The Atkinsons

A Mother of Two.

It's Saturday, it's raining outside, both the babes are asleep, the dishes are done (not that I really ever care about my dishes,) and I've got a piping hot cup of almond steamed milk in my hand- so it seems like the perfect time to catch up on my blogging. 

Elijah is three weeks old and while that is really like nothing it's also like WHAT he is already 3 weeks old! Life is so crazy when you step back to look at it once in a while, and here is what I think so far about life with two kids... it's not been that hard! (but check back with me when he is a crawling toddler eating everything in sight and stealing Olive's toys.) Nature is so wonderful because things happen in stages so that we can adapt and be ready for the next stage when it comes, and I think the reason is has not been so hard is because I really prepared for the worst and expected it to be REALLY hard and so now I'm like hmmm not so bad. I mean the whole sleep depravation thing, I got that down! My body has had to go through so many sleep adjustments in the past 5 years that at this point it's just like whatever- I'll take what I can get! Elijah sleeps through the night (besides those feedings every few hours,) and he isn't super fussy, and when he is I just pick him up and he immediately calms down. I had thought this would be hard with Olive, but I find it relatively easy to hold the baby in one hand and play make pretend or read a book with the other. 

Miss Olive is about on the same terms with Elijah since he was born. She doesn't seem to mind him at all, but she doesn't want to cozy up with the kid either. I love to watch her personality and see how she deals with things. Honestly though I've been really impressed with the patience she has shown when I tell her she has to wait a minute or two while I feed or change the baby. I always try to involve her as much possible, she loves to tell me when he is crying and grab his binky or a diaper for me (I'm sure she is probably thinking "the faster we deal with this situation the faster my mom can get to playing with me.") I'm really careful to follow through with everything that I tell her because she is good to wait when I tell her I will just be a few minutes. She is a good big sister. 

As far as everything goes for me I feel like this change of pace has given me a lot of time to reflect on so many things. Being pregnant, working, and taking care of Olive I didn't really have any spare time to collect my thoughts. I've always been a person who likes to have a lot of things going on with very little down time and I think I've realized that even more since having this baby. I realized that while working the hours that I do is really hard because it gives me little time for anything else during the day and often leaves me quite exhausted, it's something that I really enjoy and I would love to continue to do for as long as I can. It also reaffirmed what I already knew which is that I don't like to be indoors very much. I like to live outside my house as much as possible otherwise I start to go a little crazy! Hand in hand with that I had always thought my house would be more tidy if I just had the time, I'm realizing this is not exactly true. I admire and am slightly jealous of those people that have houses that are always in order, but I've just accepted I will never be one of them (don't worry I am not like a borderline hoarder or anything, I just don't have an immaculate house.) There are so many other things I would rather be doing that bring me so much more joy, and while I really do try to keep my house as clean as I possibly can, I just know it will never be a priority to me and I'm slowly starting to be ok with that. Lastly, I don't really know that my heart has ever been so full (hormones can sometimes be a good thing.) Kc has been so kind, and we are all just so happy to be a family of four. I've had some hard moments (just like everyone does,) but all in all, I'd say the world feels pretty great right now.

Also I finished the last Christmas Stocking for baby Elijah just in time for Christmas! So much focus on my fireplace makes me REALLY want to fix it up... oh well, add that to the list! All in due time.