Waking Up...

It's been 10 weeks since my life was turned upside down. 10 weeks since Jack was born.

When you say "10 weeks", it really doesn't sound like a lot of time. And really it isn't. But so much has happened in that time. Since he isn't my first child, I knew things would be tough initially. I remember feeling for the first little while with Makenna that I was in a "fog" of sorts. Life continued to go on around me, but due to the demands of a newborn, I couldn't really participate. Somedays it was 8 pm before I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth yet that day.
I knew this would happen with Jack too, only now I had a 3 1/2 yr old as well.

Jack was a "tougher" newborn than Makenna was.
He cried. a lot. He didn't sleep as much. It was really hard some days to soothe him. I will admit, there were days I wondered what the hell we had gotten ourselves into. And Jeff wanted 3 kids?! I don't think so! I cried. a lot. I didn't sleep as much as I needed to.
Then there was Makenna. Kids are amazingly resilient. My little girl, for the most part, took it all in stride, reminding ME, more than once, "He just crying mommy, that's what babies do!". She quickly learned to tune it out. It didn't bother her near as much as it bothered me. She had her phase were she was quite clingy, and attention seeking, and everyone I spoke with reassured me it would get better. I had my doubts.

Happily, I feel (knock on wood) that it HAS gotten better. And really, it only took 10 weeks. Less actually, maybe 8. Jack is much calmer. In fact, he seemed to change overnight. He's on somewhat of a routine, and is fairly easy to get to sleep now. Now if he cries, I know why. Thankfully, it's not for hours on end anymore. Makenna continues to amaze me everyday. I think with it being Spring now, everything is better. We are able to go outside for walks, or to play and that can change the whole day. WE can open the curtains and let the sunshine in. We can look at the flowers. I am loving the delight Makenna is taking in this. It truly is so awesome to see things again for the first time through the eyes of a child.

Now we can go places and know that Jack should, for the most part, be fairly happy and not scream for hours there. The world has woken up outside and I think I have too. I think the fog is starting to disspate this time around, and I am so glad. I am looking forward to this spring and summer. To long walks, to time at the park and the beach and Grandma and Grandpa's pool. To hanging laundry on the clothesline. To watching Makenna play soccer this summer, and taking her to see Dora and Diego Live (yes, I'm actually looking forward to that I know, I'm a dork). To feeling like I can participate in my life again. Gardening, scrapbooking, talking on the phone! (Oh, the little things!) and maybe even blogging. I'm not completely "back" yet, but I know I'm on my way, and it feels so so so good. Everyone was right, it did get better.
Now, about that third baby...