A New Normal

We are getting used to a new member of our family these days and settling into our new normal. Since we had so much snow and ice last week Spencer was home again all week to help me with the kids, which was awesome and totally unexpected. My mom was supposed to head down to help me since Spencer would be back at work but obviously that couldn't happen because of the weather. I literally did not step my big toe outside my door from Sunday afternoon until Friday...FRIDAY! We parked our van at the bottom of our driveway (we live on a hill for those of you who haven't been to my house before) but that really didn't matter since our street was a solid sheet of ice for a week. Spencer attempted to go to work on Thursday, got stuck in ice, abandoned the car and ended up walking home. That was day 4 of the snow/ice. Craziness...just crazy! I was so happy to go to Publix on Friday afternoon! I liked it so much I went again on Saturday! Thankfully I had Pierson to keep me busy all week and I didn't mind too much staying in.

So today we are back to a normal day...horray! I have been looking forward to Ella-Ann being back at school, Rane being in PMO two days a week and just doing our normal activities and errands. Now I have Pierson to tote along but she's no trouble. Today was my first day by myself all day and I kid you not I sat down to feed myself, nurse and drive. I was chatting with my friend, Megan, on Sunday about life with 3 kids. She had her third baby in November so we are in the same boat right now. She told me she found herself running from task to task while at home and rarely sat down. Well that was me today. We live in a small house and it doesn't take long to get from one end to the other but I was still literally running from end to end all day. There seems to always be something to do now, someone needs to be fed, dressed, changed, bathed, etc. It is nuts right now but I actually like being busy so it is good for me. I hate sitting still for long but I do have to admit being so busy while sleep deprived is another story! It's exhausting!

Pierson is doing great. She is gaining weight and plumping up...sort of! She still has her cute little chicken legs! We were having to feed her every 2 hours, at night too but I refused to get up that often so it was every 3, once we brought her home from the hospital because her weight had dropped too low. Now she is eating every 2-2.5 hours during the day and will go for one 3 to 4-hour stretch at night...not all nights but most of the time. Thankfully my sweet husband gets up one of the times and feeds her a bottle. That really helps me to not be a complete walking zombie! Pierson is sleeping in our room, which is no fun but we have no choice, and she sometimes keeps us awake with her whining and grunts. She may be evicted soon but we don't know where else she'd go in this house!

Ella-Ann and Rane have adjusted so well to having Pierson around. Today I had to take Pierson to Egleston Children's Hospital for a renal ultrasound because of the 2-vessel cord and my low amniotic fluid (kidneys are fine, by the way) and when I got home Rane comes on a dead sprint to the door and a big smile stretched across his face while screaming "Mommy!!! Baby!!! Mommy! Baby! Hi Baby! Hi Baby!!" As soon as I sat the car seat down he was kissing her head. He is one sweet boy. Both of them are in love with her and want to be around her and help me out as much as they can. As soon as I say Pierson needs a new diaper I have both of them vying for the chance to get the diaper and wipes out for me and then I have an audience of 2 who's heads get in the way and I cannot even see to change the baby's diaper! They are all about seeing that poop! :)

I don't have any new pictures of Pierson because she has a serious case of baby acne and is not exactly Miss Photogenic at the moment so I will snap some soon as soon as it goes away. Currently she looks like a 16 year old boy!

I will leave you with this photo, though....

Last night Spencer and Rane were at Ella-Ann's beauty shop! In this picture Ella-Ann is filing Rane's nails! She loves getting out her play makeup, hair and nail stuff and taking care of the boys and I. I don't know if Spencer would readily admit it, but I think he enjoys having Ella-Ann brush his hair, do his nails and put eye shadow on! It really does feel so good! This is what we did all last week....get beautified by Ella-Ann!