6 Week Update

I'm trying to catch up on my posts here - we're at our 6 week mark with Eleanor. The time is flying by! I had a good check-up with my doctor, and I'm feeling more and more like myself each day. It feels amazing not to be pregnant anymore, to be able to breathe fully, to sleep on my back, to not get winded when walking to the mailbox.

She is settling into a better routine - she tends to nap when Avery does, finally, and she likes to sleep in the swing around 8 pm until I pick her up for a dream feed and put her to bed. She then sleeps for another 3-4 hours (4 is becoming more consistent), eats, and goes right back to sleep. We're generally up twice in the night, she sleeps for a bit while I fix Avery breakfast and spend some time with her, and then she's awake for a few hours (usually crying if I'm not holding her).

Eleanor had her first cold, or allergies, something. Having an over-attentive big sister who gives a lot of kisses isn't great for keeping illness away.

We are surviving still, though some days it feels like just barely. Survival. I feel like that's the theme these days. I am often overwhelmed. Our home is a disaster more often than not, and if you come over and see a clean living room, it's only because I threw everything into our bedroom ten minutes before you arrived. I am still processing hormones and can cry at the drop of a hat. My patience is thin and Avery pushes the boundaries more and more. When I told her that she was going to get a spanking because of her antics at the doctor's office, she just looked at me and said, "Okay." She is defiant and stares me down, daring me to discipline her. Without fail, Luke arrives home from work to a mess, Avery running wild, and a worn-out me with a baby attached to a body part. I'm not complaining, but wanting to be honest so I can look back and remember the craziness of this time. And, sometimes, all I can do is laugh through the tears.

Raising these two girls is proving to be quite the sanctifying act, but through all of this, I am thankful for these blessings that God has given our family.