me versus 3! demain!

I have a sleeping baby on my shoulder who is 2 weeks old today!  Robyn continues to be a very patient mellow thing, and is sleeping and eating wonderfully. Although that is fairly typical newborn behavior, I'm crossing my fingers it continues.  My 2 weeks of having help at the house comes to an end tomorrow as Nana Vance heads back to Fredericton in the morning, and nobody new is due to arrive.... It somehow feels like tomorrow is the start of something new for me.  I have that feeling of excitement and apprehension that comes the night before a trip, or a new job, or a competition, or Christmas?  Ok...maybe not Christmas...... no apprehension there....

It’s been really nice having all the help over the past few weeks.   Dave for the first while, then grandpere, and now Sharon.   Sharon took over laundry and dishes while she’s been here, and was it ever nice to have a break from those for a whole week!  She also took turns watching one or two of the kids for me each day while I got out for appointments or groceries, or whatever.... and so I have only had to juggle all three here and there throughout the day.  I have managed to get myself, and all the kids up and ready and fed and happy all by myself by 8:30 for the past few mornings....and that has felt victorious....

The kids have loved having Nana here, and  she got to take them out for their first snow day of the season on Tuesday while I was out running around with Robyn. (Robyn had a weigh in at the doc, and is up to 7lbs 11 ounces after her hospital discharge at around 7)  We got home to a delighted Jesse and Janna making snowballs with Nana in the backyard.  Here are some pics of the fun!

So, it’s been good a great week, but Jesse is certainly VERY off balance with all the visitors and lack of routine.  He gets more and more whiny and susceptible to break downs each day, and so I am hoping over the next few weeks I can get him back into shape!  Janna is doing awesome, and I think is generally more adaptable.  Perhaps a female thing?!  She really loves pushing Jesse’s buttons, and their room sharing situation has gone from pretty smooth and good, to a bit of a challenge.  Janna will bang on her crib while Jesse yells at her to stop, or screech at him while he sobs down the stairs, “Mom!  Janna is yelling!! And I don’t like it.”  Tonight Dave had to go in and lecture both of them to be quiet and go to bed after 30 minutes of shenanigans.  They quieted right down and went to bed.  Dave wandered downstairs and was like, “who would have thought we’d have to worry about the younger sister picking on the older brother?”

Dave has started doing funny things again in the night, and it’s pretty funny for me.  Nana has been staying in Robyn’s room, and the baby has been in ours.  So, I usually get up and hang out in the rocker to feed her and am pretty awake and alert.  I don’t ask Dave to deal with the baby at night, but he covers any issues that come from Jesse or Janna in the middle of the night.  Usually once or twice a week one of them has something going on that requires middle of the night attention...bad dreams or poop or something... ANYWAYS!  The other night, Janna was wailing for a good 10 minutes, and so I gently poked Dave and asked him if he could go and deal with her.  He sat right up and like hovered over me on his knees.  He put his hands out real close together as if to receive a newborn and was like, “Ok. I’ll take her.”  I didn’t even have Robyn in bed with me, and sort of chuckled, “Not Robyn, Dave.  Janna!”  He looked confused, then widened his arm stance from newborn size to a few feet apart as if he was ready for me to pass him Janna.  I laughed and said, “ No Dave. Janna is in HER ROOM.  Crying.  She’s been crying for like 10 minutes.”  And very slowly...” Can you GO AND CHECK ON HER?”  He sort of stumbled out of bed mumbling, “ Oh ya...Janna... in her room. Yep.”   And then last night he kept sitting up in bed and kept randomly asking if I needed him to hold Robyn for me?  Funny stuff... Here they are a few night ago having some bonding time....

Well, I should be on my way and get a good solid sleep for my new adventure tomorrow.  I’m feeling pretty good and prepared.  Today I cleaned most of the house.  The laundry is all caught up (thanks Sharon), and I even did bedding!  We have some leftovers in the fridge and groceries to get us to the weekend.... So I’m hoping without much housework to do, I will aim to mostly do lots of playing and snuggling with the kids tomorrow, catch a nap, and enjoy the moments.  They fly by!!  Thanks so much for reading.  Wish me luck! I’m out.