The fastest week ever

It's amazing, I was just tortured waiting for this baby to come, and now that she's here, time is just flipping by at the fastest pace imaginable.

While Silvia slept well her first two nights at the hospital, we have not had such luck since we got home. For now, the only way to get any rest after dark is for her to just sleep right next to me in bed. I'm not against co-sleeping by any means, but it's simply not as restful for me or for Kurt, since we both stay a little bit awake to make sure we're giving the baby enough room and keeping her clear of blankets. A good friend offered to loan me her co-sleeper bassinet (it's a little baby bed that attaches to the side of your own bed, at the same level), and I think we're going to give that a try and see if Silvia will go for it. Cuz I'm tired.

Which is sort of ironic, considering now would be a perfect time for me to sleep; Anna is napping, the baby and Kurt are napping and yet... I cannot seem to sleep! I tried, I swear I tried. Instead, I'm just wide awake and starving. Fortunately, friends and family have been dropping off food all week, so I'm at least set in the food department.

We took our first family walk today, since the weather is miraculously beautiful outside. Anna's been doing okay since we got home, but she's definitely starting to feel the adjustment to her world. There have been a lot more tantrums this week and the whining is starting to really drive both Kurt and me to distraction. She's still being sweet to the baby, though, so I'm just grateful she's expressing her frustration in directions other than beating up on her baby sister. That can wait a few years, don't you think?

It's still a very surreal world for me right now, part of me can't believe that the neverending labor actually ended, and so quickly (more on that later), and I'm still feeling very overwhelmed by the expansion of motherhood. When Anna's crying and reaching for me and Silvia is nursing and helpless in my arms, I don't quite know how I'll find a balancing point, but I know it will come in time. I still feel, though, that even though this newborn period is stressful and takes some adjustment, it's better than the discomfort of late pregnancy! I'm so excited to start reclaiming my body, that's for sure.

Updates for Silvia: Her mild jaundice has totally passed since my milk came in and she nurses pretty much all day long. She smiles and looks around and has had several periods of active awakeness where she is just taking it all in. She seems very fascinated with Anna, especially, and will stare and stare and track her with her eyes whenever her big sister is close.

Updates for Anna: She still seems fascinated with the baby, often giggling and laughing out loud when Silvia squeeks or moves around. When we are in a different room from her little sister, she usually wants to "go find Silvia" rather than play seperately. The thing she finds hard right now is adjusting to all the "new" toys that are around like the baby swing and the bouncy chair. She's too big for them now, but she WANTS them and doesn't really understand why she can't sit in them the way the baby does. All in all, I think she's doing very well, and hopefully in a month or two she'll never remember there was a world without a baby sister in it.

That's all for now, I'll post more pictures and the birth story later on. Time to eat!