One month old! Kierstyn Michaela, you have brought so much joy to our home!
This month you:
- were born (!)
- came home from the hospital
- met your siblings
- loved your baths
- struggled to gain weight but (with lots of effort) passed your third weight check (!)
- slept like a rockstar at night (usually only waking up twice to eat and then going right back to sleep)
- worked on discovering your hands
- love bottles and nursing (which is a real gift as we’re still supplementing since my supply is low)
- met two of your aunts
- loved snuggling next to your almost “twin” Champ (the sweet boy we’re fostering)
- went to multiple appointments at the pediatrician
- had your first chiropractic appointment (and loved it!)
- practiced smiling (and are so close to doing it on cue!)
- got to see a few of our friends outside while we social distanced
- went on some walks
- rode in the car in your car seat
- joined us for a lot of Zoom meetings
You also taught me so much about resting in my Heavenly Father and trusting Him in the middle of unknowns and uncertainties. We are so thankful for you and the amazing gift of your life, sweet girl!
Champ continues to grow and be such a blessing to our home. He is laughing and “talking” and cooing and so interactive now. He also discovered his hands this week, which has been so fun to watch.
We all having matching jammies as a family that we got for Christmas. The kids asked if they could order some for Kierstyn and Champ. The smallest size they had was 0-3 months, which is still way too big for Kierstyn and still pretty big for Champ.
But the kids rolled up the sleeves and pants on his jammies and we had to get matching pictures! Oh how we love this boy so much!
There have been many moments in the past few weeks when I’ve felt stretched pretty thin… like I sort of wished I could clone myself so there’d be enough of me to go around. Instead, here’s what has been helping me:
1) Remember that this is just a season. I won’t have two needy newborns for years to come. I’m trying to give myself grace and reminders that I won’t always be spending the bulk of my day nursing, pumping, holding babies, and bottle-feeding. This is a short season and I want to savor it — even if it means a lot of things I normally do aren’t happening.
2) Don’t try to do it all myself. I need Jesus every moment of the day. Even if there are a hundred other things needing my attention, beginning my day with time in God’s Word and praying over my day and asking for God’s help is so important. Also, letting Jesse, the kids, and others in my life help out instead of saying, “I got it!”
3) Focus on what is in front of me. It’s so easy to get bogged down thinking of everything I need and want to do. It can be discouraging and it can steal my joy and my ability to soak up and fully live in the moment I’m in. It can also cause me to feel stressed, hurried, and frantic. Focusing on what is in front of me means I just do the next right thing. Because truly, that’s all I can do at any one given time.
4) Prioritize rest and quiet. I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last ten years. And one of those things is that I don’t function well without decent rest and daily quiet. So I’ve been working hard to make that a reality — and it’s made such a difference in my overall postpartum experience.
What helps you when you feel stretched thin? I’d love to hear your advice and ideas!
Jordan says
So lovely to have something to celebrate with all the heartbreak in the country and world right now!
Such cuties! So cute to see the matching jammies! Makes such a different having a family be a team and work together. All the kids look so comfortable with the babies which is so not easy! I think my brother is still low key terrified of newborns, and he’s been pretty involved in my niece and nephews lives since they were born. He also wasn’t never a big kid person so uncle has been an adjustment!
I totally missed your more recent posts and emails about the babies, so super exiting to find that tonight when I started catching up! After a really long day too, so sweet to end the day getting to see adorable baby pics!
Crystal Paine says
Thanks so much for sharing in our joy!
Archie Davis Jr says
I continue to pray for you and your family for good health.
Crystal Paine says
Thank you so much!
Julie Swihart says
Oh my goodness, the sweetness and cuteness of the matching jammies on Champ!
I know you stop and pray for people, so I wanted you to know I just stopped and prayed for you!
You’re an inspiration in so many ways!
Crystal Paine says
Aw, thank you so much!
