Life With Bettino - 7 Weeks

Well, I'm busy.  I don't ever recall maternity leave being so...maternity-ey.  Part of it might have to do with the fact that my son is a pig eats a lot.  So, the majority of my day is spent nursing him until I'm drained, and then making bottles of formula to satisfy him further.  That's when he drifts into a deep sleep (during the day), so I spend that time pumping in order to stockpile the good old mother's milk for when he goes off to day care and doesn't have me at his disposal.  Then he's up (through the night) for me to nurse him some more.  Oh yeah, and all that eating means a lot of pooping.  So, when I'm not feeding the child, I'm changing his diaper.  So, I'm tired.  Yeah.  He's lucky he's so darn cute.

 

He is very healthy and bouncing.  His cheeks are full, his skin tone (the thing we receive the most compliments on) is beautiful.  It's like a golden brown.  People (including me) pay lots of money to have skin that looks like his.  Bettino's eyes are black as coal, it's difficult to even see his pupils, exactly like Ricardo's.  Aren't all black eyes supposed to be evil?  Oh boy, I'm in trouble.

He's also starting to smile and coo a little bit, and just those little additions to his personality give me enough energy to get up and at 'em in the mornings.  Enough to perhaps take a shower and brush my hair.  I think I even put on makeup once since he's been around!

If you've been following along all this time (I don't doubt that several readers have dropped off given my long gaps between posts lately), then you know I was feeling pretty anxious about how Alessandra would handle all of this, or rather, that I would not be cognizant of her need to receive special attention.  I am happy to report that I think I am staying on task with that, as is Ricardo.  There are definitely times when we need to divide and conquer, but Ali doesn't seem to mind too much.

She successfully completed her first season of dance class, of which they wrapped up with an adorable performance to "Do You Know the Muffin Man".  This performance was done the day that poor Alessandra was feeling terrible.  I was so proud of her, just for plowing through it in the first place!

Their costumes were little chef's hats and wooden spoons.

They stirred stuff as part of the routine.  Adorable.

Blowing kisses at the end.

...And then she waves as if she just won the gold medal in the Olympics...

...But it was really just a cool "Certificate of Completion" and a cheap medal made of something quite different than gold.

My sick girl.  :(

What a trooper.

Uncle Mac and Marley also paid us a visit.  It was so wonderful to have all of us together (Mac, Marley, Team Torres, and Grandma Jo).  Grandma Jo also stayed home with the kiddos for a couple of nights so I could go out and indulge in a few postpartum drinks.  They were deeeelicious!  And lot o' fun.

Uncle Mac meeting Bettino for the first time

Marley and Ali missing each other.

Alessandra loves her Uncle Mac.

Love turns into a goof fest.

Me loving my little man

And not too long after Mac, Marley and Grandma Jo left, Grandma and Grandpa Torres came to meet their 8th and final grandchild.

I'm told I used to have eyes this big. 

Love my girl's curls.

Ali (and company) singing an early "Happy Birthday" to Grandpa Torres

There hasn't been so much regression with Ali, but more "I can do it too" behavior.  Case in point: 

Ummm...You know you're too big for your car seat when your head sticks clear out of it's cover's hole.

That's more like it, my little munchkin

So, all in all we are doing just fine, albeit a little bit busy  We've still got some time yet until we establish a routine, ergo, some bona fide rest, but it is all worth it, I assure you.  I start work next week and will work from home until Bettino is 12 weeks old, and he'll go to daycare from there.  Alessandra is more than eager to show him off to all of her friends there.  In between now and then, I do have to travel for work to a couple of places for a couple of days each, should be interesting to see how Ricardo does as a single dad during that time.  He'll be paying me back very soon when he heads to Vegas with a few friends next month.  I'd be lying if I said I weren't terrified!

Here's to hoping I find some time to start snapping more photos and posting weekly again, now that I've relieved the backup once again.

Happy March!