Life with three

Tyler James Stephenson-Horne is here!  This sweet little boy was born Tuesday, April 12 at 9:56.  

He was screaming like CRAZY.  They could hear him screaming in the recovery room when he was still in the OR.  Fortunately, his insane high pitched screaming doesn't make many appearances.  He is my tiniest baby by far weighing in at 7 lbs 9 oz.  I had not bought any newborn size diapers in preparation for Tyler, since Hannah had went straight to size 1 after leaving the hospital.  We have had to exchange two packs of size 1's for newborn diapers since he is so tiny.  He has a full head of hair, but not thick, crazy hair like Hannah did.  It is a softer, finer straight hair that reminds me of Isaac when he was a newborn.

It was such a tender mercy to have such an easy pregnancy with Tyler. So far this sweet boy is easy going.  He sleeps through all kinds of racket.  He doesn't fuss when Hannah aggressively sticks his pacifer in his mouth. He has slept some fairly long stretches considering his age.   Sometimes we just look over at him and he is awake and just quietly looking around.  

My sister-in-law, Katherine, got a great deal on airfare from Orlando and was able to fly in Wednesday afternoon.  She was a huge help with Hannah and kept the household running so that Ryan could spend time with me and Tyler in the hospital.  Hannah adored having her undivided attention and we were all very sad when her visit had to come to an end.  As usual, my mom was also a huge help keeping the kids Monday night while Ryan and I had one last date night at the Movie Tavern and coming back in Thursday to take Isaac to his Little League game.

He looks a little like Uncle Joe here.

 So everyone wants to know how Isaac and Hannah are adjusting.  Isaac is doing fine with it, as expected.  He was cute, he said something to me the other day about how he wants to bond with Tyler sooner than he bonded with Hannah.  He wants to hold Tyler all of the time and is generally extremely helpful with things around the house and with his brother and sister.

Relaxing on Tyler's newborn lounger

As could be expected, Hannah has had a harder time.  She is very interested in Tyler (who she only refers to as "baby") and wants to hold him, feed him and wants him to always have his binky.  Poor Tyler is often sleeping peacefully when Hannah crams his binky in his mouth,  Anytime he makes a sound she is quick to announce "Oh! Mommy!  Baby crying!"   Things have been easier now that Ryan and I have figured out some ways to let her "help" with him.  

 

It's hard to know what is typical two year old sassiness and attitude and what is attributed to feeling displaced as the baby of the family.  Suddenly she has only one volume: screaming. We ask her to do something basic and she throws herself down on the ground and dramatically screams "I can't!!!!" When we try to help her with something and she yells at us to "Hop it!"  She has been up all night, crying and seems to be having nightmares.  Toddler's need predictability and routine and we have not had much of either lately.  That combined with way, way too much screen time and it is no wonder she is falling apart.

Aunt Kathy sent her a new baby doll and carrier and she LOVES it.

 That being said, her behavior is not all bad.  Her speech has improved by leaps and bounds and suddenly it seems like she can tell us anything and everything. Her articulation still needs work, but she is speaking in full sentences which is so exciting.  She loves to talk on the phone and carries on full conversations with both my mom and Ryan's mom on a regular basis.  She is obsessed with Doc McStuffins and will often ask Ryan and I if it is okay for her to watch "my shows".  She seems to be watching me closely and has become a real little mommy to her baby dolls.  I keep finding them in Tyler's crib or in his swing, wrapped up in his blanket.

Things have been easier than expected at home.  I feel much better emotionally than I did when I came home with Hannah.   Also, Ryan's health is improving and he is finally off of the medication that caused dramatic mood swings and terrible insomnia.  It's weird, because even though everything about our lives and routines has been turned upside down, we both really feel like ourselves for the first time in a while.  We're joking and smiling and really working together again instead of competing about who is more tired or more uncomfortable or doing more around the house.  Of course, things are far from settled in our lives.  Our laundry baskets are overflowing, our kitchen floor is sticky and it seems to take us anywhere from 30-90 minutes to leave the house to do anything.  I am so tired all of the time.  Ryan's health and work situation continues to be up in the air.

 But so far life with three is pretty good.