Off the Edge of the World

To answer your question--yes. I did fall off the edge of the world. I have my own little world now--and it is chaos! Here is the update:

JJ is a wonder, but we have been having a few problems. Specifically, he lost a pound from his birthweight and a month later is still not back to where he started out. I had to make the painful decision to supplement his feedings instead of exclusively nursing him. The feelings of failure that this has caused is not helping my post-partum depression at all. Still, he has gained weight very nicely since he started to get more calories from the formula can. The next bridge we will have to cross looms next week when I have to leave him with the sitter to return to work.

My little princess is still fascinated with her new brother. I constantly fend off requests to "hold him, sissy hold him." Not to mention that she has decided to potty train herself. Or at least try. I, for one, am too tired to deal with the whole potty business, but since she refuses to leave her clothes on for more than 10 minutes I really have no choice. At least it will be cheaper to only have one in diapers...

My big boy is really relishing his self-appointed role of Big Brother. He has decided he is in charge of the "little kids" because he is, after all, four years old. His latest trick in helping take care of his brother is to pick him up and carry him to me when JJ cries. As you can imagine, this is NOT a good idea (although I have been impressed with his success at supporting his brother's head) but how do you tell one son that he is a danger to the other? I do my best to not freak out, and remind him not to pick the baby up.

My oldest, bless her, has been distracted by drama at school (not the class, the I'm-a-teenage-girl kind). She has also adjusted well to her new responsibility in babysitting since there are now three she must watch when I go out--which, honestly, isn't often! I'm much more likely to ask her to babysit so I can go upstairs and catch a nap. We got to go shopping tonight, just me and her, and it was nice to get to pay attention to her without the distraction of the others.

My husband and I are simply trying to pay the bills and get enough sleep. Life with four kids is a little more than we bargained for. Thankfully, we've been blessed by family and friends who support us with their prayers, presence, and occasional offers of free babysitting!

I'm still considering what direction my writings here will take now that I am no longer pregnant. In the meantime, so many of you have asked when I will return to blogging that I felt it was time to simply write something. It is, perhaps, good therapy. And I can certainly use some of that!