Family Update

My household is asleep; it's dark and rainy; there are no loud neighbors about; the living room is picked up; the dishes are done and the laundry is folded; even the air vents are freshly cleaned... and despite having only 4-5 hours of sleep (not in a row, mind) I simply cannot fall asleep. So, I'll try to fill you in on things because the time will soon come that I will not be blogging because I will not have the time.

Seth is just the right kid for us at this time. He has been an angel so far. I know he is going to be more calm than Sakura was but I know he is going to cry more and more as the days go by as well. He is a sweet and easy-going kid so far. I don't think he'll be a pacifier kid like Sakura - he can take it or leave it, but mostly prefers not to have it. He fusses generally little and his crying is not as shrill or loud as Sakura's was. He's a good eater and a good sleeper, though he's not always consistent and tends to sleep more when Sakura is awake and is up more when she is asleep. Oh well. He is very alert and very strong. He already swivels his head to look around and seems interested in the world around him. He doesn't like diaper changes or wind, but he loves to be touched and held (though he doesn't HAVE to be held CONSTANTLY). I think he's going to be much like his daddy - they already have the same skin tone! Now maybe he'll accomodate me and keep his blue eyes. :) The best word to describe Seth is simply "sweet."

Sakura has mixed emotions about all of this. The first day she came to see him at the hospital, she was very chatty and very interested. After a few hours, she told Chad to "take him back" to the nursery. We opted for Chad to stay with Sakura at home that night so he could get her and the house ready for Seth to come home. Sakura loves her little brother - she likes to hold him or help hold his bottle or watch to make sure you change his diaper. She shows concern if he cries and softly pets his head or gives him a kiss if you mention either one. She is willing to share her food and drink with him, and has quickly learned that babies drink "special" milk and can't have cereal or sandwiches or ANY of her favorite foods. But she still gets jealous. She doesn't take it out on Seth, but sometimes gets quite weepy or clingy or whiny. We are trying hard to give her special attention, but it is not easy! I'm grateful Seth was born before Sakura's birthday so we could have a day that was all about her, and not just the baby - even if he still required a lot of attention. She got to open presents and pick out new toys and talk on the phone and have a birthday cake. The day after was harder though because she expected the attention to continue, and we were exhausted from our previous efforts, and the vent cleaning guys came over for a few hours to boot. I know my friends are all willing to watch Sakura for the day, but I don't want to do it too often and have her think we don't want her around anymore. It's going to be tough when Chad goes back to work and there's only 1 parent to dish out attention to 2 kids.

So far though, I'm doing much better than I expected. While there are downsides to not breastfeeding, I think it's the right choice for us this time. He would have been a better baby for it than Sakura, but I am recovering more quickly, which is good because I'm going to have a lot more responsibility this time too. I'm still dealing with pain from my tear and with more pain from my milk coming in, but they're fairly well managed with drugs most of the time. I am swollen all over as well, which is no fun, and my activities are very limited, but thanks to the Prozac, I'm pretty emotionally stable. Not that I don't have my moments, but I am doing reasonably well. We'll see what happens when Chad goes back to work. For the next week and a half I can't drive, vacuum, do laundry, lift anything heavy (like Sakura), do excessive stairs (less often than once a day) and probably other stuff I'm forgetting. Chad goes back to work before those days are up, but should have good hours anyway.

Chad is adjusting to this new role of fatherhood. It's a little harder on him this time because he is my sole home support. We lived with my parents when Sakura was born and they filled in most of the gaps because Chad was still in med school and his time was not able to be solely for us. (Plus he doesn't have Prozac on his side like I do!) He missed out on some things regarding a new baby before, so some things are brand new to him. But he is doing so well! It's hard for him to take on the roles I can't fill right now (shopping, feeding, entertaining...) as well as the lack of sleep, crying and his usual roles of making appointments, calling the insurance, dealing with getting time off from work etc. He has really done an amazing job and has really been taking good care of all of us. Thank you sweetheart!

Only poor Happy is the most neglected. She gets very little playtime and has a dimished appetite. She spent a whole day and night in her kennel (minus bathroom and food breaks) while I was in the hospital. And still she is a good dog. She mostly ignores Seth and just tries to get my attention or sit near me as much as she can. She already knows what a baby is and what it means, so she is attempting to get what affection she can, when she can. Sakura seems to take some of her frustration out on Happy, and she bears it with patience. What a good little dog we have!

I certainly have a wonderful little family that I am immensely grateful for. They are amazing and precious spirits in my life and I can't imagine what it would be like without them. I love you Chad, Sakura, Seth and Happy!