The Proudest Papa & A Comparison
‘ROUND HERE
My littlest is two weeks old. These two weeks have flown by, just like with my whole pregnancy (with the exception of the very, very end) and I wonder if that is how the next chunk of time is going to go…quickly. Things this time around have a more relaxed and laid back feel. The world doesn’t stop with each diaper change and middle of the night feedings have a bit of a sweet I-get-you-to-myself tone.
We’ve slowly found ourselves leaving the safe cocoon of our house and going on adventures to the park. beach and even to visit Lara and her family. Poor Audrey gets all bundled up and sleeps through it all with a her teeny nose getting a bit chilly. Barry heads back to work this week and I know that with that comes another change. Perhaps we’ll find a routine that will work for us sooner than later, but to be honest, I’m not looking forward to the first outing with Audrey, Maggie AND Sydney. Just the thought of it sounds like chaos, but soon it’ll be the norm.
The Miller Sisterhood is setting down strong roots, with Maggie wanting to make sure that Audrey knows her voice. We’re working on reminding Mags that she doesn’t have to have her face THISCLOSE for Audrey to see it. Maggie has also shown to buy more into the idea of being a big girl and big sister. Early last week we had a talk about how being a big sister is sometimes really, really hard and once we acknowledged that – all the hard work she is doing – we seem to have turned a corner. It was almost as if we gave her permission to feel frustrated and sad, emotions she’d probably been trying to control, especially with everyone asking if she ‘loves being a big sister and loves her sister, blah, blah, blah.’
Being a second born *wink, wink*, I would like to say that Audrey seems to have joined our family without much of a fuss. She is relaxed, happy and pretty much only ‘complains’ when she’s hungry – trying to nurse anything or anybody in reach. The major difference between her and Maggie is that Audrey is the loudest sleeper I’ve ever heard for someone her size. She grunts, groans, snorts, sighs, and makes every other noise in the book while slumbering if she isn’t getting held. As I type this, I am wearing her in the Moby and she isn’t making a peep. Just like her big sister, she loves to be held. And we’re happy to oblige.
Audrey brought Mags some smelly markers as a gift and they have been a huge hit – with Maggie using them on all her projects….even bringing them to use on the toilet. Some day she might not appreciate that being shared, but I found it quite funny. Just like the time that Maggie helpfully put lotion on her face and some of her toys. Hard to argue with a two-bit toddler covered in yummy smelling lotion.
The Big Sister and Her Hobbies
“Do you like being a big sister?”
“Does Audrey cry a lot?”
“Is she loud?”
Aa
Maggie has been fielding the same questions from well-wishers since Audrey showed up and she’s pretty much done answering any questions about her little sister. People are met with blank stares and a non-answer when asking Maggie anything Audrey related. But if you want to talk to Maggie about her latest hobbies (boating, cutting, sewing, taping, and playing RunTickle) she’s happy to talk your ear off….and then some.
About a week before Audrey was born a colleague at work sent home a mini lawn chair for maggie and it was love at first sight. It took about two shakes for Mags to set up a “boat” and ride around the house with New Baby and Ruff-Ruff the Pug. The boat has evolved into the lawn chair on top of a sheet, a broom for a fishing pole, dust pan for a paddle and scraps of paper for tickets. New Baby and Ruff Ruff are always passengers on the boat, we’ve given up suggesting that they get left behind in any capacity.
Maggie’s other favorite thing to do around the house is work at her Art Table (or really any table, but we try to keep it contained at the Art Table when we can…obviously didn’t work in these photos) cutting up pieces of paper. There really isn’t a plan with all the pieces of paper, she just likes to cut. Lately she has worked her way through a few rolls of scotch tape and taped her ‘projects’ on walls, windows and any other available surface. During the day I find myself fighting the uphill battle of sweeping scraps up, pulling tape off of myself from random places, but at night, after Maggie has gone to sleep, I adore looking at all her work stations. So much of her work goes unnoticed or unappreciated these days with my attention on Audrey and breastfeeding.
There is almost always a running-commentary coming from Maggie’s mouth about what is going on around her, often in a sing-song voice. I hear my own phrases getting sung back to me and sometimes I’m grateful for my word choice, other times I realize I could adjust a word here or there. There have been many songs about diaper changes, etc.
Maggie does love being a big sister and when her attention is turned to Audrey it is full of love. Lots of “Oh, Baby. It’s alright. We’re all here. I’m here. It’s okay” and “Don’t worry” types of things. The biggest challenge? Keeping Maggie’s hands off Audrey’s head. She just wants to pat that sweet little head and I totally get it, so we’re working on it. I’m trying really hard to make individual time for Maggie when Audrey is with Barry or snoozing . It’s hard, but also really important.
