Week Four Reflections

My baby will be four weeks old on Friday. 

How is this possible? I wonder the same thing about my oldest, who is going to be 11 years old this winter. How can that be? Wasn’t she JUST four weeks old a few days ago? 

The last four weeks have included a lot of learning and a lot of just pure survival. I’m rejoicing in the small victories. 

I talked about my nursing struggles here, but at his three week appointment I learned that he had gained 3 ounces in three days, while only receiving a total of 2 1/2 ounces of supplement over those three days, so my milk is now built up enough to sustain him! (YAY!)

His skin and eyes are less yellow, which means his jaundice is going away and his poop is more yellow which means he’s getting good breastmilk. (YAY!)

I’ve learned that he sleeps best when I am holding him, but he will sleep pretty well when swaddled, so that has made little tasks like washing the dishes and cooking much easier and doable. (YAY!)

My husband decided to remodel the bathroom during his two weeks on paternity leave, which has been a bit challenge for our household. But it really needed to be done! It’s finished now and I have a nice new, mold-free environment to bathe my children. (YAY!)

We made it through our first week of back-to-homeschool. We only got half a week’s worth of school done, but that was really all I was aiming for. There were a few stressful moments when I felt I was being pulled in too many different directions, a few tears from a student who doesn’t like dividing fractions, but overall I learned that I can get us back into a reasonable routine again. (YAY!) 

Lots of other little lessons and victories happened. Lots of hard moments, too. But that is life. And, overall, it’s a very good life and I have much to be thankful for. 

I think the biggest lesson that I have been reminded of these past four weeks is to savor the time with my kids, because, as every parent will tell you, IT GOES SO FAST. I’m going to blink and he will be four months old. Then four years. 

I woke up this morning and my heart was so thankful that I get to spend another day with my kids. Not because yesterday was a perfect day or because I think today will be a perfect day, but just because I love who they are so much. They make me learn so many new lessons (and so many old lessons over again), and they challenge me in so many ways, but life would be pretty dull and boring without them. We were put together in this life for a reason, and I’m so thankful! 

Maybe it’s the good breastfeeding hormones that are coursing through my veins right now that are making me so optimistic, but I want to encourage you once again to look for the positive, the beautiful, the lessons that can be learned in every day. Rejoice in your small victories!

And enjoy your day with your little blessings! 

Love.

Lee