Life with Ruby and Rocco

Well, the past two weeks have flown by and have been quite a change for our family. Here's a recap of how things have been in the Shaffer household with a toddler and a newborn (and a busy dad and recovering mama.)

Ruby
This little girl has been very sweet (for the most part) and very docile. She sleeps most of the day and only has a couple fussy periods. We took her in for her first check-up and everything looked great. The doctor said she is healthy and perfect, but was a little concerned about her weight. He ordered a weight check for two days later. So, we took her in, and she had lost 22 grams. Apparently, that is somewhat of a concern. Since Ruby had a full belly at the initial visit, the doctor ordered me to feed her on the spot and re-weigh her. She gained 2 ounces in a matter of minutes. So... no issues for the time being. I have been conscious to wake Ruby up every 2 hours to feed her, because I am not wanting another doctor appointment where Ruby's weight is a concern. I'm ready for a chunky baby! Her cheeks and chin are starting to fill out, but her arms and legs are like tooth picks. Regardless, she is a doll and truly stunning. Her big accomplishments in the past two weeks have been surviving two baths and her belly button stump falling off.

Rocco
Big Brother is still infatuated with Little Sister-- lots of kisses, gentle (we're working on it) hugs, and definitely giving his protection. There have been a couple instances where people have stopped by to either hold or merely look at Ruby and Rocco says very sternly, "That's MY sister! You don't touch her..." Now, if only we can bottle that up and save it for when they are in high school...
The combination of bed rest, recovering from a c-section, and having a newborn attached to me almost constantly has proven to be a big adjustment to the relationship Rocco and I have. He is a little mad at me, I think. But we are working on it. I finally started feeling-- human?-- so I am making it a point to hand Ruby off to her daddy while Rocco and I have some time to ourselves. So far, it's working, and he is being much sweeter to his mama. He requested that he and I take a shower together tonight, which I happily obliged in as showers, unfortunately for everyone involved, are few and far between for me lately...
Rocco's big focus was Santa and Christmas before Ruby came into the world. Now, he is excited, but a little distracted by his sister. He is also very busy being a fireman-- yes, he is still deep in that phase. He will surely be elated when Christmas morning comes around and under the tree is a real firetruck he can drive himself and a 3-story fire house (along with other gifts.)

Todd
Getting up lots in the middle of the night, running after Rocco, and fighting off a winter cold is wearing Todd down just a little, but not much. I think neither one of us quite remembered just how hard a newborn is for the first few weeks.
True to form, Todd is definitely ready for everything Christmas. If he has the choice, we are watching some kind of Christmas movie. I catch him listening to carols in the shower on the radio in the bathroom. And he is trying to convert me with gusto.

Kacie
Last, but certainly not least-- or, should I say, saving the best for last? Here's the scoop on me: like I mentioned earlier, I am finally feeling human. Fresh from the shower really helps with that one. I should probably average more than one a week-- that's a joke. (Kind of.) I was incredibly sore and uncomfortable from the surgery for the first week-- literally an entire week. I was expecting 3 days. Not the case. As soon as I started feeling good, I discovered that I am allergic to the particular glue used to adhere the steri-strips over my incision. I was itching like crazy one night with no relief, so I called the nurse and asked what was up. She told me to immediately get the strips off and clean the area with hydrogen peroxide. The area then got inflamed and blistered. Yes, this is all in "that area" and surrounding the incision. Not glamorous. I also had some pain in my abdomen area, so decided it was best to just go in and get a professional opinion. My doctor told me to take Benadryl for the reaction and gave me some anti-biotics for a suspected infected uterus (I had the same thing with Rocco.) Making a LONG story SHORT: This recovery has been ca-ca.

Now, on to better things: being a mother of two. Although I forgot just how difficult it is to be the mother of a newborn with 2-3 hour intervals of sleep between breast feedings, I am totally soaking up my time with Ruby. As the second child, she reaps the benefit of my knowing just how quickly the newborn stage goes. And, since she will be our last child, I am selfishly hoarding her. My mom says, "You don't give her up very easily..." In fact, I think I can count on one hand the number of people that have actually held her. That kind of paints the picture for you, egh? Having a high-energy 2 year old this time around puts a whole new spin on things-- a lot of sensory overload on my part. But, to be honest, things are actually feeling fairly sane and relaxed in my household. I know that Ruby will be able to sleep through anything, though, as her brother has a tendency to "scare" his sister by growling at her like a dinosaur, playing his drums as she sleeps, and wrestles his dad like Nacho Libre.

Other Family Updates
This Sunday Todd and I will be hosting a Clark/Recla Christmas Celebration where all of the family is invited. It will be more low-key this year, as I didn't want to deal with hosting a full seated dinner, so we decided on everyone bringing an appetizer or dessert to share. We will exchange gifts, as well as participate in the cut-throat white elephant gift exchange. It's always a fun time with the people I love the most! We were hoping that Todd's family would be able to make it down, but his sister and her husband decided to spend the holidays in Todd's hometown with their parents. They have yet to meet Ruby, so we are anxious to get them down here.

Mom is enjoying retirement. She has been quilting up a storm! We love that she is retired, too, as she is a great babysitter and Rocco absolutely adores her-- and his Papa Mike. She has been spending lots of time with Grandma Fawn, too. She is there every Friday night-- they watch lots of movies together and weed out the stupid ones so no one else has to endure them.

Jason and Lora are expecting baby Jaxon the end of January. It's been fun helping them get prepared for their little bundle of joy. I can't wait to meet him and watch the cousins grow up together. I think Ruby and Jaxon will get bossed around big time by Rocco!

We have lots of things to be thankful for this time of year and for years to come. We hope that you and your family also have a wonderful holiday and a prosperous new year. Celebrate the things in life that make you happiest.