~Has outgrown a ton of his clothes, and is wearing 3-6 month sleepers (!!!) He's a very chunky monkey!
~Is actually a pretty decent sleeper for now. I am not really anticipating this will last though...
~Took a bottle no problem last week. Fingers crossed this continues! (Might actually get some use out of that pump I bought for Peanut...)
~Loves being held over our shoulder. He holds his head up and just talks and coos away
~Compared to his brother at this age, he is a much more solid little guy. Lots of baby rolls of cuteness!
~Actually enjoys tummy-time a lot.
~Has a very strong grip!
It's been so much fun to see how different Q is from Peanut. I love watching him smile and tell us the most interesting stories. He loves his big brother, and is constantly trying to watch him when he hears him near.
Well, I have had 6 weeks now of being a mom to 2 boys under 2 years old. And no one has gone crazy. For the most part.
Things were a bit harder with Peanut than I anticipated they would be. I didn't think jealousy would be much of an issue at 19 months, because he didn't really seem to "get it". Boy, was I wrong. But despite occasional bouts of "Baby...all done!" and getting upset when someone he wants to play with is holding the baby, Peanut has now become a tolerant big brother. He brings the baby his soother or blanket and he often tries to share his toys with him. It really helped to have Peanut "help" with the baby and really went a long way in easing that jealousy.
The lack of sleep has not been that bad. This was one of the pluses of having the boys so close together; we are already used to the sleep deprivation. We had been spoiled for the last few months as Peanut sleeps through the night and well into the morning (he's not much of a morning person...takes after me). But for the most part the baby has been pretty decent at going back to sleep after nursing through the night. Let's hope I don't jinx it!
The thing that has really suffered is cleanliness. In many ways. The house is pretty much a disaster. It seems like I can accomplish one task a day, but what's the point in having a clean floor amidst a disaster area?! It's hard to notice! And showers? Yeahhhhh....rrrriiiiiiighhhhht. Let me enlighten you with a scene from a recent (typical!) day.
Here's the scene:
Hubby enters from a long day at work. Zoom in on a disaster: toys strewn everywhere, an explosion of crumbs and remnants of a toddler's uneaten lunch littering the floor (and perhaps even the walls). The toddler in question is wearing one sock and pyjama bottoms. His top does not match (the evidence of a third dumping of milk all.over.everything). He is either crying/angry/screeching in delight/terrorizing the cat...basically anything but sitting quietly reading a book. The baby is in the midst of getting changed, having pooped all.over.everything. The husband looks at his wife.
Hubby: (cautiously) Hi hon. How was your day?
Me: OK I guess. Yours?
Hubby: OK.
The husband begins to get his hopes up. He can smell that there is obviously something being made for dinner. That's something!
Hubby: What's for dinner?
Me: Freezer mystery.
Hubby: ...
Me: We are short on supplies and I haven't had time to make anything. So I went to the freezer and found a tupperware container of something. I am not sure what it is. Is it spaghetti sauce? Chili? Stew? The only thing I can say for sure is that it has been there a long time, and it's freezer-burnt. It's thawing now, and we'll know more in a few minutes.
Hubby: ...
...
...
I love you.
Me: Listen. I know that this looks bad. Like I didn't do anything all day. Like I probably just sat around letting Peanut wreak havoc on the house while I napped. But I actually did a ton today! (Proudly) I SHOWERED!
(I proudly smile and wait for him to acknowledge that this is, indeed, a tremendous feat. That he knows that in order for me to accomplish this task, I had to orchestrate a grand series of events all culminating in the miraculous and elusive Tandem Nap. I then had to manage to get into the shower without the baby's radar detecting that personal hygeine was about to be performed, thereby resulting in an epic screaming session the moment my foot hits the water. This is epic!)
Hubby: ...
...
...
I love you.
Me: Oh look honey! Freezer Mystery has thawed enough that I can conclusively deduce that it is, in fact, chili. So we're having chili for dinner.
End scene.
Yes...this is the new normal. And we seem to be making our way through it just fine (for the most part).
As an aside, I just want to thank the amazing women who have been dropping off meals for me and saving my husband from having to endure too many Freezer Mystery nights. You are angels, and have made my life so much easier. THANK YOU!
Want to win a trip to a foodie destination? Me too! Sobeys is currently running the Tastes of the World contest and you could win one of 6 all-inclusive foodie vacations to:
- Paris, France
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I have been to 3 of these destinations (Frankfurt, Cancun and Bangkok) and can attest to their deliciousness. But the one place that holds a special place in my heart is Bangkok. As you may know, I lived for a few years in Thailand, and grew to love the craziness of Bangkok; it's crowded streets, muggy weather, but most of all it's food. If you've never been to Thailand, you might have images of fancy Thai restaurants, but let me assure you the best food can be found on the streets. Yes, you heard me right: that guy with a cart, a banged up cooler and an old wok selling Pad Thai on the corner for $1?? Best. Food. Ever.
Thai street vendor. Photo by my lovely husband, Adam Corkett.
