HI! I feel like I've been away too long, and I miss this space. I get disheartened with blogging whenever life gets extra busy and crazy, but I know that I truly enjoy the fruits of it later when I have this scrapbook to look back upon. So I'll plug away with a little life update.
Declan is awesome. I am so thankful for him. He is adorable and easy and sleeps great and eats even better. He is doing all the baby stuff right. I thoroughly enjoyed my babymoon with him, that's right, enjoyed...past tense. Because it's over. The kids and Phil are all home this week for April vacation, and it seems like everything should be back to normal, except that I'm not. Our life is different now, we have another family member! One that needs Mom and gets up at night (though not very often, thank God!) and makes it difficult to go do anything as a family. We are a family-on-the-go under normal circumstances...always heading out for a walk, or bike ride, or to a pool or beach, or running errands or playing at a park, and Declan is changing all that because he needs to eat so often and it's a little chilly to bring him outside with us to play, and turns out he can't actually do anything yet ;)
So I'm feeling a little flush with cabin fever and the kids are trying to adjust to this new normal. Don't get me wrong, they loooooove the new baby, we all do, it's just they get sooooo bored and soooooo hungry when we stay home all day. Yesterday, Phil looked at me and said, "Do you want to go for a jog or something?" because it was a little obvious I needed to get out. And then I got upset that he suggested I run when I-just-had-a-baby-less-than-3-weeks-ago-and-I-know-I'm-fat-but-I-don't-think-I-can-physically-even-run-yet-because-I-just-had-a-baby!!! Maybe I should lay off the hormones :)
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| My Exercise Buddy |
So I went for a walk instead, and it did do wonders to clear my mind and remind me how much my mental health craves exercise. I don't care what anyone else says, if I am fit and healthy and feel comfortable in my own skin, I'm a happy person. This maternity clothes limbo is no fun, and while I will try to be patient with my body (9 months on, 9 months off, right?) I need to clean up my eating habits. Starting as soon as the Easter candy is gone :)
But of course, when I look at my sweet Declan Kolbe and give thanks to God, I would gladly sacrifice anything and everything I have to keep him happy and healthy. Every day is a gift, and I'm not sure if I'll ever have a newborn again, so I'm trying to soak it up. This is our season right now, this is our life, this is our new normal.
Babies are so darn hard. At least that's what I always thought. It would be nice if the weather stayed warm, too, am I right?
ReplyDeleteHang in...soon he'll be hanging with the best (and rest) of them. He's adorable, by the way.
It's such a letdown because I feel so light weight now that I've had the baby but then I look in the mirror and ....ugh!!! 9 months on...9 months offf...my new mantra!
ReplyDeleteHE is so sweet ! This time does go by and the kids really don't remember. I always ask my Colette...do you remember when Ava was a baby?? she was like 9 yrs old. She doesn't remember anything. Even my oldest son who was like 14yrs old doesn't remember what it was like...so you are all good. They wont remember...trust me. Just love em and don't be crabby. I think kids remember crabby.
ReplyDeleteI love your posts!! Declan is a doll, and I'm so glad he's being so good. I hear you on all of the emotions - praying the new normal comes soon :)
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm different, my friend. I loved the "new baby in the house" time and all the change it brought. I loved the" snuggling in and letting the world go on around us" time. I never felt the urge to get " back to normal." In fact, I dreaded it. We all just loved that very, very special time that being blessed with a new baby brings. To me, it was disheartening to think of everything just going back to normal, only with another one in tow. As far as the weight...I didn't think about it. My body created and nurtured another human being. It would never be the same, nor should it. I didn't want it to go back to normal...how could it? I sat and rocked and sat and snuggled...because I knew how quickly those previous baby days go. I also realized that some women would never get to experience what I was living, and would gladly change places with me in an instant. I suppose this sounds judgmental and preachy...but I wanted to add another voice to the discussion. I wanted any younger mother out there reading it to know it is alright to feel differently...to feel content staying home, not rushing right back to life. Bringing a new baby home is something we as women do very few times, if any, in our lives. It's alright to cherish it. : )
ReplyDeleteHe is so darling, but I hear you. I feel like every other year is a hard one. Last year, our baby was too small to play in the pool with the other kids, so we stayed home a ton. This year, it's game on and we're going to be there a ton. The ebb and flow of life is so hard sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie pie. I know you and your family…you'll fall into a comfortable routine soon that suits all of you.
ReplyDeleteTake care Mama!
Oh my goodness, he is seriously ADORABLE!!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are soaking it all up! He really is so cute.
ReplyDeleteAnd that you got to get out for a walk is awesome - so crucial!
Miss you all and hope you're getting rest while being stir crazy, if you know what i mean ;)
Ah, the babymoon. And the exhaustion. Oof. Praying for you, sister. Not too long until it's actually warm outside and then you will be on the go. Take care of yourself!
ReplyDeleteP.S. That baby is to-die-for handsome.
ReplyDeleteMan, I hear ya. The babymoon/newborn time is actually one of the hardest for me. Or at least it was with both the little girls. I am with you, I know the activity/exercise makes me feel MUCH better mentally so I was so eager to just get out. While we love those babies and their cuteness, they definitely change the lifestyle and the pace around home. I vividly recall the days with the girls that I almost went bonkers. Prayers and much love, Colleen. I get ya. I totally get ya.
ReplyDeleteThat baby is so, so, so cute! I want one! LOL
ReplyDeleteAnd, I must be crazy, but I don't do babymoons. Pretty much by 1.5 weeks or so, we've resumed all normal activites. Yes, it's harder with the baby in tow, but we'll still go places and I'll just nurse wherever. It maybe takes more planning, but in some ways it's easier than when they are older because you don't have worry about naps...they just sleep all the time. LOL And, they are so light, it's easy to walk around and carry them in the sling. I start regular exercise againt at 2 weeks. Nothing super hard or heavy..usually just walking or something...but it is SOMETHING.
I'm sure doctor's and midwives advise against that, but it never really seemed to hurt my recover to start regular activity within 1-2 weeks.
I am pretty much like Billie Jo above in thinking.
ReplyDeleteBut, I have noticed over the years that you guys really are on-the-go all the time. I was able to be like that when I had up to 4/5 kids but after that babies 6 and 7 were just too hard to just pick up and GO without a lot of planning and help. In the end I got more adjusted to doing less. Taking more time to just be a family at home and accepting more quiet time in life. But, I think every baby brings changes and you have to adjust a bit to each one.
Maybe once the 6 week mark hits things will get easier. Its the first few weeks that are always tiring.
Thank you for sharing with us, Colleen! We are all different and adjust to life's events differently. You are doing great and I love that photo of Declan!
ReplyDeleteDeclan is absolutely beautiful. Such a handsome guy. Getting used to the "new normal" is tough. I always found that, between weeks 3 and 7 postpartum (where you are right now), it was the hardest. The novelty had started to wear off, the exhaustion had set in, and the restlessness of being stuck in the house was getting old. But hang in there! Before you know it, these days will be gone. Frankly, I can't believe that I'm now 9.5 months postpartum. It flew by. Our baby is now busy crawling everywhere and harassing his big brothers every chance he gets. It's hilarious. Those days are coming soon for you!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing this from an experienced mom. Because I've felt the same way to all of the above and have always wondered if I was crazy. It sounds like you're doing really well, and I'm really inspired by your jogging because you definitely are a healthy, fit mom! Hope you all have a great weekend!
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