I have recently become a stay-at-home mom with Jack and have been enjoying my days, which include a new realm of sights, smells and sounds.

I do miss the smell of the ink from the newspaper when I would walk into the Globe each morning and the sounds of my co-workers discussing the latest issues. It has been a majestic transition and has taken some time to get used to the change of things invading my senses.

The sounds are definitely different. I am listening to the unique sounds of nap time at the moment. It is the sound of the crackling white noise coming from the baby monitor and the occasional rustle of the crib sheets as Jack flips back and forth.

He isn’t a sound sleeper, so I have become used to the noise of restlessness while he naps or sleeps and have stopped rushing upstairs every time the monitor detects movement. I guess that also comes from learning to relax as a mom. It has taken me several weeks to realize nap time should also be a time for me to catch up on reading and rest — otherwise, I am as cranky as a baby who has not napped.

Moms need a break from a job that doesn’t allow you to walk away when you get overwhelmed. I no longer get to take a few minutes to fill my coffee cup and visit the snack machine like I used to do at work. In fact, I sometimes forget to eat, and make up for it ten-fold later.

Of course, the new smells are interesting. There is the obvious scent of a dirty diaper or sour baby outfit from spit up, but there are also the smells of your baby’s hair or skin that make up for the other offending odors. Each brand of diaper also has its own unique aroma, as do baby shampoos and lotions.

Finally, the most breathtaking new thing I get to experience is the sight of Jack each and every day with no interruption. I used to wonder how it would be to see him every moment of every day. Would I get sick of him? Would I need a break? So far, I can’t imagine ever spending time away from him again. The sight of Jack in the morning before he wakes up — sticking his bottom lip out in his sleep because he is dreaming — is enough to make me laugh out loud, and I often have to leave the room so I can. Then there is the sight of him when you first walk into a room. Without fail, he will grin from ear to ear just to hear someone say his name. I am even thankful for the times when I have to see him cry because it means he is here and able to use his lungs, something I don’t take for granted for even a second.

It all makes me wonder what Jack is thinking sometimes about the new sights, sounds and smells he experiences in his new life among the oxygen-breathers. What does he think when he sees a new person, hears a car going down the road or smells food cooking in the oven? Right now, he can only react with smiling or frowning at someone new, and crying when he hears a sound that doesn’t agree with his ears. And as for his sense of smell, I won’t have a clue as to what he thinks of the smell (and taste) of my cooking until he can talk.

Be kind, Jack.

Address correspondence to Rachel Kubicek, c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, Mo. 64802 or e-mail rkubicek@joplinglobe.com.