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We packed up the kids yesterday to go to the “Arts in Action” festival downtown. It is one of our favorites- artists build giant sand castles on the beach and there is usually good food, music and artist booths to visit. This was our first year with Zach mobile- and what a difference that made! We never made it to the festival- he headed down to the beach with his friends and spent the entire time in the sand and water making his own creations.
Unfortunately, I had decided my diaper bag was verging on the ridiculous and had unpacked all the extra clothes, diapers, snacks, etc. What a mistake! We ended up with a cold, wet, hungry kiddo and nothing to change him into. Well, now I’ll repack the diaper bag and not feel silly about all that stuff you may or may not need when you are out and about with kids. My days of traveling light are over.
Ahhh, if only toddlers came with an instruction manual… I think mine needs to be re-programmed. I spent the day at home with Zach and the baby while Joe was at work. Here is a one-sided record of my day… a day where I was clearly not in control of most situations!
“We don’t eat dog biscuits”
“We don’t drink the dog’s water”
“We don’t drink water from puddles”
“We don’t eat catfood”
“We don’t eat sugar from the bag”
“We don’t climb on other people’s cars”
“We don’t pet strange dogs”
And the best for last…
“We don’t sit on our baby”
Everyone keeps asking me how Zach is doing with the baby…so here he is in his own words
“Mama, dat real nice baby”
“Mama, baby crying. Baby need milk”
“Mama, me have dat baby’s milk”
“Mama, baby in dat chair. Me uppy!” (translate, put that baby down and pick me up!)
“Me want my Mommy back” (usually accompanied with tears and screaming)
“Me want my Daddy back: (ditto)
“Mama, me pound-pound dat baby” (that one got my attention!)
“Me no baby, me big guy!
“Me sit on my baby”
“Me do it!” (usually at moments when his help is NOT needed, ie diaper changes, nursing, and pumping)
And the best for last…
“Me love Mommy, me love Daddy, me love my puppy, me love my baby Arlo”
with the baby hanging on my boob (pretty good for only day 18! I’ll be vacuuming in another week!)
- Pee
- Give Zach a time-out (not one I want to repeat soon)
- Eat – I have balsalmic vinegar stains on one of my nursing bras from a salad the other night….
- write this post
- Read- to myself or Zach (does that count for two things?)
- give Z his bath
- make Z his food ( I know I used to complain that he lives on cheese and crackers, but it is so convenient now! I should re-name it the “New Mom One Handed Diet”)
- talk on the phone
- cut the baby’s fingernails (no blood loss, I swear!)
- Sleep… oh Sleep how I love you, though when nursing with you I often wake up in a puddle of milk.
We’ve been home now with the baby for a week. I’m not sure I can account for much of that time, but overall I think we are doing well. So far, a second baby is much easier than the first time! Arlo is just a dream to take care of, he is a great sleeper and eater so far and doesn’t seem to mind big brother’s aggressive forms of affection. Zach has had a rough time here and there; he seems particularly jealous of nursing and chooses that time to act up. And then other times he is so sweet with the baby. Sometimes Zach says “me want my mommy back” and it just breaks my heart. I wish I could explain to him that this little baby will someday be the most important person in his life.
I’ve bonded with Arlo faster than I remember bonding with Zach. He just fits right into our lives and completes our family. I’ve always wanted two kids and now I have them. And it is a lot easier to savor these baby days and night feedings when I know that I won’t be doing this again. Speaking of feedings, he is waking up now for a snack. I’ll try to write more later.
Arlo Anthony arrived at 10:42pm on July 1st. He was 8lbs 1oz and 21 inches long. And so far just a beautiful and sweet baby.
I won’t bore everyone with the delivery details but there are a few things I want to remember. I had worked all day the day he was born and when I got home I was soooo tired. I laid down on the couch and rubbed my belly and told him “Ok Buddy, it’s time now”. Anyway he must have listened! A few hours later I had a craving for a huge bowl of ice cream and as soon as I put my dish away I felt a pop and my water broke. Joe was out walking the dog and I met him at the door with bags packed. We made a mad dash to the hospital and Arlo was born about two hours later.
We’ve been home two days now and it is a mixture of bliss and chaos. Zach is doing great at times, and other times says things like “me want my mommy back”. It will be so hard to find the right balance in all of this but I hope I can.
We had our first family outing last night. It is very convenient to have a baby around the fourth of July- there are all sort of gatherings to scavenge dinner from! It took a while to get out the door- (first Arlo peed all over his super cute outfit and then Zach pooped) but it was so fun to be out. I think people were a little surprised to see us out already but I have been so cooped up I am really motivated to be out and enjoy my friends and the summer. I was pretty sore and tired by the time we got home but we had so much fun.
I’ve really enjoyed this blog and I hope I can keep things up. My goal is at least one post a week but they can be brief. Anyone who has ever tried to type and nurse at the same time knows why I’m allowed short entries!
I also want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who helped get us through the last few months. I just take one look at Arlo and I know everything was worth it. Thank you everyone.
