Once I survived the hospital recovery, the unexpected pain and extra required day, we settled quickly into a routine. Having Hannah home has been such a blessing. She is the sweetest.
Here are a few things I've learned about our little Hannah. She sleeps like her daddy, solid. Nothing wakes this child up - not temper tantrums, not whining, not an evening out at a fancy gala. Nope, she will just continue to sleep. We're not quite to her due date yet, so this could all change (and probably will tomorrow since I just started bragging on her). But minus a couple fussy evenings, she's been a trouper! She loves to eat. This is such a huge change for me, as our boys sure did not. Every feeding was a struggle, a fight to get them to take in anything. We had scales and weight checks and all this extra calorie stuff to give the boys. And Hannah? She's taking in far more than she needs for her current weight. Thus, she's gaining weight well enough that I don't have to wake her up at night. What does this mean?? It means that last night she went 4 hours between feedings, giving me 3 consecutive hours of sleep. That makes for one happy mama! Of course, I still didn't pull it together enough today to get my shower in :) There's always tomorrow.
My favorite thing about baby Hannah is how she loves to cuddle. She is never happier than when she's asleep on our chests. And she makes this little soft cooing noise, sighing contently as she feels safe and secure, tucked away with her parents. It's amazing how she knows her mother's touch already, at only 2 weeks old. She knows me and she trusts me so completely. There's such an innocence in that, and I love it. It's drastically different than what I experienced with our other kiddos. I love being able to bond with her, to soak it all in, to try to take in these little moments, even when it's the middle of the night. I don't want to ever wish away this time, even though we feel like we are living in a crazy zoo.
Warren and Dean are adjusting well and settling into their role as big brothers. They are very concerned in Hannah cries. They are always wanting to help Mommy with Hannah, to kiss baby Hannah, to feed baby Hannah, or to share with baby Hannah. Sometimes it is a little upsetting when baby Hannah doesn't share back, but for the most part they are taking things in stride. The sharing of time is going to be our biggest struggle. It's masked right now with Andrew home, as he is able to play with them as I care for and feed Hannah. But, these days with Daddy home are limited. And I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed at the thought of Andrew heading back to work. I know it's possible, I know mom's do it all the time, but how do you balance? How do I give my boys enough attention to continue to help them catch up on their milestones and delays and to let them know they still matter, that mommy still loves them? How do I wake them up and put them down while nursing (and nursing and nursing) their hungry sister? How do you choose who gets to cry and who gets Mommy? We'll figure it out to be sure, but we'd love some prayers for patience and a bit of grace as we navigate the transition.
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