Mad Mom Skills

In my new role as Mom, I have found a whole new set of skills that are surprising, not only to me, but also to Seth.  Since having Evie, I've developed the following special abilities that were previously completely lacking in my person:

• Super-sonic hearing.  Seth and I went to a buffet dinner last Saturday and, of course, we took Evie with us.  As I was getting my salad plate in this crowded restaurant with at least 10 other kids near me, I heard from across the restaurant Evie's peacock cry.  I wasn't able to see her, of course, but I knew she'd cried.  When I got back to the table, I asked Seth just to confirm, and yes, she had indeed let out one little peacock cry.
• Soothing touches.  Seth (who, if he ever read this blog, would probably hate that I was sharing this) has always had a hard time sleeping.  But since having Evie who sleeps next to our bed, sleeping has gotten even harder.  Plus he's staying up at night to feed her a mid-night bottle so I can get a bit of sleep.  He'll typically come to bed around 4 in the morning and soon the sun is shining and the neighbors are driving by our house on their way to work, and Seth has an even harder time going to/staying asleep.  So once particularly late night a couple of weeks ago,  I offered to rub his back for him while he was trying to sleep.  He just looked at me like I was crazy and said, "I really don't think that's going to help," but I convinced him to let me try.  Mostly I offered because I remember my Mom rubbing my back to help me sleep when I was a kid, and even now when I am sick, I'll wish my Mom was there to rub my back and get me to sleep.  I have been doing this for Evie, of course, and I know it's relaxing to her too.  So, sure enough, Seth was asleep within 5 minutes of me patting and rubbing his back.  Soothing Mom touches acquired!
• Bravery in the face of bugs.  Since Evie's birth, I have actually personally killed bugs in our house all by myself.  This is huge.  Previously, I would have screamed and called for Seth who would have told me if I wanted it dead, I'd have to do it myself, and only after a considerable amount of begging him to kill whatever creature rather than attempt to remove it (which never seemed to work...) would he oblige me and destroy it.  (Sorry to any bug-lovers/Hindus reading...  When they come into my house, I reserve the right to evict them in whatever way I see fit.)  But since Evie has arrived, there must be some kind of Mom-adrenaline that makes me less frightened - at least to the point that I will kill them myself. 

Wonder what other super-powers I'll develop over the next several years...