However, due to some issues I had post-baby, life slowed down greatly as we focused on just the bare necessities. Sadly, noting super cool things Madeleine did was not a top priority. So these next few months will be light on info but hopefully big on pictures to make up for it.
This is the last picture I took of Madeleine before Lincoln. Look at that HUGE Lego tower she built with Mimi!
POTTY NEWS
Madeleine ended up pooping on the potty 6 times over the first weekend of the month! She went enough times to earn her shopping cart, which was a HUGE thrill for her.
However, she only went once after that, on July 20. Hopefully she’ll get back on track with that soon.
BABY BROTHER
Lincoln was born in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. I wasn’t sure if I would want Madeleine to come to the hospital or not, but as the day wore on, we decided we had to see her. We told Mimi we wanted to see her, and Madeleine was in the bath. Mimi told Madeleine that after her bath, they were going to go see her baby brother. Madeleine was SUPER excited and ran around (once she was out) saying, “I have a baby brother!” over and over.
I wanted to be sure her visit coincided with my friend Joanna’s visit, who was there to take some pictures of Lincoln’s first day. Thankfully, we worked it out.
It was so, so special to be together, the four of us, for the first time. I’m so happy that we had her come to the hospital. Madeleine seems pretty excited to have a baby brother, and she was also quite happy to see Matt and me.
Mimi reported the following story:
They were sitting together in the rumpus room. Madeleine said, “Mimi, you have a lot of clothes.” Mimi replied, “Yeah, I’m going to be with you a lot of days.” Madeleine immediately burst into tears and said, “No days! No days!”
It broke my heart! We’d told Madeleine that Mimi would be staying with her after the baby came, so I think Madeleine deduced that Mimi would be alone with her for a lot of days with Matt and me away. Mimi quickly explained to her that we would be home very soon.
Also a blessing, Matt took Madeleine home from the hospital and spent the evening with her. Mimi stayed with me until Matt was ready to return. So Madeleine didn’t even have to go one bedtime without her usual routine.
MADELEINE
This was a very rough month for Madeleine. She felt insecure and worried a lot of the time. Mimi was there because of my post-baby JUNK, and I was unable to be the mommy she was used to.
One very clear example of this was her naps. I was always the one who did naps. I would sing and rock to her, and she would often fall asleep in my arms. I missed two naps while we were in the hospital, and she did not sleep. Then, because I couldn’t sit, I was unable to do nap time for two more days. Matt was not an adequate substitute, I guess, and she didn’t nap. Finally on day 5, I managed to sit (on a boppy) and was able to put her down. She fell asleep super quick.
And for awhile, me doing naps had good results, until things just got too hard for her and she had lots of trouble taking naps.
Something I usually did every day was let her request a story to tell. Maybe after 4 days, she started asking me to tell her the story of how I couldn’t rock and sing to her. She asked for this story for up to a month before finally forgetting it (I guess). This really showed me how MUCH that affected her.
Toward the end of the month, she definitely started showing signs of something like separation anxiety, wanting Matt or I to stay with her, needing attention (but often refusing it). One particular phrase that somewhat hurt to hear was “I just want to keep you” or “I’m just trying to keep you.”
It’s funny, because right after Lincoln was born, things seemed so easy. But as my difficulties increased (instead of decreasing, like most moms), as help lessened, as Matt had to do more for work, things were hard. Very hard. However, after 2 weeks of me being basically unable to move without pain, I saw my chiropractor, who recommended massage therapy. There was huge improvement after one treatment! And it continued to get better and better.
My hope at the end of this month is that things will settle down and keep getting easier.
Fortunately, none of this hard stuff translated into hard feelings or anything toward Lincoln. Madeleine LOVES being a big sister, and she loves Lincoln. She gives him kisses whenever she can, hugs him, and in general is super sweet to him and me.
A FEW FUNNY THINGS
[1] While Madeleine was visiting in the hospital, as I said, my friend Joanna was there. She also brought her mom. Lincoln had his first poop, and Matt went to change him. Well, he kept pooping. And pooping. Matt was rushing to clean him, and Jill hopped in and helped him. It was that yucky meconium, sticky, tarry poop, so it was NOT FUN.
Once we were all home, Mimi was asking Madeleine who was at the hospital. Then she asked who helped change Lincoln’s diaper. She would say a name, and Madeleine would say “no.” But she wouldn’t say “Miss Jill.” Finally, Mimi had exhausted the list of everyone who was there and NOT Jill. She went, “Um, hmm, who was it?” trying to get Madeleine to answer.
But then Madeleine said, “Think.” It was very much like, “Come on, Mimi, you’re so close, you can get this!” Mimi and Matt cracked up.
[2] Along the lines of [1], Madeleine has started saying, “Can you think about it?” when we ask her a question. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t know the answer, though sometimes it does. It’s amusing either way.
[3] Madeleine adores my pump. She wants to be there when I pump, and she asks how it works and what all the parts are. So naturally, I explained about how the pump creates a vacuum which gets the milk out. Hey, it’s time I get to spend with just her, and it is priceless.
[4] She has starting listing things. At the end of each item, her voice lifts; the inflection rises at the end of the word, and there is a longish pause between each word. For example: “Everything is in the bathtub. The bottle^, my cup^, net^, me^…” Etc. I hope that makes sense?
[5] To help Madeleine understand Lincoln (and Layla), we told her that Layla knows no words. Then by extension, baby Lincoln knows no words. She narrated “Knuffle Bunny Free” thusly: (speaking of the baby on the plane) “He says, ‘Waaa! I don’t know any words!’”
[6] She said, “Hurray for Lincoln!” when he stopped crying in the car.
VISITS
We had lots of visitors this month! Mimi was here already when Lincoln was born (so thankful for that!), but Papa Pete and SuSu also came, and SuSu stayed for a week. Then Uncle Russ and Marshall came for a weekend to drive SuSu home. And then Mimi came back. It was so nice seeing everyone, seeing how much everyone cares about us, even though I was not at 100%.
Our photographer friend Joanna came to take newborn pictures of Lincoln when he was about 2 weeks old (you’ll be able to see those pics on his blog…), and Madeleine got to play in some of her props!
Mimi with both Madeleine and Lincoln.
SuSu and Madeleine outside enjoying the day! … And then the rain!
Madeleine swinging with Matt and Marshall. Doing “1-2-3-Together!”
PICTURES
We got a pepper plant from Home Depot last month, and Matt planted it in the back yard. This is how the plant looked this month after much watering and inspecting.
August 7, it rained. A lot. Madeleine had these rain boots and a raincoat that hadn’t gotten much use before today. So Matt took her out, despite just how MUCH it was raining. I know they had a great time. Matt got soaked, Madeleine got soaked, and they both had a BLAST. I had fun taking the pictures!
I got to go with Madeleine to a playground one Saturday morning, just us. It was fabulous.
Isn’t she beautiful?
LAST
Madeleine is a darling, precious little girl, and I don’t like feeling like I’m not giving her my best. I’m certainly not at my best (at this point… it’s weird trying to write as though I completed this right after the end of the month, even though it’s December…), but her needs didn’t change just because my abilities did. I know this is so temporary and she won’t remember it, but it is still super hard and I feel for her. kk I love her SO MUCH it is absurd.
One note I left myself about this month: “I just want to wrap her in love and I can’t. It’s the most frustrating thing in the world.”
Her handprint. We never wanted to wash that mirror.
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ReplyDelete^ Had a typo.
ReplyDeleteHmm. No words of wisdom that I wish I could offer you. I had forgotten these things and very much treasure the memories you brought up. Love you.