To say the last few weeks have been and adjustment is an understatement. We were all feeling a little roughed up after Elin’s hospital stay and coming off of having more help with family in town. So we needed to get back to a good place as a family. We all needed to catch up on sleep and snuggle time. Memorial Day weekend was a good start and then we continued into this past week and weekend. I can finally say I think we have returned to homeostasis and what a great place that is to be.
So what did we learn???
First we learned that it was going to be man on man defense now. At night we have always been able to tag team and now we have to pick and then switch if our “defense” isn’t working. Thomas seemed to wake up every time she did. Boo…it was tough keeping them both happy and sleeping. I can finally say we have passed that stage now. Thomas and Mike usually too sleep through her 3-4 wake ups. Which helps everyone out. The cutest thing has been Thomas wanting to hear about when he was a baby again.
Thomas is also back to knowing that he can’t nurse all the time and is gently being weaned. I wasn’t willing to rock the boat before Elin came for a few reasons: 1-we both enjoy the time together, 2- it is so good for his immunity and health (his pediatrician actually recommends prolonged nursing for as long as possible into toddler years ) 3- we both liked to and still do take naps and this is usually an easy way to get him to sleep 4-I didn’t want to wean him and then have it all come back after having a new baby. So he is now back on his only nursing to sleep and 1 time in the morning. Then I have started to shorten the time for him nursing to sleep and he now falls asleep by himself every night not nursing. I have to admit I never thought I would nurse a 2 year old, 2 children and I could go on and on. Yet it is where we are and I am so thankful that my body and breasts have been able to do so much for Thomas and now Elin. Nutrition, immunities, closeness, and comfort are so priceless to me in this very short period of life. It was a little daunting to nurse him the first time again after Elin was born, my little nugget all of a sudden felt and seemed like a giant! I can only continue to hope that the research continues to support breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding. As anyone who has breast fed for any amount of time will tell you it is not always easy regardless of how much you believe in it.
After a particularly stressful and quite disastrous experience at a climbing gym and lunch Mike and I talked and decided that Thomas, Elin, and I needed some time to click. The lunch went something like me trying to get Thomas to eat his lunch, while nursing Elin, people staring and a few melt downs later we were all exhausted. Thank goodness I had a friend with me to help out! So we stuck to the 3 of us and Stella joined in too. We hung out around the house and painted, cleaned together (Thomas chooses to do this and I am not going to complain), went to the aquarium and park. His listening ears turned back on, which led to two very happy parents. He will still test us but he is not down right naughty all the time like he was after Elin’s initially came into our world. After this he was also having a really hard time being around children and he was starting to act out. He started to do things he had seen but had never done before and that for me was a big warning that his little mind was spinning. He was also trying to boss around his puppy and cats. His poor little brain was trying to “boss” someone and organize himself and his world. He is figuring it out and as I write this a week late he has had a few GREAT days, even around other kids!
Homeostasis feels good. The new normal feels good. There are things that remain challenging which are trying to help when both need me/us. This is obviously much easier on the weekends when Mike is here. Trying to be out and about and nurse Elin while also keeping my very active by entertained and safe is also tricky. I have found that the best way to do this alone is to let Thomas “drive the car to Minnesota” while I sit in the passenger seat and nurse Elin. Other than that there is a lot more laundry but I think until Elin starts to move and demand more attention we have made it over this hump.
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