Home Again, Home Again

So, we have now been home for over 24 hours. We left the hospital after taking a walk next door and I mean next door to visit our new little friend. K1 didn't want me to be lonely during my stay and happily obliged me the delivery of her son the day before. Here's Addy getting her first look at her new friend.

Here we are getting ready to be walked to the car by the Strong Volunteer. Notice all the pink in this picture. Addy's cute polka-dot outfit came from Grandma Shirlene. It has my favorite, strawberries, on it too.

Here she is all comfortably situated in her car seat on our living room floor. Thanks to cousin Willa for sharing her nice fleece bunting. We had a major snow fall over the past few days and it was cold when we left the hospital but Addy was toasty warm.


So the main difference with having a second child is that I am more relaxed this time around. We'll see how long that relaxed feeling lasts with days, no weeks, of sleep deprivation.

If you only had friends like mine . . .

You would know that your son would be wonderfully taken care of while you had a little girl to add to his life. He would have so much fun with mommy's friends (and really, they are his friends. He just uses his mom for transportation to his friends' house) that he would not miss his mom AT ALL. He would happily leave the hospital knowing that he was off to see a puppy or his Rochester "cousins."

You would have a friend who would be willing to have her baby a few days early so she could be your neighbor in the hospital. