My Jacob

The fastest year of my life is over - Jacob turns one year old today. Just like Jennie's, Jacob's baby book has a great spot to write him a letter. As I did for Jennie when she turned one (Mosca Mommy post on 12/9/10), I have written a letter for Jacob.

So, for today and from now on, I don't say, "Merry Christmas" on December 24th... I say, "Happy Birthday, Jacob!" first.

Dear Jacob,

12/24/2011

Before you came, I felt that my heart was completely full; I couldn't foresee how you would change my capacity for love . And then, surprise! You arrived ten days early on December 24, 2011 as the newest love of my life – my Jacob, my baby boy. I instantly adored you, and could not imagine life without you. Today you turn one year old, and I can hardly believe it! In one blink of my eyes, you went from a tiny, perfect newborn baby to an adorable, beautiful little boy whose smile and giggle bring joy to every room you come barreling into.

Your road to one-year-old was not a smooth one.  Just three weeks after you were born, you had surgery. The hardest thing I've ever had to do was give you a kiss, send you into the OR, and wait. Nervous doesn't begin to describe how I felt – my precious, sweet baby boy was having surgery! I felt ill. It didn't seem possible that a baby so small and innocent should have to go through that. But you did – and you handled it better than I did. Then, a few weeks after surgery you were back in the hospital for an infection. And then, you developed reflux problems. But, through it all, you were always happy and easy going. I hope that throughout your life you never lose that (obviously innate) ability to face adversity head on and with a smile on your face. Your strength gave me strength, and look at you now! You are strong, healthy, smart, almost walking, and amazing us every day.

Your first year has been a wild one, and I wish I could tell you it is “all downhill from here.” But, no matter the struggles you face, I will always be there to support you and help you be your very best. I promise to nurture your dreams, and love you unconditionally. I can’t promise to be a perfect mom, but know that I will always do my very best to give you what you need to grow up into the happy, resilient, and successful man that I know you are going to be. 

You came into my world on Christmas Eve, but from now on December 24^th is my Jacob’s birthday above all else. I promise to make this day as special for you every year as it is to me – the day I met my baby boy, the day I first held you close, the day I fell in love all over again.

All my love, always.

Mommy

A little "year in review" picture project I made for his birthday party. 

1096 Days

December 8, 2009

December 8, 2012

One thousand ninety-six days ago, my darling baby girl Jennie Anne was born. I can't believe she is three years old today! The time has FLOWN by; she is so "grown up" now that it is difficult to remember her as a helpless little newborn that would sleep in my arms.

Although the time seems to have gone by so fast, it is also difficult for me to remember what my life was like before she arrived. Apparently, I used to go to bed after 9 pm and I went to places called bars on weekends to hang out with friends. All of this of course I have gathered via Facebook evidence and pictures from those long ago times. It seems that I used to have hobbies like camping, hiking, and skiing. too.

Now, don't get me wrong - I wouldn't trade my days with Jennie (and all her imaginary friends) for anything. She makes me laugh with her goofy ways and silly faces. Jennie is creative and has endless energy for playing pretend. She loves art projects; it is such a joy to see her face light up every time I ask her if she wants to make a craft. Her attention to detail and her focus when working on her projects is amazing to see! Jennie sings and dances to any music I put on for her (although Christmas music is her favorite right now). She will let me read her books all day - she never tires of them. I hope she never grows out of wanting me to read to her... I know she will one day, but I hope it's a long ways away. Jennie has a seemingly endless thirst for information about animals and nature. She asked to check out a "leaf book" at the library this week so she can figure out what kind of tree each leaf she finds comes from. So, we got a field guide and she looks up all the leaves she gathers outside. The things she knows (and wants to know) astound me every day. I hope she never loses her love of learning!

So, I might be sleep deprived and probably have permanently lost the ability to sleep past 6 am... I might not get much adult conversation anymore unless I am talking to the grocery store clerk... I don't have any time for hobbies these days.... I do not get to spend much time with my friends.... I definitely don't get a lot of alone time with Justin.... BUT, in the whirl-wind of the last three years, I can absolutely say two things: it has gone by way too fast, and I have never been happier. Jennie Anne has made the last three years the best of my life.

The Birthday Girl!

Ready... Set... GO!!

Check out his work boots!

