Postpartum And Baby Charlie

Morning Cuddles:)

The cutest little butt that perfectly sat on my bump

 My sister in law has been really struggling to adjusting to parenthood. I'm pretty sure it is nothing like she imagined and a ton harder. This has taken its toll and she’s been having a hard time coping with mommyhood. Because hubs family is amazing, we have taken shifts to spend time with her to make her week less stressful and to give her company while she acclimates and gets ready to return to work and a less hectic schedule. I had wanted to go visit for a while, so I jumped at the chance to spend the week up with her and baby Charlie. Officially I was there to help out and be company. Unofficially I was the baby snuggler. I drove up Tuesday morning (BIG step for me. I HATE driving, avoid it at all costs, and volunteered to drive 2 hours north. By myself) and planned to stay until Friday afternoon with her, her hubs and the squirt… my SIL has been seeing a therapist to help her process her emotions and he prescribed her Zoloft to combat the depression. Whether it was having family for almost three weeks straight helping out, the meds kicking in, or enough time to adjust.. but she has been doing a lot better! When I was up there I tried to make it as easy on her as I could, doing everything for Charlie but feeding him. I LOVED getting to snuggle that little man and carry him around so I could stick my nose in his hair tufts and enjoy that magical one of a kind baby smell all day. I made my SIL go take naps, or time for herself on the computer or shower while I got to hang out with Charlie. We all won. I had found an idea on pinterest and we put it into action. You spend 5 hours (ha. It says one hour) chopping and dumping ingredients into freezer bags and you have 8 crock pot meals ready to cook in your freezer. We split them and made 15 crock pot dinners for them to have in stock for the next few weeks so cooking isn’t a stressor anymore. It was pretty fun actually prepping them and the website has about 50 more crock pot meal ideas. I'm totally going to prepare these ahead of time for when baby A gets here. I love crock potting. Everything is in one pot. Cooking by itself. Then MAGIC. It’s done. And there are these mystical creations called crock pot liners that make clean up as easy as lifting out the liner! Back to my week. So now they are stocked up on dinners, a huge lifted weight because night it when it gets hard to handle Charlie. They start getting him ready at 6, and down at 7. This makes dinner hard to do. It has to be started after 7, or kept warm until she can come back hopefully around 7. But then her hubs would have to cook it every night. Or they would have to take turn and not get to spend time together until Charlie is asleep.

My favorite nap position ever

So freezer meals to the rescue! We tried one the next day and it was really good! And it was cooking all day while we did other stuff. She took a nap, and I made them cupcakes (I ate one. It was chocolate with chocolate icing. All my self-control went into not eating more.) and cleaned their house. I swept, dusted, and cleaned their bottom floor while she took care of dr calls and insurance stuff and took a nap. Then Charlie and walked in circles to keep him quiet and napping to give Lisa the longest nap I could. Charlie likes to be held. He likes to be held and walked around. He likes to nap on someone. He does NOT like being put down, or sleeping on his back. This makes it difficult for mommy whose arms want a break. This makes it perfect for auntie Holly who wants nothing more than to cuddle.  When her hubby came home that night, the house was clean, dinner was ready, Charlie was happy, and there were cupcakes. He was in a better mood too. He had been struggling as well with the adjustment having a baby caused to their lives. This made it kind of stressful for them both and Charlie. He had a hard time liking the change and appreciating his son. That night he volunteered to help put Charlie down and give his wife a break, much to her joy. Yay teamwork!!!

Hanging out with his cousin, Baby A

Hopefully he will start seeing his son as the most amazing blessing of a baby and not a needy little booger. I’m hoping that they will hit a rhythm and work through the struggles. It will help I think when Charlie goes to daycare and Lisa goes back to work.  I went with them to the ladies house that runs the daycare and she was competent and amazing. They really lucked out. She only advertises word of mouth and she’s full. Some of her kids are actually the kids of the kids she had many years ago. This was really just the greatest gift to fall into their laps. I went to listen and hold Charlie while they interviewed and I liked what I heard. So that’s another big stressor taken care of. In 2 weeks she goes back to work and Charlie gets to go hang out with other babies. Before that though my in laws are taking a turn Charlie sitting this week so Lisa has the least amount of lonely alone time possible. I really love the family I married into. The inlaws are staying with my SIL and BIL and Charlie this week, then coming to help us paint this weekend. I am so lucky. No horror stories here! Enjoy these awesome pictures of the snuggle bug. And be jealous. I cannot wait for baby A to get here so I can snuggle him too!