5 min read
Today L is three months old! She is definitely past the newborn stage which feels too fast and super exciting at the same time. The speed at which babies learn and change completely amazes me.
So, how’s life as a mother of two?
Three months into this new chapter of our lives it we have mostly gotten used to being a family of four.
The good stuff
For SJ the newness of and excitement over her baby sister hasn’t quite worn off though. She still likes to tell people and that she is a big sister and that L is so so cute and that she came out of my belly (which is pretty wild to be fair). When L and I pick SJ up from nursery she is so happy to see her sister and kisses and hugs her, which is so sweet.
Today, I had to get something from the basement, so naturally, the three of us went down there together. I was carrying L and SJ held her hand. The combination of seeing her big sister from above and going down the steps must have seemed hilarious to her and she proper laughed! It was such an unexpected lovely moment.
The challenges
One thing I didn’t really think about before L was born, is how much harder logistics are. Some days I feel like I spend half the day strapping and unstrapping the girls from their car seats, loading and unloading the pram (and scooter, and bike, and sand toy bag) from the boot and carrying half our household in my bag (nappies for the baby, a spare pair of pants for the toddler, extra clothes for both, plus breast pads and snacks and water and toys and never forget the wet wipes!). It’s kind of exhausting!
Also, it’s really hard sometimes to navigate both of their needs appropriately. We have a lot of stairs going up to our house and when SJ goes up it sometimes can take a while as she examines beetles and leaves and an uneven bit of paint on the railing on her way up. Normally, I just try and go with her pace. However, now I also carry a baby that I want to get out of the sun and maybe she is crying and needs a feed asap. I then tell SJ to hurry up which often doesn’t yield results. I get a bit impatient and moody and then she gets moody too, meanwhile L is screaming and I am sweating and by the time we reach our flat we’re all annoyed. Plus, I feel like a bad mother to both of them in that moment.
And yes. Sleep is kind of hard to come by these days. Two children who aren’t sleeping through the night are quite something.
L at three months
L had some tummy aches this last week and was quite unhappy a lot of the time. However, she is still a super chill and sunshiny baby.
Around 3 or 4 weeks ago she started rolling from her front to her back. She can now hold and play with a little rattle and she makes all sorts of noises. She loves attention and rewards any interaction with the sweetest smile.
On the whole she is a great sleeper. Most of the time she falls asleep in her own bed without many problems. She takes great long naps and only wakes two or three times during the night. However, she does not sleep well when we are out and about. She only takes catnaps in the pram or when we’re at someone else’s house. But that’s ok! I much rather her sleep best in her bed than in a moving pram!
SJ at 2 years and 8 months
SJ is so fun. I love this stage she is in and watching her learn and develop skills and her imagination. She is really funny as well.
When I put L down for a nap and whisper to be quiet she looks at me and moves her mouth as if she was speaking but doesn’t make any sounds. Also, often she brings me some imagined object, normally “apples”. I then pretend to eat said apple. The other morning she said “here for you” and opened my hand. I pretended to eat and she said “No! Stop! That’s my nose!” I don’t know where she comes up with this stuff!
Right now, she loves to play with her train set, her magna tiles, wooden blocks and cars. She has lots of good friends at nursery and generally really enjoys hanging out with other children and adults.
When it comes to eating, she is a typical toddler. Her preferred foods are pasta, sausage, cheese, cucumber and anything that’s sweet.
She still isn’t sleeping through the night but her sleep has gotten a lot better, she falls asleep fairly quickly now and bedtime is hardly ever a problem. Most of the time she asks “can you put me to bed now, please?” This makes life pretty easy!
I am not wonder woman
People often think I am some kind of superstar because Edd is away often and I do it “all on my own”. That’s not the case! I really want to stress that I actually have it pretty easy. SJ goes to an amazing nursery, which she loves. My parents live next door and often help out with childcare or have us over for dinner when Edd is in the UK. When Edd is working from home he is very hands-on, helping lots around the house, doing all the nursery-runs and often taking an afternoon off to take SJ for an adventure. So please don’t think I am a superhuman (I am definitely not)! Haha.
Life is good.
Of course, parenting can be exhausting and difficult but I really do enjoy it. I feel so privileged that I get to raise these girls.
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