Life with Liam

Life with Liam is wonderful. He is a sweet little boy. He is perfectly serene – except when hungry, when he goes from zero-to-super-cranky in 0.3 seconds with his extremely loud and demanding cry! ;) He also absolutely despises having his diaper changed and likes to play a game where he tries to soil as many diapers as he can with repeated bodily functions in the course of one attempted change. That aside, he is awesome. He is a super snuggler and loves to cuddle and be held. He really likes the Baby Bjorn carrier! So much so that Kate has taken to imitating the Baby Bjorn – today she took one of her teddy bears and stuffed it down her shirt so it’s head was poking out of her collar in the front. She walked around “hands free” like mom, occasionally patting bear on the back saying “ooooh, you’re such a sweetheart. Oh you wittle sweetheart”. SO CUTE!

Kate really is a great big sister. When she wakes up in the morning, she immediately asks about Liam and wants to give him kisses. Yesterday he snuggled in bed with her and she “read” him stories for about 20 minutes. When Liam cries, Kate instantly breaks into song to try to quiet him – usually “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. She also calls him her “little buddy”, running up to him while he is in the swing or bouncy seat saying, “oh hiiiii wittle buddy”! Truly adorable, if I may say so. She just marvels at him – exclaiming over his tiny fingers and toes and announcing to the world when he has his eyes open “Look! He’s looking at me!!!!”

I am so proud of her. We have had to deal with a couple of expressive toddler moments – I think it is a combination of her age and needing to assert herself and also the major changes in the household with a new baby. But nothing major stands out. She is really adapting well thus far and Nick and I are just more in love with her than ever. I myself have had a few moments of “mourning” so-to-speak when it comes to Kate. She was my best bud for the past 2 ½ years and it is an adjustment not spending so much time totally dedicated to her. I worried that it would affect her and, while she seems to be adjusting just fine, I have to confess that I have had some moments of feeling overwhelmed by “missing” Kate. Even though she is right here! She will always be my best girl. It is just hard for ME not having as much one-on-one time with her as I used to. I thought it would be Kate that would have a tough time. Turns out it is the hormonal and teary mom that is struggling! ☺

Nick is just all around fantastic. He is the best dad – changing diapers like crazy and rocking Liam and just being super dad. He has been especially great spending time with Kate on every level as I am occupied with nursing. He and Kate have gone on some fun outings together and he is so good about making her feel like a special big girl. She is crazy Crazy CRAZY about him. And Nick has been amazing with me, too! He takes my emotional and physical ups and downs in stride as I “come down” from pregnancy and childbirth and has been nothing but patient and loving and wonderful. He will probably be embarrassed when he reads this, with me going on and on about the love of my life…..but I just could not be more blessed. What can I say? I’m a lucky girl!

Well – as is often the case, this has become somewhat of a “dear diary novella”. Super Dad Nick is rocking Liam to sleep and it looks like he is almost out, which means we will be falling asleep 2 seconds after Liam does. More adventures of parenthood in Minnesota to come…..