Louis & Nola

As I've said before, bringing home a 2nd baby rocked Louis' world along with mine.  I'll never be able to give Louis the attention he had before Nola.  And I'll never be able to give Nola as much as Louis had before her.  I think there are lots of factors that determine how another kid will change things.   Age difference, gender, etc. will all make a different experience.  When I feel bad about the attention thing, I remind myself of the great things siblings provided me and how great it is to have a brother as an adult.  

Things have been getting a lot better but just when I think I've got it all figured out, Louis does something naughty.  For example, we got him this mower since he likes to help daddy.  He was so excited about it so we got it out the next morning.  I explained it had to wait until later in the day and then left him alone to go up and change Nola.  I came back down to find the bubbles completely empty.  He had poured ALL of them into the mower on the rug.  I have to give him credit because he got most of them in the mower.  I didn't know he could get a bottle of bubbles open yet.   

He has figured out all kinds of things with the alone time he gets during diaper changes, etc.  He learned how to text message people.  He even knew he sent a pic to someone.  This lead me to put a code on my phone but then I caught him making an emergency call.  The number wasn't good but it started with 9 and 1.  Gone are the days when I could go upstairs without worry.

He watches a lot more TV now which makes me feel like a terrible parent.  We had been making a calendar each month to learn something new but May is almost over and we never worked on it.  Look at the joy TV brings him.  Ugh.

The good news is Louis has decided he likes Nola now.  In these newborn pics, we bribed him with ice cream just to sit by her. 

But now he likes helping as a big brother.  He might have to be told over and over again not to squeeze the bottle.  

And not to poke her eyes, stick his fingers in her mouth or head butt her.  

He insists on attention.  Nola is rolling over in this pic but Louis rolls over too to remind me he knows how!

But he likes it when she wakes him up from his naps.

He helps us put her toys together. 

And he asks to hold and kiss her.

When he starts acting up there are a few things I have to do.  Getting outside for a walk helps but this is easier said than done with nursing and diaper changes.  We try to go to the park most days but the main thing I've realized is I have to make one-on-one time for Louis.   This has made me super paranoid that Nola will get a flat head from lying down too much.  I've gotta have something to worry about, right?

Having two kids has brought some feelings of guilt, a messier house and more laundry.  It also gives me a feeling of being complete and joy in watching Louis learn how to be a big brother, share attention and forces me to play trains sometimes.  I look forward to Nola having a brother to look up to just as I did and to see them play (and I'm sure fight) together soon.