The first six weeks

I honestly can't believe that Abby is 7 weeks old today. WOW did these 7 weeks fly by.

And you're probably wondering how they went and how we're doing? Well, things are great. I keep telling everyone that the transition from 1 to 2 kids was definitely harder but of course managing 3 kids is harder. And it's mostly because things are non stop and you don't get much time to yourself like you did with 1 and even with 2 kids. But these feelings could definitely be because of how close my kids are in age and not necessarily due to the jump from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3 kids. But things are going better then I imagined. And I have decided that having a kid in May with a mild summer is perfect. Perfect.

Starting with how I am feeling. This period of post pardum has definitely been my smoothest. I have felt great since a couple hours after delivery. I was pain free basically by the time we got home. I have actually had more energy then anticipated. Honestly I thought I'd be beat... so beat that I'd be falling asleep on the couch when the kids play. Don't get me wrong, I am tired but I'm surviving! This is probably due to the fact that  95% of the time Abby only wakes up once during the night to feed and this has been going on since she was 5 days old. She is the perfect baby I tell you. But back to me. This weekend I bit the bullet and joined weight watchers; we will see how that goes. I just want to be back to my pre baby weight so that my body feels as good as the rest of me. As for hobbies, I am addicted to candy crush and probably need to be sent to rehab for it. Good thing they limit your lives so you don't spend all day playing. And I guess I am only addicted at night after the kids go to bed. And I have read a book. The book definitely competed with my candy crush addiction but it gave me something to do when Rob was hogging the ipad to feed his addiction. It's crazy how much energy we have now then we did when Anna was 7 weeks old. Maybe it's the pressure you feel with your first that drains you.... I don't know. I just know that with each kid I feel less pressure from myself and others and maybe that's why I have more energy now then then. It doesn't make sense to me, I would think with 2 toddlers and a baby that I'd be more exhausted. Maybe I'm less tired because I have accepted the fact that my house will never be fully cleaned, laundry will always be piled, my bed never made, dished sometimes left in the sink overnight and that my house is littered with the girls artwork, toys and art supplies. I just keep telling myself, this too will pass and someday I will be able to get done everything that I want, including getting things up on the walls of our house. At least I am brushing my teeth everyday and getting a shower every other :)

Rob is doing good. Getting more sleep then planned and getting decent meals so he really can't complain much.

Baby Abby is a doll. She is truly the perfect baby. Since she has started smiling she is really beginning to socialize with us.

As for Anna and Ashley with Abby. They absolutely LOVE Abby; it's borderline obsession. And the only problem with this is that they smoother her. I mean when ever she is not in her swing or up on the table in her bouncer or in someone's arms (and that person is standing) they are in her face talking to her, hugging her, kissing her, touching her and petting her. But the problem with this is that they don't know their own strength (especially Anna who is already plagued with the 3 year old impulsiveness) and could possibly hurt her sometimes. I can not tell you how many times a day I tell them to leave her alone, or not so hard, or stop poking her. But I guess this is better then them not acknowledging her at all. I wonder when the obsession wears off because I would have thought that by now she would be old news.

Now the real work the last 3 months (even before Abby came into the picture) is Anna and Ashley's love/hate relationship. they are the best of friends and best of enemies. They fight. And scream. And hair pull. And spit. And bite (well mostly Ashley does). But it is exhausting. They both know how to talk and communicate and usually it's silent banter and fighting without words, just with actions. And it drives me nuts. Now don't get me wrong, some days they are lovey love and best friends and I think I'm living in a dream. then the next morning I wake up with two monsters who mission is to aggravate the other. And these days call for constant interference and have me drained by 10 am. And it's draining because they will be hugging and then the next minute spitting in each other's hair. But I guess that's what sister love is about when you're only 16 months apart! I guess if they didn't fight it wouldn't make the times they love each other (which is probably 90% of the time) as sweet as they are!

But what makes all my hard work with teaching the girls how to get along is when people notice how great kids they are and how much they love each other. This past weekend at church, we put Ashley into Anna's class. When we picked them up from Sunday school the teacher told us just how adorable and sweet they are to each other. She said Anna is the best big sister and Ashley adores her. She said they were side by side the whole time, holding hands, laughing and playing together. She says it is so sweet to see just how much they love each other. And compliments like this make the headaches feel just a little better....

So, overall 1life is good.

Much Love,
Jenny