She is 13 lbs at six weeks, our Kathleen Claire is. Rapidly leaving the newborn stage even as I try to hold on to the moments so that I can savour each drop of the sweetness. Today at the doctor’s office she began charming from the moment we entered. Peacefully gazing around, turning her head to focus those pretty blue eyes on whomever was speaking, and smiling when hearing my voice. Oh, we have our fussy times, especially at night although we celebrated four straight hours last night, but mostly Kathleen is a happy, peaceful baby. She loves being in our arms and in the sling the very best but she also has times where she will lay quietly looking around.
It is so neat to me how one little baby has added so much to our little family. Both of the girls delight in helping care for her and are thrilled with how she smiles at them or enjoys being held by them. Somehow there is this added feeling of love and care. I know that having three children has brought a change in my role as a mama; almost as if it flows from me more naturally. I have had other people tell me that they were so worried that they would have a hard time with three and yet they felt the same way too.

Suddenly, I have this feeling or belief that I CAN DO THIS! Not because I suddenly am a perfect mama, or even a better mama, but because suddenly… I don’t have to be. I just am their mama. They were given to me, I was given to them. We just are. Maybe sometimes it seems like we don’t fit.  And I don’t know what I am doing any more than I did a month ago, a year ago, or even four years ago. I just know this, I never ask or expect my daughters to be perfect, what makes me think that they expect that of me? We have a book that Aneliese loves for me to read to her and the last line is, I love you because you are you. She loves that line especially when I look at her and say it right to her.

I think that sums it up nicely. I love you because you are you, Kathleen, Cecily, and Aneliese.