We’re in the home stretch in our wait for Nora’s appearance. J is still working somehow, although this last day was especially tough and she might do partial days for her last two days this week. Given her lack of sleep and discomfort (euphemistically, he said), it’s a wonder she’s even vertical, let alone able to handle the kids and work.
I’m looking forward to having Nora here not only for the usual reasons but also for some unexpected ones.
Once we decided that we wanted three kids, on my part there was almost a certain urge to get the family “complete”. Not that any part of having Annika and Savita felt incomplete, but we’ve had to push things off because of logistics/naps/diapers and it’ll be nice to know that time will be coming to an end, even if it’s another couple of years from now. We can now contemplate maybe going somewhere with my brother and his family next year, or think about when we want to start our tour of the national parks, or maybe even go internationally (with other family or not). It’s all because Annika is past that really difficult logistical stage and it’s so much easier in so many ways. Savita is still a little ways off, but the light at the tunnel is there as well.
The other thing that’s noticeably different is that we dont have the same luxury to focus on Nora as we did for the other kids. Life doesn’t stop and the girls having their own lives, desires and commitments. Nora is just going to have to deal and adapt, wheras A&S almost warped our lives around them. It’s easy to see how the myriad little life circumstances that are influenced by birth order affect their personalities.
Anyway, we’re as prepared as we can be. I continue to be =a little worried about how the girls will deal with all the change. Not only Nora’s appearance, but starting a new year of school. Annika has already been through it, of course, but she’s a bit more of an apprehensive personality. Savita will be the challenge – her first time away from us like that, and she’s doing at an earlier age than Annika did. On the other hand she’s more of an adventuresome type – our little daredevil. On the gripping hand, she’ll already feel her place as baby in the family is being usurped. Consequently we’ve tried to stagger some of the other changes in their lives- their rooms changed in July, and we changed the car seat layout and added Nora’s car seat last week. There were the expected complaints and hollaring, but they seem used to it now.
Work has been challenging but steady, so I’m going to have to take advantage of the extra hands we have on deck the first few weeks and knock some things out before they go away and it’ s just us.