Sadie + Maeve

Broken Record

Sadie's version of fun is getting dressed up or changing outfits multiple times a day - Halloween is her excuse to do it without permission. On Friday she went to school as a witch, came home and was both a princess and a ballerina but then decided to change into a dress and tights. She chose her new, white dress to wear while colouring with her markers - not a good combo.

"Sadie, I don't want you to get marker on your new dress, please go up and change. Sadie, please go up and change into something else if you want to colour with markers. Sadie, if you don't change your dress I am going to take the markers away. SADIE HOUSE, UPSTAIRS RIGHT NOW. YOU ARE MAKING ME VERY ANGRY!!!!! " (exclamation marks mean I shouted really loud) 

Now, I don't usually yell at Sadie, actually, I never yell at Sadie but I lost it. For the past few months Matt and I have been feeling like broken records; Sadie often completely ignores us when she is two feet away or she will say "what?" repeatedly because she can't be bothered to actually listen to what we are saying. Maybe she thinks she can get away with things while I'm holding Maeve, I don't know, but I do know it is very frustrating and tiring.

After I shouted, the look on Sadie's face was first disbelief and then fear. Then she screamed and while she ran upstairs to change she accidentally got marker on her dress since she didn't realize she was still gripping her marker.

I really hate it when irony bites you in the ass.

The Good Baby

"What is wrong with Maeve, she is being really fussy tonight?"

The only thing I could do was give Matt a blank look; then I began to laugh, and eventually had to say "Are you KIDDING me??" Maeve was sitting on Matt's lap, completely silent and not even squirming. I had no idea what he meant but he realized what he should have said was, "What's wrong with Maeve, she isn't smiling at me at this very moment?" Needless to say I made fun of Matt for that comment, over and over again.

Maeve is a good baby, there is no doubt about it. Sadie went through The Screams every evening from 6 weeks on - I can't rememeber when it ended but it sucked, really sucked. Maeve usually only cries when she is hungry or tired and it normally only takes a few minutes to solve her problem. (note: I am knocking on every piece of wood in my general vacinity right now) Plus, another bonus (and perhaps the best bonus ever) is she knows how to fall asleep on her own. Each night, usually between 8pm-9pm, we put Maeve in her bed groggy, but awake, and leave the room. Done. She stays asleep until 4am - can't complain about that. Sadie was a longer sleeper but I'll take a baby that can fall asleep on their own over a long sleeper any day of the week. Maeve has even been known to SLEEP IN HER OWN BED FOR NAPS. It doesn't always happen but the other day she slept for 2.5 hrs in the middle of the day, alone. Sadie was 8 months before she napped in her crib. We didn't do anything to earn this, besides ignore her while she is falling asleep. Poor Maeve, we do pay attention to her, just not as much as we did for Sadie. Turns out babies are better if you ignore them, who knew?

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The logic of a four year old:

Matt: When are we going to move Maeve out of our room and into the guest room?

Me:   I don't know, after Christmas? 

Sadie: But Maeve isn't a guest!!

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Sadie: Daddy, is that a castle?

Matt: No, that's a mosque.

Sadie: Are castles real?

Matt: Yes, but there aren't very many of them and they are in England, not Ottawa.

Sadie:    Who lives in castles?

Matt: The Queen and princesses.

Sadie: Can we go and visit the Queen, in her castle?

Matt: No, the Queen is too busy.

Sadie: What does she do?

Matt: Ummmmm, she waves at people and gives speeches. And goes to dinners.

Sadie: I thought she just sat in her big chair.

Alone for the First Time

Ever since Maeve arrived, minus one short week, we've had another set of hands in the house. First my mum was here, then my dad arrived then they left; then Matt's mum arrived, then his dad and then they left. Their help was utterly appreciated and I am so grateful for everything they did when they were here. But, all good things must come to an end and now I'll be on my own when Matt's at work. I'll have to get used to making my own lunch, showering only when Maeve is dead asleep and grocery shopping after Matt gets home from work because my definition of hell is dragging two kids down the aisles of a grocery store, whining and/or crying. It will be a little shocking, but hopefully I'll manage.

