Getting into our groove

Hello
Well, Caroline has been here for 17 days and I think we're getting into our own groove. Last Monday was really hard, my mom had gone home, Jeff was at work and here I was,all alone with my kids and I had to do it by myself. But, I realized I am pretty resourceful and its not that bad. Yes, there were times when Caroline had to cry it out for a few minutes while I finished getting Matthew's lunch or changing his diaper but she survived! I am starting to see a personality in Caroline, she is not extremly calm or fussy, she just has moments in between if that makes sense. She is the gassiest baby I have ever seen and let me tell you its hard to believe that a little 10 pound baby can omit such stinkiness! Its killer!! I am always telling her that she is not very lady like. She has this cry when she is super fed up that sounds like she is just so mad,its cute. She is very alert and strong, the doctor said she was stronger than most 3 month old, she likes being on her tummy and sleeps in her carseat as a result, mommy won't let her be on her tummy. She is sleeping 4-5 at a stretch at night, not bad, not bad at all. I love her more and more each day and feel like she has been a part of us forever, funny how that works!

Matthew, oh Matthew. He is still adjusting, still throwing, still hitting. We took him to Chuckie Cheese on Sat, he loved it and was so cute. But, when we left he had a major meltdown/temper tantrum, man did we get the looks. I laughed to myself thinking, "So much for special attention making this naughtiness go away!" I have finally surrendered to the fact that it might take more than 3 weeks for this to all shake out. I think the fact that he can't talk to us really frustrates him, and I am worried about his delay in speech. He really seems to struggle to say words and so he's being evaluated next Monday. You can tell he understands and he signs with us all the time, but even the words he knows are not understandable. Its like he thinks random sounds are words. Like for duck, he says, ahhhhuck. Hopefully the speech therapist will have some tips, insights on how to help him communicate more effectively. I think it would help us all out!

Jeff and I are doing good in this transition. Once again, he is so helpful. Like,this am, he took Matt downstairs and Caroline and I slept in till 9:30! Of course he wakes up like 5 times a night thinking Caroline is trapped in our bed, so annoying. I have to keep saying, "Jeff, Jeff, wake up, she is in her bassinet!" We could never cosleep, Jeff would definetly have a heartattack!

I am just trying to enjoy this baby stage, the potato sack wearing, sleep through anything, smooshy face, cross eyed phase of Caroline's life, because although we never say never in the Simpson family, I am pretty sure Caroline is our last child and I know that sooner than later she will be a toddler and I will miss her like she is now. This is the mantra I repeat to myself over and over at 4 am when little Miss is "squeaking" and I can barely keep my eyes open!

S