Note: When I first started writing this post, it was titled, 4 weeks with 4. And, technically, the new title should be 6.5 weeks as 6! Maybe that tells you all you need to know?
When people ask how we are doing during this time of transition, our answer is usually along the lines of, “We are exactly where you would expect us to be!” The big kids adore their baby brother but are emotionally fragile. Paul and I swing wildly between being impressed by how well we coordinated an outing (We were on time, with everybody fed and dressed appropriately!) to humble reminders of how many things are falling through the cracks (Our car registration expired in October?! Thanks for the friendly reminder, Mr. State Trooper.).
Every minute is spent intentionally, which doesn’t always mean go-go-go. Sometimes, it means choosing a nap! There is a flow chart that exists in my mind whenever there is not an immediate crisis/ crying child/ ringing phone that needs my attention.
What time is it? Caleb has to eat in…thirty minutes. Is it time to feed the big kids? No, but Miles has been asking me to refill his Nalgene for the last hour. I should do that now. Do I have a clean bottle for the next feeding? Whew. I have one, so I need to remember to wash bottles. I’ll start the dishwasher after lunch and then empty it sometime before dinner. Oh! The laundry needs to be flipped or the boys won’t have any jeans. They are going to want to play outside later. And the weather is supposed to be in the 70’s tomorrow. I better find the bins of summer clothes and pull out short sleeve shirts. Here comes Abby…Right. I promised her I would read that book as soon as I could. Game plan: I will fill Miles’ Nalgene, read Abby the book, flip the laundry, make Caleb’s bottle, feed him, and then maybe I can grab those summer clothes. Uh oh. Caleb is crying….
I am working to strike the ever elusive balance of time at home for Caleb’s sake (He loves his crib!) and outings for the mental health of the rest of us! Caleb has been to numerous parks, church, the Nature Center, and even the dentist (as a tag-along, not a patient!).
Caleb is smiling and cooing a lot now. He definitely responds to his siblings’ voices, especially Abby’s. All of our babies were born with plenty of hair, but he is the first baby to lose his. Right now, he is the poster child for Male Pattern Baldness! It will be fun to see what color it is when it grows back in. Caleb is sleeping and eating on a fairly regular schedule, even giving us some 5 hour stretches of sleep at night.
It’s already hard to remember what life was like before Caleb!
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