Slowly getting there

Christmas is days away and I feel so absolutely unprepared. Thank god I did most of my shopping before the baby arrived.  Between that and online shopping I think I have managed to cover most of my gift giving needs.


We decided to do photos of the kids for Christmas.  Partly in an attempt on my part to appear normal, and feel normal.  I am really pushing myself to do two things every day.  Fold laundry.  Clean out a junk drawer.  Clean the bathroom sink.  Teensy baby steps towards finding my old self again.


When you have the first baby there is a sea of visitors following the baby's arrival.  They come armed with lasagna and gifts, and it's a heartwarming way to not only welcome the new baby but also to ensure that the new mother puts lipstick on and gets out of bed.


With a second child visitors are few and far between.  So the unfortunate thing is that new mothers don't have the same motivation to keep the house tidy and get themselves "back to normal". 


It's been a real struggle for me. I am frustrated that my body isn't returning to it's old self as quick as I would like it to.  I over did things the first few weeks physically (hard to believe, I mean seriously? Stairs are that bad for you?) and now I may have popped a stitch internally. Jesus Murphy that sucker hurts.


I am happy that I can drive again, although the idea of carting baby and toddler out seems overwhelming. I just need to find my groove again. I remember with the wee farmboy I was incredibly nervous on those first solo trips. So I know it will get easier.


When you are at your grocery store next, and the mom in front of you is juggling a toddler and a baby - please be patient. Smile, and say an encouraging word. It could very well be me.

Baby blues or just recovering?

Don't overdo it.
Take it easy.
Remember to sleep when the baby sleeps.


Apparently the folks who provide advice to mothers post C-section don't have a toddler to deal with at home.  Hubby is beyond fantastic.  I mean, seriously beyond.  I think I am suffering from mild post partum, and I have to push myself to shower and join in the comings and goings of the day.  Fortunately, it's very mild, and I completely adore this new little red headed girl.  (They say that post partum depression can lead to feelings of dislike for the baby - so I am not sure if it's post partum or if I am simply recovering from the surgery and supposed to feel this way.) I simply feel... blah. I can't be motivated to do much. I have absolutely no get up and go which isn't like me.  Everything just seems so overwhelming.


Hubby has been taking on the lion's share of household activities. Making breakfast, taking care of the wee farmboy, tidying up. You name it. He's on it.  Add to that he has been bringing me tea and ensuring that I am comfortable. I am almost at the 4 week mark - and I know if I can make it to 6 weeks I will begin to feel like myself again. 


Right now having a shower seems like such a monumental task. I keep seeing these new mom's on Facebook, all put together with their lipstick on and their hair in place. I am lucky if I manage to get all of the shampoo out of my hair and find a pair of track pants that fit over the incision site.


"Off to my first post baby work out! So excited" - I don't know whether to be jealous or relieved that this isn't in the cards for me. Given how I feel these days I would opt for the latter.


Now excuse me as I curl up on the couch with my tea and my wee girl...and do absolutely nothing.

Early days

Our dainty farm girl... It amazes me how different she is from her brother. Perhaps having a colicky baby first was a blessing - as this seems so simple.

I am enjoying these early days. They are a sleep deprived blur, where day and night blend together.  However even without the rhythm of day and night, I am still managing to carve out moments to remember.  The other night, we sat together in the rocking chair, looking at the stars and listening to the coyotes. 

I felt so blessed to be warm and safe with my newborn. As we enter the holiday season, let's remember to be grateful for what we have. 

Seriously good cookies

As a new mum, I am already looking for short cuts. I need recipes that make me look like Martha Stewart...in half the time.

Actually, more like a quarter of the time.

Today the wee farmer didn't want to nap. He was cranky and tired and fussy.

But I still managed to make these.

They were seriously good! And definitely something I will make again.


Easiest Fudgy Nutella Cookies
Yield: 12

ingredients:
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 large egg
1 cup of Nutella
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, egg and Nutella in a large bowl and mix together with a spoon until dough comes together and no flour lumps remain. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly mixed into the dough.
2. Make dough balls, about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Place on cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart. Press down slightly on dough so the dough balls are more like very very thick round disks rather than perfectly round balls. Smooth edges that may have cracked from the pressure of pushing down on the balls, so that you have thick round smooth disks.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cookies should be mostly set, but might be slightly still soft in the middle. Let cookies cool on rack until completely set. Enjoy while still slightly warm or after completely cooled.

Cranial Osteopath

We just returned from the osteopath visit.

WOW

She showed us how all of the muscles down one side of his body are tight, thus causing him to arch his spine in a "banana" shape. He favours one side of his head when sitting or lying down, and she showed us how tight the muscles are in his neck. This "banana" shape he puts himself into squishes up his tummy on one side, and she said it would impact his digestion.

She then worked on him, it was all very gentle.

All I know is that since our visit he has been calm and happy, and just went down for nap so peacefully when we got home.

So we will see, we have two more visits next week. Thank goodness for health coverage, she is an RMT so it is covered by our plan. C says he sees a difference after just this one visit.

I feel awful that we left it this long. Poor wee boy was in pain. I highly recommend an osteopath to anyone with a colicky baby!