It feels like only yesterday that Snowflake was born, and now she's 6 weeks already. The 6 week mark is also important for me because I can now drive again - a blessing to get to places beyond a walk's distance, but also a curse as the nursery run now is my responsibility again. The thought of having to be at Cubling's nursery for 9am makes me laugh hysterically, the earliest I've made it anywhere so far with the two was 10.30am.
It can be done, I'm sure, and I'm determined to rise to the challenge. At least I don't feel petrified as I did when hubby's 2 week's paternity leave were over. This coincided with the height of baby blues, and something very close to panic attacks whenever I thought about having to manage to get two girls through the day. It was manageable, even if Cubling didn't get exciting craft activities on a daily basis and had to learn how to entertain herself a good deal more than she's used do. And she did.
Snowflake was kind on us as far as the sleeping goes - while rather fussy in the evenings and not ready to sleep before midnight (and sometimes much later than that), she's had a long sleep during the night most nights, and only now settles into a feed me every 3-4 hours pattern (still great, I can get used to that). It feels as if having had broken nights for so long with Cubling has made the transition easier. Yes, I could do with more sleep but I'm functioning and get some good nights even.
Snowflake loves her sling. It's a Kari-me which I got from my sister in law, although soon I will be trying out the Hop-Tye I bought and got shown how to use at the last Glasgow sling meet (everybody was quite taken by it, it is a lovely mei-tei come sling, and pretty too). The great thing about the sling is that Snowflake falls asleep instantly in it, while I can get on with rather a lot of things. Compare this to my attempts to settle her for naps in a cot/pram - she'll wake within 5-10 mins.
We've had lots of smiles since week 3, especially for Cubling. It's so beautiful to see how the two girls interact already - Cubling loves looking after her sister, engaging with her, and tells me as soon as she cries, possets or wakes up. Snowflake on the other hand keeps her best smiles for her big sister, who in turn declared to her little sister only last night: "Ich liebe dich".
In the last week, Snowflake has taken much more of an interest in the world. She enjoyes watching me in her bouncy chair (i.e. I don't have to carry her all day) as long as I keep talking to her. Days are still different and there is no routine at all, but maybe that'll come naturally in the next weeks when we have to get up early and just get on with Cubling's busy timetable.
Feeding is going well - ok we had one night when she wasn't to be satisfied and at 2 am I decided that maybe a bottle of expressed milk might be a good idea. And it worked (once she realised that that thing in her mouth would yield milk if sucked - which in itself took awhile). There's nothing better than the ole weighing in which confirms that she's putting on weight beautifully and that it's all thanks to magic mummy milk. Well, I think it's magic, and won't cease to be amazed by how I can provide all it takes for a baby to grow.
So then, wish me luck for the 9am nursery runs next week!
