Our First Week as a Family of 4

Our first week as a family of 4 has been messy, sweet, challenging, amazing, terrifying, heart warming and everything in between. Drew and I have had to learn how to be parents to two kids with two sets of completely different needs. Having to divide ourselves and the love we have to give in two different directions. We are learning how to teach our toddler about sharing us when that concept is completely foreign to him. We are learning how to be parents of a newborn again. We are learning how to balance our marriage again. We are learning about the joys tied with parenthood in a new way as we watch our firstborn kiss and show off his little brother.

To say the least, it has been a very FULL week.

Full diaper genies

Full of tears (including some of my own)

Full of baby snuggles

Full of sweet visitors with arms open to welcome Alder and comfort Aiden

Full of goodies and homemade meals

Full of Googling weird questions only parents of a newborn would ask

Full of parenting victories and parenting fails

Full of smiles and laughing at ourselves

Full of sweet Big Brother kisses and "pat pats"

Full of spit up spotted burp cloths

Full of late night feedings and nursery worship sessions

Full of exhaustion

Full of questioning and wondering how in the world are we going to do this?

Full of kissing the softest cheeks ever

Full breasts (sorry I had to)

Full of donuts and movies for a great Big Brother who deserves to be spoiled

Full loads in the washing machine

Full of exchanging glances with my husband that say, how did we get so lucky?

Full of the evolution of newborn poop

Full laps

Full of forgetting to eat and not opening my make-up bag

Full of moments I never want to forget like the way Aiden gives Alder "pat pats" or the way he wants to help both Alder and I by bringing us burp cloths and pacifiers or by helping me clean up spit up.

Full of God's grace and being reminded that I am by no means Superwoman and I can't do this whole Mom thing in my own strength.

This will be a season of growing, of patience, of trusting, of learning of leaning on others and of remembering to smile and thanking God through it all.