Two weeks. I cannot believe that it has already been two weeks since Baby Simon was brought into this world. Two weeks since my husband and I welcomed our second son, the final piece of our little family. Two weeks since I had a human surgically removed from my body. Two weeks since my three year old, Henry, became a big brother. Two weeks since I have been the mom of a toddler and a newborn.

It absolutely blows my mind how much my life has changed in the last two weeks. Things are going well for us. It’s definitely not all rainbows and unicorns around here though. My home wouldn’t be featured on a Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper by any means.

So I thought I would highlight some of the highs and lows of the last two weeks.

The Highs:

• Things are definitely easier the second time around. A million times easier. I know what to expect. I know not to freak out about every tiny noise Simon makes. I know the basics of taking care of a child. I didn’t freak out the first time he spit up and the dog licked it off his face. I didn’t stay up all night worrying when his baby acne popped up a week ago. I haven’t called the pediatrician approximately six times a day to ask them questions about the color of his poop.
• I feel like we have had Simon in our lives forever. He fits in perfectly with our family. He is such a laid back baby. He hardly ever cries. He likes to eat. sleep, and poop. Henry cried all the time as a newborn. I had no idea there was such a thing as newborn that DIDN’T constantly scream. It is crazy how you can already tell the difference in their personalities.
• I have learned that I can multitask the hell out of life. I can feed a baby, wrangle shoes and clothes onto a toddler, pack a diaper bag, load everyone into a car with less than three tantrums without completely losing my shit and still make it to a certain destination no more than five minutes late. I might have to start the process two hours before we are supposed to be at said destination but that’s just a minor detail.
• I have so much love in my heart. I know, very cliche. But I was honestly worried that I might not be able to love another child as much as I love Henry. But I was so wrong. My heart has grown. Kind of like the Grinch.

The Lows:

• Henry has had a tough time adjusting to having a baby in the house. I knew this would happen and we tried to prepare him, but there is only so much a three year old can grasp about that concept. He says that he “doesn’t wike” his little brother. But I have seen him sneak a few kisses when he thinks we can’t see him. His whining has reached a new level of annoying. His fake crying has gotten even worse. His acting skills could use some work. We try to spend as much time with him as possible so he knows that he hasn’t been replaced, but it’s been tough on all of us.
• The baby eats every three hours. Logan and I split shifts and he has been awesome about letting my get extra sleep as much as possible, but it can be exhausting. We are both feeling the effects of new baby exhaustion and an extra cranky, super clingy toddler. Needless to say, Henry has watched every version of all three Minion movies multiple times over the last two weeks. Screen time for the win. And mom’s sanity.
• I had a c-section. I had to walk back to the operating room past tables full of medical instruments that would be used to cut me open. I swear there were 30 pairs of evil looking scissors sitting on one table. At one point, I had someone sitting on top of me pushing the baby down into the birth canal. Then they removed the baby, put all my organs back in place, and sewed me back up. So yes, I spent some time in pain, while trying to keep two children alive, with the help of my husband. I feel like I sort of held it together. We are all still alive and no one lost an appendage so I’ll call that a win.
• My body is a hot mess. I feel like my organs are still kind of jiggling around trying to figure out where they are supposed to be. When I look in the mirror, I don’t really see myself. I see a very tired version of me with bags under my eyes and about forty extra pounds. It’s hard, really hard. I want to be me again. The version that really had her shit together, worked, took care of her kid and still felt good about herself. But it takes time. I will get back there. In the meantime, I will let my body heal.

There are many more highs and lows that I could write about but a blog post can only be so long. Life with a newborn and a toddler isn’t easy, but it’s my new normal. A new challenge. And I love it. It’s going to be hard. And I know that I won’t end every day with a smile. But it’s so worth it.

Until Next Time,

Jamie