How We’re Doing

Hello, hello – we are alive and WELL!!! I hope you have been too – I’ve missed you!

Things are definitely calming down around here (I feel like I scared a couple soon to be Mamas of two with my last post – sorry!) and we are getting used to life as a family of four. Don’t get me wrong, things are still nuts, but we’re accepting nuts as the new normal. Ironically I’ve eaten almost an entire jar of peanut butter in a week. Quick and easy protein, FTW!

Anyway, after a rough couple of days after we got home from the hospital, Lincoln has been doing really well with the transition. He’d been all over Cameron with kisses and snuggles but was pretty upset with me for having a new little man on my lap. We’ve been each other’s constant companions nearly 24/7/365 for the past three years and to see him hurting, testing limits, and upset with me after we got home felt unbelievably awful. (⬇️ Trying to teach baby brother to read!)

Things finally turned around when we were able to get out of the house just the two of us, take a long walk, and visit the neighborhood park. We needed to reconnect and since then he’s been doing awesome. I mean, hello normal 3 year old issues – “sometimes I just forget to listen, Mom!” – but other than that he seems to be back to his old self. Not to say we we don’t have challenging days ahead of us, especially when Ben goes back to work (HOLD ME) but life feels 1000x better today than it did a week and a half ago in this department. My biggest problem now is convincing him to stop kissing his little brother on the mouth (cold season is a comin’!) ? Oh my sweet little first born!

In other news, I’ve been so enjoying my little “maternity leave”! I feel like the best version of my Mom self because I don’t have deadlines, emails, and social media tasks looming in the back of my mind all day. I mean, they’re there but I’m trying my best to take a legitimate break. Although every moment from the time I wake up to the time I crawl into bed is accounted for, being fully present all day has been really nice.

I’ve also been taking advantage of having Ben home on paternity leave, and being out and about with Lincoln while Cameron naps (holy cow I forgot how often newborns nap! ??) to declutter and organize the entire house. Martha Stewart, eat your heart out! Truthfully it’s all stuff I should have done before Cam was born but was too tired and uncomfortable to do so. Regardless, it feels so good to be organized.

My maternity wardrobe has been packed and stashed in the basement, closets and pantries have been cleaned out, and bins and bins of “stuff” have been loaded into the car to be donated. Life with two kids demands organization so organized is what I shall be…or die trying!

Mr. Cameron is doing wonderfully. He is the sweetest little soul and looks just like his big brother but with dark hair (Lincoln’s was blonde.) Their temperaments as babies are similar too – observant and quiet except when hangry. Between me and Lincoln he receives a minimum of 4,000 kisses a day and I not so secretly love to let him nibble on my cheek. This little boy is well loved, that’s for sure. ?

After taking your solid advice into consideration we bit the bullet and bought a Rock ‘n’ Play. Umm, best investment ever! Cam naps in his crib but sleeps in the RNP next to my bedside at night. It’s great because it keeps him feeling snug, secure, and angled so he can go right back down after overnight feedings. Don’t even care that it could be rough transitioning him out of it when the time comes because honestly I feel more rested and have more energy NOW than I did the last 2 months of my pregnancy when insomnia woke and kept me up starting at 3 or 4am every morning. Forget peanut butter – RNP FTW!!!

We’ve been trying to get out of the house at least once a day, whether it be to HyVee, or the mall and Scheels’ putting green. (#thatfamily) Although Ben is still home I’m trying not to get too comfortable because sadly it won’t last forever. That said, I took the boys out for the first time by myself yesterday and what do you know, the world did not end. Granted, it was 3 miles away to Lincoln’s school, but baby steps, right?!

We were able to get out for a little Halloween fun, too!

Lincoln decided months ago he wanted to be a scarecrow (?!) so I hot glued straw and cloth patches onto an old pair of overalls and called it a day. I feel like DIY’ing a Halloween costume officially earned me my Mom card. ?

Last Saturday the family went to Living History Farm’s Family Halloween. Locals, it was SO cute – got to go next year, for sure!

The little trick or treaters got to walk around the 1875 town and collect treats at all the shops along the way. I nestled Cameron into the Solly baby wrap I ended up getting (thank you again for your advice on that! I’m working on a “must have items from a Mom of 2” post with all my tried and true gear recommendations,) and he snoozed the entire time. Thank goodness because there was no Plan B!

Like I said, life is crazy and it feels like every minute of the entire day is accounted for, but this little family finally feels complete and there’s so much less anxiety this time around. I felt like last time I was constantly challenging myself: Am I doing enough? Am I doing it right? WHAT AM I FREAKING DOING?! That said, new Moms: you are doing enough, you are doing it right, and nobody knows what they’re doing!

A couple of nights ago Ben paused and said, “Babe, we have a FAMILY. Like, we have two children…what the heck!” What the heck indeed! Things are going to be chaotic for awhile but we are happy and rolling with the punches.

I’ve got some recipes in the works for you starting next week so stay tuned – can you even BELIEVE we’re talking Thanksgiving already? What’s on your menu this year that you’re looking forward to? I really want to make some soft and buttery dinner rolls. Wish me luck. ?

Have a great rest of your week and I’ll talk to you in a few!

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