Desperate housewife

In an effort to prove to my family that I should, in fact, still be counted among the living, I made a bold move yesterday.

I got dressed.

That's right...for the first time in almost a week, I put on a pair of jeans and traded in my monkey slippers for some sneakers. I tried on four pairs of pre-pregnancy pants before I landed on some that fit, I squeezed myself into them, and I joined my family downstairs for breakfast. Later, Jacob got to tag along while Justin and I took Abby to her BFF's princess party. There were adults there for me to talk to, and I realized that a big part of feeling normal again is just getting out and doing normal things again.

The headaches have subsided, and I'm still taking it easy. But it sure does feel good to be feeling like myself again.

And I must have proved myself somewhat capable of handling little outings, because the in-laws took me and the brood out for pizza today. It only required a little begging on my part. We took up plenty of space in the restaurant with our one huge table, one booster seat, one high chair, and one infant seat. And we learned that you can actually fit four adults and three kids in our van at one time.

The big kids are still enthralled with their new little brother. Caleb is apparently engaged in a constant game of hide-and-seek with Jacob, running around the house yelling "Where'd baby Jacob go?" any time he loses sight of him. Abby is still bringing him soft toys "to feel him better" whenever he cries, and likes to get right in his face and ask "What's with all the fussin' little buddy?" anytime he makes a peep (which is not very often). Jacob's proving to be a roll-with-the-punches kinda guy, a product, I'm sure, of being the third child and having no other choice. He sleeps a lot, cries very little, and has turned into my little alarm clock where feedings are concerned, waking up every 2.5 hours exactly to eat during the day. His pleasant newborn behavior patterns have me pretty convinced that he must have snuck a copy of Babywise into my womb and read it cover to cover as part of his campaign for favorite child status.

Stay tuned as the craziness continues to unfold...