Life right now

Ruth Anne is just seven days away from being one month old. What a crazy time it has been! The first week home we had an appointment every day, and Rich and I were getting no sleep because it took so long to feed her. I would nurse her for an hour, then Rich would finger feed her, then we'd start over an hour and a half after we were done. I questioned if it was really worth it a couple of times, but now that things are going so well, it is easy to say it was.

These days Ruth is eating every three hours, with one longer stretch in the night. I am surprisingly rested most days, which is nice. She can be difficult to get to sleep at times, but thankfully there are still times she conks right out. She has smiled a few times, and is starting to hold her head up for 10-15 seconds at a time. She is already in 3mo clothing, although some is still a tad big. NB didn't fit long at all. She still looks so much like me, and is just a joy.

The other kids seem to finally all be responding well. Elli and Tobiah have been thrilled with her from day one, although Tobiah does seem to be acting out even more than he was at the end of my pregnancy. Naomi finally tried to play with her on Saturday, and seems to be getting used to things, although she still pushes Ruth around and climbs on her if we try to put them together for a picture. I guess that is just typical 14 month old behavior, though. I also really wonder how much of her whining, crying, and tantrums were related to the molars she just got.

Life is starting to get into a "new normal" for us. Now I just need to add on more chores each day, and Elli and Tobiah's schooling. We'll get there, I am sure. My goal is to start the kid's schooling back up by the first week of May, as Elli has a lot of catch up to be ready for 1st grade next September. We'll have to work through the summer, but then, that is the beauty of homeschooling, if you have something like having a baby come up, you can take a break and work at other times.

At least for now things have settled down, and are going really well. What a complete relief after everything I have gone through in the beginning of each of my kid's lives. Hopefully things will just continue to fall into a routine, and life will be as sane as possible with four kids, three under three.