Adjusting

I can't believe our new little man is almost 2 weeks old! We are slowly getting used to having another person in the house, although he is such a good baby that when chaos is erupting around us we tend to forget he is even there. Unfortunately, as par for my course, I developed Mastitis last Saturday (I also got this about 5 days post-partum after Sadie and Eli). I woke up chilled and feverish in the middle of the night, shaking like after the baby was born. My Mom was a huge help as Steven was out of town for a family wedding (he was the officiant!), my Dad also came back up for the weekend. For those of you who don't like for someone to stay with you after you have a baby YOU ARE CRAZY, especially with other kids in the house. Physically and emotionally, I couldn't have managed that first week and a half without my Mom! Many tears were shed on Thursday when she left, everyone but Steven and David I believe (although Steven was definitely in favor of her staying, as long as she was willing). I was beginning to gain some confidence that I could handle mothering 3 until today, when my fever shot back up with a recurrence of Mastitis (hello, new antibiotics). Thankfully my in-laws are in town and were planning on having the big kids spend the night tonight and taking them to church tomorrow, and Steven is here to take care of me. David's my little bed-buddy, he's happy as a lark to lounge around in the bed with me all day, snoozing and nursing.
The big kids are doing well the baby, minus a few mishaps in behavior. They both seem to really love him, especially Sadie, who has spent a lot of time holding and singing songs to David, usually about her being his sister and how much she loves him, etc.. Eli leans over and gives him kisses about 25 times a day, and seems to have gentle intentions, at least. He's had a little bit of a hard time with nursing, (does he remember?) and has appeared very interested in trying it himself. He asked me soon after we were home "what doin' Mommy?" and I said "nursing the baby, but he doesn't seem very hungry right now," Eli quickly responded "I hungry!" I've also made sure to trade out holding the baby, when possible, for some good snuggles with Eli. One day I was by myself with the boys and he was walking around singing "Hol' me, hol' me, hol' me" to the tune of "Holy, Holy, Holy". Too cute. I've felt especially sorry for him at times, though, as he seems to have changed from the apple of Sadie's eye to the bad guy. She has some displaced anger, I think, and has been quite mean to him at times. Her way of adjusting, I'm sure, but we are still attempting to nip in the bud. For the most part she has been quite the little helper, and for that I am glad. Today when I was feeling my worst I think they were feeling the effects of some mild neglect. They both climbed into the bottom of new co-sleeper and zipped themselves inside, unable to get out. If I wasn't worried they were going to break it I would have left them in there a while, to teach them a lesson. But I didn't.
We are blessed to have grandparents near and far to help in times like this, but I am ready to feel better, get my house in order, and have my big babies sleeping in their own beds again. For now I will snuggle with my sweet bundle and concentrate on fighting off the Mastitis once and for all, or, until next time.