Reflections from the Newborn Haze

Sorry blogging has been a bit lackluster lately. I only sleep about 3 hours at a time these days, so my brain is foggy and seemingly incapable of coherent thought.

Regardless, here are some musings on parenting two kids and parenting a newborn again...

1. I'm a much more relaxed parent this time around. This is likely because I'm not cripplingly depressed like I was with Will, not to mention Charlotte is a generally chill baby. I'm glad to have the "fun" newborn experience. Although Will grew into a sweet, funny, smart kid, the first few months of his life were really challenging. With Charlotte, I understand why people love newborns. She's just so sweet and cuddly!
2. Taking care of two kids isn't as overwhelming as I thought it would be. Honestly, the hardest part is leaving the house on time. Everything takes an additional 10-15 minutes these days.
3. I forgot how worthless it is to "sleep when the baby sleeps." I really tried to do this in the weeks immediately after the birth, but now, I want those two hours in the afternoon for me, not sleep. (Thus, why I'm blogging right now instead of napping.)
4. The patio furniture section at Target is the greatest place ever to breastfeed. Comfy chairs and pillows for the win! Bonus points if you get a Diet Coke to enjoy while you're back there.
5. The most used piece of baby gear this time around is our Beco carrier. I liked carriers with Will and we used them often, but having two hands free is a must with a two year-old. Charlotte pretty much lives strapped to my chest.

Flying High

We live near the worldwide headquarters of EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and its annual AirVenture, an incredible festival and convention for aviation enthusiasts. In under a week, it draws nearly 500,000 people and 10,000 planes from around the world, which is pretty incredible given Oshkosh's small airport.

Will loves airplanes, so I was really pumped up to take him out to EAA this year. I had never been, and I actually hate flying, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But it was awesome! Will absolutely loved it, and Ben and I had a blast. I think it's literally one of the best days we've ever had as a family. Unfortunately though, I have no photos to share because I left the camera at home (fail).

Despite the hot weather, we did a lot throughout the day. My brother-in-law, sister-in-law and I ran a 5K on the EAA grounds in the morning, then Ben and I brought Will out to the festival later in the afternoon. We checked out the vintage warbirds, toured the exhibition area and caught an incredible air show. Many of the booths and exhibitors were way over our head, selling super technical aviation equipment. But it was a good time nonetheless.

Although Will enjoyed walking around the grounds, the air show was by far the highlight of our day. The look of astonishment and excitement on Will's face when he saw the planes in the air was amazing. He'd grin from ear to ear and follow them across the sky. It was such a fun shared experience. Sitting on the grass with him, pointing out the planes and watching him gasp and giggle. 

For us as parents, it was pure joy. We'll be flying high on this day for awhile.