Jacob has been working on his crawling skills for quite some time. I have insisted for the last 3 months that he would be crawling "any day now!" Looking back, I still feel justified in my assessment of his progress, even if he did not crawl nearly as soon as I thought. He started rolling back-to-belly at only 16 weeks, and he always had great head and neck control. When he started to sit on his own at 5 1/2 my expectations for his impending mobility were soaring! By July he had mastered the "cobra pose" (see below). My easy going dude practices yoga to be more relaxed and centered.... haha.

cobra pose

Jacob then was able to balance on all fours, and started rocking back and forth by late August. By early September, he was propping himself up on all fours, spinning 360 deg when on his belly, and also did a little "booty skooching" backwards across the floor. Also by this time, he was spending about 50% of his play time b-i-t-c-h-ing (I can't help it, I always spell "naughty" words now) because he was frustrated that he couldn't get to where he wanted to go. 

We tried everything to help him get crawling. We tried to entice him with his favorite toys and even built nice tall stacks of blocks for him to come knock over. No luck. We bribed him with binkies placed just out of his reach. Still no luck. Jennie even pitched in, and regularly crawled around the living room cheering him on, "Come on Jakie, crawl like me!" No luck. Jacob had even progressed in his yoga practice to expertly doing "downward dog" (see below), but still no crawling! 

downward dog pose

As the weeks dragged on, the poor kid was frustrated and so were we! People kept asking, Why do you want him to crawl? Isn't it easier when he can't get around?" And honestly, I just wanted his crabbing to stop. His only mobility-frustration relief was in the jumperoo, and even that was losing its appeal. Now I know I shouldn't have been laughing at his plight, but it was rather comical to watch him desperately trying to get to a toy or something. He'd prop up on all fours, and get a giddy little smile on his face like he knew he was on the right track (see above pick... that's the face). Then, one hand would go up, then back down. One leg would move a centimeter forward and stop. Then he'd get over excited and both legs would pop out. Jacob-the-beached-whale would then flail his arms and pump his legs while yelling in frustration and stretching out frantically with one hand toward the unreachable toy.

Then FINALLY, Wednesday October 3 I had a eureka moment. It suddenly hit me how I could get Jacob to crawl.... (watch the video clip below):

 

So, yeah, don't judge. I totally got my kid to crawl by setting out food on the floor. I love how he looks like Bambi on ice trying to get there! But, no matter what it was that got him going, he is now going! Here is a clip of him really "going the distance." I especially like how Jennie chimes in and asks for some of his Cheerios, and then gives him a "congrats" hug afterwards.

And of course, now that Jake is crawling, he is excited to move on to the next thing:

WALKING!

And how old is she?!?

Jennie is a little on the petite side. In fact, she is so little that she hardly makes the growth charts. Some where around 97% of all kids her age weigh more than she does. This can be very misleading for people who don't know her - especially when she starts talking! Her vocabulary is off the charts, and her conversation skills throw people for a loop. It is very impressive to hear my little 23 lb two-and-a-half year old starting conversations with kids and adults, and saying things like, "No thank you, I appreciate it though." Oh the things my little girl says....

Please note: I have not embellished the quotes here at all.... these are word-for-word things Jennie has said!

In the grocery store last week, we were coming around to the bananas. Just as we selected our bunch, and Jennie said to me, "Mommy, we got four yellow bananas. But one of them is a little green," the produce guy came by to stock some more. Note: the produce guy was clearly some kind of Latino decent. He had a little bit of an accent as well. This is important for later.... Jacob was in the Bjorn, and Jennie in the seat of the cart. Jake giggled and laughed at the man, and Jennie looked right at him when he said hello and said, "I'm going to be shy now" and proceeded to turn her head away and not say a word. A few short moments later, we were on our way. I said, "Jennie, say bye," and she did not. However, as we turned down the lane to get some onions, she waves her hand dramatically and calls out, "Buenos dias!" I about DIED. My 2 1/2 year old just racially profiled the banana man! I mean, it was quite socially aware of her to use her Dora the Explorer Spanish skills - but seriously horrifying as a mother. The poor guy probably thought I told her to say it. While impressive that she picked up on those cues that he probably spoke Spanish, it is a much harder thing to understand that its not OK to act on it. Another lesson for another day, haha.

