Thursday, November 29, 2012

Surviving Solo

I have now been a mom for 19 months. Unbelievable, to me, still  I went "solo" as a parent for the first time when Ginny, our first born, turned 3 weeks old.  I had no doubts I could handle it.  In fact, I looked forward to it.  Going solo after Grace arrived worried me.  This time I would not only have my 3 week old to care for, but also her 19-month-old sister. Eek!
 
A couple of months before I had Grace, I found myself getting nervous about her arrival for this reason alone.  Having a c-section? That was nothing. Getting no sleep? Been there, done that. Being left alone with 2 little ones all day? Terrifying!

Why was I worried? I was not sure how I could balance it all--taking care of a newborns needs as well as giving Ginny the attention she requires.  The thought was overwhelming. I knew Ginny would be jealous of the new baby and the attention she would get. My concern was in helping her see that she still has my love and attention. Additionally, I had developed a schedule with Ginny. Would that be thrown off because of Grace's needs? How would Ginny handle things when I nursed Grace? Lots of questions and concerns weighed on me.

On Tuesday, just 2 days ago, I went solo for the first time with Ginny and Grace.  I am surviving thus far, and so are the girls.  My schedule seems to mainly revolve around nursing Grace (she is exclusively breastfed); however, I have been able to balance that with Ginny's schedule.  Luckily, Ginny got past most of the jealousy issues by the time Grace was 2 weeks old.  When I nurse Grace, Ginny does seem to suddenly want attention from me. Usually, I can read her a book at those times and it is enough to satisfy her. 

The best thing about this week has been watching Ginny with Grace. She loves giving her hugs and kisses, especially when I nurse.  That can be a bit awkward, but worth it. Before Ginny can give Grace a hug, she points at me and says her newest word--boob. 

Right now, I am just trying to survive our days and schedules solo. The only other thing I work on is laundry, never ending when you have 2 little ones AND cloth diaper. Cleaning will have to wait until my DH has a day off. In a week or two, I will add it to our daily schedules, but I'm not ready for that now. My goal is just taking things one day at a time. So far, so good.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Introducing Grace Magdalen

A week ago, on November 5, 2012, at 8:03 a.m. I gave birth to our newest daughter, Grace Magdalen.  She was 9 lbs 6 oz and 21 inches long!

 Screaming soon after birth.


I finally get to hold Grace.

My lovely family
Under the blue lights
My c-section went well, even better than my last one. I swear it was quicker too.  Grace and I stayed in the hospital longer than anticipated though. On Thursday, we were dressed and ready to go home when a doctor and nurse came in to tell me that Grace's bilirubin level (jaundice levels) were too high and she would need to stay one more day, at least. Since insurance would cover me for 96 hours after a c-section, I decided we would both stay in the hospital. I was not leaving without my baby girl.  So, Grace was put under blue lights.  She was not thrilled with the experience, but she and I managed. The next morning, Grace's levels had dropped substantially and we were both released and headed home.

Home, sweet, home
Grace is a sweet, baby girl and HUNGRY nearly all the time. Her sister Ginny has decided that she likes her and enjoys giving her hugs.  Ginny is a bit jealous though of the attention Grace gets over her, especially when I'm feeding Grace.  However, I'm sure with time she will adjust to the new situation and the changes in her world.  I hope. :)