Survival Mode

I went to church today, which means....

I showered, got dressed (and even wore heels!), did my hair and make-up

as well as got 3 kids ready

all before 10 am!

Church was a little chaotic but I survived.

I'm in survival mode right now. It takes quite a lot of effort and time to even get the basics done. All moms go through it, right? I'm always amazed at the moms that look great and seem to have energy after just a week of having a baby. For those who saw me at church today, DON'T BE FOOLED, I am NOT one of those moms!

Gavin is 2 weeks old now and my days are still very slow-moving.

He is sleeping at night now, although he gets up every 1 1/2 to 2 hours to eat. When the sun rises and I have 2 other kids bounding full of energy, my poor eyelids can barely stay open. I can barely remember my night full of feedings. I usually wake up to myself still in the chair, my neck and body stiff, with a certain "unmentionable" body part still hanging out, with a content newborn snoozing away in my lap.

Dressing the children (and myself for that matter) for the day usually doesn't occur until it's practically time to get in jammies again. Makenzie's hair and sometimes Jordan's diapers get neglected for a little longer than usual. With me sitting down and feeding Gavin often, it allows the other two to roam the house free. There is usually a trail of messes to follow. For example: Makenzie found a bag of M&M's from Grandma that I hid on the top shelf of a cupboard. I found her downstairs with an empty bag and M&M's all over the floor. One morning Jordan got in the fridge and brought me an egg one morning. Luckily it survived the hands of a 2 year old going up the stairs and we saved that egg from becoming scrambled too soon.

This is my life and I love it, even if it sounds like I'm complaining. I'm so very blessed to be a stay-at-home mom and to have 3 beautiful children! As I've gone through the newborn phase now for the third time, I know it won't last long. Before I know it, I will find our lives back in a sense of normalcy.

A typical scene of a sleeping baby. This kid has some huge hands. I've had to put socks on them as he always finds his face. Those cute little baby mittens just don't stay on.

The second mommy in the house. Makenzie is great with Gavin and just showers him with kisses. Notice her crazy hair and that she dressed herself that day.

Another common scene in the house. Don't I look tired?

My kids have never been binkie babies for very long. Jordan has discovered the binkies as a new toy.

You can't really tell, but Makenzie has a stethoscope and is giving the baby a check-up.

2 weeks

While we had family here, our Dad's so graciously put a fence up over the driveway to make the backyard fully enclosed. It has been a lifesaver and now I can send the kids outside to play without having to always go with them to make sure they don't run in the street.