Teach Me How to Mommy

So baby Holly Jane is two months old.  It's been a whirlwind.  I feel as though I officially gave birth at the worst time of year.  Not only was she born during a blizzard, but she went home in subzero temperatures and there has been snow, ice and rain to follow it up.  My "big" kids have had snow days, Presidents Days and vacation days making this one loud, messy and busy house. Yet, of course that all means nothing.  Holly is healthy and happy (well before 5pm that is) and I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and I guess that's what this is.   I went into my third trimester thinking that having three was going to be a lot like having two.  It is and it ISN'T.  I kind of figured I had it down after John.  I've had an easy baby and a not-so-easy baby so I know what it's like.  Also, I've been juggling two for three years, how much different could it be to add one? Well here are five things I learned about adding ...

Fueled on the adrenaline of having my third baby I powered through the first two weeks of postpartum like a true champion.  Kids need to be brought to school? Yup I'll do it.  Meals need to be prepped and warmed? Yup I'll do it.  Laundry? Cuddles? Reading? Breast feed the baby while doing all the above? Yup, I'm your girl.  What choice do I have anyways? It's not that we didn't have help.  We had plenty and could've had a lot more had I asked.  The truth is I felt great after giving birth.  I was tired, but not exhausted.  My body started healing right away and sure I was uncomfortable, but functional.  Holly Jane even slept for me so each day I felt better and better.  I didn't see a reason for asking for help when I felt capable of doing it all. I guess I can too, but not without a cost. Last Sunday I took the kids to the park because it felt like spring (a balmy 30 degrees).  While there I realized I felt like shit. ...

Ok, well  maybe just don't... Last Thursday I woke up to a snow day (yeaaa) and the stomach bug (booo).  Jerry went off to work and even though I am NEVER like this I was resigned to have a really chill day with the kids.  I let them watch an extra show in the morning and instead of moving from one activity to the next I tried to kind of stay put in one area and have the kids play around me.  Heck I was 39 weeks pregnant, right?  You can't really go outside when the snow is coming in sideways, right?  Everyone deserves a day to just not be "super", right? Well that day was here.  I still made the kids their meals, we ended up doing a fort and we did eventually venture outside and walk to the neighbor's house, but I was working at about a 25% capability level. The only problem is, when it came to 3:30 and my regular one cup of coffee a day ritual, I couldn't stomach it.  I tried three times to sip it and it wouldn't go down.  I knew my ...

It didn't dawn on me until this morning that perhaps every member of my family is adjusting differently to the news that there is a baby on his or her way.   I've been so focused on keeping up with the two I have (and a new position at work) that thinking about what happens after the baby actually gets here has not been high on the priority list. Yet I am fresh off a rough week with my youngest and all of a sudden thinking about the future is all I can think about. Sure it's been a tiring week (aren't we all feeling it).  He's also three, which has revealed its own challenges - ones that I am not accustomed to when he was two. But he's also about to be a big brother.  He's been my baby for three years and in less than two months that's going to change - permanently.  I'm a middle child - I know! So last night when he woke up at 2am, crying and moaning I pulled him close to me and placed him gently right in my bed.  He put his arms around me...

Just before my baby turned three years old he made it known that (until January) he is definitely still my baby. Today John turned three.  Three seems old, and at times he really seems it. He doesn't need me to play with him all the time.  I don't need to hold his hand when he's approaching a dangerous activity (he does it without permission anyways).  He even tells me sometimes often that he doesn't want my hugs.  He even (just this week) lost, albeit by accident,  the stuffed animal that he totted around for about 6 months.  "Tiggy" who was captured in every summer picture (including professional) this year, has magically disappeared.  We can't find it and instead of crying about it, John has taken it like a man (or at least a 6 year old).  That's right he is still going to sleep at night and going to school in the morning - all without Tiggy. Yet, he's not off to college either.  He's had three years of being a baby and he's not givi...

For Christmas Amy's amazing husband got Amy two tickets to see Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper live in Providence, RI.  In fact, he is so great that he didn't even expect to be her date.  That ticket was already taken (by me naturally). And so it was.  On Saturday,  Amy and I left after gymnastics and swimming lessons, park time, breakfast and lunch.  We traveled the short road to a city we have never been to and, well we just had some honest, good fun. We splurged on a fancy room and got some special drinks.  We laughed our asses off for two hours and even though we were in bed at 11pm it was a blast! Top 5 Highlights: 1)   Brian bought good tickets.  We were dead center and pretty close.  Even though we love Andy and Anderson we both didn't really know what to expect.  Who pays money just to hear people talk?  Well, Brian does and boy did we benefit!  Well-worth if it you have the option. 2) You're never too old to cr...