The catch up

No, I am not referring to that short lived dodgy Channel nine show.

I've been meaning to write a post for a while, but the time and energy simply haven't been there. Perhaps I will write more when we hit the Pixie Monster's six week landmark on Monday.

For now I think the following will suffice as to why I have been MIA for the last few weeks:

1. Had to get the breastfeeding sorted out. After suffering excruciating engorgement following the mastitis episode, a day stay at a parenting centre to try and get things back under control, an absolutely hysterical visit to the doctor to get medication to dry the milk up and formula bottles all ready to go...I am still feeding the Pixie exclusively on the boobie juice. Not sure what happened, but I just couldn't go through with the weaning and then just kept on going. The little doll is happy to feed 3-4 hourly in the day and five hourly over night. Textbook child. Not quite textbook feeding style (refuses cradle style on the left), but we'll get there. Weight gains are great so we'll keep on trucking for now. Thank goodness she has, to date, been so placid and easy going (oh god I bet I just jinxed myself).

2. Cheeky monkey girl has been a nightmare to get to go to bed and stay asleep, suffering what seems to be severe separation anxiety from her now back at work father on top of battling another ear infection, and...wait for it...cutting all four two year old molars within the space of a week. She takes until after nine pm to go to sleep, and wakes every single hour until morning. Irony is she doesn't get out of bed even though she can now that it has been converted into a toddler bed (her choice)...she just cries and cries until we come to the rescue. If only I could read the mind of a two year old who has been through so much upheaval. Poor poppet.

So there you have it. Parenting second time round. The newborn sleeps thus far, the toddler doesn't and so neither do the parents. It's a cliche but it's true. Two kids* truly are more than twice the work, and no, you certainly aren't an expert second time round.

*Word of assvice for those with the luxury of determining spacing of siblings: do not go the two and a half year gap. Make it eighteen months or over three years. Really.