One month old! Kierstyn Michaela, you have brought so much joy to our home!
This month you:
- were born (!)
- came home from the hospital
- met your siblings
- loved your baths
- struggled to gain weight but (with lots of effort) passed your third weight check (!)
- slept like a rockstar at night (usually only waking up twice to eat and then going right back to sleep)
- worked on discovering your hands
- love bottles and nursing (which is a real gift as we’re still supplementing since my supply is low)
- met two of your aunts
- loved snuggling next to your almost “twin” Champ (the sweet boy we’re fostering)
- went to multiple appointments at the pediatrician
- had your first chiropractic appointment (and loved it!)
- practiced smiling (and are so close to doing it on cue!)
- got to see a few of our friends outside while we social distanced
- went on some walks
- rode in the car in your car seat
- joined us for a lot of Zoom meetings
You also taught me so much about resting in my Heavenly Father and trusting Him in the middle of unknowns and uncertainties. We are so thankful for you and the amazing gift of your life, sweet girl!
Champ continues to grow and be such a blessing to our home. He is laughing and “talking” and cooing and so interactive now. He also discovered his hands this week, which has been so fun to watch.
We all having matching jammies as a family that we got for Christmas. The kids asked if they could order some for Kierstyn and Champ. The smallest size they had was 0-3 months, which is still way too big for Kierstyn and still pretty big for Champ.
But the kids rolled up the sleeves and pants on his jammies and we had to get matching pictures! Oh how we love this boy so much!
There have been many moments in the past few weeks when I’ve felt stretched pretty thin… like I sort of wished I could clone myself so there’d be enough of me to go around. Instead, here’s what has been helping me:
1) Remember that this is just a season. I won’t have two needy newborns for years to come. I’m trying to give myself grace and reminders that I won’t always be spending the bulk of my day nursing, pumping, holding babies, and bottle-feeding. This is a short season and I want to savor it — even if it means a lot of things I normally do aren’t happening.
2) Don’t try to do it all myself. I need Jesus every moment of the day. Even if there are a hundred other things needing my attention, beginning my day with time in God’s Word and praying over my day and asking for God’s help is so important. Also, letting Jesse, the kids, and others in my life help out instead of saying, “I got it!”
3) Focus on what is in front of me. It’s so easy to get bogged down thinking of everything I need and want to do. It can be discouraging and it can steal my joy and my ability to soak up and fully live in the moment I’m in. It can also cause me to feel stressed, hurried, and frantic. Focusing on what is in front of me means I just do the next right thing. Because truly, that’s all I can do at any one given time.
4) Prioritize rest and quiet. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last ten years. And one of those things is that I don’t function well without decent rest and daily quiet. So I’ve been working hard to make that a reality — and it’s made such a difference in my overall postpartum experience.
What helps you when you feel stretched thin? I’d love to hear your advice and ideas!
