I'm a fan (and she is, too)

One of the most special things about a new mommy and her baby is that were they competing in a game of football, each would cheer for the other side.

I've learned the past couple weeks, sometimes, admittedly, to my dismay, that I'm undoubtedly Kalina's favorite person. "How sweet!" kindly exclaim the sentimentalists who are then able to go about their daily lives, showered and without backaches that never end.

"How sweet!" I agree as long as I'm fed, watered, clean, comfortable and relatively well entertained (i.e., a magazine) and have an empty bladder. Seeing as I'm about ready to buy Target out of Advil and adult diapers, those things don't happen very often, especially all at once.

Actually, it really is sweet in theory and I know I'll greatly miss the days when although I have to contort myself to make her comfortable and then hold the position for a decade to keep her asleep, a cute little baby is cuddled happily in my arms. Truly, I will.

But is it bad if I say she's a bit clingy? Am I really that cool? New-motherhood certainly has its ego boosts.

At the same time, this apparent compliment is coming from a being who blows spit bubbles (and not even cool big ones) and has just barely begun to realize she has hands, let alone a pancreas. Should I truly be honored?

And then there's the other side of things. "Mom, do I really need dozens of pink onesies with cute prints and pictures on them? And why did you decorate my room when I don't even care while yours still looks a tiny bit like Wal-Mart's back storage area? What gives?"

I admit, I'm as enchanted with Kalina as she seems to be with me. Especially when she has a pink cupcake embroidered on her outfit. How sweet!

Her attachment isn't entirely crippling. For instance, I can bend down about as far as I could when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant while I'm holding her, and I've learned how to do the following activities one-handed:
-Fasten twist-ties
-Make a sandwich
-Do a complete load of laundry (minus folding)
-Eat a full meal
-Feed the cats
-Retrieve and sort through mail
-Type

And it can actually be useful, too. "I couldn't possibly take out the trash. You wouldn't want me to spill it on the baby, would you?" Plus, if it were winter, I'd enjoy the extra warmth.

So as long as Kalina doesn't mind if I haven't showered, I think we'll do okay. She's cute, she seems to like me, and I don't need my left arm, anyway.