Coming Up For Air

Having a newborn in the house has been hectic...fun...but hectic! (Did you catch that Mommy Guilt Reflex?) And so naturally, blogging fell by the wayside. But, things are finally settling down and I'm back on the block. Or blog, as it were. And I have so many things to post about.

First things first - here are some recent photos of my bambino. He's so cute and cuddly, if not a little lacking in the sleeping department (at night anyway).

The other question I get asked the most (after "how's the BABY?!") is "how are the girls adjusting to their new baby brother?" Up until this week I was answering "fine!" or "great!" or "they just adore him!" But for some reason, this week all that changed...I guess they realized that he is here to stay. Giggles started getting unusually whiny last week, but now it's on a whole other level. Everything is grounds for a meltdown: not enough ice in her drink; a broken blue crayon; the ending of the Dora episode - you name it. The worst of it though, comes when it's time for the nanny to leave everyday. It's likely because she gets the nanny's undivided attention all day long while evil, old Mom has to constantly nurse, change, and hold that doggone baby. But seriously, Giggle wails and screams and tries to run out the door when the nanny leaves. It was so heartbreaking that the nanny even offered to take Giggles with her for the night. She usually calms down within 15 minutes or so, but it's really nuts.

[And before you start rolling your eyes at me for having a nanny while I'm home - know that I am only home for 3 lousy months on unpaid maternity leave, and will be needing the nanny for the baby once I go back to work, so that's why she's still here. And yes, I am fortunate.]

Then there's Chatterbox. She's really been doing fine until yesterday. Up until then, she has been very helpful with the baby and very loving towards him. But, yesterday the nanny was going to take the girls to the park as she often does, but Chatterbox had her own meltdown! She screamed and wailed that she didn't want to go and that she wanted to stay HOME! WITH! MOMMY! And then proceeded to dramatically change her mind three more times. She ended up staying with me and we made cupcakes for the neighbors together. It was fun. And I could tell she was happy. (I suspect Giggles was happy too, to have the nanny all to herself at the park.) And so all's well that ended well.

And I imagine the adjustment to the new baby will take some time. My "Mom to 3" advisors (Justice Jones and my SIL) have told me that the transition will not be easy and that the best thing I can do is spend one-on-one "Mommy Time" with each of them indivudally. I've already started doing this and am looking forward to next week when the girls' gymnastics classes start. They are going to be in different classes on different days and so we'll be able to talk in the car, to and from the class, and maybe we'll go to lunch afterwards or something like that, just the two of us. Giggles' class is a "Mommy and Me" class, so that will be even more great.

And right on cue, the Babe is whimpering for me through the baby monitor, so that ends my blogging time for today. See you next time on the New Adventures of Old Justice Fergie.

This season's gonna be good.