frequently asked questions
(besides “uhts dis?” from penelope. that is the most frequently asked question these days..)
q: How was the big surprise?
a: Best. Moment. Ever. We really enjoyed the anticipation during my pregnancy, but nothing could’ve prepared us for meeting our little fella. I’ll never forget Casey peeking over the curtain in the OR, and shouting “It’s a.. BOY?!” He sounded so excited, and shocked. He leaned back over, almost equally surprised to announce that he had a full head of dark hair.
q: How has the transition from 1 to 2 been?
a: Easier than anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments of absolute chaos, frustration, and exhaustion every day (sometimes all at once).. but overall, it is going well. We had a rough go of it last time, and I think that really affected my expectations. I’m so thankful to have had the kids in this order :)
q: What does Penelope think? How is she doing?
a: I think her reaction and transition has been pretty typical. Thankfully she has shown nothing but sweet affection for her little brother, and loves to be a helper. We learned pretty quickly that I need to make special time for her in the day, just me and her, like it used to be. It doesn’t have to be much, but hiding ourselves away and reading a story or playing together, without little brother around, has had a huge impact in her attitude and behavior. I enjoy that special time, too.
q: 2 in diapers? cloth diapers?!
a: Yep. What can I say? I find laundry soothing. Especially when it saves me bundles of money, is healthier for my kids’ skin, and fits so well. Hoping it won’t be 2 for much longer, though. I really need to make potty training my next project. Penelope is ready, to a degree that is almost embarrassing.
q: What do you call Arthur? Is that a family name?
a: We call him Arthur, Art, Arthur-Bear, or sometimes just Bear. Not Artie, ever. Never ever. There were a few sleep-deprived days/nights there in the beginning when none of us (Casey, my mom, and I) could get his name right. I have no idea why, but we called him the strangest things. My mom called him Walter like ten times. Walter, mom– really?
Arthur isn’t a family name, but his middle name is after my dear ole dad.
q: So, what’s Arthur like?
He’s content and easygoing almost all the time. When he is hungry, he cries like he is starving to death. He is a mama’s boy. I know that someday soon he’ll only have eyes for Daddy, so I’m enjoying it. To an extent– those early days when I was desperately tired, and he’d only quiet down for me.. those weren’t so fun. Now, though, it means I get the biggest, goofiest smiles at regular intervals. He likes to cuddle, be held close, practice standing, and stare at Penelope. His favorite thing to do is eat. I can’t imagine a baby more different than Penelope is, and was.. so I’m excited to see how they interact later. It’ll be interesting.
q: Getting enough sleep?
a: Some days. But I imagine that’ll be my answer for years to come. Some nights he has two 5 hour intervals between eating, others it’s 2.5-3 hours. His days are settling into a slightly more predictable routine, I’m sure nights will follow. Because he is so quick to go back to sleep after he eats, it really isn’t that big of a deal. Again, I’m probably seeing this through at-least-he’s-not-screaming-for-hours-at-a-time colored lenses, but that’s okay :).
q: Hardest part?
a: Starting my day with an energetic toddler after a long night with Arthur. Or Casey being so busy. That’s tough, too. It’s the difficulty of this season, though, that makes me so dependent on God and the truth of his word. I’m particularly grateful for the newborn stage in that way. It really does stretch you as far as you can go, and then a little farther. No other time in my life have I felt so keenly that I can’t do it on my own. A prideful heart like mine needs that kind of reminder.
…and that’s about all I have time for right now. If I think of more, I’ll post ‘em.. otherwise, feel free to ask. I’ll get around to answering at some point :).
