Two Days All By Myself - Baby Steps

Last Thursday, Alan went back to work, my parents went back to work, and my in-laws headed to the family reunion.  So it was just me, all alone, with my two little girls.  I knew this day would come where I would start to learn what it was like to be the mom of two.  And not just two - a 16 month old and a newborn.  I was ready to learn, but I know it's going to take a long time before we get any type of real schedule or routine.

The first day started a little rough.  Bammer still had hand, foot, and mouth disease so she wasn't really allowed to touch Lil Sis.  I let her touch the back of her head, but that was about it.  There were definitely a few meltdowns from Bammer throughout the day where she would get frustrated and just cry and cry.  Or would just cry for no reason it seemed.  I felt like I was always feeding Lil Sis and I think that was hard for Bammer not to always have my attention.  She's used to being an only child!

We started the morning with breakfast and then I fed Lil Sis.  Bammer wanted more apparently and she grabbed the Trix box from the pantry.  I got some out for her (which by the way, every time I touched one child or the other, I was always washing my hands or putting on hand sanitizer so not to spread germs.  It was annoying and my hands were cracking they were so dry!) and left the box on the floor so I could keep getting her more.  I envisioned in my head that box eventually tipping over and spilling all over the floor...

And it did.  Actually Bammer tipped the box upside down and half the Trix rolled all over the floor.  So we cleaned up most of it by hand trying to save as much as possible.  And Lil Sis needed a diaper change and Bammer did too, and it seemed like there was a little list of things that needed to get done all while Bammer stepped on the cereal which made her cry because it hurt her foot and she tracked it around the house.

Once I finally got Lil Sis down for a nap, I swept and vacuumed up the Trix.  And the vacuum makes Bammer cry now...so the morning was a little rough and the day kind of went like that.  The house was a disaster when Alan came home and I got one load of laundry done.  Luckily we were having leftovers for dinner.  Did I mention all of us were still in our pjs?

Friday went a little better.  I decided that I needed to make small goals for each day as I ease into a routine. As I learned from having Bammer, it takes a while to get adjusted and the routine will come, just not very quickly.  This time I feel more prepared and my expectations are more realistic.  So my goal for Friday was to get all of us dressed.  And that was all.  And I did it!  By the end of the day we were all dressed. OK, maybe I didn't get to shower until 5:30 when Alan came home, but I did do it!  I was excited that I completed my goal.  And the Bammer did so much better.  She didn't cry nearly as much.  I think she's learning that she isn't the only one anymore and she's much more interested in Lil Sis.  She'll point to her and look for her in her crib and want to touch her head and legs.  It's just how I hoped it would be!

Watching Lil Sis during tummy time. 

 Hand in hand - sadly I had to quickly wash Lil Sis' hand after this, but Bammer shouldn't be contagious anymore.  Wahoo!

Saying hello in her pack n play.

So for next week my goals will still be simple - get my kids and myself fed and dressed, try to get outside, have some engaging activities planned for Bammer (being inside all day bores her), keeping the house from being destroyed, and maybe doing a few loads of laundry.  Luckily people are bringing us meals this week so I won't have to worry about dinner.  :-)