week 1 at home

What a ride it has been so far!

We arrived home Monday afternoon around 4:30 and were greeted by E and my mom. My dad came by with dinner and my sister came by with birthday cake. We had a small little celebration for me since I was in the hospital for my actual birthday. Our first night went fairly well, but E had a hard time going to bed. I think it was due to the fact that we were gone and now home for just a bit. G slept pretty well the first night in 2 and 3 hour chunks.

The next few days were tough. E would have fits like I've never seen before. He would take everything and throw it, fall down in fits of crying and screaming, and cry for just about everything. He wanted to nurse every time he saw me feed G, which I figured would happen. I just never thought I'd be feeding my two year old more than my newborn. E still cries when I have to get G to latch on first before he does. It is getting better though.

My parents have been over almost every day to help out with E and doing chores for us around the house. Yesterday they took E out to run some errands, Paul had taken my car for an oil change, and I had some quiet time alone with G. When they returned, E had fallen asleep and they forced Paul and I to take a nap. We ended up sleeping for two hours and it felt so good!

I'm not sure if it's because G is the second child and we've done this before, but he has been rather easy to take care of thus far. He rarely cries unless we have undressed him for a diaper change or he is upset that I have not gotten my nipple in his mouth fast enough. He is pretty easy to console and sleeps pretty well - although he likes to sleep more during the day than at night. I feel like E was fussier and more challenging to stop crying, then again, it is the first week!

Today, E woke up at 5:15 and came in to bed with us. We all ended up sleeping until 8:00! It was great at the time, but such a late wake up led to E not wanting to take a nap, so this evening was full of whining and fussing. We probably should have just gotten up!

The tandem nursing is going well. I had a hard time with it the first two days, mostly because I couldn't get comfortable. The first time we tandem nurse, E started crying when he saw G on me first. He then proceeded to hit himself which then made me cry. So our first session was quite heart wrenching. We've now figured out how to get comfortable! I enjoy nursing both the kids together, expect when I see myself in the mirror or a picture because then I just feel like a cow. :-( E is really greet when they nurse together. He will just pat G on the head, or touch his little body parts, and hold his hand. It's really quite sweet to watch. I love hat it still gives me some extra time to cuddle with E and to let him know that I still am here for him. I love when G falls asleep and Paul takes him to put him down because E and I can get a personal nursing session in.

E is really great with G even when they aren't nursing. He will come up and kiss him, give him hugs, and pat him. He will also mimic theings that G does (make a fist, put his hand to his face). He really likes it when we put G in the swing - E will go to him and kiss him or stop the swing so he can push him.

With us, E has been ok. He is not listening and following directions as well as he did before, but that is to be expected. We are trying to keep his days as normal as before G arrived. I think he is having a more difficult time with me than with Paul. I seems to need to stop him and make him look at me before I tell him something, otherwise he ignores me. But I think the fact that we can still nurse together is helping.

I'd say that our first week has gone well...it could have been worse!