Learning to swim in the river with Daddy

Jennie (calling from her closed bedroom door after she was tucked in): Oh Daddy! Daaaadddyyyyyy!
Justin: Yes, Jennie?
Jennie: Daddy, I reeeaaaally have to go poop.
Daddy: Remember when you were sitting on the potty before bedtime, and I told you to try and go, and that you were not to get out of bed and try later?
Jennie: Yes.
Daddy: Well, you shouldn't be getting up to go then.
Jennie: But I reaaaaaaallly have to go Daddy. (she scampers off to the bathroom).
Me: Jennie, stop singing and focus on going potty
Jennie: Focus on the poopy, focus on the poopy, poooopy, poooopy... (singing it).
Me: Jennie.... stop it
Jennie: Mommy, I don't have to go poop.
Me: Maybe you should sit and try a little longer. You said you needed to go.
Jennie: But I don't need to go.
Me: Then why did you tell Daddy you had to go?
Jennie: Because I wanted to get out of bed. (with a total "DUH" tone to her voice!!)
Me and Justin: (trying hard and failing to hold back our snickers and laughs) Reeaaaaalllly? Get back in bed. NOW.

Playing shuffle board "all by myself!!" with Uncle Greg

Jennie will strike up a conversation with anybody. While walking over to the softball field to watch Daddy's game, there were about 4 guys standing around waiting to play next. As we walked by them, Jennie fires up a conversation about a mile-a-minute:

Jennie: Oh, Hi there. We are going to watch Daddy's softball game. He's playing over there. I'm going to cheer. Hey - do you want to come, too?!?

....I think its time for the "stranger" talk, right? These guys were so stunned. One managed to laugh a little and get out "No, thanks. We'll watch from here." Gotta keep my eye on her BIG time!

Modelling in the bath tub...

At Target, a pair of women about my age or so, were looking at a weird gimmic body wash that lit up when you opened the lid. One commented to me, "Wow, she is so attentive and alert, watching everything that we are doing." In my head I am thinking, "Wow, you are grossly underestimating her age...." and then Jennie pipes up and says to them, "I'm sorry, but we can not buy that today. We have to go get some bandaids. Princess ones, I think." The two women's jaws dropped, followed by the usual, "How old is she?"

Climbing the ladder "all by myself!!"

Jennie: Mom, you know what?
Me: What honey?
Jennie: I love you. And Mom, you know what? You are the best friend ever in the whole wide world.
(while totally make-my-heart-melt cute, it is also a little bit of a downer that she has taken to calling me "Mom" instead of mommy at the mature age of 2.5. I'm hoping its a phase.... Justin didn't escape this either. He has been "Dad" for a few days now. By the time she's three we'll merely be "Lindsay and Justin" for crying out loud!)



At my friends baby shower this weekend, one relative of hers was a kindergarten teacher. Jennie struck up a conversation with her:

Teacher: Hello there. What is your name?
Jennie: Jennie. Jennie Mosca. Anne is my middle name.
Teacher: Oh, well I love your dress. It is very pretty.
Jennie: Thank you. Are you going to the baby party with me?
Teacher: I am! How old are you Jennie?
Jennie: Two and a half. My birthday is in December.
Teacher: (to me) WOW. Her verbal skills are amazing. Half the kids in my classes don't know their own birthday.
Jennie: My baby brother is Jacob. His birthday is in December, too.
(here, the teacher's eyes bug out of her head, haha).

Jennie took her first "babysitting"
job very seriously.... kept a careful
eye on our neighbors beta fish.

I know I am bragging here a little, but I am so proud of her! My little smartie pants is growing up so fast. So, when people say, "And how old is she?!?" I proudly respond with "Two-and-a-half, going on 22." But secretly... her personality is going to be scary when she's older! Me and Daddy.... oh, excuse me, "Mom and Dad," are going to need to keep a tight leash on this one!!

4th of July in Marshfield

Ready for some fireworks! 

Jacob is a smartie pants too... prefers to play with an abacus at the library =)

Guilt

I've been feeling some guilt lately, and I've come to realize there are all kinds of guilt. Sometimes people feel guilty about things they have done - like not donating to St. Jude's Hospital when they send you those adorable address labels in the mail....but you use the labels anyways. You could feel guilt about things you've said to people, or things you didn't say and should have. Some people feel guilty about committing a crime - not me, I swear! And of course, there is Catholic guilt. I certainly have my fair share of Catholic guilt - I mean, that's all a part of the religion, right? Some people might feel guilty about cheating on their taxes. But probably not, haha. They might feel guilty that they don't feel any guilt at all about cheating on their taxes.... does that make sense?

