It's all coming back to me (mostly)

It's funny how there are some things that you will never forget when raising children. The pain of labour (I will never EVER forget that feeling...), the absolute joy in finally meeting the baby you have carried for nine months, the little snuffling noises that only newborns can make, the milky smell of their skin, the wonderful sound of your baby's first giggle. The list goes on and on.

But the flip side of this is that there are certain things that you do forget and it's not until you are in the throes of a battle over a plastic spoon with a 5 month old do you remember that their vice-like grip is a force to be reckoned with...

I also forgot that it is a messy messy business feeding an infant. After every feed time there is a new change of clothes needed for the both of us.

One thing that has TOTALLY surprised me - and I thought I would never fall into this category - is that I forget to eat. Yes you heard me correctly and it's quite disturbing.

Now, I am a foodey-food-lover from way back and most of the time (prior to having children) my thoughts would always be centered around what I will be having for my next meal. Not because I was poor or starving, but because I love food and my husband also happens to be an exquisite cook! I know, how lucky am I?!

One of the highlights of my day when I was working used to be breakfast. But gone are the days of a bacon, omelette and cheese bagel and/or a fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate croissant for breakfast. I think I purposely forget about breakfast when I'm at home because cereal is just so BORING! Usually it's not until I reach lunchtime and wonder why I'm about to eat my own arm do I realise that I've, once again, forgotten to eat breakfast.

I can hear my mother and sisters (and husband for that matter - what's his voice of reprimand doing in my head??) saying how important it is to have breakfast in the mornings to kick-start your metabolism blah blah blah. Yeah I know all that but what can one do when one totally forgets to eat because one is busy making sure that one's children are eating! Sheesh, the pressure!!

Another thing I didn't expect with having baby number 2 (because I obviously had no prior experience in this area) was how well Luca and Beni would get on. This has actually totally taken me by surprise. Maybe it's because I heard so many stories of how the first child gets really jealous of the 2nd born and lashes out at them or bites their toes when they are feeding (not pointing the finger or anything Sister Tyra). But this has not been the case at all with Luca and Beni. There is so much love in the room it's almost rediculous.

I often find the top of Beni's head wet from where Luca has been planting kisses on him. And when Beni wakes up crying Luca is nearly always the first one on the scene to bounce Beni's hammock bed and shush-shush him back to sleep. So so sweet it actually hurts.

This morning when Beni woke up Luca came into our room and said "Beni bigger to play cars now?".
Oh. My. Gosh.
There is one thing that you need to understand about Luca and that is he doesn't share his cars with anyone! This was something I have been worrying about now that Beni is looking to crawl soon - how will Luca be when Beni starts to want to play with cars too? So I was completely gobsmacked when I heard Luca say that. Gobsmacked and absolutely delighted. Of course there will be special cars/toys for each of them that only they are allowed to play with, but I now think the whole 'playing cars together' thang is actually going to be just fine. Yusss!

Now that Beni's getting more active and more aware of what's going on around him I've been trying to involve him in Luca's play. And I've discovered how to involve an infant in the game of car racing:
Step 1: Lie infant on their back
Step 2: Use infant as an object to jump cars over and to drive on.
Result = Infant was wriggling with delight and Toddler liked the new 'obstacle' on the race track.

So although most things are coming back to me on what to expect in a baby's first year, there's a whole new dynamic to family life with 2 children.

And actually, I'm loving it! I'm doing my best to make the most of every moment with these precious gifts we have been given. I am so privileged to be able to be there for them day-in and day-out.

So privileged to be their Stay At Home Mamma.