Thursday, November 21, 2013

Thursday Thursday

This is how Cora and I spend a good portion of our time:


quick baby selfie

It is delightful. In between long bouts of snuggling and a lot of watching of The West Wing, HGTV, and the Food Network, we've managed to do a few other things as well. On Monday, we had family and newborn portraits!

 

The kids mostly cooperated, and I put the mesh panties behind me and embraced skinny (maternity) jeans and a silk top- for a few hours anyway. Cora was quite the model- wide eyed and alert for the family pictures and then milk drunk and curled into a little ball for the rest. I can't wait to see the proofs.

On Tuesday all five of us piled in the Highlander for the first time. All three kids fit across the middle row, so it was a relief to know it was still possible to transport them if we needed to have something like Thanksgiving luggage in the back. Sure they were all touching, but they get along well and Cora was in the middle to mediate if needed. We dropped the kids off at school and then took Cora to her second weight check appointment at the pediatrician.

 

And we're proud to say this little peanut is up to 7 lbs. 8 oz. and a whole 20.5" long! Gold stars all around. We then took her on her first trip to Target (we needed a storage bin for my maternity clothes and I couldn't trust JP to that kind of decision on his own- I have strong feelings about storage and organization). Later Claire came home and we ladies went on a walk around the neighborhood. Or two streets of it anyway. Claire brought her baby and purse along for the stroll.

 

Then we had some stretch time. Cora spends an amazing amount of time wide awake and stretched out. She particularly likes to exercise when she's color-coordinated.

 

I made dinner (well, reheated the lasagna my mom made while she was here) with the kids and then JP came home just as I got everything served and we ate a meal with all five of us at the table, though for now, Cora hangs out in a lap rather than her own big chair.

 

Then there were bedtime stories and snuggles.

 

Yesterday involved PJ pants all day, a visit from some of my favorite coworkers for lunch, and quite a lot more snuggling. JP had a late lesson, so I had my first 3 kid, baby hungry, dinner making extravaganza! I stuck Cora in her car seat and occasionally kicked it to make it rock while I steamed veggies and cooked frozen fish fillets. Landon was his usual helpful self- feeding Tex, bringing in the trash cans from the street, etc. Claire was technically willing to be helpful, but needed too much direction to bother. It was a taste of the chaos to come, but I got to direct it while sipping white wine and at 7:05 we all sat down to dinner together. Then there were more stories and snuggles and bedtimes.

 

It's funny, when we had one kid, it seemed like JP and I would never eat dinner together again. Then he got older and we managed. Then we had Claire and she just fit right in to the routine where dinner together was an unquestioned part of the evening, and now we're scooping Cora in to a pattern that would have seemed impossible with just a Landon. Of course it helps that the older kids get older and easier and more helpful, and it helps even more when a Trader Joe's with all its tasty frozen entrees opens up down the street.

 

All in all, I'd say things are quite lovely. I feel great- my dressing is removed, my incision scar looks thin and pale and I have to constantly remind myself not to pick up heavy objects because it's only been 8 days. JP does all the nighttime feedings, because he is awesome and it helps me heal, and then I do all the Cora care during the day while the kids are in school and he is coaching. He sent me flowers yesterday, because I adore them and I gave him a baby.

 

Cora's tiny hand is resting under her tiny cheek on my chest as I type. Things are really quite lovely.

15 comments:

  1. Just a quick comment to say you may want to adjust that photo of the flowers to avoid showing JP's name. Isn't it remarkable how smoothly baby #3 fits right in? Go you!!!!

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    1. Oops- thanks! I'm on my phone now so I can't fix it, but as long as it's in an image and not searchable text I'm not too worried about it. And it really is remarkable how you can throw a new baby in the mix and have it flow along so smoothly (for the most part anyway)- the first one put such a wrench in things, but once you've adjusted your life for a baby/kids, it seems adding a few more in number is a small transition in comparison to that first one :)

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  2. Landon is such a proud papa! :)

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  3. Landon is SO darn cute holding itty bitty Cora!

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    1. Thanks Anne and Wendy! He really is a proud papa, cracks me up how much he wants to hold her :).

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  4. Love the sweet flowers and note. :)
    Am totally hung up on the idea of a storage bin for your maternity clothes. Are you considering a fourth (eek?!?!) or just trying to put them away until you can pass them along to someone? Mine are on hangers ready to go to consignment ASAP!!!!
    Enjoying snuggles here as well; unfortunately both work and law school are interfering with that quality time. Still, lots of movie nights, three-kid cuddlefests, etc. The best part is seeing the siblings with their baby. Sniff!

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    1. Haha, nooooo on the 4th. Bins are simply where things go when I'm done with them- whether that's temporary or forever. First the bin will go to my newly pregnant friend, and then it will likely head to my parents' house where it will sit in a closet if/until my sister wants them. If she doesn't, they will head to a nice women's shelter or other worthy cause. I plan to pack it up tomorrow and can't wait to reclaim the space in my closet!

      And yes, the seeing the siblings together really is one of the best parts :)

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  5. I think you can only call photo a "selfie" if you take it of yourself. So, unless Cora took the first photo herself, the first photo technically is not a selfie.

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    1. Okay... but I'm in it (I'm holding her, that's my arm/hand and the 7 lbs. of Cora is covering my middle) and I took it in the "awkward flip-the-camera-around and try to aim a phone at yourself and reach the shutter button without shaking the photo" method. Does my face have to be in it? Clearly I don't know the rules.

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    2. So Oxford dictionaries defines it as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website". Under that definition, your pic is arguably a selfie because a part of it you is in it, but I don't think others would consider it a selfie because your face does not appear and without the explanation, one would not know that the "self" in the "selfie" is you.

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    3. Anonymous,

      Relax...

      This is a blog, not a dictionary.

      I'm sure that many of the blog readers understood the context/meaning behind the term "selfie."

      Congrats on the new addition Lagliv! I'm looking forward to new posts on life with three.

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  6. It is so great to read your posts. I am adding a second in a month and you give me great hope for smooth-ish sailing.

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    1. Yay, seconds are awesome! Congrats to you!

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  7. Your description of 2nd and subsequent children really helped me take heart that my family might be able to grow from our current only child! Thank you for posting on that.

    Then I read what JP wrote with the flowers, and I actually cried. And I don't usually cry about anything. :) You deserve every good thing. Huge congrats and HUG!!! MJS

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  8. I cannot decide which part of this post is more adorable--the note from JP or Landon holding sweet Cora. Congratulations on your new addition! I'm a 3L and due with my second in March (been following your blog since I had my son last year during 2L, and I have read all your archives about your pregnancy and first year with Landon--SO helpful for navigating law- school-and-baby land!). Cora is actually one of our top three choices for names :)

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