May 2007

May was a very exciting and difficult month for our family, but I'm actually impressed with how well we did.

Blake is a very healthy baby and is gaining weight like crazy. He took to nursing from day one, which was a major source of anxiety with Kyla. Blake also seems to be an easier baby in general, usually sleeping one good stretch (four hours, give or take) every night, willing to be put down in his papasan or car seat once in a while, and occasionally accepts a pacifier to calm him down. Becky and I aren't sure how much our experience is making this go round seem easier versus Blake's more easygoing demeanor, but I'm sure both are big factors.

Not that this has been easy for us, far from it. Becky's not getting any more sleep than last time, and I'm getting less. This is because Becky was able to nap occasionally when Kyla was a newborn, but with two children she never gets the opportunity, so I need to pitch in more at night to make sure she gets just enough rest to function (it's impressive just how little that actually is). Also Blake usually likes to be held and paid attention to when he's awake, so he doesn't always cooperate when we need to put him down to get something done or tend to his sister. Becky often straps him to her chest using a cloth wrap that makes him feel secure and frees up her hands. I'm guessing this reminds them both of being pregnant.

The first day of May is my birthday, which we spent at the hospital. I was surprised by how many people remembered and made mention of it (perhaps because I noted it in my post about Blake's birth). Everyone apologized that it had been preempted by recent events, but as a result I received more recognition than I do on a typical birthday.

Kyla has taken really well to being a big sister. After we first brought Blake home, she was very possessive, often not letting guests hold him. She constantly wants to play with him and we have to warn her to leave him alone when he's asleep. She has had some struggles since we brought Blake home, but that may have had more to do with the changes in environment and routine than jealousy.

Blake also seems to be enamored with his big sister. From the beginning he has appeared to turn in her direction whenever she is speaking around him, which makes sense since he probably heard her voice even more than mine in utero. Towards the end of the month he also issued his first smile, which was while looking at Kyla.

We haven't just sat at home this month. Kyla and I went to see Kirk's musical, Zombie Prom, at Eastlake High School, which was a great show and Kirk had a big part. I also took Kyla to see Shrek The Third with Dan and Asher, which was Kyla's first trip to a movie theater. Our whole family went to the zoo with the Neels on Memorial Day and to some of the parks on the lakes to cool off (there were a number of hot days this month). Blake tends to sleep through these excursions.

Gene and Ellie gifted Blake some money to start his college account with. I mentioned to Kyla that she also had a college account (which was also seeded by Bubbie and Zadie), who was intrigued by the whole college thing. We explained to her that college is a school that you go to when you've grown up, and that you often leave home to do so. She thought about this and then asked if we could come with her. We told her we'd talk about it when she's 18.

Another of May's funnier moments was when Kyla's growing interest in anatomy turned to "nurses," which is our word for breasts. She pointed out that mine were "little nurses" while Mommy's were big. I told her that boys don't really have nurses, so she decided to flash hers to Blake. She also pointed out that they look like chickenpox.

Becky and I have been concerned since we learned that Blake was on his way about how we would be able to juggle two children at once. Sure we know plenty of people who have handled two or more kids, but it still scared us, especially when considering the situations where only one of us would have to deal with both of them at once. So far, it hasn't been too bad. I often take both kids in the morning and usually this works out OK, but it really depends on the kids' moods. One morning they were both clingy and wanting to be held, and I had to explain to Kyla that I needed to put her down in order to make her breakfast since I had run out of hands. On another morning I was able to make breakfast and even exercise without incident since Kyla was content to play by herself and Blake fell asleep.

The lesson to be learned here is the more children a family has, the less control is wielded by the parents.