Two-Week Update

Dear Mackenzie,

You have already been in this world for two weeks and two days and I'm not tired at all! (One part of that previous sentence is true and one part is false. Can you figure out which is which?)

Trying to meet the needs of a newborn plus her three older siblings is no joke. Weekday mornings, for example, were already crazy with three kids but now they are even more chaotic when I have to simultaneously pack lunches, do JieJie's hair, help Second GuhGaw change out of his one-piece pajamas and yell at Big GuhGaw for the 10 millionth time to go brush his teeth all while holding you with one arm because you are awake and will cry if I leave you in the bassinet. And then there are the times when I am in a room with all four of you and all four of you are fighting for my attention and crying/talking over each other and I'm thinking, "There are so. Many. Kids."

I am definitely more tired now than I have ever been. There's so much to do for each kid and you wake up often during the night, so I am only sleeping for at most an hour here and there. But then I always remember that there was a time when I didn't know if I'd even be able to have children at all and that I also went through the heartache of losing a baby when it was in my belly for just eight weeks, so no matter how exhausted or stressed or annoyed I am, I am so unbelievably grateful to now have four healthy, beautiful kids. And I have loved getting to know my newest one over these past couple weeks. Here are some things about you:

- You make the cutest facial expressions while you sleep. It's so entertaining to watch you purse your lips, open and close your mouth like a guppy and wrinkle your forehead. My favorite, of course, is when you smile in your sleep. I know the smiles are just gassy smiles and not real smiles yet, but they are still the sweetest! (I do not like it, though, when you open your eyelids while you're sleeping and I see your eyes roll back into your head, as if you're having a seizure or being possessed by a demon).

- I love seeing the way you stretch your arms way above your head when I lay you down in your bassinet.

- You have such looong fingers. They resemble really miniature foong jiow, the chickens' feet dish we get at dim sum.

- You also have long toes.

- You tend to keep one eye open while you're feeding, as if you don't trust your surroundings and are on the lookout for something.

- You have really strong lungs, which is especially apparent during the diaper changes you hate so much and when I've left you in the bassinet or rocker by yourself too long and you are just not having it anymore! You cry so hard sometimes, you actually go silent for several seconds, which is simultaneously amusing and alarming. But even the angriest newborn cries are still super cute newborn cries!

- The low, even hum of the kitchen fan or clothes dryer often soothes you and makes you stop crying. Sadly, I cannot set up your bassinet in the kitchen or in front of the dryer overnight. I mean, I could, but I won't . . . although let's see how sleep-deprived I am in a few days!

Love,
Mom