The New Normal

These last three and a half weeks with Cash have been great.  Albeit, not so easy or relaxing or stress-free, but wonderful none the less.  Maybe my expectations were exceptionally low. Here is a little update on what has been going on around here. Blaine just went back to work and I can honestly say, it sucked.   It was hard to be alone for 24 hours but we are all still alive and everyone is smiling, so all in all I guess it was successful!

Owen is waaaay more into the baby than Eli is!  He asks to hold him all the time and goes in to check on him when he is napping.  One day, Owen disappeared and I found him like this rubbing Cash's head.

Eli is more interested in why his poop is yellow and when it will be brown like his and showing him his toys, as he shoves them in Cash's face and explains how each one works.
Cash's belly button totally grossed Eli out and wouldn't come close to him until I covered it up, and he could not wait for it to fall off (the umbilical cord clamp). He is still talking about the fact that it finally fell off.  Thankfully Eli and Owen love each other and love playing together, so for the most part, they can keep themselves occupied and happy while I try and get Cash down for naps and feed him.  The catch here is that although they love to play, they love to fight and bicker just as much, so I am breaking up fights and pulling them off each other just as much as I am watching them run around entertaining each other.  To see them play and laugh together just melts my heart! The sound of them laughing at each other in the next room, just makes me smile so big!

The lack of sleep feels so much more tolerable this time around.  I don't know if its because I have been sleep deprived for the last 9 months so I am used to it, or if this exhaustion is just better than the exhaustion I felt while I was pregnant, which was AWFUL. I did not realize just how awful I felt while pregnant until I felt better! I have however, acquired some lovely bags under my eyes, a renewed appreciation for caffeine, and staying in pj's all day long and trying to embrace the fact that my house is just going to be a mess all. the. time.

Ethan came into town the Sunday after Cash was born to help out with my Mom, meet Cash and be able to be here for the Bris.  He also spent a lot of time networking and meeting with people to discuss opportunities for when he moves back.  Did you hear that? He is moving back!  It probably wont be for a year or so, but he is actively looking for jobs and meeting with people to get things moving.

Cash is changing on a daily basis, so I am trying to take it all in stride.  He has been sleeping well, and much more than I ever remember Eli or Owen sleeping.  I know everything babies do changes on a dime, so I am trying to embrace it while it lasts, for all I know, I could be up all night tonight!  The first time around, with Eli, getting up was hard and tiring and downright awful, I was used to getting sleep and not waking up every couple of hours. Now that we are on the third baby, the night time is the only time I have with just him, while the house is quiet and calm.  It is the time we have together that is special bonding time.  So although I'm pooped and would rather be sleeping, I am embracing the quiet, sweet, cuddle time we get to spend together without having to worry about anything else but enjoying him.  

LOVE, LOVE this boy!

 He took his first ride in the BOB, the first of many, for sure!

 Brooke finally got home and came over to meet Cash!

 My Dad is totally in LOVE!

Eli and Owen wait for him to wake up every morning!  The other day Eli told me he thought that we should keep him! Its a good thing he feels that way cause he ain't going anywhere!  Thankfully we have not yet dealt with any animosity or jealousy, anyone trying to put him in the trashcan or going on strike to get rid of him.  Seems like everyone has settled into having a baby around.

Blaine has totally been super dad and has been off work for the last three weeks.  He helps out with Eli and Owen SO much.  He has been taking sole responsibility for them so I can focus more on Cash.

I absolutely could not have gotten through the first couple of weeks without him.  He has taken them out to play, to the Zilker Train, grocery shopping, and trips to the Lego store.  Speaking of Legos, we are absolutely obsessed over here with Legos.  I actually think Blaine is the one with the problem, as he cant go to the store without coming home with a new Lego set.  Eli and Owen have really gotten good at building things and getting creative creating things.

Lately Eli has regressed a bit in the pooping department, maybe it is how he is dealing with the change at home, I don't know...but after trying a ton of different methods, we have retreated to bribing (don't judge, we are desperate!).  He has been begging for a Lego Mining Set for weeks (which is ridiculously expensive for Legos!!!), so Blaine came up with this pooping chart with a picture of the set he wants as his motivation.
So far, he is super excited about pooping.  I'm hoping it sticks and we can get past this stinky phase!

Having a tiny little baby in the house just makes me realize how quickly they grow up when I look at Eli and Owen playing around us while I am rocking Cash to sleep.  It is a constant reminder to savor every moment with this sweet baby because before I know it, he will be right in the mix with the big boys. Its amazing to look at these three little boys and to see yourself in each of them, its hard to wrap my brain around the fact that they are a part of me and Blaine, that we made each of them.  I can see little bits of each of us in each of them, in their features, mannerisms, likes and dislikes, their little attitudes.  It is crazy that they are all so different, but came from the same place!  I can not wait to see who Cash grows up to be!