Alive and kicking (or thrashing, at least)

Obviously I haven't had much in what one might consider "spare" time recently. For one thing, I could spend all my waking hours just staring at this little beauty of a baby girl. It was the same way with Max. I was lucky with him--I had 12 weeks of maternity leave from work, no other children, and I remember spending the entire stretch of time between two feedings (2-3 hours) just staring at him while he slept. I can't quite do that with Maggie, though she gets her fair share of Mama goggling time. I've been trying as much as possible to make this transition smooth for Max, make sure I shower him with attention so he doesn't feel replaced. So far, he's been amazing. He thinks of her as a pet, I think, and likes to pat her head. If she cries, he asks, "Baby okay? Baby okay?" And she's been included in our games. When he's Tigger and I'm Piglet, Maggie is Roo, and so forth.

I'm glad I gave myself permission to take some time off writing. The stress of unmet daily goals would bury me. Nights have been a real challenge. It's just typical newborn stuff, and those of you who have had babies will just nod your head sagely. She does seem awfully cunning, though, such as sleeping like a log while I'm getting Max his lunch, and then as soon as Max is down for quiet time and I have a chance to nap, she's alert and wiggly. I've even given up chocolate, in case the caffeine in it is making her more alert at night. I'm housebound for sometime (it's RSV and flu season, and I've been warned by the pediatrician to keep her away from people's sticky, germ infested hands for several weeks), so I spend my time nursing, trying to sleep, playing games with Max, staring at Maggie, and shuffling around in a half-dead stupor. Ah, the glamorous life of an author. In cool news, Maggie has received two homemade knit hats from other writers--Linda Sue Park and Jessica Day George. How cool is that? Do you have to knit baby hats to be a legitimate children's author? I'd better learn fast.