In a similar way that I noted key milestones with Alma each month of her first year, I'd like to do the same for James. In the busyness that seems to be life with two little ones (or, as Joshua properly noted, the business that comes with any infant), this lunaversary list may be a challenge for me. I'm going to be kind to myself and simply let it happen and try not to get caught up in the details or doing it in the same way that it came about when Alma was little. It might be shorter lists. Or less editing. Or not even happen. But trying to do it is the point, right?
In no certain order...
* James may or may not be a strawberry blonde. The jury is still out on that one. He has the softest hair and skin; it is difficult to not paw him constantly ... not that I'm trying to resist.
* I feel that I'm getting more rest than when Alma was born. This is primarily because Joshua and I already worked out the system that works for us. Since Joshua is the night owl, he takes the 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. shift then I take the 12:30 a.m. until morning shift, with an option to give Joshua the baby for an hour in the morning if James and I have had a rough night. Joshua spends his evening shift sitting on the couch with his legs up and James on them. Then he "bops" his legs a little to keep the baby asleep. When James wakes, Joshua brings him up to the room where I'm sleeping for a nursing session. We use the baby monitor to communicate when I am done nursing. While we are tired, this system works great for all of us. I think the tiredness comes from not having any true downtime than from the lack of sleep.
* James has been a bit fussier than Alma was. Alma would fuss if we held her too much or if we held her in the cradle position. She loved to have some independent time to "swim" on a blanket. James is the opposite; he would like to be held indefinitely while you pat his back, make shushing noises, walk around and hold a pacifier in his mouth. Or be nursed. This prevents any actual accomplishing anything around the house. So Alma and I have been spending a majority of our days on the couch reading books while I nurse James. This is her absolutely favorite thing to do so she is seeing James's addition to our family as a complete win.
* This week Alma, a sleeping James and I went to story hour at the library, the grocery store and to tour a possible preschool for Alma. These daily outings, while tiring, were fun and demonstrated that we can keep doing our regular activities with the little guy.
* There have been stints when I can lay him down in a bassinet and he sleeps for three hours. I just need to figure out what the conditions were that made those times possible so that we could have that on a more consistent basis.
* When he is out cold, James is able to sleep through all sorts of noise. All of the yelling Alma did at my belly while I was pregnant must have helped. Her favorite: "COME OUT!!!" James barely bats an eye at the chaos of our household. (And, yes, his hearing was checked at the hospital before we were discharged.)
* Because of this fussiness, we have fewer photos of James. Screaming baby photos are only okay if you have them in an appropriately funny shirt. And you can only have so many pictures of a sleeping baby. I have a feeling that he is going to chill soon and then we will start snapping away.
* We have been going on daily walks around the neighborhood with James in the Moby wrap/carrier and Alma walking. James is usually screaming when we leave the house and asleep by the time we get to the corner.
* James is a good burper. Burbs are required after every meal. He is also able to drink from a bottle, a skill we never taught Alma as an infant.
Overall, this time around with an infant is so much easier because there isn't that steep learning curve that comes with one's first infant; this time we just have to learn the special features of this new model. I'm finding that I have more time to marvel at how cute he is and nibble his ears. It's nice. Sure, it is still stressful around here -- our household has a lot of moving parts and it feel like everyone's needs (let alone desires) will never be met -- but I think that we are powering through it as best as we know how.
I know that my heart grows bigger every day in the love and gratitude I feel for Joshua, our children, our family and friends. Basically, I'm grateful for James's arrival because the sleep deprivation makes me weepy with love. Ha! How's that for honesty?!