The kind of guilt I've been grappling with is parent guilt - its a guilt all about the things that I can't do but want to. It has nothing to do with the things that I have done - because God knows that I do everything I possibly can the very best way I can. Its a guilt that probably eats at all mothers because your whole life revolves around the well-being of your kids. They consumes all your time, thoughts, and energy. And, no matter how much you do for them, it never feels like enough.

Jennie has been getting more possessive of my time and attention. No matter what she has been doing the last two weeks, she asks me, "Mommy, do you want to come/do this with me?" (with an absolutely adorable inflection in her voice). It breaks my heart to have to say no to her and tell her I'm busy with dishes/laundry/Jacob, etc. Do you know how hard it is to say, "Sorry, I can't go to the pretend grocery store with you right now, sweetie"? A few days ago, she asked if I wanted to read some stories in the morning. I said yes, and we read a few. The rest of the day she kept asking to read stories - I don't think she wanted to keep reading stories, but I had said "yes" to it, so she wanted it to continue. Oh, my poor Jennie! I play with her as much as I can - but what I want is to play pretend with her all day; lose my self in her little world and play along with her every whim. However, this would directly interfere with other things I desperately want to do! See next...

Jacob is the most easy going baby - he smiles at the slightest attention given (makes you feel guilty as it is that he gets so excited just when you say hi to him!). It is way too easy to leave him playing on the floor or happily grabbing at toys in the bouncy. What I want to do is spend all his awake time talking to him and keeping him from the TV, and showing him toys, and helping him to grab and sit up and do tummy time. I want to spend all my time helping him develop and take in every moment because it goes by too fast. He learns so much every day and changes so much every day. He found his thumb to suck on a few days ago, is grabbing for toys, and when I went to go check on him squawking last night in his crib, he had rolled himself fully onto his belly! I was very impressed, even if it was 3:30 am. My little man is getting so big.

See my catch-22? Even if I spent 50% of my time with Jennie, and 50% of my time with Jacob, I wouldn't be satisfied with what I can do for them - not to mention what would happen to the never ending dishes in the sink, the condition of my kitchen floor and bath tub, and the absurd amounts of laundry that piles up.... oh, and I suppose I have to feed myself and shower occasionally.

In my mind I know that Jennie is two years old, and this is a major contributor to her feeling clingy and possessive of me. BUT, in my heart I just feel so guilty about not having as much time as I used to for her! In my mind I know that Jacob is getting everything he needs from me, and is a truly happy baby. BUT, in my heart I feel guilty that it can never be the same for him as it was for Jennie when she was a baby.

It is definitely for the best that people don't have a permanent memory until 3 at the earliest. What a blessing for parents! That means all the mistakes we make  and stumbles along the way of learning how to be a parent (especially on how to juggle the needs of more than one kid) are forgotten by our little darlings. All the love and nurturing they experience will make them wonderful kids - and they can forget all the times they were jealous, angry, bored, or had to wait their turn for Mom's attention. In the end I know that I give my kids all the love I possibly can, and I am hopeful that anything else I feel guilty about not being able to do will be largely overlooked. All you need is love, right? <3

Parents say the Darndest Things!

Its been an interesting road these last 11 weeks. For the most part, it is all about survival and there are a lot of things that "go out the window" in the process.... temporarily at least!

Everyone is chilling out watching "Dora."

For example, Jennie didn't watch any TV until she was almost 2. After Jacob's arrival, she watched a LOT of TV, I'll admit it! Dora the Explorer is a great babysitter when you need 20 minutes of quiet to focus on nursing your newborn. I am proud to say that we are back to some sanity in that department - 2 shows a day is the limit and norm. Not so bad, right? ...Especially when Jennie is up at 6 am and neither Justin or I have the energy to entertain her that early. I am sure that Jacob will be watching TV way sooner than Jennie ever did. Its not like I can let her watch and keep him in another room.... or can I?

In the craziness that is our daily life right now, Justin and I have found ourselves faced with lots of things that we never expected - and have found our selves saying lots of funny things, too. Some of it is only funny in retrospect, but honestly, how do you get through life with a 2 year old and an infant if you can't see the funny side of things?

Lindsay: "Jennie, if you don't hurry up and pick out a night-night song you want me to sing, I am going to puke on your bed!"

