A Month With Madeline
It's been a little over a month since Madeline came into the world and joined our family! Carson and I feel incredibly thankful to have another healthy little girl to call ours, and we've already made so many wonderful memories as a family of four. Our first days were filled with those wonderful newborn snuggles and introducing Meriwether to her sister was one of the most emotional moments of my life. I've never been so overwhelmed with love and gratitude!
Madeline has completely stolen our hearts with her precious dimpled smile, big blue eyes and little coos. Meriwether is thoroughly enjoying her new role as big sister, and I'm so thankful she's been adjusting well after years of being an only child. She helps me with anything she can and talks to Madeline constantly, which surprises no one - haha! She's also been learning important life lessons, like having patience and the consideration of others. She loves rubbing her sister's head and she snuggles up to her any chance she gets! Obsessed would be an understatement.
My postpartum journey has gone a little more smoothly this time around, but there have still been plenty of challenging moments. The days can feel a bit isolating for me, as I'm a huge extrovert and love being out and about. I've been doing my best to juggle the physical healing process, the ever-changing emotions and newborn exhaustion. During the first four weeks, I made nursing my number one priority. Feeding a newborn can be a huge challenge for so many women, myself included, but I'm proud to say we stuck through it and we're finally thriving. Most importantly, Madeline is growing and gaining weight with each appointment and is a healthy little girl!
I've had to learn a whole new level of patience with myself, as I've been focusing on accomplishing just a few small tasks a day ― I aim to shower, put on an outfit (even if its just loungewear) and enjoy some fresh air in the sunshine. These small things make a huge difference for me! I'm the type of person that loves feeling productive and marking off my to-do list, which can be near impossible while bouncing back and forth between the needs of my girls. Finding a consistent routine as a mother of two has been a challenge, but I'm trying to set realistic expectations for the day and take it one moment at a time. Being present and being at peace with however the day unfolds has been key for me. Madeline is starting to sleep for longer stretches at night, so I'm thankful to be getting a bit more rest and am hopeful with time, we'll find a more consistent groove!
My main priority is to soak up these early days with my daughters and enjoy these precious, fleeting moments with them. As Meriwether rambunctiously climbed on top of Madeline and I the other night, I told Carson, "One day, I'll miss being covered in children!"
Over the weekend we took some family photos to document this special time for our family ―
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