Here are pictures from over the last month..honestly I have not taken that many. I was waiting till his baby acne went away..haha...it is still on his nose but I figured I would update my blog nevertheless. Well, it started out VERY easy..all he did was sleep. He slept all day and to my surprise, all night. Then my mother came out which made life even easier as she basically took care of Isabella for a week. Around 3 weeks, Leo started becoming more alert during the day which I guess was better than just sleeping. He follows our faces and our voice if we move to different parts of the room. He startles very easy which is kind of funny. He is a heavy wetter so I change diapers a lot..even more since I use cloth diapers. Gary has started calling him "cub" and Bella has taken to it as well.
As for how it is on me having 2 children: Now that Leo is awake more, I often find myself nursing on the couch and just helplessly watching as my house is taken over by a two-year old and the messes that come with that. I have at least 2 times per day when both of them are crying and it pretty much drives me insane. Leo, like Bella but not as much, likes to be held and cries if I put him down. Luckily this time I have an assortment of baby carriers that help me out. However, by the end of the day my back is very sore from holding him and nursing him...but I don't want to complain too much. He is still much easier than Isabella ever was.
Isabella has done so great in the role of "Big Sister." She loves to kiss Leo and hold him. She will get things for me like diapers and my phone if it is ringing and I am in the other room. She has become such a big girl overnight. She feels like she weighs a ton now after holding a newborn(how did I carry her 9 months pregnant?!) She can get herself in her car seat all by herself, she can get water and food for herself if she needs to, and she has gotten more into imagination play which I love.
Sometimes I just do not know how mothers do it with more than 1 child though. The few times I have gone to the store with both of them have not been my favorite thing in the world. I will put Leo in the wrap and Bella in the cart but just lifting her into the cart while holding Leo on my front is no easy task. Then if she is not in the cart, I find it difficult to hold onto her and the grocery cart and keep my sanity. Once I was holding Leo and something else and she went into the parking lot all by herself and I could not catch her to grab her hand...I was both scared and mad. How do moms with MORE than 2 do it?
So..just as I was writing the last paragraph, Leo started crying upstairs. I went up there, got in bed with him and nursed him laying down. I love the mornings because of these sweet moments I get with my new baby just cuddling and nursing. Well, occasionally Isabella will get into something or I will just sense that the house is too quiet. The problem is that often I will just stay upstairs either in denial or imagining what will await me when I leave my haven of peace and go downstairs. Well today was no exception. As I was upstairs, I called down to her to ask what she was doing and I faintly heard something about the counter and powder. Well I did not actually go down then(denial) and when I finally did, I found her on the counter smearing baking soda all over it(at least it is a cleaner). I snapped a picture and this is where I will end my blogging for today and get back to motherhood.
11 comments:
Oh man, I was just there a few months ago! I promise, it will get easier. They get more fun as they get older, and the kids will all start to get used to the routine. If you want a break, feel free to drop Bella off over here while you and Leo go shopping!
so i think leo looks like a Parente!!
he is adorable! hope to see you guys soon! love u!
It does get easier! I wonder what 3 is like? I guess we'll let Shannon tell us :)
Just to let you know, that's my life all the time! I'd like to tell you it gets easier, but it doesn't, really. The difference is you get acclimated to it, and hopefully learn to take things more in stride. I've been trying to train myself to laugh rather than get angry at messes, which happen frequently. This is SIGNIFICANTLY easier now that I have a blog and can share stories that others will find funny (and I will too, eventually). The nature of having two+ kids doesn't change, just your ability to handle it. Since you are so amazing, I'm sure you'll adjust much faster than I did! When Leo gets older they will play together and give you brief respites (and bigger messes!). All in all, though, it's a great experience.
How fun. I Love the picture of Bella on the counter. We did call on the apartments, and my mother in law is going over to check them out. How much did you get them for a month. We could only find a 1 bedroom with a den for around are price range, and I was wondering if you guys were able to get a better offer. I am very excited. We have narrowed it down to about 3 apartment complexes and all of them are pretty close to each other which would mean we will probably end up in the same ward again!! That will be fun.
It's a constant learning curve. Eventually you figure out some tricks... like Drew has to hold onto the cart while we are walking into and out of the store, it's that or sit in the back with the cold groceries against his legs when we get inside. ;) As far as running off while you are in there, well my 4 year old is still getting the hang of that. You just learn to deal with it I guess. And Drew never gets too far from me. Also, as soon as you park, go grab yourself a cart, put Bella in it first, then attach Leo. Or you'll kill your back!
I vividly remember the mess making strategy... Drew was very good at it! It helped a little if I had a snack ready for when I sat down to nurse, or a video, or even a stack of books to read to him. I know you want to enjoy that quiet time with you baby, but it might take a while for Bella to get the hang of managing herself first.
You're doing great! Hope you don't mind my unsolicited advice! ;)
We go to the store during Burke's morning nap. He falls asleep in the car and when we get to the store I park near the cart return, get a cart, put Louisa in the front of the cart and then put the sleeping baby in the carseat on the back of the cart. It only leaves a foot and a half or so between the two kids to put groceries into the cart but it is the only possible way of shopping with an 8-month-old who weighs nearly 25 pounds! I had to stop using the baby carrier a few months ago, he's just too big and grabs at everything.
Good luck, I sometimes don't think I've totally adjusted to the two kids yet, my house is always a mess! As someone else mentioned, it does help to laugh and imagining myself in the toddler shoes helps me get less angry.
Zion & Clive are 2.5 years apart. It was HARD. I also had PPD for the first 5 months, which didn't help. I can tell you that after a couple of years I was really glad that they were so close in age because they started enjoying playing together, and now they are (generally) good buddies, though they do squabble a fair amount. There was a reason I waited four years to add #3. Hang in there! (((hugs)))
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's a science to go grocery shopping with two kids! Actually most of your post described my current life. Thanks for sharing.
Sarah,
I don't think I ever said congrats! I've looked at all of the cute pics of your little buy, but never made a comment. I'm so sorry. He is adorable, and I can't believe you are a mom of two already. If you end up with some good words of wisdom, let me know.
Sarah, I have been thinking of you all month...I finally made it to your blog! Leo is beautiful--congratulations! Your description of live with a newborn and a two-year-old was right on. It made me laugh because you pretty much described my everyday. I know you are a fabulous mother and I couldn't be happier for you!
Amy
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