In some ways these past few days have been in slo-mo but then again i feel like
they have just flown by!! it’s a strange sensation.
But no matter what…. they have been full of amazing moments!!
they have just flown by!! it’s a strange sensation.
But no matter what…. they have been full of amazing moments!!
Every pregnancy, child, mama experience is different….
but here’s my personal reflections on motherhood the 2nd time around!
1. My contractions from nursing are wayyyy more painful then with sophia. and i hear that is normal. but normal or not.. i don’t like it haha. and i just have to keep telling myself that it’s good and helping me get healthy and skinny again!
2. I feel like a pro compared to the last time. so much more secure in how i handle everything when it comes to baby. Nursing was easy the first time (thankfully!!) and it has been just as easy this time around.
3.As far as sleeping sienna is a much better sleeper than sophia. she actually likes her bassinet and i can nurse her and place her right back in..she falls back to sleep in 2 seconds compared to sophia who took some convincing. i’m sure it is mainly because of her temperament, but i bet she can sense how we are not stressed and more comfortable. plus i think we are just used to not getting sleep from sophia…so any sleep is wonderful. hehe.
4. I’m way more realistic about how my body was going to look post-baby…..i’m trying to remember when the “tum tum” went away with sophia.. i’m going to try and document it this time because i think it’ll help keep me focused and motivated to get fit. i’m not going to be a crazy exerciser…(nursing and chasing a 2 yr old should help…) but i am going to actively try and get in shape unlike with sophia where it just kinda happened.
5. I’m lovingggg having the girls together. sophia has been extremely lovey and that is the only “difficulty” we are having right now with her. she doesn’t know her own strength and her “moochies” can end up being a little strong. haha. but she means well and is getting better every day with how she interacts with her.
6. in the morning she usually calls from her crib “mommyyyy…dadddy…” just sitting and waiting for us to acknowledge her presence and come get her haha. but the first morning home my went to get her and heard “mommyyy…daddyyy….babyyyyy…” when she told me that it melted my heart. snuggle time in the morning has been double the fun now that we have two cuties. :)
7. I realized that i call out for ben a lot right now…sophia now calls to daddy from her high chair..”binnnnnnn” haha. she is my echo. i also realized that i say “she’s so cuteee” a little too much. haha. sophia is our little parrot.
8. trying to do etsy orders while on pain medication is a little risky..sent a girl chocolate bar labels instead of the water bottle labels she ordered..haha. luckily she was nothing but sweet and completely forgiving since i just gave birth 24 hours earlier. :)
9. I really feel like things have been wayyyy easier than i thought they were going to be! It probably is because sienna is such an amazingly easy baby…but things are just flowing.. and even with the sleep deprivation and soreness….i am so happy. feeling very blessed and so peaceful with where we are in life.
if you are nervous about having a 2nd baby..don’t be… it’s amazing.
and that is coming from an exhausted-just gave birth-mama. ;)
8. trying to do etsy orders while on pain medication is a little risky..sent a girl chocolate bar labels instead of the water bottle labels she ordered..haha. luckily she was nothing but sweet and completely forgiving since i just gave birth 24 hours earlier. :)
9. I really feel like things have been wayyyy easier than i thought they were going to be! It probably is because sienna is such an amazingly easy baby…but things are just flowing.. and even with the sleep deprivation and soreness….i am so happy. feeling very blessed and so peaceful with where we are in life.
if you are nervous about having a 2nd baby..don’t be… it’s amazing.
and that is coming from an exhausted-just gave birth-mama. ;)
ok i could go on and on but i’ll stop..:) thank you for all the wonderful kind words and congratulations.. i really loved checking my e-mail and seeing your comments.. i am so happy to share our joy and celebration right now with you all!!
My next task is finishing planning sophia’s 2 yr old birthday party and sienn’a baptism. (we are doing a joint celebration so out of town guests can attend both!) i’ll keep you posted on all the fun details!! you know me..i can’t do anything small.. i’ve been collecting cereal/other boxes for sophia’s sweetopia supermarket for weeks now. cause seriously…you can’t have a sweetshop theme without a sweetopia village that has a supermarket full of play food!! come on! ;)
Sarah
August 19, 2010 at 5:46 pmSienna is BEAUTIFUL and I love seeing your sweet girls together. Reminds me of bringing home my 2nd (mine are 18 months apart) and having to control the amount of love the new big sister could dish out. ;) Enjoy every second – you know how fast it goes by!
