IVK 3-4months

Happy 4 month birthday (my Little Dollface)

This is the first month since you've been born that we've had you all to ourselves.  We've had family and friends for the past 3 months hanging out with us so that they can see you.  It's been fun living as a family of 4 and it's been interesting not having help BUT we all did good!

You continue to have a sweet personality.  You seem so laid back (most days) except for when you are mad (like when you're sleepy, hungry, or when we get you out of the tub).  You looove baths and calm down so nicely as soon as we put you in BUT as soon as we take you out, you start screaming.  By the way, did I mention you have the loudest scream I've ever heard--yes.you.do!  You also seem to love your brother and smile when he's around.  You definitely have been smiling consistently and even laughing.  I love hearing you laugh and coo.  They are like music to my hears.  It warms my heart to even think about you smiling and laughing.  You love to kick around during diaper changes and bath time.  You also love to blow bubbles and try to imitate facial expressions and noises.  Really cute!

You still look sooo much like your brother.  You are still tiny but growing.  You have kissable chubby cheeks and thighs.  You still have a head full of bone straight hair when it's dry but gets wavy when wet.  I love your big gummy smiles.  You even smile with your eyes.  Gosh you are sweet.  I can't stop kissing you. 

You sleep pretty good at night--getting about 6-8 hours per night straight then wake up and get 3-4 hours more.  You are still a night owl and it's sometimes hard getting you to go down for good at bedtime.  Nap time during the day is a little more consolidated or organized.  You nap around 930, 1230 and 330.  You try to take a late nap in the evenings although we try to avoid that.  You end up winning though.  I still swaddle you for naps and at night.  You still eat pretty good every 2-3 hours during the day time.  You nurse mainly but at bedtime I give you a bottle.  You still are the spit up queen but you don't seem bothered by it.

You have great head control.  We do some tummy time but need to do more.  You hate tummy time by the way.  You roll over on your side but not all the way.  You have been trying to sit up on your own a lot.  When you are in you car seat or we try to lay you flat, you pick your head up, flex your abs and try to sit.

We have done so much this month--church as usual, several hikes.  We went on a few walks with Caroline, your buddy who's a month older than you who lives up the road.  Went shopping in Sacramento this month and stayed the night in a hotel--you did great.  You also visited Yosemite this month and did great.  You are still loving the great outdoors and love being carried facing out in the Baby Bjorn.

We are all so delighted to have you.  We love seeing you sweet little face and interacting with you.  We even love you loud piercing screams at times.  It's hard to believe that someone as little as you can be so loud.  Feeling so blessed right now.   

Here's a recent pic of my little Dollface:

 

Mrs. K

On being a mom of 2

I remember having so much anxiety when I was pregnant with my daughter (#2).  I worried about if  I would love her as much as my son.  I just could not imagine loving another child as much as I loved my son.  I mean, I really thought it was impossible.  I think I also thought that it would take away from him if I "shared the love."  It made me so sad to think that my second child (and possible subsequent children) would not be loved the same.

Well, all that worrying was for absolutely no reason.  I don't know what I was thinking.  I can't say that I love them the same or equally because it's really hard to measure how much I love them to begin with.  But what I can say is that I love them both so much with every fiber of my being.  I love them with everything in me.  I just do.  Loving them is so easy.  So natural (even when they are screaming in my face at 2am or accidentally kick me in the nose while horse playing).  I look at them and it just amazes.  I can't measure how much I love them, I can't fit it in a container.  There's no depth or width or height.  All I can say is that I love them to infinity and beyond.  Sometimes I'm so happy that I could burst with joy.  What a blessing these two are!  Such hardwork (lol) but such a blessing.

I also worried about my son (#1) feeling left out or as if he's replaced when his sister arrives.  I sure didn't want him to feel less loved because my attention was now divided.  Well, all that worrying was in vain too.  Although it's hard, especially at first juggling two young kids (and yes it does feel like juggling sometimes)--you find a way to make it work.  I'm not saying that my son hasn't tried me so that he can get some attention (even if it's negative attention).  But he knows he's loved despite his little sister being added to our family.  Hubby and  I spend a lot of time with the kiddos together but we also take turns spending alone time with each kid.  In fact, last Friday I took my son out on a date (we went to get ice cream at our favorite shop and then we visited the pet store).  I know--cheap date but he was so happy.  We talked about his day and had fun playing at the ice cream shop (they have a little play area for the kids).  And the pet store visit was awesome.  It's like a cheap version of the zoo/aquarium BUT he loved it!  It doesn't take much to fascinate and entertain my 2 year old.  As our kids get older we plan to make it a regular thing for us to take them on dates individually.  I really look forward to future dates with each kid.

So let me also add some realness.  Being a mom is challenging period.  Being a mom of 2 is even more challenging (for me at least).  Yes, it's overall awesome and I wouldn't have it any other way but it's difficult.  My kids are 2 years and 3 months apart.  Although my son is potty trained fully, he's a little squirt and still needs my help to the potty.  He never has accidents (not even at night) but he wakes me up at night when he wants to use the potty.  This was ranging anywhere from 0-6 times per night.  NO joke.  Imagine doing that while trying to nurse a newborn in the middle of the night (it was so hard, especially on the nights my husband worked).

For someone as Type A as me, I've learned to lower my expectations to preserve my sanity.  I've realized that it's impossible to do an awesome job at everything all the time.  I've realized that it's ok to let my 2 year old watch a little TV so I can tend to his sister then make it up later by spending special time with him.  I've realized that it's ok for us to not all have dinner as a family at the table every night.  These are just some of the realizations I've had.

I've only been a mom of 2 for 3 months but I'm loving it.  It's challenging and some moments I feel like crying (lol) because I don't feel like I have it together.  But I remind myself that I'm doing the best I can and that my kids seem to be very content.  One of my biggest realization is how my love for my kids give me the strength to deal with the challenging times.

Thankfully for now, my son loves his little sister and she smiles and coos at him all the time.  He's protective of her and showers her with kisses.  I know the day will come when they'll have nonstop fights so I'm basking in this time when they are so sweet to each other.

So overall things are tough and it's an adjustment for all of us BUT overall we are all doing great AND I thank God for that.

Mrs. K