The First 6 Weeks- and Juggling Three

Our sweet baby has reached that 6 week mark. We love her so much and are glad she is a part of our family. It has been a challenging 6 weeks, as they always are for me; waking up all night, very little sleep, fussiness, painful breasts, and all this while trying to take care of two other little ones who need extra attention and don’t let me take naps. But, I am happy to tell you all that we survived and made it to six weeks! Things are a bit easier now.

After the baby was born, Anna and Elise had somewhat of hard time adjusting to their mama having less time for them. Elise would cry, “hold me, hold me” a lot, and Anna was more clingy. But never once did they blame it on the baby; they always have a smile and hug for her. However, me having less time to always play with them has brought a change in those two older girls. In the last 6 weeks they have really started playing together a lot, I mean all day long, they don’t stop playing together. They play make believe this and that, talking back and forth, going to the pretend bank and the the pretend doctors office, “OK, now I am the doctor,” making pretend dinners, and they make sure the bless their pretend food. It is amazing how they play now. They have really bonded even more so.

They also take really good care of their little sister. One day after Grace fell asleep, I put her down in the pack n play and got in the shower. After I got out of the shower, I peeked in on her and found a doll pillow under her head, and pacifier in her mouth, and a bracelet on her face. She must have woken up and the girls got her all situated and helped her fall back asleep.

The girls wanted to put all their baby dolls together on the floor and Grace was included as one of their babies. So Elise’s baby doll’s is name is Rose. Elise has had a hard time remembering what Grace’s name is because I call Grace all sorts of nicknames like “pumpkin,” “baby,” and “cutie pie with a cherry on top.” One day Elise said, “where is my baby?” and I said, “I don’t know where Rose is.” The she said, “No, my other baby.” and I was trying to think of what other doll she was talking about and I asked, “Which baby?” and she said, “the Pumpkin with the Cherry on top!” We’ve had to work on teaching Elise what her sister’s name is. I don’t know if she quite has it yet, but she is getting close.

Anna loves loves loves helping with the baby. Right when Grace was born when I would change her’s diapers, Anna liked to get a clean diaper and wipe for me, and throw away the dirty diaper. She also liked to get the burp cloth and wipe Grace’s mouth when she was done nursing. In fact she liked to help so much that she would take the diapers, the wipes, and burp cloths and hide them or put them across the room so that I couldn’t get to them to guarantee that she would be the only one to be able to do it. Lovely!

It is also so cute. What ever I say to the baby Anna repeats exactly in the same tone and manner. I think she does not know what to say to the baby, but wants to interact with Grace, so she just copies me.

It seemed like those first six weeks I had to hold her a lot, because she was so fussy, I got nothing done. I fell asleep nursing her on the couch at night. The girls were extra needy, I was extra tired. It was hard, I am not going to lie. I missed one week of church and was back with the baby because the demands of my calling, but I really could not do too much anyway with two girls and a newborn; at least I tried. I always wondered why people brought dinner to people with newborns because I didn’t think it was that hard to cook after having a baby but now I know. I just couldn’t do it.

It is still challenging but Grace is less fussy; I can actually put her down for more then 30 seconds and I think I have learned to juggle more, plan better, and do things quicker, and hold three crying girls all at once.

Grace started smiling. When she smiles it is all worth it.