Settling In And Not Slowing Down...

It's crazy to think that only six weeks ago, Emilie wasn't here. Already, I can barely remember what it was like when there were only three of us (plus pooch). I think that means we are officially settled and adjusted.

Of course we haven't much slowed down. It's not just that I don't much care for slowing down, it's more just the way of the second child. With Marin we had more of a choice to take things at a slower pace. I pretty much dictated what we did and didn't do everyday. This time we have a two year old toddler singing and dancing and swimming and playdating her way through a busy summer, to consider as well. So, we get out and Emilie just goes with the flow. Not only has she attended swim lessons with us, she's been to the splash park, and the pool during regular (crazy I'm-doing-this-cannonball-without-regard-of-the-infant-in-your-arms infested) hours, and has even been in the water with us. She's been to the outlet mall, and on more stroller rides than you can even imagine. She's been to our town's busy, packed Swedish Days festival that included a trip to the carnival, multiple heavily amplified outdoor concerts, two parades, lunches and dinners out, a Channel 5 news spot, sidewalk sales and shoe shopping. She's been to two retirement parties (yay! Grandma's retired!!), two birthday parties, and was passed like a hot potato at a party at her house. She's been to a fancy restaurant on a weekend night for dinner and didn't make a peep. She's been to many lunch and breakfast restaurants- happy as a clam tucked away in her stroller. She's been to the Brookfield zoo on a marathon day of over six hours of animal watching, including being splashed by the dolphins (side note: Marin was also splashed by the dolphins and was only okay with it when she discovered that Mommy and Emilie were also splashed).
Emilie takes life in stride and is very happy go lucky. Unless she's hungry. Then she screams bloody murder until her belly is full and she can go back to her life of smiling at the dog and her sister as they dance circles around her.

I guess it's a good thing that we don't much slow down. Jason was offered another new job, as Managing Director, that he is just two weeks into. We're very proud of him, as it's an excellent opportunity for his career, but it comes at the price of no longer working from home, and much longer, busier, crazier work days. We majorly miss having him at the breakfast table. I specifically miss the extra diaper changing hands. Still, we are adjusting to this new change as well, and enjoy walking to pick him up at the train almost every night. Marin has told anyone with a pulse that her "Daddy working on choo-choo". I'm fairly certain that the entire town assumes he's a train conductor. She literally greets him with jubulent jumps of joy at the train, followed by requests for a "huggie" and "kisses" and says, "I miss you, Daddy".

I'm almost totally used to doing everything with one arm again. This time it includes frantically putting Marin on the potty while holding the baby. Emilie joins Marin and I for stories before nap and bedtime, and as we water the flowers, or sit on our bench in the yard. Free time is sparse and life is chaotic, but we're happily settled in our "new normal". Happy that there's more laundry to fold, more errands to run, more mouths to feed, less hours slept, more noise in the house... because without them, we wouldn't be a family.