Learning

I saw this old wash basin at a flea market last summer and thought it would be so cute to tuck a little baby into to photograph. It has been in the basement ever since, and I smiled when I brought it back out a few weeks ago. I'm excited for when Hannah is big enough to be photographed with it full of water and bubbles as well.

In these last few months, I have remembered how there is a real learning curve when you have a new baby.

It's the time when you get to put into practice all of that advice that you've been reading and hearing for months. It's the time you start trying out all of those new baby gadgets (the Itzbeen has been fabulous for this sleepy momma), and discovering what works for you and your little one.

We have been surprised to discover that, though we thought we were fairly adept parents, we are more like brand new parents all over again since Hannah has already proven to be completely different than Jayce. We have re-hit the baby books and websites numerous times as we learn about our new little one. It's all new again, as she has different sleep preferences, means for soothing, eating habits, crying habits, etc. I've also had to re-learn to not freak out about everything, and stop comparing her to her brother at the same age.

I've learned that if she'd rather suck on her knuckles instead of the pacifier, to just let her go. I'll just photograph the evidence to show her when she's older.

Our learning hasn't stopped with baby Hannah. We are learning to parent a 3 year old who is more needy than he used to be. We are learning how to talk to one another when there is only an hour when the children are both sleeping, we are "off duty," and need to be sleeping. We are learning that some of the activities that we enjoyed as a family of three are just as great as a family of four. We are learning that it is starting to get easier, and at the end of each successful day we feel empowered to take on the next.

I am learning that now that I have 2 children, I will probably never have pictures on the blog from the current week, as these are of my sweet 3 week old baby, and she is now double that age.

I am learning that I will never get all of my photos edited unless I stop taking pictures each day, a trade off that I am unwilling to make. Some day I will learn to be okay with that.

I am learning that if I need a nap, but instead try to "power through nap time so that I can get caught up on everything," that in the end I will still not be caught up and will need the nap more than ever.

Hannah is learning to self soothe, and luckily for all of us she is learning quickly! I think she had it after the first 24 hours, but I don't want to celebrate prematurely. I am so glad that there wasn't days of crying involved, because I personally haven't learned how to self soothe without chocolate, and there would have been plenty of that.

Linking to Picture Me Imperfectly.