Although the children are madly in love with their little sister, they (especially the two-year-old) are exhibiting ambivalent behavior toward Mama. I know it's perfectly normal and we'll settle back to a new normal as a family of five, but the rejections can sting! I've been trying to reconnect with the big kids. On Thursday night, I threw together a last-minute Family Movie Night. We ordered a pizza, watched a cartoon together, and made Rice Krispy treats.
On Saturday we went on our first family outing: to the local "safari" (Lazy 5 Ranch). I think this was our first family outing after Mary was born too. It seemed like a good idea to me at the time, but it turned out to be a challenge for me. I was ready for a nap before we even arrived at the safari 45 minutes away. By the time we returned home, we'd been out for five and a half hours, Margaret had required an entire outfit change, she'd successfully peed all over my skirt during a diaper change, and I was completely tuckered out. 
On Sunday we went on a family walk in the neighborhood. Mary refused to be in a photo with me.
See Margaret in the Moby Wrap? I wanted to test whether I was strong enough to take the children on a walk while I had Chris with me (in case I wasn't strong enough). I'm glad I tried it out with Chris because walking the half mile loop was too much for me two weeks postpartum, so chalk that up to me being silly. I'll
sit with the kids in the back yard this week and try a walk again next weekend perhaps!
One sweet moment from the walk was when the kids spotted our next door neighbor and began screaming, "We have a new baby! We have a new baby!"
On Sunday we went on a family walk in the neighborhood. Mary refused to be in a photo with me. 
See Margaret in the Moby Wrap? I wanted to test whether I was strong enough to take the children on a walk while I had Chris with me (in case I wasn't strong enough). I'm glad I tried it out with Chris because walking the half mile loop was too much for me two weeks postpartum, so chalk that up to me being silly. I'll sit with the kids in the back yard this week and try a walk again next weekend perhaps!
Mary's hair looks so light!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I had my second that I took Katie to the park and she was being very moody and not talking to me. She was just 24 months and I asked her if she was angry at me and she said yes. We sat down on our walk home and I asked her why---of course she coudn't really answer that, so I gave her a list of reasons that she might be angry. They were all silly and not likely to be the cause of her anger(and she said "no" after each one) and after quite a few options I threw in "having a new baby" and she said "yes". I don't remember what I said to that, something to the effect of how it would all be okay, and we went home. And it was. She loves him dearly, and she loves me still. But at 21, she still gets annoyed and angry with me! :-)
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