It IS Easy

I had Darth Baby's two week appointment and heard for the third time, this time from the pediatrician, that I make having a baby and two toddlers look easy. Of course, I feel like I'm cheating a bit to hear this. I have a great support system.

My mom stayed with us for a week and she is extremely energetic. It is where the nerdlet gets it, I'm sure. My older sister visited her after her week here and told me that she had never before seen my mom exhausted like that. The nerdlet pretty much decided that she didn't need naps while Grandma was here and it took a a small toll on my mom, but having my mom here meant that I got some rest and neither of my older girls had any reason to resent the attention a new baby gets.

I am also married to the best father, who has been taking turns with me staying up with Darth Baby as she doesn't sleep more than 90 minutes at a time, so for a new mother, I am incredibly rested. There are a lot of disadvantages to pumping, but one of the few great advantages is that I can sleep for 3-4 hours at a time, when he is available to help.

Another thing that helps is that I have really behaved toddlers. The nerdlet came out throwing fits and with no patience, but we've had three years to work on her skills and on most days she is really good. The bear cub has her daddy's personality and goes with the flow on pretty much anything. These two can really make parenting in general look easy and fun when they want to.

I'm sure I won't look like I have it as together after Christmas as Q returns to work on Monday. Also, I'm sure the same way I make it look easy when the three are all cooperating, I will look for the poster child for not getting serially pregnant if you catch me when the nerdlet is having a meltdown at the library (or any other public place, but she seems to really like to have meltdowns there), the bear cub is wet, and Darth Baby is hungry. I'm also fairly sure that the bear cub is just waiting for a moment like this to take off walking or running for the first time.