One of my favourite things to eat is chicken satay. Skewers of deliciously marinated chicken grilled over an open flame. Soooooo good. This amazing street meat was always a treat whenever I was in Bangkok. Even though I once had one of those wooden skewers lodge itself into my foot during Thai New Year (that's a whole other story...ick!) I still never lost the love.
Sure, you can spend money in a fancy restaurant and have some impressive meals served up to you, but in my opinion you can't beat the feast you can buy with $5 on the street. I would LOVE to go back. So you obviously know where I would choose to go! What about you? Where's your dream foodie vacation?
Want to make your dreams come true? There are 4 Ways to Win:
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This contest is ONLY available in Sobeys Stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC.
Want to know all the details? For more information or to pick up your passport and game pieces, please visit your local Sobeys Store!
Well, he has arrived! If you are a fan on Facebook or follow on Twitter you will already know this news, but here is the full story.
Baby Quentin arrived at 11:48am on February 27th, 2013. He weighed a healthy 9 lbs 6 oz.
We had been waiting to see if he would make an early arrival. If he did decide to come before his due date, we were going to attempt a VBAC. But, as the day drew nearer and nearer, there was no sign that this little guy was on his way. Like his mother, he has a tough time arriving early. I guess we truly do reap what we sow. ;)
As the day approached, I had resigned myself that surgery was the most likely avenue. I wasn't thrilled about facing surgery again, but on the other hand I knew what to expect. There is something to be said for having the knowledge of where and when your baby is arriving, and of knowing how the surgery will progress. We got the call a few days before that we were scheduled for the first surgery slot, so we had to head to the hospital bright and early for 6am.
The night before was a roller coaster of emotions. We were excited to meet the little guy, nervous to have a newborn again, and I was sad to say goodbye to our little family of 3. That sounds a bit silly, but I was having a lot of guilt over the fact that my son would no longer have our undivided attention. Pregnancy hormones had one last huzzah and broke me down into tears when we put Peanut to bed. Needless to say, I didn't sleep much and when 6am came, it wasn't hard to get my nervous butt out of bed and get ready.
We made it to the hospital and got all checked in and ready. We had a wonderful nurse prep us for the surgery and we were on time for 8am waiting outside of the operating room. We met the team who would be in the room with us, and the nurses said we just had to wait for the doctor who would actually perform the surgery. She finally showed up a little late, and we began the preparation for the spinal anaesthetic. After they had injected the local freezing, there seemed to be a bit of a commotion and the doctor was called out. The nurses then kept chatting with me, and eventually told me to lay down, as it was going to be a while. We chatted about a bunch of things, and then they turned on some music. They brought my husband in the room and we all just waited. It was fairly obvious that something else was going on and that we were likely going to be here a while. After a quick bathroom break I suggested we sit in the comfy chairs in the hallway rather than go back in the freezing cold OR.
Just as we sat down we heard a lot of screaming and a woman was wheeled by with blood everywhere. They called a code over the intercom and people were rushing and arguing about whether or not they could use our OR as it wasn't sterile anymore. However it was clear there was an emergency, and we were totally forgotten. It was like a real-life Grey's Anatomy episode. Hubby and I just sat there trying to be out of the way. They called the code saying the baby wasn't breathing and I got a little upset. Finally our prep nurse rushed down the hall and swept us back into the ward. She did a great job of debriefing us (and we know the mom and babe were ok as we saw them later in the post-partum ward...thank God!). But at that point we knew there wasn't going to be a surgery any time soon. We went back to our prep room and just hung out and waited for another couple of hours until we were called back.
When we got back to the OR everyone was laughing and joking and they tried hard to put us at ease. Of course it's all in a days work for the staff, and they were totally unfazed by all the craziness. They promised we would actually get to meet our baby this time, and they set to work.
The first time around during Peanut's birth I was so exhausted that they surgery was a bit of a blur. It was also very quick, as it was a bit of an emergency situation as he was in distress. This time it was completely different. I was totally aware of everything that was going on, and it seemed to take much longer. Besides feeling very nauseous from the anaesthetic, I was feeling alright, and so it was a bit bizarre to just sit there with Hubby holding my hand while they worked. The OB was training a resident so she was sort of describing the surgery to him as they went, which was a bit surreal for me. It's strange to hear all the crazy things they are doing to your body while you just lay there all numb behind a curtain! And it's impossible not to listen! For the most part Hubby and I were totally ignored and it seemed to take forever before they were ready to birth the baby. Finally they told me to get ready for the pressure, and out he came. They quickly showed him to me before they had the team check him over. Because the hospital was so insanely busy that day, they had to take him up to the ward to get him weighed and measured, etc., so Hubby and Q left after a quick visit with me. Then I was all alone while they finished the surgery. It honestly was pretty crappy to be left alone for so long in recovery. I just wanted to see my new baby and spend time with my husband. But they eventually came back down and Q took to nursing like a champ.
I have to say that after seeing the craziness in the OR when complications arose for the other patient, I feel we made the right decision to go with the repeat surgery.
