So on Monday, I took Roarkie to his third doctor’s appointment in three weeks. He’s fine really.  Just some bowel related issues that he can’t seem to shake.  Monday’s appointment though was not because of this, but rather for a routine twelve month check up (at 13 and a half months old).  

That’s kind of how I feel like I’m doing everything these days…a month and a half late.  No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to catch up.  I feel pretty sure this is a universal feeling among Mommies everywhere and not unique to me, but it still gets me down at times. 

I am constantly reviewing my list of priorities, deciding what needs to be done right now and what can wait an hour…a day…a week.  The list changes by the minute sometimes. 

And it doesn’t help that I am this over-committing, perfectionist, control freak either.  Well, maybe I get more done that way, but as my sweet husband likes to remind me, “You don’t know how to relax.”  I should know a thing or two about it from watching the master over the past nine years of marriage, but I guess I’m a slow learner.  (I say this partly in jest because if you know Ken at all, you know that he is one of the hardest working men you will ever meet and everything he does, he does well…and that includes relaxing.)

So we are at the doctor’s office and the place is just crawling with people.  They finally call our names, and we take our seats in the little room.  While we wait, Edie colors and Roark eats some crackers.   The pediatrician eventually taps on the door, and we decide to give Edie a routine check up while we’re there.  She measures and weighs each of them, looks in their ears, and listens to them breath. After five minutes of poking and prodding, she gives her diagnosis: two healthy children. 

So even though I’m ten steps behind where I want to be, have laundry that needs to be put away, and forgot to put tonight’s dinner in the crock pot before leaving, things are pretty good at the McKibben house.   Sometimes I just have to be reminded of what’s really at the top of that priority list.

(So I will have record of it, Roark weighed 24.6 pounds and was 31.25 inches long.)

Two months old

 Today was Roark’s two month check up at the doctor.  He is still holding onto his Sumo baby look and weighs fifteen pounds even.  Since his length (24.5 inches) is in proportion to his weight, the pediatrician has assured me that he is fine.  He’s just a big boy.  This saddens me a little because I want him to be little and cuddly for as long as possible.  He doesn’t look like a newborn anymore, and in fact, could pass for a baby twice his age. 

I thought I would take this opportunity to document what life is like for our little Roarkus at two months.  The question new mommies are always asked is, “How is he/she sleeping?”  Well, he has had a couple of glorious nights where he slept six hours straight, but for the most part, he will go five hours before wanting to be fed.  This is by far much better than the previous two hour feedings we were doing a month ago, and I am feeling less like a zombie these days.  But I look forward to when I can report that he is sleeping through the night.  He’s getting there.

Roark started smiling at us several weeks back, but really makes you work for it.  The only exception to this is when he’s on the changing table.  He LOVES the changing table!  I don’t know if it is the couple of seconds of freedom where he feels the fresh air on his cheeks or what, but when I lay him down he just can’t help himself.  His face lights up with this goofy, gummy smile, and his legs start pumping with excitement.  I know he is my kid, and I am bias.  But I still think you would have to have a heart of stone not to find it adorable. 

Life is good, and we adjusting more and more each day.  I have accepted that I am just a little more frazzled these days.  Ken keeps telling me that it was the same when Edie was young.  Then he gently reminds me of all the times I locked myself out of the house or drove off with my purse on top of the car.  I have yet to do either of those since Roark’s been born, but I did walk out of a public restroom with my skirt tucked into my underwear the other day.  So I wouldn’t say that I am fully on top of things just yet.  We’ll get there, and hopefully I will have a shred of dignity left when we do.