I'm back!!

...well.. sort of.

So, I'm sorry you've had to wait so long for an update, my friends.



It's been way too long since my last post. I've been on the computer and reading other people's blogs, but it's been so hard to find time to actually put new pictures up and keep this thing updated! I have thought about you though in my absence! =) But I make no promises to stay as on top of it as I have in the past.... at least until I can figure this whole being a mom of two thing out!

And just to warn you, since it has been so long, this is going to be a long post, so you might want to just get comfy! ... or skip to the bottom.. whatever!

Well, Noah turned 3 weeks old yesterday, on Christmas Day! And by the way, I hope you ALL had a very wonderful and blessed Christmas! We got to celebrate 5 different times when it was all said and done over the course of 3 days. And we are exhausted, but it was so fun and so worth it! Our babies were loved on beyond belief! We have amazing families!

(these pics are from Christmas Eve at Jason's grandma's house - at his 2 week check, Noah was already 7lbs 9oz!)

So far, life with two babies has proven to be... well, an adjustment. A very blessed adjustment, but challenging, nonetheless.

Jason was able to be off work for two glorious weeks to help me out with everything during my "recovery" period. And I must say, that I was pretty good at listening to my wonderful midwife Ann, and my super awesome hubby, and stayed in bed for the first week. (We're talking only getting up to pee and shower and that's it, ya'll!)

The second week I was still in bed, but I eased myself back into sitting at the computer (for very short periods of time) and sitting on the couch at the coffee table to eat(since we don't actually have a kitchen table), and laying on the couch to watch movies. Surprisingly enough for me, this was something I could kind of get used to! =) I mean, Jason literally waited on me hand and foot, while playing host to the company we had, and being an amazing Dad (and mom) to Rebekah while I couldn't be there for her. (I definitely couldn't have done it without him, and for that, I am forever grateful and blessed.) I totally thought I might go stir crazy** or just not listen, but I really loved being able to just get the rest I needed and soak up my precious new baby - getting to nurse him, sleep next to him, kiss his little neck, and smell his newborn smell .... ahh.. I could just eat him up! And incidentally, the difference in recovery time has been amazing! I feel great, and everything is generally going better this time around! I don't regret slowing down more this time at all!

**update: A little birdie got me thinking today and I suddenly remembered why I did not actually go stir crazy! It may very well have been because I may or may not have gone out to Jason's awards dinner banquet for work, along with a few other errands that second week. But hey - this is still an improvement from when Rebekah was a baby... we took her to church when she was 6 days old! ha!**


But, I know that this part was the hardest part for Jason. He was helping me do most of the things I normally do for Rebekah- like bathing, feeding, diapering, entertaining her, and putting her to bed .... okay, everything I normally do! This part in and of itself was tough for him because she's been such a Mama's girl up until this point and wants me to do everything with her. So there was definitely some crying and whining going on.... and not just from Jason... =) Ha! Just kidding..


But really, Rebekah fought her sleep for the first solid week, and didn't really understand this whole "baby" thing. Especially the part where Mama lived in bed with this new baby and could only kiss and hug on Bekah in the bed. This part killed me. I wanted to help Jason not to stress but I couldn't really do anything about it. Add the "mommy jobs" Jason had taken over to my whiny and needy self (and FYI: I get SUPER hungry as a nursing mama. I'm talkin, around the clock, ravenous hunger!... plus I might have been a little bossy...er.. instructional since I couldn't do anything for myself and I still wanted things done my way) and a crying baby (just at night - when sleep is generally good to be getting) and you get a stressed and sleep deprived daddy! But he was so good and patient and loving about it!
*As a sidenote, we totally had friends and family helping us out with meals and with taking care of Rebekah several times, so not to worry! I'm just saying, that to be completely and totally honest, it was a bit overwhelming for both of us to make this transition!

So when Jason went back to work at the end of that second week (last Friday) it was a little crazy for me to jump back into taking care of Rebekah with our newest addition. However, it's not been too bad considering:

A) Jason goes to work in the afternoon - so he's been helping me by letting me sleep in with Noah (since he still has his days and nights confused) and getting Rebekah fed and taken care of until I wake up and
B) He was back at work for 3 days and then off again for 4 because he had already taken off work for Christmas this week! Score!

So, the real challenge may be waiting just around the corner, when we have a real normal work week. But, it seems like it's getting easier.

I've just had to become more creative at multi-tasking. You know, like nursing Noah while giving Rebekah a bath and then holding both of them at the same time to pray over her and put her in bed, or "wearing" Noah while feeding Rebekah while she's in the bath!... ha!

Oh, but with all that said, there is absolutely nothing on this earth that I would trade it all for. Nothing that I would want more than what I've got now.

And that includes:
1. Jason - my husband - my rock - who has been so supportive, patient, loving, and who's been so fun with Rebekah. He's really stepped up to the plate to help me and to be there for all three of us. He changes both the kiddos' diapers without complaining (most of the time... come on now, he's still human!) and listens to me get emotional about how blessed we are and how much my heart swells when I think about our sweet babies... he eats leftovers and takes me out to eat so I don't have to cook - and he helps me clean! Fabulous! And oh, he even brought me diapers and mint chocolate chip ice cream while he was at work the other night because we somehow forgot how many diapers these little ones actually go through and I ran out! (This is generally not how things go at his work, but he was able to somehow make it happen.) ::Sigh:: Thank you Lord for that man!


2. my Bekah - she's been such a big girl for us lately! She was so good for Nana and Papa and then for Granna when they each had her on different days for us that first week. She actually looks forward to her time with her daddy now (calls his name when he leaves the room for more than 2 seconds and hates it when he leaves for work) and has developed a great bond with him. She helps me with Noah all the time - brings me pacis, burp cloths, and diapers even before I need them! And she LOVES her baby brother - her "bubba", her "Wo-wah". She wants to kiss him all the time! That girl fights her natural instinct of crying when she can't always have me do things for her and you can see it in her face when she is about to cry and then stops herself and takes a deep breath! For how old she is, Bekah is so smart and funny (she makes us laugh ALL the time!) and she is sensitive to things and people around her. I could eat her up, too!


3. Noah - our early Christmas present. He makes the cutest noises all the time. Right now he may only know how to eat, sleep, and dirty his diaper, but that baby is our blessing!

(after his first bath on Christmas Eve! He's so happy to be clean!)

So, I know I'm getting all sentimental and all, but thanks for allowing me to share with ya'll how things have been going around here lately! I know that I can be honest and you will understand where I am coming from without judging me. Although there have been frustrations these last 3 weeks, the change that has come with a new baby has definitely been for the better.

And I'll add this: God has definitely been putting things into perspective for me and has reminded me of so many things lately. I have been reminded to be more of an encourager and a supporter than I've been to my husband who has chosen to be the provider for our family; to be more patient with Rebekah when she doesn't understand something instead of scolding her for doing it wrong or for not listening; to not sweat the small stuff - it's okay if the dishes aren't done all the time! God has also shown me what Love really is through Jason and through what He's doing for us. As a couple, Jason and I have come to really just depend on Him to provide lately, and boy has He! Without giving specifics, I'll just say that when we've least expected it, God has really blessed us with different things and in different ways lately in exactly the way we've needed it.

So, I'll end this tonight by saying that we are in awe of what God is doing in our lives right now and we are anxious to see what is in store for us for the future! If you are still reading this, thank you for sticking with it! =)

Now, I think I'm off to try to get a few hours sleep before this little one wakes up again!

*By the way, my birth story is in the works and I'll post it soon, along with some more pics from my new camera I got for Christmas! =)*