Feeling better, getting into a routine

I had the second part of my root canal yesterday and I feel SOOO much better! My tooth is a little sensitive still, but the throbbing of my tooth, jaw, and ear is GONE! It is amazing how much better I feel. It makes it so much easier to function.

We are getting into a routine, and I feel like things aren't so overwhelming. Although, I will say, it is much harder with 2 than with one! It's not as hard as I anticipated, though, and I think in a few weeks it will be cake... but as we are still working on getting a routine, I feel like I'm running around all the time. I'm the kind of person that likes everything in it's place- the dishes done, the laundry done, the floor swept, the house picked up, etc. So, if that isn't done every day I feel like my life is crazy. So, between feedings and diaper changes, and playing with and taking care of Karis, I try to keep up with those things as well! I can definitely say I'm NEVER bored! I can't complain, though. I love my life. I'm doing exactly what I've wanted to do. I get the opportunity to be home with my kids 6 days a week and work one day (and a little bit at home) with the church. I get some time out of the house and the opportunity to serve God through children's ministry, but my main priority is with my family. A year ago this is all I was hoping for, and now I get to experience it. It's not always easy... there are days in which I feel like I'm going crazy, but at the end of the day, I know I am blessed. I don't know how long I will get to do this, but for now, I'm enjoying it!

Breastfeeding is still not exactly where I want it, but I've come to terms with breast and bottle feeding, and I'm learning to not worry about what others think. It's funny that there are some people out there that think that everyone should be able to produce enough milk and that if you don't, you're just not doing something right. Because of that, I thought that I just didn't try hard enough with Karis. Since I've been having the same problems with Ethan, I realize that it's not that I'm not trying hard enough, it's just that my body has a harder time than some others. There's only so much that I can do, and I can't stress myself out or completely ignore Karis in order to breastfeed exclusively. I'm thankful that I can do both, and I'm just going with that.

I LOVE my husband, my daughter, and my son with all of my heart and thank God everyday for the opportunity to have such an amazing family.

Rough few weeks

These past few weeks have been tough... and not necessarily because of having another child. I have had a toothache for a long time (off and on). When I was in high school, I told my dentist about it and he told me that it was just senstive. Then, last September I finally asked a different dentist about it, and I got a filling. The dentist said I would eventually need a root canal. I found out I was pregnant like a month later, so I decided to try to wait until after I had him. The pain was bearable, so I figured it was fine. Well, not long after Ethan was born (about a week), the pain started becoming worse. It got so bad that it was throbbing constantly. It was keeping me up at night more than Ethan was. I couldn't fall asleep very well, so I was either feeding Ethan, or I was in pain. I went to the dentist last Monday (a new dentist), and he told me that yes, I would need a root canal, soon. He said that was the biggest filling he had ever seen. So, I went in that afternoon for a consult with the endodontist. He told me at that time that I had an infection and that I would need to take antibiotics. He also gave me a prescription for a pain medication. The soonest they could get me in was a week later (there was only one endodontist there last week)... The next day the pain was still so bad that I decided that I would prefer to have the tooth pulled than to have to wait til the next week. I called on Wednesday and they told me that it may actually take longer to do that because I would have to get a referral for an oral surgeon, etc... but she said she could get me into the endodontist the next day because they had a cancellation. So, I went in the next day. They gave me so many stinkin shots I thought I was going to come out of the chair. It felt like they were sticking it directly into the roots. Ouch!! They got halfway done and said that I still had infection and that they would have to finish it next week! So... I have been miserable now for about 2 weeks. I have been taking the pain medication and I feel bad for Ethan... I'm still breastfeeding (or at least trying). I've told it's okay to take it (women take it after c-sections), but I still feel bad for drugging him. So, I've been trying to only take a half and take it right after I have fed him and hope that it will go through my system enough that it won't affect him much. But, one of the side effects of it is that my milk supply goes down... which I was already struggling with that. So, he has been relying even more heavily on formula which really breaks my heart. But I have to take the medication because if not, I can't function very well it hurts so bad. I feel bad for Karis too because I've been so short with her... she always wants me when I can't help her (when I'm feeding Ethan, etc)... and she's started throwing more and more fits, and completely ignoring me. Why is it that she starts acting like a 2 year old right after the baby is born? I knew to expect it, but I thought Karis would be different because she had been so easy.
So... I'm in pain, my 2 year old is acting like a 2 year old, and I have a 3 week old. But, on the up side, I love my family a lot and feel blessed. Ethan is a pretty easy 3 week old. He cries when he's hungry or when he's gassy, and that's about it. Pretty much every other night is an easy night. He tends to sleep better when he's had a bath, so I'm trying to already make that part of his routine (like it is part of Karis'). It's amazing how quickly humans need routine!
Well... I better get going... Both of my little ones are calling!