5 things that don't get easier with #2

You and I have been together for awhile now, and it seems silly for me to keep lying to you that life in the Paradis household has been sunshine and roses since Matilda arrived. Although it's only the very beginning of week 3, I'm having the sneaking suspicion that there are just some things that never get easy. . .regardless of how many babies you have.

Here is my list (perhaps prematurely) of the five things I don't think ever get easier. . .

5. changing diapers - it doesn't matter how many of them I've changed, they can still freak me out, especially in the beginning. Trying to fold the top down so it doesn't hit the belly button, tucking the extra bunches in between the legs, and just swallowing the sheer number of them that you go through in the first few weeks is still tough. I'm already looking forward to when we graduate to "number 4's".

4. newborn clothes - the last time I fumbled with tiny buttons and snaps I figured it was my naivete. Now, I realize that these newborn clothes are just foolish and aren't made for anyone to dress an infant easily. I'm not going to lie, Matilda wore nothing but a onesie with the bottom cut off for the first week of her life. Easy peesy. Wrap baby in a blanket and you're done.

3. bathing baby - they still are so slippery. Their little bums always seem to slide into the drain (when bathing in the sink, as I tend to do in the early days). They scream and cry and you always seem to find another fold you didn't wash when you're drying them. I'm also going to lump in the belly button here. Bathing it, cleaning it, protecting it, and ultimately, disposing of it are all things I could do without.

2. nursing - Cole was a good nurser. Matilda is even better. That's not the problem. The problem is that, without fail, both children would wake up screaming the second I had drank half a glass of wine and want to nurse. This lasts about 2 hours. Each time. I also am terribly forgetful and can't seem to remember to put in my nursing pads when I leave the house. . . or when company comes over. Good Lord.

1. sleep - it will never come to me again. I was foolish to think I could outwit sleep deprivation this time around. End of story.

There are some things that have gotten a tad easier, however. Maybe I'm just a bit more calloused to them out of necessity this time around. Here's another list of things that don't freak me out like they used to. . .

5. the floppy head - flop away. They'll be fine. And it doesn't pop off like I thought it might.

4. one handed-ness - I can do anything one handed. Baby is in my left arm, and my right can practically assist in brain surgery. Holding the baby in one arm while holding the toddler, kicking and screaming up to bed in the other is my most proud moment yet. And Matilda didn't even wake up!

3. shopping - we go in. . .we get out. . .fast. We make lists at home and don't dilly-dally. Dilly-dallying is now something special for mom to do ALONE when she's just about to lose her mind and needs to leave the kids with dad.

2. housework - I don't actually do any. There. Much easier.

1. crying - They are going to cry. A lot. In fact, one of them is usually crying and a short time after that one stops . .the other will start. I can remember tripping over myself, running up the stairs to get Cole when he cried. Sometimes, I let Matilda cry for a good 3-5 minutes, and it knocks her out for a solid 30 minutes of sleep time. Amen.