Last few days in pictures, mostly

The sun has finally made an appearance and it made for a lovely President's Day weekend and everyday since.

We went for Tara's classmate's birthday party. Although she was one of the youngest in the lot she seems so grown up to us. She hand-picked the clothes she wanted to wear, sang Happy Birthday, danced to the music, understood when it was not her turn to play, ate the pizza left the crust and ate only the M&M's off the cupcake (my girl!).

We went sledding with the Breedorfs and got to ride in their fancy minivan, the highlight of the trip as far as I'm concerned. Tara and Theo had a blast going down the mountain and being dragged back up while their fathers huffed and puffed. Tara liked stamping in the puddles of melted snow and watching Jen make cats out of snow. S and I were duely impressed as well.

We felt guilty that Nisha was stuck indoors that we planned a Zoo outing with her. We head off with 2 diaper bags, 2 strollers, 4 sippy cups (atleast one is always dropped), 2 bottles, 2 types of milk, 5 burp cloths, 2 warm jackets, 2 light jackets (you can never count on the weather) and 2 blankies. Aren't you exhausted just reading the list? It was a picture perfect day and eveyone and I mean EVERYONE was out watching the lazy animals bask in the sunlight. Tara had the most fun playing catch with Agi and Nisha enjoyed bouncing on my lap and examining the grass with what-the-hell-is-that curiosity.

And finally, Avi is back!! This is the longest I've ever gone without seeing him and boy did I miss my little brother. He was here for a few short hours, in betweeen flights, but enough time to get out a loadful of SpongBob & Dora stickers for Tara to go bleeding WILD.

This thing called love

I get it, I finally get it. I have often wondered how women decide to have more than one child. The uncomfortable pregnancies, the unbearable labor pains, the messy childbirth, the sleepless nights, the gas, the poop, who in their right mind would want to have one and then another? But yet there is something about that newborn smell that squishy head that smooshy face that squirmy body that makes you ache for more. The baby probably looks like an alien straight out of Mars Attacks but all you can see is a fluffy-moussey child that captivates you hour after hour.

I feel guilty saying this but I am enjoying Nisha more as a newborn than I did Tara. With Tara I was afraid I'd somehow break her. I was obssessed with worrying - Was her poop the right shade of mustard?Am I feeding her enough?Why isn't she rolling?Why isn't she crawling?Oh dear God why isn't she walking already? With Nisha I'm much more relaxed and I am able to relish her newness without stressing over a milestone.

- When I nurse Nisha she glug-glug-glugs away and suddenly from the corner of her eye catches my glance and breaks into a beautiful smile as the milk flows down the side of her lips. If only I could capture this on film.

- When I fold her clothes I hold up the tiny socks and the small dress and let out an audible awww, every single time.

- I look at Nisha while she lays in the carseat on the shopping cart and mutter ridiculous things like Now who's that cutiepie, Who? Who? and don't care about the weird glances I get.

- When Tara wakes up in the mornings she runs to Nisha's room gives her a kiss and whispers I love you Kneesha. I could just die a millions times over.

At my pre c-section appointment the doc asked me if I knew this was my last child in which case they would "take care" of my reproductive system. Although I was (still am, don't break a sweat S!!) 99.98% sure we were stopping with two I just could not go ahead and say Yes. Even though I was carrying baby ginormous within me and I was ready to be done with the pregnancy I couldn't say Yes. Something about the finality of it all made me nervous. We are content with our family, but oh, how I wish that smell of a newborn would last a little....bit......longer. I want time to stop so I can soak it all in one deep breath at a time.

A typical night

Last night around 3:15am Tara wakes up and demands for her blankie noht dhat one da ahder one. Which one again? After the right blanket was found in the darkness she yells Agi, noh mama I want agi. So I quietly go to Nisha's room and wake up Mom. Mom rubs Tara's back and tries unsuccessfully to put her to sleep. Noh phat I wan to sleep with agiii, Tara moans.

Around 4:08am she goes to my Mom's room where Nisha is peacefully sleeping. Tara proceeds to yank the pillow right from under Nisha, Dhis is mah peellow she screams. Nisha startles and proceeds to cry seconds later. I enter the room nurse Nisha while Tara is making herself comfortable on Nisha's bed (her bed is a small mattress on the floor). Mama feed me thoo she complains. Mom goes heats up a bottle and feeds Tara.

Once Nisha knocks off to sleep I pick her up to put her in Tara's crib. Noh mama comes the order Noh Nisha sleep in Tara's bed! Mom tries to soothe Tara. Go away agi I want Nisha's mama. I re-enter the room. Nisha sleeps cuddled next to me on the comforter, Mom sleeps at my foot and Tara spreads out across Nisha's bed with an arm on me and leg on Agi. We all fall asleep at 5:56am.

At 7am S comes into the room to see a bundle of children, adults and blankets and innocently asks "What happened last night?". Niiiice.