A Glimpse of my Future

Though I promised myself to try writing every day, I did take what I would assume to be a fully justified break--Linnea Coraline will be one week old tomorrow. But with the realization that I still have a napping toddler and a newborn who sleeps a lot also came the realization that I need, now more than ever, to take time for myself. So, once again, I am working to reorganize my life (scary how frequently that happens!).

This morning I got a taste of my life that is to come. Because Linnea is a bit jaundiced (though her numbers are beginning to come down, praise God), the doctor wanted to see her at one week rather than the normal two. The first thing I learned was to never make a Monday morning appointment (though I somehow immediately forgot this and made the same appointment for next week). The office was crazy--I've never seen it so busy! I had a stack of medical history and insurance forms to fill out while Josh kept an eye on Iris who kept trying to play with a little girl who had a cold. Suddenly, my mind went blank. The question? "Mother's age". I couldn't remember. And not only could I not remember, but I couldn't figure it out. I can usually do the math to add up my age, but somehow all of my math abilities went out the window with my final. (For the record, I got an "A" in the class while pregnant; quite an achievement for my 20%brain reduction!) I kept adding with difficulty, but couldn't figure out how 1982 to 2008 could only equal 26. If I was 25 when Iris was born, how could I only be 26 a year and a half later? After much convincing, Josh assured me that the numbers were correct.

But the busy waiting room, sick kids, and brain malfunctions were only the beginning. Once in the office, Iris began hamming it up for our entertainment. Among other things, she decided to sit sideways in Linnea's car seat and rock it back and forth. We are probably bad parents for laughing at something we've been trying to get her not to do, but that's what we did, and thus encouraged her. While Josh was busy at the scales with Linnea who, finding her diaper removed, took the opportunity to do her business, Iris decided to try the car seat trick once more. This resulted in her tripping over the side and falling onto the floor in tears. With both little ones crying, I attempted to calm Iris and Josh did the same with Linnea. Then of course, the doctor came in and upset Linnea even more with her exam. While Linnea cried Iris wore a very serious and worried look on her face (she really is doing well as a big sister). The funny thing was the Linnea cried less when the drew blood from her heel for the fifth time this week, than when the doctor listened to her heartbeat. At least we were spared more incidents by the time we left--or at least there were none that my fried brain can recall!

As we left the office, we joked about how chaotic we had just realized our lives have become. But, amidst the chaos, at least we will have good stories.