Going from one to two...

Someone once told me that going from one child to two was way easier than going from zero to one.

I am quite positive that this person may indeed be addicted to crack cocaine.

This Saturday, Eleanor will turn a month old. Last Saturday, Adeline turned 15 months old. One whole month has passed since we became a family of four. 

I remember the first month after becoming a family of three. I was still very much in the "honeymoon" phase of new motherhood.  I had that "I'm a first time mom" glow about myself and I loved getting Adeline dressed up and ready to go out on the town and show her off. I was writing mushy posts to Landen about his stellarness (is that even a word?)  and I spent hours making sure that I told Adeline's birth story with absolute perfection here on the blog. Other than a few issues breastfeeding I took to being a new mom like a duck out of water. We had our hiccups, I cried like a baby the first time Landen went back to work. I had to call him to find out how to lock the infant seat into the base the first time out of the house. I wasn't always dressed nice and dinner wasn't always made, but I had the mom thing down pat. Spit up and all. 

I have recently found myself, during those few precious hours a day when Adeline is napping, remembering this time last year. I remember holding Adeline and watching her sleep, not a care in the world except whether she needed her diaper changed or when she needed to eat, or whether I needed to take Abbey outside. I remember wishing that I could have a few minutes of "me time" but using those few moments I got holding her instead of laying her down for a nap.  

Maybe I was the crack head.

Since becoming a family of four I have spent more time picking up Puffs that have gotten stuck in the carpet while trying to keep Eleanor latched on and eating while chasing Adeline around the house. I don't have time to scrub each and every apple juice drop that falls on the carpet and therefore have had to hire carpet cleaners to come in and do it for me. I became the mom that plops her in kid in front of the TV with sugary cereal in her highchair so that I can change Eleanor's diaper or put on deodorant after just catching a whiff of myself.  

Instead of eating oatmeal each morning to increase milk supply, I eat handfuls of Oreo's washed down with a glass of milk that I used the day before and didn't have time to wash.  Adeline may or may not wear the same clothes two days in a row because well, we aren't going anywhere anyway and I don't have time to change her in between picking cereal out of the carpet and changing diapers. I see a lot of butts throughout the day.  I have to plan at least 10 minutes in advance if I have to even pee, and then the whole time I'm listening for the sound of impending doom coming from the living room praying that God will put a "hedge of protection around them" long enough for me to do my business. 

Adeline loves to give her sister kisses but sometimes follows it up with a whack to the head. Sometimes I catch her and stop her and sometimes I don't get there in time.  We are in the character building business in our house. Eleanor is building lots of character through head whacking.

With all the chaos though I have found time to maintain some sort of a schedule. Mostly centered around Adeline. It goes something like this:

Sometime between 8 and 9:30: Adeline wakes up.

I get breakfast ready and her bottle and put her in the highchair.

She feeds herself, I feed Adeline.

We spend the next few hours playing, cuddling, loving on Eleanor, feeding Eleanor, changing diapers, making messes. Around 12:00 I feed Adeline her lunch and get her ready for her nap.  

1:00: Adeline goes down for a nap. Every. day. at 1:00.  Landen jokes around telling me I just have to make it until 1:00. He has no idea just how right he is.
Adeline usually sleeps between two and three hours during her nap and I use this time to feed Eleanor, straighten up the house, eat lunch, and sometimes even nap a little myself.
When Adeline wakes up I give her a small snack and we commence the playing, cuddling, changing diapers, etc.
Landen gets home around 6:00 and I pass off the girls to him while I take a few minutes to myself. Usually I take a shower.

My goal now, since establishing a little bit of a daily schedule, is to get Eleanor on a sleeping schedule. We are still struggling in this area and this Mama is getting wore out!

All in all I would say that things could be going much worse. I am adjusting to being Mommy to two and Adeline is adjusting to being a big sister. Abbey, the dog, spends a lot of time hiding out in the corner of the couch with her ears covered. Can't say as I blame her!

I'll leave you with a little glimpse of the occasional sweetness between my girls. This makes it all worth it.

Hope you are having a wonderful Monday!