Tuesday, September 04, 2007

month two: in review

As I suspected, time is clipping right by. And something I've noticed is that time seems to go much faster when you have a new baby - because you can see just how quickly they change.

Henry is doing things today that he wasn't doing last month.

In fact, Henry is doing things today that he wasn't doing yesterday.

He is drooling up a storm which I know is the beginning of teeth. He is smiling and laughing and his eyes light up whenever he sees me.

He coos and cahs and is kicking his legs like mad. His arms are moving in every which direction and he'll sometimes punch himself in the face with his little clenched fists.

Then he'll look startled as if to say "Who DID that?!"

Within the past 24 hours, he has started to shove his fist in to his mouth. Perhaps he recognizes it as the thing that keeps knocking him in the head?

He is an incredibly relaxed and content baby. He rarely makes a peep.

Come to think of it, the only time I ever hear him cry is when his siblings are either asleep or outside playing. It could be that he makes a lot of noise but I never hear it over our other boisterous children.

Every time I pick him up, I inhale the beautiful aroma of his newborn head, kiss his getting fatter by the day cheeks, and hold him tight.

I am savoring every bit of my baby.

Nursing is no longer excruciating. I'm very glad that I stuck with it because I knew that there was nothing wrong with his latch, and eventually it would get better.

Thankfully, it finally did.

I have noticed that Henry is sleeping longer stretches at night and nursing less when he does wake up. The reason I know this is because when I wake up in the morning, it feels like I'm laying on top of cobbles.

I still have a few months off of work before I am due to return to my part-time status.

I'm tossing around the idea of extending my leave for a year - like I did with our triplets - because this first year goes so fast, I really don't want to miss a thing.

Since I'll be home, Charlie will be returning to work full-time, next week. Today, however, he had an important business meeting three hours north, so he left the house at 7 AM.

It is now 3:00 PM and I've been home with the kids for the past eight hours. One month ago, the thought of being home with all four children by myself for an entire day, made me lightheaded.

But so far, things are going great. Right after breakfast, I loaded Henry in the stroller, fished out our three safety harnesses, tethered everyone together, and took off for a walk.

I was extremely apprehensive how the children would do walking with their harnesses. But instead of falling all over themselves, like the last time I used them, they all started neighing like horses.

Oh, how I love an imagination.

Keeping with the horse theme, we "trotted" to the park where I let my horses off to play before having a quick snack, and then we "trotted" home where I fed my horses some oats - in the form of granola.

My horses also had some grapes, apples, graham crackers and yogurt. And then, I put my horses down for a nap.

All in separate rooms of course ... because when in a big bed, my horses morphed in to monkeys that re-enacted a particular book about primates who ignore their mother, jump, fall down and result in several calls to the doctor.

I've learned that taking care of four children under the age of three is doable and I'm actually starting to believe that I might be able to pull this off without completely falling apart.

Even William seems to think so.

14 comments:

  1. What a happy post!! You sound so joyful and content with your house full of babies. A wonderful house, indeed!!!!!

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  2. Oh my word Henry looks ready for school. I know it is a close up but holy cow Mama---you have some good stuff you are feeding that baby. Gracie looks huge also. Great job finding those harneses. That is the secret---get them out and moving--and exposed to nature. Good job and not too heavy a load for you to push although it will be great when they are all walking---not to rush things.
    Mom

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  3. I love this post!! I've been lurking for the last little bit, and had to come out and say how much I enjoy your blog!!

    You sound so much like me, in how you write about how much you are enjoying Henry, and how you feel like you can actually handle everybody now. (a month ago you thought you would faint) This was exactly how I felt months ago!

    I had twins, and 2 years later I had a singleton (surprise!), so I really know how it feels, but minus a toddler!

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  4. OH.... MY.... GOD!! He is so BIG! Such a Cutie Pie! And those other children -- They are all so darn cute! Where did they get their good looks?? They are beautiful!!! Love the thumbs up - What a great trick!

    I hate to be the one to break it to you -- You silly Mother of 4 young children under 3!!! William's giving the thumbs up to his sisters; not you...It's a plan.

    "Great guys...it worked...Mom's feeling confident...just wait...Elizabeth you keep the spoons...Gracie you get the chocolate...Henry, cry when I give you the 'THUMBS UP' signal..." Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh...;-)

    Very cute stuff. ;-) Hugs.
    Love Marg

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  5. Henry is simply adorable. He looks so grown up in those clothes. I loved dressing my son like that when he was a newborn too.

    You can do it with 4 little ones! They all belong to you, so really you have to do it! ;) Glad to hear you had a good day with them all.

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  6. Are all your horses tied to the stroller with the dog leash???

    Now, I tie my DOG to the stroller with the dog leash, but usually not my horses.

    Too funny!
    I love it!

    Also, I took Carter (2yrs) to the state park with Grandpa over the weekend, and they were horses too!

    Horses are the latest craze, you know.
    :)
    Annie

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  7. Where did you get those beautiful wide-brimmed sun hats for kids, asks a mama in sunny Texas. I saw them on pictures of the kids at the beach and was envious then too.

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  8. You're sounding confident now... Is it time to start thinking about having another one???

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  9. Hi Tankim: I bought the children's hats one hot day at the San Diego Zoo when I forgot ours at home. They are made by Columbia and I found them online at the following link in a variety of colors: http://www.columbia.com/product.aspx?p=5535&cat=6&top=6

    Hey Lorie: You read my mind!!

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  10. See??? You can do it! I laughed about you saying that Henry never made a peep THAT YOU HEARD! It's POSSIBLE that Austin was crying his head off at times, and I would have never known. I'm choosing to believe he's never cried a day in his life!

    Way to go with the leashes! Why didn't I think of that? Instead I pulled a big ass 4 car Choo Choo like "I" was the horse and put my back out all the time. Good thinking.

    Henry is a beautiful baby. Absolutely beautiful.

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  11. Get a license plate -- IMAGDDS -- translation: I Am A Goddess!!!!!!!!! You are amazing! You were the crown!

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  12. Just showed the pictures to Reiner - He said Hello, Beautiful pictures and William looks like Charlie - he's ready for more after seeing the picture of Henry!
    Talk to you soon. Marg

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  13. isn't that so great...when you finally get that FEELING that you REALLY can do this. (everyone's THIS is a different thing, but I think we've all been there, going "how am I EVER going to do this" and then one day, it just feels rightnad you gain confidence and the ball starts rolling and its okay! I love it

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  14. Okay, I blink, come back and you've not only had your baby, he's now 2 months old! Congratulations! He's beautiful! And despite my infrequent visits, I am very happy for you and think you have produced the neatest family. I'm glad you are both surviving and enjoying!

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