Sarah
August 19, 2010 at 6:23 pmAwww! What a sweet family!
Stephanie
August 19, 2010 at 7:09 pmOh my goodness, she is so beautiful!!! Congrats to you all!
Anna
August 19, 2010 at 7:15 pmShe is so beautiful! Congratulations!
Lindsay C
August 19, 2010 at 7:24 pmNatalie you are the best mom!! I want to be exactly like you when i have kids!! can you say super mom?? the girls look so cute together! Miss you! good luck :)
Jamee
August 19, 2010 at 7:32 pmboth of your daughters are absolutly adorable! Don’t worry too much Sophia’s touch will get softer. It took my oldest about a month to finally learn and realize that he couldn’t be rough! CONGRATS again!
Sarah
August 19, 2010 at 8:23 pmI CAN’T BELIEVE HOW CALM YOU ARE!!!! Seriously, I would be so stressed with two little cuties! Sienna is such a beautiful name and she’s got a beautiful face to go with it! Sophia is such a cute big sis :) My older sister used to hit me, bite me, and push me off of couches when I was a newborn (she was just begging for attention)! It’s good to know you don’t have to worry about that.. Hehehe!
Oh, and I just started another blog about being “Married to the Ministry” that you might like! the url is: sittingsolo.blogspot.com
I would love to hear from other ministry wives so I’m just passing the word along! Blessings!
Sarah
Hilary Surratt
August 19, 2010 at 9:52 pmoh you are just such an inspiration!!! Sienna is absolutely gorgeous and all your posts are getting me ready for my little one arriving in 7 weeks! Thanks for sharing all the pictures, they are all so sweet! Oh yes… CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Hannah
August 19, 2010 at 10:17 pmAWWW, the pictures are just adorable! Sienna is beautiful! It is funny how much more confident you are the second time around, I felt the same way! That was really nice since you are adjusting to so many other things, at least this time around you feel like you know what you are doing! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! Congrats on your new bundle of joy!
Angie S
August 19, 2010 at 11:15 pmThis pics of the girls together are so precious! Love all the great pics you got, and you are a champ…you seem so with it :) I was a mess and worked on getting myself together…you go girl!
Michelle
August 20, 2010 at 8:40 amCongrats to you and the family, she’s just perfect!
Kelli
August 20, 2010 at 9:56 amSO glad you are all adjusting well and things are going smoothly. Going from 1 to 2 is easier (I think) than 0 to one. Those pictures are just so sweet and Sophia looks like she’s really enjoying her sister. LOVE the last picture…it needs a frame :)
FirstComesLove.Then
August 20, 2010 at 3:05 pmSo cute! I’m so so happy to hear that the 2nd baby is going to well for you! That gives me hope because when the time comes that I get prego again, I think I might flip!…but you give me hope:)
And I totally relate to your happiness. I just had my 6 week postpartum doctor appointment and they asked how I was emotionally…with no hesitation, I replied, “GREAT!”. I couldn’t be happier and feel SO COMPLETE! Life is so wonderful. What a blessing:) and you have that same feeling x 2!!!
Congrats!
D'Arcy & Virginia
August 20, 2010 at 4:11 pmso beautiful! i have to ask, did you write this lovey dovey post while on said pain medication…??! :-)
you look great and your babies are so beautiful. and you make me think it’s doable to have another (as long as i get pain meds too)
and i was serious about teaching all of us how you always make your hair look so fabulous.
virginia (Mr& Mrs D’Arcy
Theresa
August 20, 2010 at 9:09 pmoh my gosh natalie!!! these pictures are so precious! i pray you are enjoying your girls as well as RESTING! i know the adrenaline is great, but YOU have to know it catches up with you. please rest.
congrats. you have 2 absolutely beautiful girls!
Marjorie
August 24, 2010 at 12:12 pmyour friend abby l. sent me the link to your blog. i have two boys 15mos apart and she thought we might have some things in common :) very cute blog! feel free to stop by mine sometime.
Becky
February 1, 2011 at 1:17 amI agree….every one is different, but I’m due with baby #2 March 10th, 2011, and it’s encouraging to hear someone sound so positive with number 2. Not that I haven’t heard positive, but just as you said, it’s a bit overwhelming to think of having two. I can’t wait though! =)I’m definitely going to use your “Big sister kit” idea, but, but brother in my case.