For about a month now I’ve been waking up, feeding Baby Bro,
feeding myself, feeding Toddler B if he’s up, and then driving to the office to
realize I forgot something (cell phone, breast pump, bottles, badge, the
occasional no make-up day, and once I nearly left the house without shoes.) While
at work, the boys have been having adventures at home with Drew’s parents or
sister, depending on who is doing what that day. After work we get home, get
dinner started and do a few chores, all while feeding, changing, rocking,
wrangling, and whatever else it takes to get a three-year-old and
three-month-old fed, clean and off to bed. Life as a family of four with two
working parents is… busy.
It’s easy, especially in a sleep-deprived state, to slip
into autopilot and zombie through the week. While my job keeps a good pace and
variation, the routine of home can come and go like a commute. Sometimes you
see your garage door opening and realize you don’t remember half the drive. A
couple weeks ago as I walked into the house from that garage, I picked up a
fussy baby boy and started rocking him to sleep while Drew started dinner. He
fell asleep quickly and I got ready to put him into his crib. Then, I stopped.
I listened. Drew and Toddler B were happily working together
in the kitchen to make dinner. The rest of the house was quiet. I thought about
the laundry that needed folding, the pile of dirty dishes in the sink and the
rest in the machine ready to put away. I thought about the toys all over the
floor of the playroom. I looked at the sleeping baby in my arms, and I sat
down.
I sat and rocked and watched his cute little face and his
chubby little cheeks. He snuggled in, happy to be in mommy’s arms again. My
phone was in my purse and nowhere near my mind. The laundry, dishes, and mess
could wait. Dinner was at least 20 minutes away. I just sat there, holding my
baby. He’s growing so fast it’s as if I could see it if I sat still long
enough. Eventually, I placed him gently in his crib and joined the busy big boy
and dad, started dinner and later, the dishes.
I’ve heard time goes by even more quickly with a second
child and I can see why. We’re so busy with the first and with our lives, that
we only really get to soak it all in if we think to stop. To hit pause. And sit
still enough to watch our baby grow.
At four months, Baby Bro weighs 16lbs 15oz and is 26 inches tall.
He likes: to roll over onto his tummy, playing with his big brother, grabbing his pacifier, reading books, waking up, songs, the sound of the shower, and mommy and daddy.
He dislikes: when the dog shakes, and riding in the car.
