Survival Mode

Do you ever have those dreams - the ones where you're running (or trying to run) and it's like you're wading through sludge? You can barely move and you're being chased by something that is moving really, really fast?

Well, that's how it feels having a newborn around, I've decided. I remember feeling this way when Natalie was born but I had since chalked it off to being a "new mom" and not really knowing what to expect. I figured I'd have a system down once Liam got here and there'd be no big issues.

Ha!

I totally forgot how frequently they want to nurse. And how hard it is to keep them awake long enough to get in a good feeding and how many dirty diapers they make during a days time and just how POORLY I function with interrupted sleep. Ahh, but it's all coming back to me now!

So far, Liam has been a delightful baby. He only cries when he's hungry and sleeps most of the time. I mean, its the BEST possible situation. It's just balancing his irratic eating schedule with Natalie's schedule AND trying to get out the door to do a simple trip to Home Depot that should be considered an Olympic event. It took Kevin and me THREE HOURS to get out of the house on Saturday morning.

Did you catch that? TWO ADULTS, TWO KIDS...THREE HOURS!!!!

We had set out to bathe both kids before we got in the car, but we finally decided one kid bathed was "good enough" and just hit the road. We decided that was why you got 6 weeks maternity leave - because there's NO WAY you could get out of the house and go to work prior to that.

Natalie has taken well to sharing the limelight with the new poopy intruder. She's expectedly more clingy but hasn't tried to sabotage Liam.

Yet.

I'm glad she's adjusting well too, because in a way I feel bad making her share our attention. I know that in the long run having a sibling is a great, character-developing thing that makes life so much richer, etc. (It has mine!) But I'm sad that I can't pick Natalie up whenever she wants and snuggle her when she obviously sees that I'm "snuggling" (or nursing) baby Liam. I don't want her to feel like she's been replaced and is left with a too-tired Mom who's not quite as much fun as she used to be. Obviously I know that this time of sensitivity (on my part) and tiredness is fleeting and in another year I'll probably tell Kevin, "Hon, let's try to be like the Duggars!" (okay, well maybe not). Right now these thoughts are just what's on my mind. Hopefully Natalie won't be scarred for life. Maybe we should start a therapy fund now... =)