So everyone says that time flies with your second child. It's true. I feel like if I leave her for a second, she's already grown and her little cheeks have filled out a little more. This is the constant internal battle I've been having: I have a precious 2-year-old boy whom I love. I have a precious 2-week-old whom I love. How do I savor every precious quickly-passing moment with my newborn and still show my two-year-old that I love him even though I now have to split the time that used to be exclusively his? I'll let you know if I ever figure it out...but don't hold your breath. Maybe some advice from you more experienced moms?
Some events of the past week:
Mommy and Grandma J thought Sammi would fit perfectly in Emerson's "shinner" (stroller). She did. But we tried this while Emerson was having his nap so he wouldn't try it himself.
Remember the savoring part? Well Grandma J and I would take turns every day having Sammi sleep on our chests for our afternoon naps during Emerson's nap. This is one cozy girl.
Something I'm savoring a little less is the fact that my baby girl poops every 10 minutes. Seriously. But she only poops quarter-sized amounts. So here's my other major internal battle: Do I change her right away or let her finish? My solution right now is to slather her little bottom with Desitin each time I change her and then wait a reasonable amount of time to change her...you know, just so we don't go broke from buying diapers. But she insists on going either right while I'm changing her or right after I've gotten her onesie snapped up. Oh yeah, and then every ten-minute interval in between. Silly girl.
Emerson has paid a little more attention to "bebe sister". He even offered her a train to play with. She tried her best to play, but he eventually gave up and asked Mom and Grandma instead.
Then he wanted to lay by her. So I let him and he was thrilled...for about 30 seconds and then he ripped his arm out from under her. But she's a tough little cookie.
Baby girl's umbilical stump finally fell off so she got her first real bath and LOVED it. She totally relaxed and fell asleep during the 5 minute event.
She really liked being cozy with mom afterward.
And then there's Emerson. My charming, silly, and sometimes aggravating two-year-old. Baby sister brought him Buzz and Woody as a peace offering when she was born and he has loved them. Especially since Grandma J brought him the Toy Story movies as a special surprise. He's run around the house flying them both yelling "Aye-aye-ond!" (To infinity and beyond!) He has some cute little cowboy boots that we were trying to convince him to wear to be like Woody but he refused and threw an all-out tantrum while collapsing with spaghetti body on the floor. Awesome. So we compromised and Buzz and Woody walked around in the boots. He likes to make them hug each other and says "Oh" in a heartwarming way. He does that when he hugs people too. It's nice that he does because otherwise you don't always know when he's hugging you because he only uses his arms about half the time to actually embrace you.
Emerson has loved singing the song "Here We Are Together" but he says "pogether". I love that he requests this song so often. He laces his chubby little fingers together and then proceeds to name anything and everything he can see. Did you know that we have "Merson" (Emerson), washcloth, milk, blue car, curtains, window, "shinner" (stroller), "nganger" (water), and about 5 grandmas in our family? Mom and Dad only make the cut about 25% of the time.
He also loves "If You Chance to Meet a Frown". His favorite parts to sing are "Smiyo" (smile) and "whiyo" (while).
The kids are in the same room together, and it's been working out pretty well. They don't bother each other at all so far. But the other morning Emerson was awake in his crib and Sammi was just starting to wake up and fuss a little bit. I could hear Emerson saying "It's ok Bebe Sister. Don't cry. It's ok." He has such a tender little heart.
Last of all, I was so sad to see this week end not only because it means my baby girl is getting bigger, but also because I had to say goodbye to my wonderful mom. I knew it was coming and I was dreading the day even though she got to spend 3 whole weeks with us. The time flew by and we didn't even get sick of each other. I know that Dad and my other siblings missed her a lot though and I appreciate them sacrificing so she could come and help me. She cleaned, she cooked, she shopped, and she got up with Emerson in the mornings so I could sleep a little longer. It was so fun to have her come before Sammi was born because we got to do some fun things beforehand and she took such good care of E while I was in the hospital. I honestly don't know what I would've done without her after Sammi was born though! She was E's best buddy and he was really sad he couldn't go on the airplane with her. About halfway home he said "Grandma gone. Go on the airplane." I think he was lonely and bored without her when we got home, but it was very smart of her to leave one last present for him to open after she left.
I may or may not have bawled all the way home from the airport, just like I always do when I have to leave my family, but I guess I have to start being the mother of two sometime. Here goes.
We stayed in a hotel overnight for fun and made a little weekend trip out of it. We got up the next morning and Ben took E swimmumum and then we headed off to EnterTRAINment Junction. Too bad we don't have a little boy who loves trains...
I think it was almost a spiritual experience for him when we walked in. There were SO MANY trains for him to look at that he couldn't even speak. His mouth just hung open as he tried to take it all in. It really was cool, even for people who aren't quite as passionate about trains as our E.
They had a little train-themed play area that E enjoyed as well. There may have been a tantrum when we had to leave that part.
But all was well as soon as he realized he got to ride Thomas! Ok, if we're being technical here, he rode Clarabel, one of Thomas's coaches. But Thomas pulled them around the track, and it was thrilling.
It was a fabulous little trip for us all, and I think that the money we spent to get into EnterTRAINment Junction was some of the best we've ever spent. We had one happy boy.
