11 months, a pregnancy, and a 2 month old later...

I love my two children!  It's tough giving them both attention and getting things done, but I'm learning.  Some days are better than others.  Benjamin LOVES reading, and right now he's into Hairy Maclary.  He says some of the repetitive parts when we come to them, and recognizes when I quote some of the stories at other times.  He brings me story after story to read until I tell him we're done.  I try to read to him while I'm nursing Ashley, but she's fussy when I do.  She is a lot more touchy than Benjamin was.  The conditions have to be right for her to nurse properly, I have to put her to sleep, and she wakes up easily.  She likes to be held a lot.  She's happier than Benjamin was though, and quite talkative.

It took her longer, but she's good at sleeping at night (only waking up once for a feeding), so I'm very blessed.  Benjamin sleeps about 8-8, more or less, and Ashley falls asleep around the same time, wakes up in the early hours of the morning, and sleeps until after Benjamin gets up.  That's the general schedule.  When they follow it, I can get enough sleep.  I'm lucky if they nap at the same time; more often, I put one down, and the other gets up.  At least that way they both get some one-on-one time with me.

Benjamin gets jealous at times of the time Ashley gets with me.  When I comment on her smile, he says smile, with a smile on his face, waiting for praise too.  When I take a photo of her, he gets one of his cowboy hats and says photo.  He tries to push her out of my lap so he can sit there, or squishes her.  He does try to be sweet to her, but he's a bit rough.  I think girls are better at being gentle.  He tries to show Ashley his cars, and drive them on her.  He tries to hug her, and ends up laying on top of her.  But I've also caught him putting her dummy back in her mouth when she was crying, and laying down next to her and giving her hugs. He's already learned not to poke her eyes and pats her back to burp her.  He first called her Ashey, then mamy Ashey (for baby Ashley), mixed it to Mashey, and now back to Ashey.  He tries to be a good big brother, but they'll be able to interact more as Ashley gets older.

Some days it feels like all he does is make messes and all she does is nurse.  Other days I can take care of them both plus an extra kid and still get housework done.  A lot of it has to do with my attitude and priorities.