I've had it good for so long that last night was a rude awakening - Matt left for a wedding in Muskoka and his parents left for Newfoundland ON THE SAME DAY. I wasn't too worried since Maeve had been so good in the evenings for the last few weeks and the evening went well until bath time arrived. Maeve was a little cranky before her bath but that's the norm so I decided to give her a bath anyway. Wrong decision. Throughout the whole bath Maeve screamed and turned bright red, her eyes were actually tearing; I swear the neighbours must have thought I was shaking her upside down from her right toe based on the noise she was making. As I was getting to her change table she spit up all over the place - it landed on the floor, on my clothes and in her bath towel. Fun times. The screams continued until I got her all dressed and snug in her sleeper. Her last clean sleeper. Saturday night turned into laundry night. By midnight the laundry was done and I left her in the living room while I got ready for bed. I came back down to find she had spit up all over her little face; even in her eyes and up her nose. She was so congested and upset from breathing in her own spit up that she wouldn't settle down so I bounced, fed, swung and sang to her for almost two hours until she finally shut her little eyes and fell asleep. I was looking forward to an evening with a quiet, sleeping Maeve so I could make some well over-due phone calls to friends out west. Instead I held a mad baby for hours on end. Why did all that happen the first time I was alone with the girls? Was it some cruel joke? At least she was sleep from 2am until 7am, can't complain about that. Oh, did I mention changing a poopy diaper at 1am? Oh yes, and then again at 1:30am.

Luckily, Sadie was a little angel and ate her dinner nicely, listened to me while I got her ready for bed and fell asleep quickly. So, the night could have been way worse. Needless to say I have a huge appreciation for single mothers everywhere.

Our Little School Girl

We didn't know what today would bring: tears or smiles. Luckily, it brought smiles and excitement. With her new haircut, new backpack and her stripped dressed on she headed off to Hopewell Ave School for her very first day of junior kindergarten with Mrs. McSweeney. Matt and I burst with pride as we watched her walk down the school hall towards her classroom and I have to admit, I got a little teary when she turned around and gave us a smile and a wave. We were also filled with relief because just last week she was in tears about going to school; she told us that she doesn't like change and she wouldn't know anyone so she wanted to stay home with me and Maeve. It took us a good 30 minutes to get her to stop crying and worrying so we were pleasantly surprised when we trotted off to school tear-free. Our little girl isn't so little any more, she is a big school girl.

I went to pick her up at 11:30 (sharp!! or else I'd be in big bigtrouble) and she burst out of the doors, jumping and smiling. I tried to pry out of her what she did but she just simply said she "played", eventually she admitted she made a craft with hand prints and she met a girl named Madeline but that was all she was giving me. School was "good". I didn't get many details but I'm happy she is happy - that's really the only detail I need.

 

Our Little Bear

On Sunday we were lucky enough to take advantage of Granny's visit and sneak off for a child-less dinner in honour of our 6th wedding anniversary. Sadie wasn't as happy about it as we were. After repeatedly asking us to stay home, she finally gave up and yelled: How come I can't choose? You never give me choices! I want choices! So, I gave her a choice. We could go out before or after she goes to bed. Simple as that. She paused, then chose for us to go out after she went to bed and that was the last we heard about it. She may have gone to bed thinking she got the upper hand but we left hoping we'll always be one step ahead of her.

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By the time Sadie was five weeks old I had already written six blog entries. Tomorrow will be Maeve's five week birthday and I sit, staring at the computer wondering what to write about. Perhaps I had more to say when I first had Sadie because motherhood was the unknown, a new adventure. Perhaps I had more to say because I had more time to write during Sadie's start in life. Perhaps it's a mixture of both but regardless, I need to start documenting more of Maeve or else she'll hold it against me when she's a teenager. I can hear it now: You loved Sadie more as a baby; you took more photos of her and wrote all about her growing up and now I'm scarred for life and it's all your fault. You owe me a really big present! Who am I kidding, this blog won't be around when she's a teenager so what do I have to worry about? Nothing I suppose, although, I do want to remember our second born just as much as our first so I'd better write more often for my own sake.

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No time like the present.

Maeve is our little bear. She grunts, growls and groans all day, both for a reason and for no reason at all. Sometimes it's endearing, like when she's on my lap, looking up at me with wide eyes just after a feed. Sometimes it's not so endearing, like when she's sick of being swaddled by 5am and is grunting and struggling to be free. At least it's much better than crying.

Maeve is still in the I-like-to-sleep-most-of-the-time phase and I couldn't be happier about that. Sadie is still getting used to having this new little person around so as soon as Matt's mum leaves I'll have to start paying more attention to Sadie. That means a sleepy Maeve will be an easier Maeve. Sadie has already started to get a certain happy gleam in her eyes when she sees me hunkering down to feed Maeve - she dances over to me and in an ever so sweet voice will casually ask to watch some kid's TV. I want to reach for the remote every time but resist or else she'll be watching TV all day long. I wonder how long I'll be able to resist when I'm here all alone with the girlies - I'll have to make Sadie promise not to tell Matt that she watched a record 5 hours of TV during the day. 