Danna says
I found your blog when I was a new mom, and although I’d been married for more than a decade, I was new to staying home and completely overwhelmed. We cut our income in half when I started staying home with our oldest from the time he was born. We struggled with infertility and were finally blessed with our 2 sons after being married for 11 years. Our oldest is 13 and our youngest is 11. I remember you being pregnant with Silas around the same time I was pregnant with Daniel, my youngest. I’m so happy for you being blessed to care for Champ and to bear Kierstyn. They are darling. It’s been fun to “raise our kids together” even though we’ve never met. My baby bearing days are over (I was 38 and 40 when the boys were born and am 52 now). I’m having a hysterectomy on June 1st (I’m totally at peace and good with it and am now actually looking forward to life post hysterectomy). May the lord continue to bless you and your family.
Crystal Paine says
Thank you so much for your kind encouragement! And I hope your surgery/recovery goes well.
Amanda says
What do you do to fit quiet time into your day? I (introvert) need it desperately, but the kids don’t allow it. I have a 21 year-old daughter in the Air Force (no longer at home), and three kids still at home (ages 12 (girl) and 6 & 4 (boys)). My 12 year-old isn’t much for keeping the little ones entertained/busy, and they want/need me constantly. I’m going crazy. Although, I too, am being intentional about enjoying the short season with them, I’m still going crazy without that alone time.
Crystal Paine says
Two things: Getting up before them or staying up after them and an afternoon quiet time. When my kids were all younger, these were my lifesavers! It’s much easier for me now since I have four people who help out with the babies and I try to get in at least an hour of quiet each day — usually broken up into two different time frames.
becky roberts says
Your family is lovely. So great to see the hearts of everyone open and including Champ. It is so wonderful to see how Champ is thriving and gaining weight and unseen neural connections so that he can thrive in his life, it obviously wasn’t convenient for you, but you said yes to God so using you.
Crystal Paine says
We are just so proud of him and his progress! He is such a joy to our home!
Deb Ripley says
Congratulations! Just curious, what does a chiropractor do for a baby?
Crystal Paine says
There are lots of different benefits to chiropractic care for babies. I don’t have space to list them all here, but I recommend doing research and making sure you are going with a chiro who has experience with babies.
Margaret says
What moments of joy— although also so exhausting!!!
I wanted to mention— just in case—- I struggled to nurse with all three kids. My first cried nonstop for four months and not until that point did anyone mention he might just be hungry. I knew my milk supply was low and I was pumping all the time and feeding all the time. But it was my first and I fought supplementing partly because I didn’t know he wasn’t getting enough. (He was growing) It wasn’t until a lactation consultant Had me weigh him before and after feedings that I realized he wasn’t getting enough. We started supplementing and it changed our world!!! But what gave me so much more peace was hearing the lactation consultant say that milk supply tends to be an issue with those who have dealt with infertility. We had a hard time getting pregnant with both our first two. It wasn’t just my imagination or something I was doing incorrectly. It set me free from the voices that told me I was the problem. Wanted to share that in case, like me, it encourages you. As you mentioned… give yourself grace. You have come out on the other side with your older three. You know God has wonderful things in store and even in the exhausting moments, there is His fingerprint all over it!
Crystal Paine says
Yes! We did the weighted feed at the pediatrician early on and that was one thing that really helped us determine I had low supply and she wasn’t getting enough at every feed. It was my first time to do a weighted feed and I would highly recommend that everyone do it if you think there might be supply or nursing issues.
Patti says
You just brightened my day (and brought me some happy tears)….thank you for sharing!!! I could look at pictures of your beautiful family all day…those dear, dear babies!!!! Your older kids are just the best helpers…blessings abound!!!
Crystal Paine says
Aw, thank you for your encouragement!
Deb says
I am loving these posts! What a joyful, happy break from COVID related news! Keep them up, you can post baby pictures EVERY day! Thank you!
Crystal Paine says
If you enjoy baby pictures and videos, I post some pretty much every day over on Instagram stories! 🙂 https://www.instagram.com/themoneysavingmom/
DeeAnn Allison says
Beautiful family❤❤
Crystal Paine says
Thank you!
Polly Murphy says
I’m so excited for an update! I’ve missed following you and your precious family on IG everyday. Kierstyn is a doll and is getting so big. Hang in there, you’re such an inspiration! God bless y’all!
Crystal Paine says
Thank you so much for your encouragement!