This was quoted the night Jacob and I came home from his second hospitalization. Again, I was feeling nauseous and got sick a few times (apparently, this is my body's reaction to major stress - I yak a few times when I finally relax. Both times coming back from Jacob's hospitalizations I was sick only a few hours, no fever, and totally fine the next morning...weird....). I was getting Jennie to bed and trying to enjoy it, but I was getting increasingly nauseous. She kept changing her mind on what song I should sing to her. Then, enter above quote. Justin couldn't stop laughing. I ended up singing "You are my Sunshine" very quickly.

Jennie: "Daddy, get beer." (while pointing at the beer refrigerator display at the liquor store)

Justin: "No, sweetie. We have some at home. You can have one of those."

Justin went out to get a bottle or two of wine. Jennie tagged along, and apparently wanted Justin to buy beer, haha. Justin's response to her earned him quite a few skeptical, nervous, and shocked faces from other shoppers. Apparently they didn't realize he was joking....

 

Lindsay: (while talking to another Mommy friend) "Yeah, I have to call Jacob's surgeon to follow up again. I've been sending him pictures of Jake's belly button and we've been emailing over the long weekend. He probably wants to see us again this week."

Simply put, who really thinks that their 2 month old baby would have their own private surgeon who you need to contact every couple days?!? I certainly never expected to be on a first name basis with a pediatric surgeon. For those who don't know, Jacob was back in the hospital with an infected umbilicus (one of the surgery sites - he had a reaction to the dissolveable stitches) four weeks post-surgery. IV antibiotics, ultrasounds, etc. He's fine now - after more antibiotics, and 3 follow up visits with the surgeon. By the way, I love his surgeon and all the staff at Children's Hospital. They are all amazing professionals who really took care of my little darling.

Letting Jennie feed him is so much less work for me.... =)

Justin: "Jennie, take a break from your green beans and eat more pizza."

Ridiculous? Yes. But my 27 month old only weighs 21 lbs, and she needs more pizza!

 

Lindsay: "Oh my God, Justin. Does it look like Jacob has a sunburn?!?"

The last few days here in MA have felt like late spring - warm, sunny, and almost 70. Jennie, Jacob, and I were outside most of the day on Tuesday. When Jacob was crabbing in the stroller, I took him out to hold him. He basically slept in my arms while I played with Jennie, and also chatted with other mommy friends who were at the playground too (read as: I held him out in the sun, rather than in a shaded stroller....with no hat on....). Later that night, Jacob looked a little pink. While it turned out that he was not sunburned, (thank God!!) I was horrified that I didn't realize how warm the sun was and that I had to be concerned that he could be burned. So, funny in retrospect because he didn't actually get burned.... I ordered a nice blue sun hat for him that night. It is crazy how different the second one is - you just aren't worried as much (or you forget about their safety all together.....).

 

Having two young kids has been hard so far - Justin and I have felt frustrated at times and exhausted all the time. We've lacked sufficient patience here and there and we've bribed our 2 year old with TV and junk food. But - we've also had a lot of laughs, tickles, hugs, and kisses with our kids, too. When the going gets tough, all it takes is one little smile from Jacob or an unprovoked hug from Jennie, and all the challenges of the day are washed away. We've been figuring out this "family of 4" gig - and it has been the most wonderful, amazing, challenging, and memorable experience of our lives. We wouldn't change it for anything! .... OK, that's a little bit of a lie. We would probably take some extra sleep if it was an option....

"Having 2 kids is not twice as hard..."

"... It is exponentially more difficult!" as quoted from my dear friend Jessalyn, proud mommy of two.

My handsome man! 

Jennie's little brother, Jacob William, was born 10 days early on Saturday, December 24th, at 1:06 am. Well, right off the bat I suppose he wanted to let us know that he was in charge, and had a plan of his own! 10 days early? Well, jokes on you little man - you're stuck with a Christmas Eve birthday forever now! Poor dude...

Sporting her "Big Sister" shirt and posing with her little bro

We brought Jacob home on Christmas afternoon. The next few days were full of chaos. Between trying to care for a newborn, deal with a super overtired and sick two year old big sister (Jennie was coming down with a nasty cough/cold starting on the 25th) and juggling Christmas, it was a bit of a blur. The volume of gifts pouring into the house from Santa and friends and relatives was a bit overwhelming. Everyone was so generous - its just unfortunate we didn't get a storage unit as one of our gifts, hehe. Thank goodness for my mom and mother-in-law for coming over in the following days and helping out! I was able to get the tree put away and sort through all the gifts and new items and trash in a reasonable amount of time. Taking care of a new baby and getting settled in is sooo much easier when your house doesn't look like a tornado hit it! Over all, we had a wonderful Christmas (with the best surprise gift ever!). However, I don't think we will ever be able to convince Jennie that Santa does not bring babies for Christmas.

