CHECKING IN

My friend Kelly has a weekly blog series called Ten Things and it’s always one of my favorite posts to check in and see what’s going on in her world that week. (You should definitely give her a follow if you haven’t already! She’s one of my favorite people both online and off.) I’m still trying to find a new rhythm of getting back into daily blog posts since Peter’s arrival and I feel like this more stream-of-consciousness style would be really helpful! I’ve been making a point to put up more substantive posts (Peter’s birth story, my third trimester recap, our hall bathroom reveal) but I’ve missed regularly checking in on day-to-day stuff so I’m going to give Kelly’s framework a try this week and see how it goes!

pink tulips ranunculus peonies

  1. The newborn phase. Peter is one month old and he’s really such a good little baby. He usually gives us about four hour stretches of sleep between feeds at night which any new parent will tell you makes a world of difference. His daytime sleep is more haphazard and he generally prefers to sleep on me, hence the lack of new posts around here. But I know the second time around that this phase is so short-lived and I want to soak up every second of him at this age with as little guilt about getting back to work/working out/general life maintenance as I can manage. Especially after spending time apart from him in the hospital, I find myself wanting to keep him extra close, breastfeed on demand during the day, and just give him as many cuddles as he will tolerate! I know there will come a time where he’s on a more consistent schedule but I don’t think I’m quite ready for that yet and I’m trying to give myself some grace.
  2. Teddy’s a big brother! Teddy is just nonstop active these days and to be honest he rarely slows down enough to pay his new little brother much attention. He’s neither in the camp of wanting to hold/hug/smother the baby or acting out/regressing/feeling jealous… he’s just kind of indifferent? Our pediatrician said this is pretty age-appropriate (Teddy was 18 months when Peter was born) and he should start to show more interest as Peter becomes more interactive, smiley, giggly, etc. over the next few months. I can’t wait for them to become little buddies but in the mean time we celebrate the wins (Teddy loves fetching diapers, blankets, anything where he gets a high five for being helpful) and try not to force it the rest of the time. Still, any time there’s a glimmer of interest, I get so excited to see how their relationship will develop!
  3. Life with two under two. We haven’t been out and about much, but any time we do leave the house for a walk or a doctor’s appointment, I swear it takes us 30 minutes to get out the door with both boys. I remember feeling this way when Teddy was a baby and we’re definitely back in that adjustment period with two! I think you just have to laugh, embrace the chaos, and know that it’ll start to feel more seamless over time? It’s been amazing having Will working from home (the biggest silver lining of the pandemic for sure) and feeling like we can each manage one child on any given outing — I know I’d feel 1,000 times more overwhelmed if he were gone most of the day.
  4. Grateful for my village. We have a really amazing support system at this stage of our lives and I feel really lucky. Not that I didn’t have plenty of support after Teddy was born, but at that time Will was commuting to the city, my parents were still at A Better Chance, and we waited until Teddy was a year old to hire a part-time nanny, so I was flying solo on weekdays and it’s just really, really nice to have more people around this time. I was expecting the transition from 1-2 kids to be much harder than going from 0-1, but so far I think the combination of having Will home during the day, my parents living with us and coming home from work excited to see the boys every evening, and our amazing nanny keeping Teddy happy and busy in the mornings has made it feel infinitely more doable than it would have been for me on my own. I’m in awe of moms who manage everything more or less on their own most days, but I also want to normalize that there’s no shame in asking for and accepting help (saying this as much for myself as any of you!).
  5. We’re fully vaccinated! Will, my parents, siblings, and I have all gotten our second doses of the vaccine and it’s such a relief. I had a headache for 48 hours after the second shot but obviously such a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things! We’re not exactly jet-setting anywhere with a newborn and toddler in tow, but I’m excited to reunite with friends we haven’t seen in a while, start eating outside at restaurants again, and feel like we can live with a little less fear hanging over our heads.
  6. Getting to see Grandy! I know I just said we won’t have many big travel plans with two under two, but we did just book flights to reunite with Grandy in Florida next month and I am so happy she’ll get to see Teddy and meet Peter after 19+ months apart. This is by far the longest I’ve ever gone without seeing her and I know it will be the biggest relief to finally give her a squeeze in person! So thankful she has stayed healthy throughout Covid and the vaccine makes us all feel better about getting on a plane to see her.
  7. Bathtime with the boys. Our hall bathroom is finally finished and we’ve been bathing both boys together after dinner and it’s just the best. Teddy mostly prefers to stand up while Peter’s in this baby bath insert and it works out great. It’s become such a happy part of my day and one where it really hits me that we have two little ones now!
  8. There are leaves on the trees. Okay, duh, but is anyone else extra happy to see things blooming after what felt like a never-ending winter? The dogwood trees in our yard are flowering, the peonies we planted this fall are sprouting tiny buds (!!!), and opening my eyes and seeing green out our bedroom window just gives me life.
  9. Progress in our backyard. We were kind of at a standstill for a while there with renovating our pool, but we seem to be back in action at long last. I’m waiting until there’s anything more than a giant hole in the ground to document anything on the blog or Instagram, but we’re finally starting to be able to envision what the finished product will look like and I’m optimistic it will all be worth it in the end (whenever that is, ha!).
  10. Ordering real clothes again. Between no longer being pregnant and starting to see friends again, I’m excited to do a little shopping for the first time in a while. My friend Jenn just launched a new collection for Sail to Sable and sent me this dress that I’m absolutely obsessed with — the forgiving fit is ideal for postpartum and it will be so cute with my go-to espadrille wedges when we’re out on Nantucket. I’ve mostly been buying clothes for the boys (they’re way more fun to shop for right now!) but I’ve slowly started to round up some things for myself again — you can see all my current favorites for accessories, clothing, decor, and more on my newly updated shop page!

There are a million more little things I want to share but that’s a start! Thanks for sticking with me through this latest transition. So lucky to have you all! xx