When we brought Q home, Peanut was a bit flabbergasted I think. He was pretty cautious about the whole baby thing, and began saying "Baby" and making the sign for "all done". Poor little guy! He also happened to get the stomach flu very badly for our first 3 days home. So the poor little dude was feeling super awful. We basically just laid in bed and watched movies on the laptop while he slept. Once he recovered though, we had a few days of pretty bad jealousy. We got him to help bring blankets for the baby, etc. and that seemed to help ease it some. We also made sure to spend some one-on-one time and give lots of cuddles and reassurance. Now he still has his moments where he wants the baby to go away, but he also tries to share his cars and toys with him. True brothers.
When I heard the news that Glennon Melton of Momastery.com had written a book, I was very excited. Her post Don't Carpe Diem is one of the best posts on parenting I have ever read. It was how I was first introduced to her blog, and since then I have continued to enjoy her perspectives on parenting and life.
I received a copy of Carry On, Warrior and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a collection of short essays, which makes it perfect for a mom like me to read during nap times. Glennon's honesty and way with words shines through, and I love her perspective on life, parenting and faith. I found myself nodding in agreement so many times, and even reading out passages to Hubby that particularly resonated with me (to which he smiled and indulged me...it's not ever the same having someone read it out loud, is it?). I found the book to be so inspirational and in an odd way, motivating. It made me feel like I too could attack life with a passion and a grace that I wish I had. Sometimes I feel like it's a struggle just to make it through the day without going crazy or losing my cool, and this book made me feel like that was A-OK. Everyone has those crazy days, and those crazy days all add up to the awesomeness that is life. That sounds a bit sappy, but what can I say? This book really made me feel sappy. Maybe it's the hormones. ;)
I am so excited to have a Q&A with Glennon to share with all of you! If you haven't already, check out Glennon's blog, and for more info on Carry On, Warrior, head over to www.carryonwarrior.com
Author Photograph by Little Moon Photography
How did you come to write Carry On, Warrior?
My essays from Momastery started going viral and fancy folks from all over the world began to contact me. I just kept doing the only thing I know how to do, which is to just do what seems like The Next Right Thing. Using The Next Right Thing strategy, I found my agents and my editor. These ladies have become some of my closest friends. My writing is about me and my vision of life, but my writing career is about relationships. I just write, do The Next Right Thing, and then treat each person who crosses my path with as much respect and love as I can muster at the moment. This is, officially, the best I can do—and it seems to be working out okay so far.
What was your original goal for Momastery?
I wanted Momastery to be a quiet place in the midst of the chaos of motherhood. I wanted it to be a place to discuss the joys and pain of personhood. I wanted it to be a place to laugh and do the hard work of practicing peace. It takes a warrior to be a peacemaker. The name emerged from the idea that motherhood is like a monastery: it’s a sacred place, apart from the world, where a seeker can figure out what matters and catch glimpses of God. It’s also like being pecked to death by merciless chickens. Often, while I am being mercilessly pecked, I dream of running away and joining an order of monks. Hence, Momastery.
When people call you a “Mommy Blogger,” what do you think? What does that term mean to you?
I get the sense that people use the term "Mommy Blogger" and mean it to be derogatory, as though the women who are mothers and write blogs are somehow unworthy of respect. But in my mind, the identity of "mommy blogger" is one that should be worn with pride. There is no task more challenging or important than parenting, and nothing brings me closer to God, Truth, and others than writing. What could be more of an honor than to be identified as a combination of those two things? I am a writer (who happens to publish her writing instantly on a blog) and a mother. Some of my favorite writers are bloggers and mothers. And we all write about all sorts of topics, in addition to parenting. I wish that when people threw the term "mommy blogger" around that they meant it with all the respect and honor those two words deserve. I see it that way.
Do you think the Internet makes it easier for people to be cruel or to be kind to one another?
Both. I think the internet encourages fake niceness. Fake niceness happens to me when a friend posts a picture of herself relaxing at the beach and I’m in my kitchen dripping with kids and work and for some reason I feel the need to “like” her status even though I don’t really like it - I’m actually sort of bitter about it. I don’t really understand that phenomena, but it happens to me all the time. Also, obviously the anonymity of the internet can encourage bullies to be bolder than usual. That’s why Momastery is such a miracle – 65 thousand people with anonymity who choose to use such self- control and love with each other. It’s really something. Like everything else on earth, the internet can be used for good or evil.
When do you write?
I am always writing. Even when my kids are talking to me, I’m writing, which is why every time they finish a sentence and wait for an answer I have to ask them to repeat themselves.
What was the hardest thing about writing a book?
Staying off Facebook long enough to finish a sentence.
And how cool is this? There are book trailers out now! Like movie trailers, but for books! Maybe this is only cool to book nerds like me...?? Anyway, I LOVED this trailer for the book. Check it out!
Disclosure: I received an advanced copy of Carry On, Warrior for the purposes of this review.
I'm Amy, and I'm a Mommy with nary a clue as to how to do this whole "parenting" thing. As a former traveler, I view this as another journey, although this time without a map, a plan or a clue! We call Canada home.
