ways to not become homeless via diapering expenses by researching prices, signing up for subscription services that offer deals and even clipping a few coupons (online). We took a family road trip to Iowa and back for the holidays and I’m proud to say that after 4 whole days in a car and 2 days being clobbered by excited family, all three of us returned home in decent shape. Sure, Max thought bedtime was when the sun is up for a few days, but that worked itself out well enough once we got back. I became a pro at changing a diaper and feeding in the back seat. Mr. Megan learned that rushing feeding time only means the screaming baby will demand another stop to eat in 15 minutes rather than two hours. Being bigger does not mean you are in charge when Max is around.
Despite missing little bits of my pre-mommy life, this new adventure has been a lot of fun in a very ninja warrior sort of way. My nerd senses are being challenged and honed every day, which I believe will one day make me a super powered nerd mom. I still get my new comics each week, I just read them at 1, 3, 5 and 7 am. Our first babysitter event was for a date night on opening weekend of The Hobbit. Although I checked my phone every 10 minutes, even parenthood can wait for J.R.R. Tolkien. Rather than give up my geeky obsessions, I simply push them on my baby, who is currently unable to protest. He now proudly (I imagine) wears his Batman, Star Trek and Star Wars shirts as a testament to his parents’ dedication to molding him in to their nerdy little dream child. In conclusion, being a nerd means being well equipped with skills that make parenting a satisfying, fun, creative challenge.
I would love to hear about how your nerd talents have come in handy as a parent. I’ve been grateful to receive so much helpful advice and knowledge from my beloved nerd community already!
