I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can

Yes, I now have two children. However, I feel like I haven't had to be a parent to two children...yet. My mother-in-law was here when we first got home from the hospital. She took care of Luke while I took care of Maddie. The next week Dan started taking Luke to and from school on his way to work. So, it has mainly been me and Maddie...by ourselves. I'm very grateful for this time with Maddie because I know this is a luxury most moms don't have with their second child.

With all of that said, I almost panic when I think about taking care of both Luke and Maddie on my own. I'm trying to get Maddie on a routine with good sleeping habits (I'm SO looking forward to sleeping at night). How would I devote that time to her when Luke is running amuck in the house? Going to the grocery store or Target seems like a crazy talk. By the time Maddie is done eating, it is time for Luke's snack. By the time he is done with his snack, it is time for her nap. Once she is up from her nap, it is time for Luke to nap. Ugh!!

I'm shocked by this turn of events. I'm a high energy, organized and on-the-go type of gal. I don't let this type of stuff stop me. I create the plan and execute the plan. What has happened to me? Someone needs to slap me!! I can do this.

So, Dan had errands to do this morning and it was just the three of us. I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can. Amazingly, we all survived. I am now realizing why moms have such a hard time getting their second child on a routine/schedule. Maddie spent the second half of her nap in her swing and slept longer then normal. It just had to be that way.

Once again, my ideal world is in direct conflicted with reality. Does anyone sense a theme? I will not be able to serve both my children perfectly. I will have to settle for serving them well...which means everyone will be making compromises. This seems to be a lesson I get to learn and relearn. The good news is I'm getting quicker at learning it each time...I'm making forward progress :)

Maddie's Spa Day

Maddie is a pretty easy going. In keeping with her personality, the first bath at home didn't phase her.

She really loves to sleep.

Even after she is neked...she is still sleeping

Now that she has some water on her, she has decided to wake up.

Not one tear is shed during this bath.

All clean!! There is nothing better than a sweet smelling baby!

Madeleine Grace is here!!

It is hard to believe that tomorrow Maddie will be a week old. Crazy, huh? Time sure does fly when you are having fun!! Here is the 411 on Maddie:

• 7 pounds, 1 oz
• 19 inches
• born at 10:36 AM

Here are a couple of pictures:

She's pretty cute, huh? :)

So far, Luke is adjusting pretty well. He gets very concerned when she is crying and is very sweet when he kisses her on her head. He is a two year old little boy and the patting on the head can get a little rough. Luke and I have two very different definitions of the word "gentle" :)

The c-section recovery is going pretty well...it is all about managing the pain. I've been able to negotiate our many flights of stairs without any problems. I'm not saying I'm running a marathon anytime soon, I'm just doing better than I expected. For me, low expectations equals high joy :)

I must give Dan props as he has been great this last week. I absolutely couldn't take care of Maddie the first two days in the hospital. I would've been in big trouble if he hadn't been with me. He did many feedings, diaper changes and outfit changes (we have another spitter). It is awesome to have a husband who isn't afraid to take care of newborn. My husband rocks!!

No tears

For the last two years, I have been taking Luke to Pigtails and Crewcuts to get his haircut. So, why would I choose today to write about it? Because after two long years, today was the first time he didn't cry and scream through the entire haircut.

There were NO TEARS at all. He even laughed when the girl used the clippers because it tickled. I normally have to do a jig to calm him down and keep his hands out of his hair. However, today, I actually got to sit during his haircut. How fabulous is that? The little man is growing up ;)

If you don't have anything nice to say....

Yes, it has been awhile since I've updated my blog. The last few weeks of this pregnancy have been a little rough and extremely tiring. My mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." So, I've been quiet since I didn't want my whole blog to be about the woes of pregnancy.

With that said, I only have four days left until Madeleine's arrival. I guess having the end in sight has given me what I need to push on to the end. You can do anything for four days. Well, I couldn't do four days of ab crunches but you know what I mean :)

That's mine...

We went to our storage POD on Saturday and got all the baby stuff out. I'm feeling like we are almost ready for Maddie. Woo-hoo!!

However, I know Luke is not ready for Maddie. Just the short time at the POD threw Luke into a severe case of "mine". If Dan, I, or Austin (the dog) made a claim to one of our items, Luke said it was his. Then at the end of the day I had to reassure him that Me-Me (his favorite blanket) was indeed his. I know the transition ahead will be tough for him. I would love any advise from my experienced mom friends. What did you do to make this easier on your first borns?

Potty Training - Update

I've decided that potty training is probably the hardest transition I've had to navigate since becoming a parent. All the other transitions (ending naps in the swing, going from bottle to sippie cup, getting rid of the pacifier, etc.), have gone pretty smoothly. I've realized there are two reasons why the other transitions were easy and potty training has not been:

1. Luke couldn't talk or argue with me yet
   
2. I was in control of the situation

I just removed the item, we dealt with the rough patch, and then never looked backed. However, with potty training, Luke has to decide that he wants to leave the world of diapers behind. He controls whether he wets his pants or lets someone know he needs to go. I can coach, I can encourage, I can bribe (I mean reward), I can yell until I'm blue...bottom line...he is the decision maker in this process.

So, the week has seen its share of ups and downs but Luke is really getting the hang of using the potty. He has even started telling us when he needs go. Woo-hoo. He still has accidents when it comes to #2 but that is to be expected. He is doing really well and I'm VERY proud of him!!