Adjusting to Life With Two Kids...

So we're now on our way to settling in to being a family of four.  I was really spoiled the first few weeks with help and felt back to my old self really fast.  Sherie came over with meals, and takes Lyla several times a week, and watches Hank if I'm in desperate need of a nap. :)  She's even offered to take him for the night, but I don't want to fold just yet.  Dustin stayed home the first week after Hank was born, and stayed up with him each night so that I could be well rested.  The day Dustin went back to work, my mom came out for a week to help out and also stayed up with Hank each night.  My brother, Aaron, came up for a weekend to visit us so we outnumbered the kids 2:1 - I liked that ratio!  Lyla enjoyed being spoiled rotten by her Grammy and getting more pairs of shoes than there are days in a week to wear them (among other things), and Hank did a lot of sleeping.

After my mom left, I had to learn how to juggle raising two kids.  I quickly found out I wasn't as "back to normal" as I thought, as I get exhausted really easily.  I didn't even know one could be as sleep deprived as I got, but I don't want to go back there any time soon!  Dealing with Hank's fussiness, while also parenting Lyla has been tough at times.  I've been settling Hank back into a nap that he woke up screaming from, when Lyla tells me that she has to potty RIGHT NOW.  Overall, Lyla has adjusted really well pretty quickly.  She's learned to not be too loud when the baby is sleeping (most of the time), and to be gentle with Hank (again, most of the time), and how to be a good helper.  I am so grateful for the tender mercies that Lyla is already providing me at this time in my life.  When Lyla was a baby, I had no one to talk to during the day (that could talk back!), and if she was fussy or irritable or in pain, I had to deal with it alone (unless it was the evening or weekend when Dustin was home).  We were in an apartment and I was always worried that we would tick off our neighbors if Lyla cried at all.  These days, I have Lyla to help me pass the time, talk with me when Hank is super fussy, no one to have to worry about ticking off with Hank's crying (other than Lyla if it's the middle of the night!); Lyla also is capable of helping me out when a situation gets a bit hectic.  Two weeks ago, I was in the middle of cooking a dinner that really needed some babysitting, and Hank was crying to be fed.  I couldn't feed him without totally burning our dinner.  As I was trying to figure out which option was better, Lyla looked at Hank's bottle and said "I can do it mom".  I was skeptical, but I placed Hank in his swing and gave Lyla the bottle.  To my surprise, she was able to give him his bottle!  I was so proud of her, so relieved dinner wasn't ruined, and so grateful I have a partner in crime to get me through the (at times) rough first few months of adjusting to life with a newborn.

I'm learning that having more than one child means someone has to wait sometimes.  The other day, Hank was sleeping so I went to take a shower.  I told Lyla where I was going to be, then left her to play in a different room.  As I stepped out of the shower, I heard someone whisper shouting "Mom! I need you!".  I ran out of my room to see Lyla in the bathroom, patiently sitting on the toilet and waiting for some assistance.  Who knows how long she had been there - but she knew she shouldn't yell when the baby is sleeping and also knew not to get off the toilet until I could help her.  Also, I have the feeling that Hank being the younger sibling means being at your sister's mercy sometimes when Mom isn't watching.  Lyla loves to put a little blanket on Hank, give him one (or many) of her babies, read him a story (she's getting good at memorizing some books and will recite the words back to him!), or bring him some of his toys.  She tries so hard to be helpful, but I have a feeling Lyla and Hank will be playing many girl-centric activities until he's old enough to speak up for himself.

To sum it up, life has gotten a lot more hectic!  I know life will be this way for a while until we get on a better schedule and have a child who learns to sleep better, but I'm so grateful for the two children God has blessed us with, and I'm really excited for what's to come!