(Why am I naming days?)

8/16/14, Day, 13,983 (Mercena Day 2): Mercena West, Day Two; or, The Waterfall of Meconium

If you have not brought an infant into the world recently, you might be forgiven for thinking the alternate title of this day, “The Waterfall of Meconium,” was the charming story of a magical waterfall where sylvan folk go to frolic and make playful mischief.

On the other hand, if you have brought an infant into the world recently, then you can imagine the mingled yarn of disgust and awe as our precious angel got rid of all her meconium in one minute-long, cascading butt-gush.

Another precious moment occurred when New Father awoke just before dawn for the latest round of Calm the Baby when he noticed that New Mother had wisely velcroed the Sleep Sheep (AKA, the stuffed animal savior of our now besieged nights) to the bassinet to avoid it getting in sleeping Mercena’s way. Desperate for the aid of the recorded-sound-spewing-ewe, New Dad strove mightily to wrest the velcro off with one weary hand as the other carried the screaming babe. But the Sheep was tenacious, and with a cry of “F*ck this sheep,” New Dad stumbled into the living room to Calm the Baby on his own.

In other words, we are having the (exhausted) time of our lives adapting to this beautiful new person who can still count her waking days on one grasping fist.

Also worth noting: the support from our friends and family has been just amazing, and we are all so deeply grateful for the food, hand-me-downs, gifts, poems and gestures of love to our new family. It means so much to us.

I don’t know if all my posts will be Mercena-centric for the foreseeable future, but I do know I want to capture as many moments as I can, as everything is already moving so fast in the long daynight of babyland.

Technique never stands still: it only advances or retreats…

Writing: 124 out of 152 days (Untitled Space Play)
Spanish: 110 out of 152 days
Music: 23 out of 57 days

What small things did I do yesterday to help build the Honeycomb?
(And what does it mean to “Help build the honeycomb?”)

• Signed a petition in support of a comprehensive U.S. strategy to end illegal poaching in Africa;
• Asked Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson to respect the human rights of all residents;
• Signed a petition in support of a law ensuring that union organizing is protected as a civil right;
• Ate vegetarian and added no direct food waste.