Return

I'm back from the great beyond... of childbirth.  Guess I've sort of been on a maternity leave from blogging, which I didn't intend to do.  But time has been awash.  I had another baby nearly 11 weeks ago, and I can't recall much of the blur of the first few of them. 

We are thrilled with our new addition, whom I will refer to in this blog as Dottie.

Mabel has taken a liking to Dottie, though it hasn't been as such from the get- go.  At first, Mabel needed to assert her presence all the time, probably in fear of losing attention.  Even now there are times when Mabel will fake- cry because she sees how we cater to Dottie when she fusses.  But mostly, Mabel loves playing helper.  She is great at re- inserting dropped pacifiers, throwing dirty diapers away, and rocking Dottie in her bouncer or car seat.  We often must remind Mabel of the meaning of "gentle" but she's getting there. 

The strangest phenomenon has been how grown- up Mabel now seems-- both physically and otherwise.  Not only does she seems to have giantism when I change her diaper, but I often catch myself treating Mabel like an adult.  I'll say things like, "Man, Dottie is really using those lungs today.  Annoying, huh?"  Mabel humors me with a "yes" but probably doesn't get it.  I have to remind myself that Mabel is still a baby herself at 25 months old.  Funny. 

Mabel has been chatting up a storm, with too many words to count, and her favorites to say being "NO!" and "I'll do it!"  and "My turn."  She doesn't put up with any bull-- that's for sure.  But, wow-- that mild- mannered little thing has become quite a stubborn beast at times.  We still love her to pieces, but she's making me feel I should go buy some expensive and probably meaningless parenting books for bratty toddlers.  The cutest thing she does is soothe Dottie.  She will run over and say, "Dottie, no cry, Dottie!"  and give her a huge, sweeping hug.

Dottie is pretty laid back and quite smiley, and only cries when she needs something, but she has a set of lungs indeed.  In fact, she is using them right now.  And since we have to go pick up Mabel, I shall depart.

For my next few entries, I am planning a series of "Things that happen after you give birth" pieces.  Hoping to carve out time to really do them justice! It's good to be back.