I'm back, dear readers

Can I tell you that I have two perfect daughters now? I feel just greedy! Like who gets to be this lucky????

(oh and I just woke up from a power nap and am sipping diet coke while nibbling on peppermint bark candy, so forgive me if this is scattered. Plus the percocet just kicked in, too.....SUGAR AND CAFFEINE AND DRUGS WOOHOO!!! heh )

On Friday December 12th at 9:45 am, Jellybean was born. She's perfect. Did I mention that yet? She's perfect. And, while Monkey named her Jellybean while I was pregnant, the name turned out to be somewhat prophetic, as her little sister is tiny! A whopping 6 lbs and 18 and 3/4 inches long. Monkey, on the other hand, was 7.1lbs and something ridiculous like 21 inches long - that kid was skinny and looooong. Jellybean is skinny and short. Plus, you know, the comparison to her flesh and blood 26 lbs sister makes her seem miniature, and all the more fragile!

Jellybean suffered from jaundice, and spent several days under the lights. It was harder on me to not be able to hold her than anything else. She's now passed followup tests with flying colors and will slowly lose the yellowish cast over the coming weeks. She never glowed yellow, if anything she just looked like she'd used some self-tanning lotion, so all thing being equal that was a a wonderfully simple complication. And yes, I know about the awful yellow tint from my own forays into self-tanning. And no, you can't see any photos.

I have decided that planned c-sections are SO much better than emergency c-sections. I was present and lucid during the birth, remember my time in the hospital, and generally feel awesome in comparison to last time. Now, don't get me wrong - the pain is still intense when the percocet wears off, but man this is a walk in the park compared to last time! Plus, and I know this will make my family and closest friends chuckle.....this time I am actually asking for help. And lo and behold!!!!!!!!!!!!! My beloved and saintly family members (M, grandma, 'andpa and Heather) have helped!!!! Amazing, this asking for help business. Shoulda done it earlier. (like maybe a few decades ago? but I digress...). Last time I was too stubborn to ask for help, convinced I could do it myself. This time? NO shame. NONE. And I'm healing much, much better.

Monkey is doing remarkably well in this dethroning process. Now, she's still throwing tantrums like an insane two-year old...but then again, she's an insane two year old.

Monkey is excited in principle about her sister, but in reality is somewhat indifferent to her presence. To wit: Day one at the hospital, when she met her sister, she was very excited to hold her for 10 seconds. We got photos and then she got her penguin. She was THRILLED about the penguin, and also wanted to continue eating her goldfish crackers (a new favorite treat). The penguin went home and the crackers stayed at the hospital. Day two, Monkey's first question upon arriving at my room was "where's Jellybean" while the second question was "where are my goldfish (crackers)?". Day three? She just asked for the goldfish. She cracks me up.

Jellybean calls. More later.

Geeked up

Tomorrow is my second daughter's birthday. Wow. I should be sleeping, since that is a precious commodity we won't get much of in the coming days and weeks.

But I'm too geeked up to sleep...all I can think about is how tomorrow morning at 8:30am I am scheduled to bring Baby girl Carter #2 into the world. And I am excited!!!

M is geeked up too. Words escape us. We are just walking around the apartment smiling.

One last night as a family of three (plus cat). Wow.

M wants to know if I"m renaming the blog. Any suggestions?

Catch you all on the flip side. When I'm a mom to two!

A slight revision

Ok, so yesterday I wrote about how next Friday is all about the grandparents. And it is, most of the time, at least according to Monkey.

But this morning? When I dropped her off for school? And I reminded her that today is PIZZA FRIDAY? And asked her what was happening next Friday?

She yelled out..........MY BABY SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!

My jaw hit the floor. And the skies opened up and angels sang. And I'll tell you this......the first, second, third and 50th times that Monkey acts out because she's unhappy to share mommy and daddy's attention with Jellybean - I'll remember that moment. Because it was sheer unadulturated bliss for me. Seeing the joy on her face as she mentioned her baby sister.

I'm going to hold on to that memory, carrying it around with me until it's tattered and worn, and use it as a crutch to get through the cranky times ahead.

Countdown to Big Sister Day

Every Friday is special at Monkey's Montessori - because it is PIZZA FRIDAY. And while it is ridiculous to write that out in caps, I'm pretty sure that's how Monkey thinks of it. Funny how a little tradition makes her happy. Plus, she just likes pizza. And after months of being denied (while she outgrew her milk allergy) it is nice to be able to join in the fun with her classmates.

Recently M and I have been talking to Monkey about how next Friday is Big Sister Day. So that she's got ownership of the day, and it isn't just about her little sister, Jellybean. It will be rough to learn to share the spotlight, so we want to get her an enthused as possible.

But really, we should just stop talking about being a big sister and the baby and what babies do blah blah blah. Because really, the only thing that gets her revved up is knowing that Grandma and Andpa and Nana and Grandad are coming to see her. Now THAT gets her excited.

It makes me so happy - Monkey loves her grandparents. A lot.

Well, that, or she remembers that every time they come to visit she gets presents or candy. Ok, it's a toss up there, folks......

Hmm, where to start

Dear reader, it's been a week since I've posted. Forgive me....it's been a tad bit busy at the Insane household.

So, where to start.

Thanksgiving came and went. Still eating leftovers. Still thinking they are yummy!

My sinus infection came and went. After three hours at the doctor's office (and no, I am NOT kidding about this one. I was there so long I fell freakin' asleep on the examination table. Boo - long wait. Wahoo - nap!) and after much dithering about whether or not to give me antibiotics, I blew my nose and showed off the spectacular color of the contents of my kleenex. Antibiotics were prescribed immediately. Next time I'm blowin' and showin' faster.

I think M has been to Target every other day, stocking up on 'stuff' we need for Jellybean. Diapers and wipes and pacifier clips and lions and tigers and bears oh my. He keeps muttering how a shower woulda' been nice. You know, so he wouldn't have to schlep every single baby item on earth home after work each night and could start his dinner before 8:30pm....but don't mind him. He is nesting as much as I am, and can't wait to meet his daughter!

And, well, thank g*d for this one - our beloved cat Ollie has started to eat again. I know that sounds as boring as can be. But when your beloved cat (FIRST BORN! HRM!!!) stops eating and starts to waste away for no good reason, your heart breaks. And breaks. And breaks. I am profoundly grateful that she is getting better. I want her to be around long enough for Jellybean to get to know her, and claim her as "her Ollie cat" the same way Monkey does.

I am also profoundly grateful that A) Monkey did break her neck when she fell off of the swing onto her face and then rolled over, the hard way, onto her back and B) I did not lose her (literally, not figuratively) when she got onto the elevator by herself at school and went on up to the 8th floor without me. Yes, while she was under my supervision. I SO am qualified to raise two kids, considering how well I'm minding one. I'd post more about losing Monkey at school but it still makes me sick to my stomach. Let's just say that those were worst 3 minutes of my life, ever. And be done with it.