The Two-Kid Transition

October 16, 2014 ~ Crystle ~ 5 Comments

Self Portrait with Kids | Yea Yea Pueblo

Oh, Hi!

Five weeks after bringing the newest Ardoin home, we are all alive and well. Woody has grown exponentially since he was born, maxing out of his newborn onesies and diapers almost immediately. He’s almost ready for size 2 diapers, and I’ve already adjusted his car seat straps twice to accommodate his lengthening and broadening frame. It’s wild.

Margot absolutely adores him and helps in any way she can to be a great big sister. She brings diapers during his diaper changes, she hands over blankies, binkies, and lovies when he cries, and with arms outstretched asks ‘hold?’ when she wants to comfort her brother. I get choked up when I think about how she’ll continue to nurture and love Woody over the years, and I praise God for graciously gifting me such a sweet tempered, and beautiful daughter. And here I am again, trusted with a second wonderful child. Isaac and I are overjoyed.

Also tired. We’re very tired.

Poor Isaac is working a night shift during a training exercise, which means I’m left with around the clock child care without much help. It’s difficult to keep the noise pollution in the home to a minimum with two under two while their dad tries to catch up on sleep in the adjacent room during the day. We’re almost done with this topsy-turvy schedule, but in the meantime, we’re each getting about 5 hours of broken sleep a night/day. I’m also averaging 24 diapers a day between the two kids, have I mentioned that? It is excessive.

We’re keeping afloat with copious amounts of caffeine and with patience that can only come from above when we seem to need it most.

I still find time to make it to my book club, weekly bible study, and occasional play dates. And I’m glad to have friends like Miss Sarah Lewis (the great Fairbanks birth photographer!) who has to get a visitor pass just to come visit me on-post to talk shop, chat about the challenges of motherhood, or just have fun creatively with double exposures, like we did yesterday. She was also such a lifeline when I was struggling through a challenging cesarean recovery and a gnarly bout of mastitis. I was also super lucky that my friend Megan happened to stop by when I was in a particularly low point, and desperately needing help while Isaac was at work (this was the first day of my mastitis, when my fever was 102F and I hadn’t been to the ER yet).

There were many other women I know from the ladies ministry who brought meals (like sweet Jena who brought food, treats and words of encouragement on three different occasions!), and provided additional support during that rocky period. It’s great to have built such a solid support system in such a remote location.

My dad also sent a tandem stroller that has utterly saved my life while carting two tiny tots around town! I hope my doc martens, patterned leggings and slouchy beanie lend cred as I load my giant stroller into my giant minivan, but even over the sound of the obscure, shoe-gazer synth pop that beats out over the stereo, I have my doubts. I have two kids and a minivan, there’s just no way around the severity of the motherhood there.

Point is we’re surviving.

We’re all making it. And in the way of Laverne and Shirley — nothin’s gonna turn us back now / straight ahead and on the track now / we’re gonna make our dreams come true! / doin’ it our way! (does the sleep deprivation show from that TV Land reprise?).

R&R

February 4, 2013February 4, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 12 Comments

This is my last week of relaxation, probably ever. It’s the final week in the month before Margot comes that I have no appointments with my midwife, no major shopping trips, no last minute baby items to collect — no major errands at all. I’ll go to my weekly bible study, but that’s it. I’ll be able to sleep in undisturbed until a shameful hour, wear faded leggings and baggy cardigans (my pregnancy uniform), watch old episodes of Lost (Isaac and I are watching the whole series for the first time), and snack all day long. Jealous? Well, hold off on that for now…

First let me backtrack a little –I don’t want to come off as a complete glutton, here (read: that’s not me in the photo above, it’s Yango).

I see that I’m describing pregnant-me like the type of person that gets killed off in the neo-noir thriller ‘Se7en’ over a bowl of Spaghetti, or whatever. For the record, at around 1pm during the day, once my ~~morning~~ noontime breakfast of Honey Nut Cheerios has settled, I do a few chores to ‘earn my keep’. I usually make sure the dishes are done, the bed is made, and the house looks tidy. I’ll dust, vacuum and take out the trash to feed into the illusion that I’m an excellent homemaker and that I’ve had a gloriously productive day. Sometimes, I’ll even put on some blush and mascara, but that’s more of dignity-salvaging activity for me.

Then when my husband comes home, he can see how hard I worked all day, and enjoy the super-difficult pasta dinner I’ve prepared.

A day in the life, folks.

Like I said, this week is the last week where I’ll only have above-mentioned light chores to do. Next week is a horse of another color. I’ve got appointments every single day, and it doesn’t sound fun at all. Carrying around a bowling ball size mass in your abdomen slows you down a lot; every task takes twice as long, and if I’m walking around a lot, Braxton Hicks contractions kick in. Those are getting to be much more painful.

Remember that fat lady you saw panting over a bin of frozen crab at Costco last weekend? She was with a confused-looking man who was holding a crumbled shopping list, and pushing a cart full of snack foods. Well that was me (and my husband), and I’m very pregnant, JSYK, and not totally ‘into that crab’ like you may have thought. I was having a particularly painful contraction and I had to stop where I was until it passed. It wasn’t a pretty sight, and it makes me a little fearful for what’s in store on the big day. Fortunately, they pass quickly and each one brings my Margot nearer. And at this time, I’d appreciate your support for my purchase of 60 Quaker granola bars.

With or without your support for my snack food choices, I need to get back to carpe diem-ing this entire week. I’ve got a couch to reunite myself with during these final relaxation-filled days, the kind of which I may never know again.

The Baby Wait

January 22, 2013January 22, 2013 ~ Crystle ~ 19 Comments

I give up, you guys. I tried not to post about this pregnancy, but I just can’t help myself. I’m sorry. I also cannot guarantee an absence of baby photos when she arrives, either. Consider this fair warning.

I theorize there’s some sort of biological need for mothers to share their maternity experiences as though they were unique occurrences in human history. Add me to the arsenal of such mothers.

Anyway, she’ll be here in just seven weeks, if not sooner. I can’t wait; mainly because I miss sleeping on my belly, running, picking things up off the floor, and the occasional glass of Merlot. I don’t even remember what those activities are like anymore. Will I suffocate if I sleep on my belly? Will I be able to run comfortably while breastfeeding? Is that allowed? Where did my feet go? Do you put ice in wine? Will I even like it anymore? See?…I have so many burning questions!