The Parental Departure....

It's already been a whole week since Kaya's arrival. She is still asserting her status as the Anti-Kieran.  Loves both being in the car and the stroller (while  he screamed in both for about the first 5 months). She sleeps the vast majority of the time and for hours long stretches. Of course, I fully expect this to change, but I'm enjoying it for now.

I will admit I'm NOT enjoying the return to night wakings and night feedings, but I keep reminding myself that its just temporary....ish. 

My parents have left for home today though. I'm torn between relief and fear. My Dad is completely amazing. He worked non-stop while he was here - putting up new walls, shelves, drywall, he even regrouted our entire bathroom. He and Eric lay a new flagstone path outside and he fixed all the little things in the house that Eric has been meaning to do but hasn't.  As Eric says...he really forces you to bring out your A-game because the man just does not stop. 

And there is my mother. Sooooooo tiring. She is also an amazing help with both the baby and Kieran. She did all the cooking and cleaning for the past three weeks, but the problem is that her help - which I really do appreciate - comes with a high price. Her criticism is just constant and all consuming and exhausting. Oh sure, she'll cook dinner but you have to listen to a virtually endless holier than thou litany of how healthy her and my father eat, how they always eat their leftovers, how they don't waste a single thing, how they eat everything in the freezer, how they buy everything fresh, how they eat small portions, how they shop around for the the cheapest everything and it goes on and on and on. And that's just dinner related. She does it with everything...laundry, diaper changes, household duties, exercising. Nothing we do is ever as good as her. I spent the last three weeks rolling my eyes and biting my tongue and thinking how I never, ever want to be like her  - even if we means that we sometimes throw out our leftovers or buy overpriced groceries or find a package of meat shoved way back at the freezer that winds up in the garbage because its been there for two years. 

Anyway, now we are a family of four on our own for the first time. I think we'll be just fine.