Frith O’Steen

Wow - I haven’t added anything to my personal blog for 3 months! (I’ve blogged for D, but not for me! Hee! ok, I’ll stop…). Anyway, the big news of course is that now I am a mom to TWO boys! I have kids, plural. That is so weird to say out loud! “Oh, the boys and I …”. Yikes. But it’s also been amazing and wonderful and exhausting and great all at the same time. Sutter Muir O’Steen, who joined us all in this big big world at 9:43 am on Friday, October 20. (Born on a Friday, just like his big brother!). Most of what I have to say about him will be expressed through his own blog, but I will offer up these few little tidbits for now:

First off, I feel really really really lucky! He is four weeks old today, and has stayed very sweet and mellow. He cries when he’s hungry or gassy or lonely, but we try to stay on top of all three of those things, so as a result he’s an easy-going kid. Decker for the most part seems to have adjusted well - he’s acted out a little bit, but never towards the baby. Mostly I think it has to do with being 3 years old, rather than having a baby in the house. But he tries to talk to him and play with him a little, so that’s nice! I was nervous I had forgotten everything about babies, but am psyched that most of it seems to have come back fairly quickly. I’m also a lot less nervous with this one, so I think that plays out in his mellow demeanor with us. (Or maybe he’s just programmed that way!). I also had forgotten how extremely sleep deprived you get! But Sean has stepped up and helped out in that area, taking care of D in the morning so that Sutter and I can snooze a little longer after the 6 am feeding! Amazing how that extra 30 minutes can really help!

Sean laughed when I told him the biggest adjustment has been in prep time to go anywhere. Basically, I’ve found as long as you take the normal amount of prep time, and then add 20 minutes to it, you’re ok and will make it on time to where you need to go. It’s not scientific, but it’s true!

I had also forgotten how much laundry is involved with a newborn! So now, with me and the 3 guys - well, our energy bill will be interesting to look at! Plus right now we all smell like Dreft!

So, now I have one in preschool and one in a bassinette. When did I become ‘mom of 2′? It’s like I’ve shifted into a completely different paradigm than when I was ‘mom of one’ - don’t ask me why, it just feels like itl. But it’s also really cool. The second time around is a very fun ride!

Given my fatigue level, I’m not sure how often I’ll blog for myself (or how often it will be coherent). But for now let me say - yay babies! and yay sons! and um…yay motherhood! (and yay caffeine!)

- frith