Life under a Pepper Tree

Being a mum the second time around is certainly different to the first time.  I guess we are more relaxed and calm about most things.  We've survived the newborn phase once before, surely we can do it again, right?  I have noted that since Tristan was born, there are so many things I'd forgotten about in the 3 and a bit years since Dylan was a newborn.  Some things kinda took me by surprise, and I'm sure to pick up on even more things as Tristan grows.  So far, my little list of things I'd forgotten about a newborn includes: * Newborn cuddles are addictive! * Newborns generally hate having their nappy changed.  They cry when they are coated in poo, and then cry when you clean it off... WHY??? * Dummies come in so many different shapes and sized, and yet sometimes none will work.  Learning to suck a dummy is something that seems to be taking time. * Newborns make so much noise when they sleep! The snorting and snuffling is ...

Almost a week late this week.  Its getting harder and harder to keep up with these photos once a week.  I'm sure by this age, I had almost an entire photo album full of photos of newborn Dylan, now I'm lucky to have one a week of Tristan.  I certainly don't exist.  Hubby has absolutely no concept of picking up the camera and taking of shot with me in it.  Sure I might not like what I see even if I did make it into a photo, but at least it would be a reminder of this difficult stage mothering a newborn.   Tristan's day sleeps are practically non existent now.  It's so hard to get anything done and feel like I've achieved anything during the day.  All I do is sit on the lounge and feed, and settle, and resettle and resettle.  The days where Tristan actually has more than 1 hours sleep at a time would be lucky to be once a week.  It's very very frustrating and I question why did I ever disrupted our family life with another...

Another blur of a week here.  We've again had our good days and our bad days full of unsettled periods and cranky toddlers.  I think this is the last week that hubby is off work for the new baby, and I'm dreading the reality that faces me next week.  But for now I don't want to focus on the negatives.  What will be will be, and all I can do is try my best. Yesterday morning I had a little reason to celebrate.  My dear sweet Tristan showed me his first non-gas/non-explosive poo smile!  Beautiful baby smiles are just THE BEST!  He's been getting better at trying to focus his eyes on one thing, and yesterday it was me, and I was certainly rewarded.  He truly is growing up before my eyes! How can we be nearly 4 weeks old already?? A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2016 Trying to keep Dylan occupied and involved is still a daily challenge but I hope we are getting better.  Playing outside is certainly something th...

Today is kinda a momentous occasion, one that I didn't think too much of whilst pregnant with my dear sweet Tristan.  Today we have overtaken the number of days that I managed to exclusively breastfeed Dylan.  Back in 2012/2013, we succumbed to crippling pain, cracked and bleeding nipples, low supply and a total lack of confidence.  After pain riddled feeding sessions of 2+ hours at a time, which would result in no more than 10-15 minutes of sleep before the hunger screams would begin again, we gave up and bought formula.  I swore I wouldn't put any pressure on myself this time around, but was willing to give it a chance.   I still won't commit to saying we have it down pat, but with no pain, good sleeping sessions (for all of us) and a 300 gram weight gain this past week, I think we are doing not too bad. I returned to the local baby health clinic this week to check on his weight gain and listen to the issues and questions from all the other mums. I'm certain...

I *think* we are doing a bit better this week.  We seem to still be have the once-weekly evening/night of total unsettled chaos, but it's certainly better than every night.  Tristan is pretty much sleeping like a little champion at night.  He wakes anywhere between 1 and 3 times for a feed, and these are over within an hour and he is off snoozing again.  I've even had a few nights where I wake up feeling surprisingly refreshed!  Hooray! Dylan is still testing my levels of patience some days.  I've heard about the regression that might happen when a new sibling joins the family and I guess that's just what's happening.  He craves my attention some days and I just feel a bit sad I can't do more for him.  We've had a few more toilet training accidents lately, but I guess that will return to normal once we get back into a routine.  I try to get him involved with everyday tasks that I'm doing to hopefully make up for the lack of one on one time....

My head is most definitely still in a newborn fog and I can't tell one day from the next.  I'm trying to fit jobs into the precious spare minutes I get each day, but I know I need to give myself a break.  Feeding is a bit hit and miss but I'm hoping it really will all work out.  In all the chaos I'm trying to spend at least some time with Dylan and make him feel important and involved.  On Friday Dylan swapped rooms at his Daycare.  He should have probably been moved from the 2-3 year old room at the start of the new year, but they just didn't have any places available in the 3-5 year old room.  So just as we have done twice before with starting in a new room, I've taken a quick shot on the first day. I hope you have a wonderful experience in the Kangaroos Room Dylan! A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2016 When I began writing this post yesterday, all seemed okay.  Tristan seemed to be doing well and just so sweet at 10 days o...

It's been just one of those weeks.  Not one I care to repeat anytime soon.  But then.... it's had some good bits.  On Monday we came home from hospital.  Leaving the security of the nurses and midwives with their magic calming/sleeping touch is definitely an anxious time.  The drive home wasn't quite as terrifying as when we brought Dylan home, but it certainly felt like a new beginning. The first day at home wasn't too bad.  We kept ourselves occupied with unpacking the hospital bag, going through paperwork that we needed to complete, and trying to keep some form of normality going.  After a very restless nap, Dylan was awoken to be told that he must have been just too busy on Easter Sunday visiting his new baby brother in hospital that he hadn't even noticed that the Easter bunny had left him a stash of chocolate in the backyard.  So an egg hunt was had, although Dylan was tired and a bit grumpy.  Adjusting to having a 3 ye...