In the next few weeks to come, we attempted to settle into a groove. Jennie started napping again, and she called off her food strike. That made things a bit easier! Jacob was a piece of cake - slept a lot (during the day) as all new babies do, and ate like a champ. By January 4th, he was already 6 lbs, 11 oz! I wasn't getting much sleep, but hey, that's expected. I didn't get much sleep in the last 3 months of my pregnancy either, so I was used to it by then. Jacob was 1 1/2 weeks old when he came down with Jennie's cold. We thought we were in the clear, but I guess some things are unavoidable. We tried so hard to keep the germs away. Little did we know that a cough and cold was the least of our worries for little Jacob's first month of life....

A tight squeeze for the whole fam in my Corolla!

I will say that getting out of the house with two kids is daunting when you aren't used to it. It was even more crazy trying to pack them up last minute by myself to go to Nana's for the day! Justin quite suddenly came down with a stomach bug before Jacob was 2 weeks old. So Jennie, Jacob and I evacuated for the day to let him recover and to escape the germs. It was madness getting out the door, but worth it. No one else caught the bug.

Resting up the night before surgery
and looking so tiny in the big hospital crib

Just as Jake was starting to recover from his cold, he started having increasing amounts of puking. We thought at first that his belly was upset from all the mucus draining out, but the amount of puking increased steadily each day. After two and a half days of lots of puke, he was getting dehydrated and I had to take him to the ER. We went to Children's Hospital (thank goodness!) where he was pretty quickly diagnosed with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. It turns out his pyloric muscle between the stomach and small intestine was over developed and not letting food pass through to be digested. It is a problem babies are born with, but it takes about 2-6 weeks for the muscle to get strong enough to basically close up and cause vomiting. Luckily, it was caught early and the surgical fix is fairly noninvasive. Once healed, the problem goes away without future complications. But really, no one can really be prepared to hear that their newborn has to go into surgery! That was pretty tough to handle. My amazing in-laws had Jennie for the whole weekend and took great care of her. It was so helpful to have Justin at the hospital with me.

Snuggling with Daddy post-surgery,
all hooked up to the monitors

We finally got home from the hospital on Tuesday morning. Thankfully (again!) my mother and step-dad were at my house, and stayed through Thursday morning. The out pouring of support and  prayers from family and friends was truly amazing. We had dinners made for us and everything! I truly believe everyone's prayers helped Jacob get better - y'all are so great!

Unbelievably, I got sick on Tuesday night. I guess looking back, it wasn't all that unbelievable.... I hadn't slept more than 2 hours a night since Wednesday the week before (with Jacob puking all night, there wasn't much sleep - and sleeping at the hospital was impossible). Also, I was beyond stressed emotionally and physically. So, I felt like death for about 6 hours - no fever, just non-stop yacking...then woke up feeling totally fine! Not sure if I ate something bad, purely a stress reaction, or what, but it was short lived and again it was not passed to any one else.

All in all, I think it's safe to say we have not had a "typical" beginning as parents of two. The last three days have been "normal" and I am hoping for lots more boring days ahead. I just want to deal with typical mom-of-two problems like sibling jealousy and how to juggle bath time. I also hope and pray that it is "all down hill from here" for poor Jacob! He is recovering great - eating like crazy, and no vomiting. It is exhausting to have to feed him so often, but hey, he has some catching up to do - and I am more than happy to nourish my little man as often as he wants! Grow, Jacob, grow!

When Mom is busy, Jacob will settle for sucking on Daddy's nose! hahaha

I have no illusions that being a mom of two is going to be easy, but this "initiation" into motherhood-of-two has really been quite the adventure. I feel like I've been hazed, haha. I think that figuring out how to get both kids to the grocery store, and manage a newborn during Jennie's playgroup will be a breeze compared to the last few weeks - but who knows? I am sure these two love-bugs have loads more surprises for me. I am just hoping for a few more pleasant surprises and to catch a few breaks in the future weeks to come - I mean, come on, I've earned it, right? =) Whatever the future holds, I know for sure we'll make it just fine. After all, I have two beautiful, amazing children, a supportive, loving husband, and an amazing family and network of friends to help along the way.