Introducing Maeve Gwyneth Dumbrille House

Our life as a foursome began three weeks ago today, well, I guess it began three weeks ago minus a day because that's when Maeve decided it was time to make her way out into the big wide world. Thursday, July 23rd, at midnight, my water broke and it happened just like in the movies - with a gush followed by, "Oh my God, I think my water just broke!" First I called Ilana, our good friend who is training to become a midwife - I asked her what I should do so she told me to call the hospital. So I did. They told me to come in to get checked out. So I did. We bundled a very reluctant Sadie into the car, dropped her into the arms of her auntie, Vanessa, and headed to the Ottawa General. As I expected, they monitored me and told me to go home. At 3am the mild contractions started; I nudged Matt for each one and he dutifully wrote them down in our log. He recorded each and every one all day Friday until we headed for the hospital at 4:30pm, just as the nurse instructed the night before. We were shuffled into a waiting room for almost two hours and finally, just as they ushered us into our birthing room the fun started.

The first contraction in the birthing room was worse than the others but I could handle it. The next one was a doozie and I thought I was going to lose my mind. I endured another and then it was to the shower to hopefully get some relief. There I endured four or five extremely painful contractions while Matt sat behind me, squeezing my hips until his arms shook with fatigue. Then, I got Matt to get the nurse because I knew Maeve was coming. I hobbled to the bed and barely managed to get into position and started to push. Earlier the doctor claimed I'd only push for 30 mins and knowing that got me through it - thank god he was right. Maeve was born at 9:48pm on Friday, July 24, after 35 mins of pushing. Beyond being overjoyed for a healthy little girl, I am thankful I never have to endure pregnancy and giving birth again - the birth was so excruciatingly painful I don't think I could do it again. I didn't enjoy pregnancy much and I certainly didn't enjoy giving birth but I do love our little girl beyond words, so she is worth everything that it took to welcome her to our lives. But that goes without saying.

The third most difficult thing, behind pregnancy and giving birth, was naming little Maeve. We had nine months but that was clearly not long enough. We called her either Maeve or Gwen for days until we settled on Maeve. When we first looked at her we realized we could just call her Sadie since they are pretty much twins, it was a little shocking actually. Matt doesn't think we need to take any photos of her since we have all of Sadie's newborn photos. Sounds good to me. I already pretty much ignored documenting my pregnancy, might as well continue after she is born. (just joking Maeve, we won't ignore you, I promise to take more photos of you this weekend).

We're all still getting to know her but loving her more each day. Sadie is adjusting extremely well to being a big sister, sometimes she loves her too much and smothers her in kisses just as she is falling to sleep. Soon I will have to figure out how to juggle the two girls, but not until the grandmothers leave. Thank god that's not for another three weeks or so. I am already trying to figure out how we can swing a full-time nanny.

Puzzle Pieces

"Mummy, how did the puzzle pieces go together in your belly? How did Daddy put his hands in your belly?"

Sadie asked this out of the blue, in the middle of breakfast, a few days ago. If only Matt were there, maybe he could have helped me stop laughing. How long had she been contemplating it, I have no idea, but it stemmed from a book we've had for a few years. My sister gave us her copy of "What to Expect when Mummy's Having a Baby," which was written by the same woman as "What to Expect When You're Expecting" so needless to say it gets slightly more technical than the average child's book. It talks about Mummy's puzzle piece (the ovum) and Daddy's puzzle piece (the sperm) and when Mummy and Daddy want to make a baby, Daddy puts his puzzle piece inside Mummy. That's it. Easy as pie. Obviously it's not much of an explanation but it's as much as she's going to get - I don't really want to get too graphic with a 3 year old.

Luckily our Baby talk usually revolves around how she will be a good big sister: helping change diapers, passing Baby her/his shoosh (aka soother), giving Baby kisses and rubs on the head - the usual 3 year old talk. She has always been interested in other babies, but lately she can scan a crowd and hone in on the only baby and will talk about how small and cute that baby is. When I pick her up from daycare, one of the kids often points out my large belly and Sadie pproudly announces that it's a baby and that she's going to be Big Sister. Basically, Sadie is far more ready for this baby to be born than we are. I don't think we'll be able to fully prepare her for Baby's arrival - luckily our books have been a huge help but really, not until her TV viewing increases by 100% will she fully understand just how much time Baby will require. Perhaps if I master breastfeeding while reading her bedtime books she will be happy. All I do know is that we won't know what to expect until after Baby arrives and I just hope all goes as smooth as silk. (side note: I know there is no chance in hell that things will go smooth, but I like to make myself feel better)