A little self-congratulation?

How to change a Logan's Bow at 3:30 am when it falls off (without waking up your husband and all your neighbors):

1. Slowly remove the medical tape that is no longer holding the metal bow on properly from your baby's face in such a way that he doesn't scream. Don't mind that the nurses at the hospital that did this last cut the tape so long that it went into your baby's hair, so having it pulled off may be like getting his little sideburns waxed.

2. Cradle your already-cranky, recovering baby that has only let you sleep maybe 10 out of the last 72 hours in one arm while you collect supplies: medical tape, scissors, 3M prep pad.

3. Set your supplies down within arm's reach, then sit on your exercise ball, still with the baby in one arm, and bounce lightly to keep him snoozing, since you're not supposed to let him cry (ha!) especially without the bow keeping pressure off his sutures.

4. Hold the roll of medical tape in the same hand that's holding the baby, and with the other, cut the tape to the appropriate width and length and secure it on the bow. Don't stop bouncing, or he'll be screaming shortly.

5. Open the 3M prep pad that makes your sweet baby's face smell like Scotch tape (and which, by the way, your baby hates), and rub it on his cheeks where the tape will go, still without waking him up. Put the pad back in it's little packet and make sure to save it, since you only have 5 of these to last you a month, and they don't carry them at the local pharmacy.

6. With one hand, somehow squeeze your baby's cheeks in slightly and tape the bow down at the same time. Make sure it's stuck down tight in just the right spot, or you may have to do all this all over again.

7. Now that your baby is fast asleep, get him to take his baby Tylenol and drink another ounce of milk so that he doesn't wake up again in 10 minutes, hungry and in pain. Then place him quietly back in his crib to slumber while you stay up for another 30 minutes to squeeze out his next meal, and maybe blog about the whole experience while you're at it.

I wrote this post for my personal blog in a moment of euphoria after pulling off what I just described. I hope that it brings you a smile, and reminds us all that we should both give ourselves some credit for rising to the occasion when our kids need it and be thankful for the help we receive - both earthly and divine.