Mattea- you are almost three weeks old, and here's an update just for you. ( I want to ensure that I write things 'just for you' because you may find that being third down the line, there's not a lot coming down the pipeline that hasn't been first discovered and handled by your older siblings. SO, this is for you.
Day 1 was a day to relax and recover. You were my pretty little stranger, with dark hair, brown skin, and big eyes that stared.
Our first few days at home were blissfully quiet. Your grandma took Jesse and Anneliese for 3 whole days, and I am sure I fully recovered from giving birth in those magical 36 hours.
When they did come home, Jesse was a bit over eager, but a diligent 'big brother' nonetheless.
Anneliese- I'm sorry to say- did not take her role as big sister quite so seriously, despite the shirt she wore so proudly labelling her just that. She pretty much ignored you (and me) so it's safe to say she is still adjusting.
And I am adjusting to the irrefutable fact that children are, and will always be unpredictable. Our first night home as a family of 5, Jesse was up at 2 am with a sudden case of croup, and needed to go to the ER because he could hardly breathe. He recovered nicely from that, only to pick up a nasty cold, which he then spread to Anneliese, and you.
We got through that week, and headed into our first weekend without James, who was coaching an overnight volleyball tournament. So, first night with all three kids on my own proved to be another catastrophe. For starters, Halloween is never a great night to be home alone. We did a little bit of trick or treating at Uncle Doug and Aunt Vanessa's, just enough to get the kids thoroughly terrified of people in costume, and then headed home-- where we encountered more people in costumes. Of course, I had only managed to get the kids undressed and then they were sprinting around the house like maniacs on a sugar high, and you chose that moment to want to be fed, so when the doorbell started ringing, I was in no position to run and answer it. So Jesse, hospitable soul that he is, was answering our door in his underwear, getting scared out of his wits by the trick or treaters, but not clueing in that he needs to STOP answering the door. We ended up sitting in our house with the lights off, which was almost as bad.
When the morning finally came, I felt a surge of relief that we had survived the night. Turns out that feeling was a tad premature, because during my 4 minute shower, Jesse managed to get pinned under his dresser. He was providentially wearing his costume from the night before, and I think Bob the Builder's hard hat might have saved his life. The hat stayed pinned under the dresser, while his little body scampered out, relatively unhurt. I stood there puddling for a few more seconds (hadn't had time to grab a towel) desperately missing James' (at least, the extra set of hands). And that Mattea, is a sampling of what life is like with a 3 year old.
So while we are on the topic of your brother, I'll let you know that he also gets these ridiculous nightmares almost every night, (he currently is in one as I write this, and no matter what we do, he won't wake up). This, to my dismay, is moving from the realm of unpredictable to predictable, and we don't really have a clue what to do about it.
But it does have me wondering what YOU have in store for us down the road. Right now, you are a quiet, content, cuddly newborn. You eat, sleep, dirty up some diapers, and cry from time to time. You will soon be capable of a whole lot more, and although I'm much more experienced, I know you will throw your own curve ball at us in due time. Not sure I want to think about that yet, so I'll just enjoy the sleepy stage of life you are in. Because if you are anything like your brother and sister, you will grow up way too fast.
