My last posting had me on the other side of the age of 30...some might say the preferred side.

In honor of good poetry (and Christopher's images from the hearth), I'll paint you a picture of life at our household at the moment (laying it bare, baby):

I'm sitting in the dining room, a laptop and a desktop on the table. I'm at the laptop, slurping Ramen noodles and eating fresh strawberries. The soundtrack to Pride & Prejudice is playing in the background. It is actually very peaceful right now as Adah is spending time with Granny and Papa at the moment. (I had a milk duct infection over the weekend that kept me in bed with flu-like symptoms; Christopher's family was very kind to come and take care of us.) Ranen is sleeping in the swinging swing, only after crying himself red and purple in the face (and that was when I was holding him). Christopher is at band practice (hence the single-life dinner). There are three piles of laundry in various stages of cleanliness in the living room, dining room and utility room. A pile of dirty dishes is covering the counter (even though Christopher's Granny had it clean when she left on Monday). There are baby poop stains on both my bouncy chair and the swing. There is spit up covering my right shoulder and quite frankly, I'm not wearing a bra right now.

And that is the picture. I'm feeling overwhelmed. How do you take care of a whirlwind of a 3 1/2 year old and a baby who defies my deepest wishes and attempts at a regular routine (I'd take even a full nap without the screaming; I spend most of my time holding Ranen). I feel like I'm short-changing Adah in the mom-department. Or no-changing. How can you play or discipline when you're constantly holding/nursing/changing the baby, and still attempting to recover from delivering a baby?

I'll take any suggestions or prayers in that department.

A few general updates:
  • My brother Tim came to visit the week after my birthday for a few days. It was good to see him, I wish we lived closer together.
  • Ranen is on medication for Reflux, just add that bit of fun to the pot. Forcing liquid down a colicky baby.
  • I started some vegetables and flowers from seed a week or two after Ranen was born. I now have a load of seedlings with no place to go. I'm on crack. Did I think I was going to haul off, a few weeks post-partem, and dig up my beds, amend the soil and do all the planting? Crack, man!

Well, I tried to come up with some more interesting bullets, but I couldn't. All I know is chaos and dirty diapers at the moment, all on about 5 hours of sleep. Nice.

Oh, wait! I do know...Ranen has been smiling.

Kind of wipes it all away.