Second time around...(cue step by step theme song)

Things I wish someone had told me the first time mothering...

Don't panic over a sleepless night. Babies change so quickly and what you think is a problem one day is something else the next.

Nurse when the baby wants to nurse. Cuddle more and try to worry about sleep a little less.

Drink so much water.

Choose joy, even when you are fighting lonely fatigue.

These last couple of weeks have not been easy. The adjustment has gone well but then Jack got sick and then by all his irresistible cuddles and kisses he passed it to his sister...the beginning of so many shared germs.

Then she got really sick. I don't have much experience with newborn colds but let me tell you what. They are scary. But she survived, our little fighter, and is on the mend.

But seriously, two week olds can get colds? That shouldn't be allowed.

Then I battled two clogged ducts. Yikes. Breast feeding and I kind of have a love/hate relationship. It's really a wonderful thing, but challenging and a whole other level of adjustment when you have a newborn. Totally worth it but can be tricky. I wish someone had told me it was ok to kind of love/hate it. And that once you get in a rhythm with it, you will love it immensely.

So here we are. Three weeks in, going on a week of house arrest and the kiddos are doing better. Praise Jesus.

It's a beautiful time. Challenging for both Jack and I to adjust to the shift in our rhythm, but he's getting the hang of it. So am I. Slowly. And man. Does he ever love his sister. He wants to kiss her all the time. He calls her his 'bruder' even though I remind him she's his sister. Tonight he wanted her to be in bed with him, but I told him when shes a little bit bigger. He's such a tender hearted little man.

I just pray Zoey stays healthy and we can re-enter the world of playdates and trips to Goodwill on dollar day and playing outside before it snows again.

My heart longs to look in the mirror & see all the post pregnancy fat to be shriveled into my normal skin. Just to be honest. I know it takes time. And that's alright. We did invest in a treadmill and I can not wait to start using it.

The days are warm and sunny and I am anxious to go for walks. Now that Zoey is pretty much over her cold we will venture out more and let Jack run wild more. Yesterday I opened the screen door and my poor son sat by the open door and played with his cars the whole time. He didn't ask to go out. I probably failed as a mom on that end. What two year old boy doesn't want to go play outside.

We must play outside more.

I am feeling rested and refreshed today. An evening trip to walmart can do that to a young mama. My man is truly incredible and so supportive, loving and helpful. I am in awe of him and the way Jesus uses Him in my life. He's the best running partnerI could have imagined (and as a young girl, I imagined a lot. Let me tell you.)

Here's to March. Remembering His presence. Clinging to what I know is true of Him. Keep Gods presence my passion.

Spring. One month old baby. Two year old delightful boy and a freshness that can't be duplicated in these first few months of a new baby's life. Everything feels new and a little unbalanced, but so thankful for experience and the reminder that these moments go oh, so fast.