Settling In

So today marks the 5th morning of my new job. Mabel. She's my 10-week-old niece and she spends 5 hours with E and me Monday's, Tuesday's and Wednesday's. How lucky am I? D's sister dropped everything to come and help me when E first joined our family, and I'm so elated to now be a part of the new first steps for their family.


I was worried that the lack of my undivided attention would be difficult for E, and at first it was. She purposefully 'pottied' on her bedroom floor last week out of defiance much to my dismay (the kid's been out of diapers for a year). But this week brought with it an ease and balance to our homelife that has been sweet and just plain wonderful. There is, I think a sort of mental acrobatics that parents do anyhow; multi-tasking. But with 2 children to constantly account for it was tricky in a whole new way, once I mastered that, things have gone surprisingly smooth (granted I'm operating off of a full nights sleep). I love holding her, the complete dependence she has on us, and that sweet perfume a newborn brings. Her personality is so easy compared to E's constant cries at this age. She yelps when she's hungry, or needing a change of scenery or diaper. We are in constant discussion of her sounds, debating which one of her gurgles is cuter.

E is truly a help. I knew she'd love parts of having her cousin here, but didn't expect her eager anticipation each morning before Mabel arrives. E scurries around finding things to show the baby. She lays under the baby gym with her reading stories, and patting her belly. Just yesterday she decided (totally on her own volition) that Mabel might be whimpering because she missed her mom and dad, she brought over their wedding picture for her cousin to glance at. We're well on our way to raising the empathetic daughter we had hoped for.