In my “Mama Era”

So here we are - nearly one month into our most recent adventure.

Newborn snug on my chest. Toddler dancing in front of me to the ABC song. Pup wagging his tail and chasing the toddler. Husband keeping this chaotic team running smoothly.

Me officially embracing it all - my Mama Era:

… lounging in soft clothes (hello, Costco athleisure!).

… sipping from my ever-present and constantly refilled 32 oz water jug.

… living in 3-hour cycles of: changing baby’s diaper (aka - zigging and zagging to dodge flying pee), feeding baby, burping baby, watching baby nap, playing with toddler, tummy time (which even the dog participates in), and repeat.

… adding to the never-ending To Do list that never gets done (… and to be honest has barely even been started).

… listening to the Blaze and the Monster Machine soundtrack, the Paw Patrol theme song, and lullabies from the baby toys and sound machines playing in the background (and likely all at the same time).

… with a zillion unopened text messages (… or maybe just unanswered - opened with bleary 4am eyes, instantly forgotten in the newborn haze).

... with a concerningly inconsistent ability to keep track of the actual date - I know it’s October… and that it’s mid-week… and not yet Halloween, but that’s about it.

… each evening complete with a family stroll around the block - with the hubs, the toddler, the baby, and the fur baby in tow.

… dry skin from near constant washing of hands, bottles, binkies, and pump parts - along with an achey back from my new pastime: standing at the sink for what seems like hours on end (and immense gratitude for my recent Amazon purchase: an orthopedic rug for in front of the kitchen sink).

… ending (or starting?) each day (at midnight, and 3am, and 6am… you get the picture) with Googling and Instagram scrolling of all of the things: feeding schedules, wake windows, how to handle toddler tantrums, Target Circle deals, Prime day deals, and, of course, memes and reels about parenting.

… catching up on online shopping at 3am: coordinating Target pickup orders and Amazon deliveries for the staples (aka - more diapers, more wipes, more snacks, more dog treats, and a grocery order that includes wine - finally!).

… snapping hundreds of photos a day - aware of how our little ones seem to grow in the blink of an eye.

This time around suddenly aware that:

… my “baby” is now a toddler - who suddenly looks like a mini adult and makes his (often ridiculous) requests known in full sentences.

… my littlest baby is growing by leaps and bounds - new rolls, bigger eyes, and chubbier cheeks each day.

… even my fur baby - the biggest of all - is showing his age: escaping from the comfort of my side to the calm of the closet at the first sign of a cry or a tantrum (Good call, pup!).

… it goes by oh so very, very quickly.

So, today (though again, I’m not quite sure which day it actually is), I find myself:

… happy, tired, and caffeinated.

… juggling all of the things - constantly prioritizing and reprioritizing what is most important (while completely abandoning most everything else).

… creating new routines, new schedules, and a new normal.

… getting used to this phase just as it keeps changing again - because it always changes.

… embracing the chaos, the snuggles, and my “Mama Era.”