SO MY KID PRETTY MUCH POOPS DAISIES

I finally got those photobooks done (with only hours to spare) and they are on their way. I put old blog posts into the books along with the pictures from the time. One of the posts from when Lauren was still less than a year old had me thinking about what it would be like if I had another child in the future. In that post I stated that "I'm convinced that the law of averages will mean that our next baby will come out sleeping through the night, eating solid food, and pooping daisies. It would only be fair." I pretty much got exactly what I wished for!

Elyse is the easiest baby! I guess comparing her to Lauren might be a little unfair as she was struggling by two months with heart pain, but even compared to babies who are "normal", she is a gem. Elyse barely cries (she just grunts if she wants something), she typically wakes only once through the night for a feed (and then she falls right back to sleep), she smiles all the time and naps pretty well (as long as she is in motion which encourages me to get out of the house and go for walks or run my errands). I'm so blessed to have a baby like her.

I also believe that God doesn't give us more than we can handle and He knows what my abilities are. I know that my mental health is precarious as I have had glimpses of moments when I can spot precursors for depression but with a fair amount of sleep, an ability to still have a life outside of the house and the ability to relax throughout the day when she naps, has all really helped. Elyse being easy has also helped me have the energy to be consistent in my expectations with Lauren (who is pushing each and every boundary again). When I'm tired or stressed, I find that Lauren's antics make me react emotionally and that doesn't help anything. If I remain calm, it helps Lauren to calm down and listen as well. So I guess Elyse being easy is even helping Lauren. Maybe that's why Lauren loves her so much!