Catching up

This maternity leave feels so different from my first. I'm sure I am romanticizing it, but what I remember with Joaquin are these long stretches of time in the swing singing to him and mentally planting my garden. This time, I feel like it has taken these 8 weeks I've had just to 'catch up' with what should be our normal life. Things like getting through food in the fridge that's been there for a year because it's not something we usually cook. We've also spent some time 'fixing' some bad habits or starting some good ones with Joaquin that we hadn't done because-frankly-we were too tired working. Eating at the table and brushing teeth in the morning are the biggest examples. A friend once told me that it took her 2 weeks to reach some sort of equilibrium in her house after a 2nd child...it has taken us about 2 months for me to feel like I've got it somewhat together...I guess better late than never!

Rhiannon at 6 weeks

Is just starting to give us genuine smiles and they are splendid! Rare, but splendid! She has great control of her head and looks older than she is. I compared her foot to Joaquin's footprint that we made in the concrete when he was 4 months old and they are the same size. People ask me how many months she is instead of how many weeks. And just like Joaquin, I am getting stopped all over to be told what a pretty baby she is. A woman at the doctor's office today actually stopped her phone conversation to tell us. She's still sleeping well, but still only when we hold her or if she is completely and utterly exhausted. She has started to get a little colicky at night, but not too bad. I think she just likes being up and walking around at that time.

Memory is fickle

I know Rhiannon looks different than Joaquin, but I didn't realize how different until I compared their 1 month pics!

Joaquin:













Rhiannon: