April 30, 2011

• The First Week

  

  I stayed in the hospital for a total of parts of three days.  It was actually sort of restful.  :)  For me, not quite as much for my blessed mother, who was out to watch the other chillun’s.  

  Mom brought Gabe before school the morning after Layla was born.  I couldn’t wait to see his reaction, because he just was SO excited about his new baby sister.  He hustled into the room with an excited look of anticipation that made me smile.

    

  Later on in the day, the remaining brothers scurried in.  :)  Israel was very excited to see Layla and very excited to hold her.

  

   Zion was a little unsure, and mostly ambivalent, although he also wanted his turn to hold her briefly.

  

  The pediatrician checking Layla out.  

   

  I really love this pediatrician group.  We discovered them when Zion and Gabe were in the hospital earlier this year.  It is a group of three female doctors and one female nurse practictioner, all in their 30′s, and they are really nice and they really listen to you instead of just talking at you.  

  

  They had told me when Layla was born that she had a heart murmur, called a ductal murmur, which is very common in the first two weeks after birth.  Probably should resolve on it’s own.  The pediatrician also confirmed this.

  

  Also, Layla has two “stork marks”, one on the back of her neck, and one on her forehead maybe??  I forget where the second one is.  I don’t think it’s as obvious.  She also had a little breastfeeding jaundice, which resolved within about a week.  

  

  All of the boys came back in in the afternoon.  Whew!!  It was quite the wind that blew into the room!! Chitter and chatter and squirmies and “Dad, can I play games on your phone??”

  

  (Zion remembered doing that in the hospital a few months ago) and “Mom, can I put the bed all the way up??”  

  

  When they all blew back out with their Grandma on the same energetic boy wind that carried them in, Tim and I looked at each other a little wide-eyedly.  We were somewhat glad to be remaining, and just to let their Grandma handle all of that.  Lol.  :)  When all of them were sitting on the bed, looking at Layla,

  

  my eyes had also gotten a bit large.  I have four children now.  Somehow four seems like a lot more than three.  :)  Wow.

  Layla gets her hearing test.

   

  Bob and Diane, our associate pastor and his wife, checking out Layla.

  

  Heading home on the 27th.  

  

  Our neighbor, Barry (who incidentally kept telling us we should greatly consider the name “Berry” ) had made Welcome Home signs for the boys to color and paste up, and bought a pink balloon for the mailbox.  

  

  Such a FUN thing to come home to.  Sweet Barry.  :)  

  Yummy Easter treats Grandma made with the boys.

   

  Layla getting her first bath at home, per Grandma.  

  

  Each of my children has had their first sponge bath at home given by their Grandma Edith.  :)

  And plenty of Grandma rocks.

  

  The lovely Layla herself.  :)

  

  

  

  This labor sure did leave me exhausted.  I was SOOOOOO grateful for Mom’s help.  She left Sunday, about a week after Layla was born, after I was finally back on my feet.  Thank you SO MUCH, Mom!!!  We love you!!!

  

  • 10:52 pm
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