Four Weeks of Three

I hope this doesn't sound terribly self-centered, but you know what I've been reading lately? My own blog archives. Actually, I've been reading yours, too, if you've had a baby and written about it. It's one of the things I love about blogging - the ability to go back and use the reference to remember when things happened and how I was feeling about it. Also I'll remember that someone else wrote about XYZ that I'm now experiencing, and I'll go and look it up in their archives. Especially during this newborn phase, it's especially helpful. So far, here's what I've gleaned from the posts that were written when David was first born:

- I was definitely more stressed out and tired during David's first month than I have been with Luke.

- Luke is sleeping better than David was at this point (could explain first point). I'm almost embarrassed to say how well Luke is sleeping, and I KNOW IT WILL NOT LAST SO PLEASE DON'T PUNISH ME FOR SAYING IT OUT LOUD, but he's been doing 5-7 hour stretches for the past week or two. I know, it's freaking awesome.

- On the first day that Brian went back to work after David was born, I made reference to never being able to run errands again. This time, I went to the store for a few items on Brian's first day back. It was a bit of a juggling act, but we got it done.

- While Luke and David have been similar in weight and percentiles so far, David looked like a chunky monkey compared to Luke. Luke does not have that Pillsbury dough boy look that David had (oh, he was so squishy. I would still describe him as "solid.")

- I'm reminded that David was fairly content and laid back until about six weeks of age, including sleeping in his car seat. This acts as a reminder not to get TOO comfortable, because the fussies are comin'. Surely they're comin'.

Not to say that everything is easy and perfect right now. I'm certainly tired and have moments of freaking out. But SO FAR, we've been able to work Luke into the routine and continue chugging along. Brian's return to work has been fairly smooth, and we're getting out and doing some of our usual activities.

(OH! And a HUGE part of this is all the FOOD that people have provided. When I have to start cooking again, that will most likely send me over the edge. You know how I am about cooking.)

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One thing that's hard is that I feel like I'm saying, "Not right now...wait a minute...I'm busy at the moment" all the time. Hopefully none of the three of them will be scared for life because they didn't get enough maternal attention?

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This heat? Is going to be the end of me. Is there something hormonal that continues beyond pregnancy to cause heat to be more bothersome? Because I have a very low tolerance for the humidity and I dread going outside with the kids (especially with a baby in a sling - sweat fest!). Thank the Good Lord for AC. And it never occurred to me that having a baby in late June takes you out of the running for swimming for most of the summer.

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You know what I'm excited about today? The Fall brochure comes out for the community center. I am such a dork.

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I might be crazy, but I signed Katy up for another session of swim lessons. She did really well in the last session and loves it so much. I really want to encourage her in anything that she likes that is active (the reports of childhood obesity downright frighten me!). So for the next 2 weeks, we'll be at the pool every morning.

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In true 2 year old boy fashion: yesterday David spilled lemonade all over himself and the floor. While I was cleaning the floor, I sent him upstairs to get a clean shirt (I don't know what part of my brain thought this would be a successful mission). He went upstairs, removed his shorts and diaper, peed in his plastic potty, poured the pee on the floor, and then attempted to clean the bowl with the toilet brush before I found him.

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Finally, I'd love some input on what to do about "quiet time" around here. I'm at the point where I really don't want Katy to sleep in the afternoons, because if she does, she's up until 10pm that night. But I would still like us to have some kind of break from one another (the girl never stops asking me questions). But if I send her to her room to play: she falls asleep. I've tried opening the curtains, giving her games to play, telling her not to go to sleep, etc. But most days (I guess because she's been so active in the mornings?), she falls asleep. Any suggestions? I'm not sure if getting her to have a quiet time downstairs will be enough for my sanity?