week with my babies.

I don't know if I could do it. Be a mother I mean. I already love my friend's babies so much that my heart aches. I can't even begin to imagine the love a mama has for her own babies. It actually terrifies me. Terrifies me. It's a good thing babies aren't in my near future because the thought makes me slightly nauseated and unable to breathe.

I spent last week at Mandi's house helping her in any way I could. I did the usual -- a bit of cooking, a few dishes, some baking, playing with the bean, snuggling with the boy and hopefully making Mandi's life a little bit easier.

Kaden is bottle-fed after every breastfeed so Mandi would feed him and then I would bottle-feed him while she pumped. I woke up throughout the night with her and even took the 0230 feed every night so she could get a solid five hours sleep in row. That 0230 was probably my favourite -- just me and the boy. You know, when your head is a bit fuzzy because you really should be sleeping, but you're snuggled up with a grunting little angel instead.

I think of Mandi when I think of the kind of mother I want to be. She is a phenomenal mama and I would be proud to be half the mother she is. Mandi thrives as a mother and her children, in turn, thrive under the attention she gives them. I love watching Mandi with her kids -- especially her and Sawybean as the adoration she has for the Bean is more than reciprocated. 

Oh! Sawyer called me "auntie" unprompted when I was staying over. She didn't say "auntie" at all until about two weeks before that and it sounds more like "hantie". I was rounding the corner after coming upstairs with Kaden and she pointed at me and said "hantie!". That is more than enough to bring tears to my eyes. She obviously has always known me, but there's something special about the first time they call you by your name.

Sawy continues to be a good big sister. She will open and close the wipes when you need them, bring you diapers, try wipe Kaden's bottom when his clothes are on, hold Kaden's hand, lay a blanket on the floor and try get out all the wrinkles (a painfully slow process) then pat the ground so you put Kaden beside her, and she still loves holding him. She also pats his bum ever-so-gently when he is having tummy time.

Kaden gained a pound in just over a week so he was up to 6lb 7.5 oz on Wednesday! The little man is growing like a weed and changing so much already! It's unbelievable how quickly it happens.

Happy Sunday.