07 September, 2014

Sleep

Sleeping seriously stresses me out. Not my own sleep or lack there if. But the sleep of my kids. I almost eish there weren't so many resources out there so I could live in ignorance. 

Don't let you baby cry. They will feel abandoned. You need to let your baby cry or they will never learn to self soothe 

Don't sleep train until 16 weeks. Start sleep training as early as possible.

Lay your baby down awake. Lay your baby down sleepy.  Lay your baby down passed out. 

Co- sleep. Never share a bed with your baby. 

You can't spoil your baby. Don't spoil your baby. 

It is seriously exhausting and all consuming. I thought I would have this all figured out having done it with Evangeline but it is just as stressful the second time around. Evangeline is an incredible sleeper and by the grace of God we never had to make her Cry It Out. That should be reassurance enough that Juliet can be a great sleeper one day also. 

One thing I need to make sure I don't do as a mother is always harp on the things my girls AREN'T doing and focus on the things are are doing. For example, Juliet is an incredible night sleeper. She goes down easy with a little bouncing and a few cuddles. Sleeps like 6 hours, eats, goes right back to sleep, wakes up 4ish hours later, eats, goes back to sleep and wake up 6:30-7ish. Sleeping the while time in her bassinet!! That's awesome!! Evangeline slept in our bed for months! 

So here is a little note to myself of we happen to find ourselves with baby #3 (please, Lord 2 is enough). Don't stress too much. Do what YOU feel is best for YOUR babies. Pray about sleep more than you read about sleep. And soak in the cuddles. Soon they will die at the thought of cuddling in your bed with you. 

Stress less, sleep more. 


Fruits of the Spirit

I found this blog draft that I never published. It is from when Evangeline was first born.  It really encouraged me as I am going through the newborn stage with Juliet.


I am learning more and more about prayer as I desperately seek the Lord day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute, as I take care of this sweet babe.  I pray for the fruits of the spirit to rise in me with every night feeding.  To love every moment.  Find joy in the middle of the night. Help create a peaceful home. Be patient with every diaper change. To be kind with every cry.   Be gentle with every touch.  Remember God in all his faithfulness.  Teach goodness to in all I do and self control in trying not to give into my selfish wants and desires.  I am so thankful to have the strength of the Lord to lift me up as I learn this new job.
2 Sam. 22:2:
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.


06 September, 2014

Remember This

I wish I could write this blog post as in the middle of my day so I can accurately document my true feelings of our current season in life.  Because right now, I am actually having a moment to myself as I am sitting on the back patio, eating dark chocolate(which I crave like craze while breastfeeding) and soaking in the 90 degree weather while both my little woman are down for the night and it is ONLY 8pm!!  Serious success. And with this success my description is going to be much to mild.

But, this might be my first calm in the storm in over 8 weeks and I actually have time to describe what our life looks like right now. In February Kev decided to quit his job, be home full time with Evangeline and double his school load so he could finish his MBA early and I would continue to work full time. This was all good and fine until little Ms. Juliet entered the world.  I forgot how much attention and care and boobs newborns need.  So, now we have two kids, a full time student, a mom who works full time, and two parents committed to raise their babies and be at home.  Oh and to top it all off Kevin was offered a job we could not refuse. So, now we are trying to juggle our two jobs, two kids, school, and figure out how one of us can always home with the kiddos... oh and try to have a marriage.

I am not going to lie, the last few days there have been times when I want to sit in the corner and rock, and sometimes I do it. Everything seems so daunting and and impossible.  Thank goodness for Amazon Prime, it is a life saver when I've made a million trips to Target and still can't remember mascara.  There have been days when I look like a hot mess because little Ms. Ju is a snuggle bug and protests being put down which makes showering almost impossible.  Some days I find myself stand at the computer bouncing furiously with Juliet in my arms, singing the ABC's to Evangeline, trying to read an email. And worst of all, most days Kev and I are going to bed at different times because he is up studying and I am so exhausted I can't keep my eyes open.

This time for us is hard, really hard.  I didn't know what busy was until now.  I remember feeling this way when Evangeline was first born, I didn't know how easy I had it then.  This is just a testament of how God won't give you more than we can handle.  I just need to soak in the moments when I can slowly enjoy my chocolate (instead of hiding in the pantry scarfing it down). It will be great to reread this blog post years from now and know that we survived.  We will survive, won't we...?