Wow - haven't been here in a whole year!

First off, I'm really, really tired, so this may not make any sense. And I don't care about spelling today.

Well, I guess this is the new "improved" family portrait, taken recently at Vicki and Billy's new apartment.

As most of you know, we have a daughter. Joan was born December 28, at 10:52 p.m. - just one day after her due date - after a 12-hour induction.

Long delivery story short, Mike and I went in for my routine check-up on my due date, only to discover that the baby's head was nowhere to be found. So the OB closed her office and we all went across the street to the hospital, for an ultrasound and non-stress test, to make sure there was still a head.

Baby was fine, but bum-down, which wasn't good news. They won't do deliveries that way anymore, so I was looking at a C-section. They gave us the option to try to flip the baby first, and we said go for it. The next morning, we went in for flipping, and, wouldn't you know it, the baby had flipped back around on her own in the night. Unfortunately, her head wasn't lodged in my pelvis, but floating loose, so they decided to induce me, before she had a chance to flip back again, and the rest is history.

That leaves me at home with two little kids, which has been quite an adventure. It wasn't too bad at the start - Mike's grandma was here to help out and keep John entertained, which he enjoyed (he still talks about how you bought him ice cream!) But now real life is here. We kind of floundered for a bit, but things are starting to sort themselves out. Part of that is imposing a schedule on John. I know, Mike and Megan imposing order. Sounds a little far-fetched, but it's true. He used to have a very rigid schedule with daycare, but since going on mat leave, we've let him fall into an "eternal weekend" kind of schedule - stay up late, get up late. It was fine for me - he'd go to bed with us, then while he slept in the mornings, I'd catch up on my lost sleep from a night of carng for Joan. But obviously, it's not what's best for John. Toddlers thrive on order, and he's getting too old for prime time TV. He was starting to bring up violent things he'd seen, like car crashes and guns, so we decided that if we ever want to watch TV, or movies that aren't made by Disney ever again, he'd need an earlier bed time. That, and we really wanted our bed back. We can handle Joan coming in when she's fussy in the night, but four was getting way too crowded.

So now, we try to have him asleep by 9ish, and he's up the next morning aroud 8 or 9. For my sanity, I try to make him take a nap, but so far it's a no-go. He's tired and cranky, but refuses to sleep in the day. Hence why I am sooo exhausted. Joan's up all night and John's up all day. It's pretty tough, but I'm hoping it will settle down soon. It's for the best - John is happier. He's learned to like his bed. It's funny watching all the stall tactics, though. He wants food. He's thirsty.He wants a different shirt. He wants another book. He wants to just sit and hug. ANYTHING to delay the inevitable. But I find if we just keep plugging along, he eventually gives in and falls asleep.

Joan's doing well. Growing like a weed. I'm afraid of what her weight is now. Two weeks ago, she was 11 pounds 4 ounces - she'd gained 25 per cent of her body weight in just two weeks, and she's still packing it on. She's growing out of sleepers that fit John for months. It's scary. But the doctor has assured me that crazy weight gain is a good thing, so I'm trying not to think about it.

She's getting over a bit of a cold, which gave her an eye infection. She woke up with sticky green goo holding her eye closed. It was lovely. But it cleared up within couple of days with the antibiotics. She seemed to be congested too - she wasn't feeding very well. Pulling off, that sort of thing. That seems to be clearing up too. She has fussy times, but is generally a good baby. She's different from John, though, so we've had to start from scratch to figure out what she does and doesn't like. She's much easier to keep happy - but once she's upset, she's harder to console than he was. Though I keep forgetting she's only three weeks old. John was pretty inconsolable at three weeks old, so in many ways, she's a much easier baby.

Anyway, I'd better go. John is bored and Joan is due to be up relatively soon. I'll post again with more pictures and stuff when I get sme time.