Ten weeks have gone by since the arrival of the little man. I can't even believe it has been that long. Time hurtles when you're dealing with late nights and spew. Thomas has added a lovely dimension to our family. He is reserved and shy. Delightfully happy and wonderfully easy going. His only issues to date have been cat napping in 45 minute stints and smiling too much during feeding.
Annie finds him quite amusing. She will deliberately hit him just to hear him cry. I caught her biting his eyebrow the other day. Now that was a mere 15 minutes I never want back! Lately though she is getting used to him. She wants to hold his hand and kiss his forehead. I encourage all of it (because there has been such a lack of love lately) but we have stopped letting her just do what she wants with him. It was getting to the point that I thought social services would knock on the door any day now. Miss A has taken some getting used to Mr T.
His parents have taken just as long. I have to say that I am gobsmacked at how challenging two kids can be. When Tom wasn't sleeping well I spent a good deal of my time on the floor sobbing my heart out. I felt helpless. Like I didn't know how to care for him. It was a very tough few weeks.
When I managed to come up for air I grabbed a copy of 'Save Our Sleep' by Tizzy Hall. I was so over tired and caught up with caring for Annie as well, that it has escaped me that he needed awake time. I know, how silly, right? With a little help from Tizzy I was able to put some kind of system in place that allowed me the right to say 'well, he cant be tired, he can't be hungry...' etc etc. It was the confidence that I so sorely needed.
In the last few weeks Tom has been much better. He still catnaps a lot, but I have stopped fighting it so hard. I get him up, smile at him a lot and keep him wrapped in his bouncer. He usually ends up falling asleep. I know he will eventually learn how to sleep longer, but I don't have the time or the patience to stand in his bedroom for 30 minutes trying to teach him myself. My other child just wont allow it :)
With all this commotion there has been little time for me. Time to sew. I have so many things that I would love to make, especially with Christmas on it's way, but I have to be realistic. There simply wont be time. I have decided that the one thing I would like to achieve will be an advent calendar. My friend Lisa made a beautiful one on a sewing weekend we attended together and I have thought of it ever since. I bought myself some pins to secure each day and am currently working out how this thing will look and work.
Keep your fingers crossed for me.
