The New Normal

Peter is two weeks old tomorrow.  I'll be predictable and say that it simultaneously feels as if he has always been with us and as if he just arrived.  Matt goes back to work this week, after 10 days of much appreciated baby leave.  This has been the most relaxed postpartum period of all the kids.  No NICU, no spinal leaks, no deployed husband, no CPO induction... just plenty of family time.  Also, plenty of sleeping in late.  Tomorrow morning may be a little hard for certain members of the household.

Our newest addition is also proving to be the easiest baby we've ever had.  Henry was easy too, but we were paranoid and couldn't relax.  We can practically set a clock by Peter.  He eats every three hours.  He needs a diaper change after he eats, then another about two hours later.  Then he wants to snuggle for a while before taking a nap.  He's already sleeping for longer stretches at night, too.  I hope he keeps it up.

Since things are going so smoothly, I feel pretty comfortable with starting Henry's kindergarten on July 2nd.  This coming week is going to be a little busy.  Peter has his two-week appointment, Oliver has his Child Find evaluation and his regular OT and ST appointments, and, of course, Matt is going back to work.  I'll take this week to figure out the rhythm of being home with four kids 4 and under on my own.  I know organization will be key.

Wish me luck!

I lost almost 10 pounds in just 3 minutes!

Here's how:

 

Welcome to the world, Peter James!

Born at 5:57 PM on Monday, June 11, 2012.

9 pounds 11 ounces, 20 1/4" long

--Saint Augustine Classical Academy's newest kid on the waiting list--

The longest weeks...

I'm coming to the end.  There are 9 more days until my due date.  Psychologically, I'm prepping myself to go until June 28th, the earliest that base OB will schedule an elective induction.  The thought of that is disheartening, though.  I'm having good bouts of strong contractions here and there, but nothing consistent.  My goal this time is to avoid any false alarm trips to L&D.

Unfortunately, I don't have too much to keep my mind occupied at the moment.  Henry is done with preschool, so there aren't any daily lessons to complete.  His kindergarten level is mapped out already, so the fun of planning that is over.  I don't want to start any big projects that will have to be put aside once the baby arrives, yet I am feeling a bit of the nesting urge.

I did get the rest of our liturgical-colored felt cut up for our little altar.  The Garden of the Good Shepherd has been put away, each vinyl sticker painstakingly removed and put back on the storage sheet.  Our Mary in May tree has been stripped of its ornaments and the tree itself tucked away until Advent.  We're back to Ordinary Time.

The plan for now is to just stay on top of all the little things: keeping up with the laundry, grocery shopping, and housekeeping.  I'm trying not to put off anything so that nothing will get too built up.  Did I mention that we have someone come once a week to help clean?  A friend of ours has her own cleaning business and we jumped all over the opportunity to have her over for a couple of hours.  She's taking care of the floors and bathrooms, the things that are hardest for me to get to between having a belly that enters rooms before I do and having three little kids who cannot for the life of them understand why it's not a good idea to run across wet floors.  It has been a dream come true to relinquish those responsibilities.  Matt gets the Best Husband Ever award for insisting upon it.

I think it's time to check out a big stack of library books. 

Aaaaand we're done.

I'm sure it's just wishful thinking, but I had this really overwhelming urge to just finish up this year.  Today.  So, we did.  Henry just completed his final Saxon Math K lessons and assessment. He passed!  He's done!  Preschool is complete. 

And what did the child say when I told him we were done?  "When can I start kindergarten, Mommy?"

That's going to be up to Baby 5.

In the meantime, we'll read, read, read.  We'll listen to plenty of music.  We'll do lots of coloring and painting and playing.  We'll avoid the TV as much as possible.  We'll brave the heat of a Florida summer.  Or maybe Daddy will brave the heat of a Florida summer while Mommy observes from air conditioned comfort.  That sounds better.

I have Henry's kindergarten materials in a nice, neat stack on the desk next to me.  Hooked on Phonics First Grade.  Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Kindergarten. The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading.  Saxon Math 1.  Next year is going to be fun.

In Oliver news, we somehow made it under the wire.  A Child Find representative called to schedule his full evaluation and we managed to snag the final appointment for this year at the end of June.  Moving along!