Bits and Pieces of Mommy's First Week Alone With Two Kids

Well, well, well, I managed to get both kids to sleep at the same time. Since we know it's not safe to let a young sibling co-sleep alone with a newborn, I'll have to sit here beside them with my laptop and make use of unexpected blogging time keep an eagle eye on the kids.

It's our first week without either Gran-Gran or Kevin at home with us, and we've managed to survive quite well. It's helped that Kieran likes to sleep for large parts of the morning so I can give Leonard some well-deserved one-on-one time. We've played a lot of train games, bathed all of the ferrets, cleaned out the ferrets' house, weeded a flower bed, played trains, read some books, played trains, filled the bird feeders, played trains....you get the idea. So we're settling in well, I think.

Leonard had a lot of tantrums the last few weeks of my pregnancy and right after Kieran was born, but they largely died away this week, so I think it was as much the disruption in everyday life as anything else that gave rise to them. And I'm glad thinkgs have settled out so well - I was pretty worried about my ability to cope with two. So far, so good!

The two sleeping boys. Actually, Leonard has informed me that he is still a Big Doggie Who Goes Woof and Kieran is a Baby Puppy, so in truth I guess this is a picture of two sleeping canines.

Kieran had his first Waldorf School experience this morning. He came along with us to Liam's Parent-Child class, where he hung out collecting admiring fans, nursing, and sleeping. You'll notice he is wearing a hand-knitted sweater, and he looks absolutely adorable in it. In Waldorf schools, all the kids learn to knit in the lower grades. That means there is a community appreciation for the hard work that goes into handmade garments, and the sweater was a big hit. Thank you so much for making it, Chichimama! I just wish I could fit into it, it's so soft and fuzzy!

I haven't been to school with Liam in several weeks now, and he's starting to really play with the big kids - previously, he had been hanging out with me for most of the morning. We have him registered for the nursery next fall, and Kevin and I had both been concerned he woldn't be ready to make the separation from me for the morning, but I think that's no longer an issue. He's clearly ready for more active play with small people who have a chance of keeping up with him!

Here's a shot of Kieran wrangling the Great Doggler...

We had Casey to the vet this week for his annual check-up and shots. It turns out he's got a low grade fungal infection in his ears, so we get the fun of cleaning them every day with a special wash. It's not as bad as one might expect - the Great Doggler groans and generally loves us massaging the goop into his ear canals. Evidently this infection is itchy, although he never gave us any signs of discomfort.

Of course, Leonard the Great Big Doggie has decided that he has "dirt and fungus and mushrooms" in his ears, so here he is lined up waiting for me to clean his ears, too. And evidently his ears are itchy, too, as he has asked me to "clean" his ears three times already today!

This is actually from last week, but it's a milestone, so I'm throwing it in...

Liam went to school last week with Gran-Gran, and brought home his first craft project. He picked out the colors and everything "because yellow is the best color." So now it's hanging up in our room - the first art project from our first baby!

And that's the run-down from this week. Now that I've managed my first week of solo parenting, hopefully I'll be able to refine my skills a bit and actually do some blogging next week. That's the plan, anyway!