Starting back up, bringing home a baby.

I've been itching to get back to blogging for a couple of weeks now, but I've had two obstacles to overcome. One, it is extremely difficult to find time to type when I have the use of both hands and Two, I have so many photos that I want to share at this point that I've been feeling overwhelmed by the task of organizing, editing and uploading.
Right now, I'm sitting on my bedroom floor with a can of Coke next to me. I just finished a tablespoon of peanut butter with a couple of Dove dark chocolate squares stuck in it and am attempting to type while I rock Teddy Bear's bassinet and continually shove his binky back in his mouth. I'm hoping to convince him to sleep. My efforts, bolstered by a spinning ceiling fan and a white noise machine, seem to be slowly working. It may take me the majority of the day to get out one blog post, but darn it, it's time.
Being easily overwhelmed by the time elapsed and the number of photos in my folder, I guess I'll just start slowly. (Read: this post will be very wordy and photo heavy.)
In mid-April, we welcomed Teddy Bear into the world. When the kids came to meet him in the hospital, Jellybean was immediately in love with her baby brother, but Buddy was less sure.

I think his excitement was diminished by how much he had missed me. D got this photo shortly after the kids came into the room.

It's a little out of focus, but I love that it perfectly captures a moment when my oldest son just wanted to be cuddled.
(Just a note: Fan, white noise, binky and rocking are NOT working.)
I wasn't sure what to expect bringing a third child home and it has not been without difficulty.  (I especially love the new experience of having three children yelling at me.) It helps that Teddy Bear is relatively mellow and both of the kids are really good with him. In fact, they both love him.

Babies are hilarious.

Like most newborns, Teddy Bear is mostly a lump. A eating, pooping, sleeping lump. One thing I can say for sure is that he really likes to eat (every two hours like clockwork even in the night) and it is showing in his growth (and in number of diapers, yikes)!

1 week old

1 month old.

6 weeks old.

Right now, I'm cherishing the few baby smiles and coos as well as the chubby baby cheeks, arms and legs, but after witnessing the transition from newborn to toddler in the other two kids, I find myself anxious to know who this new little person really is. I'm excited to hear him laugh for the first time and to hear his little voice speaking. I'm anxious to watch him discovering the world around him. I know it will come and go too soon, but I'm excited for it nevertheless.
(phew, he's finally sleeping)
For now I'm working on survival: staying awake for multiple night feedings, making it through each day on little sleep, pinched nerve, tension headaches, constant sugar cravings and, you know, trying to give the big kids some of my time and attention. I'm glad for summer. Hopefully, we'll have things figured out by the time Buddy is starting school.

I think that's enough for now. If all three children continue to nap, I might be able to get one in too!

Have a Happy Day!

~MJ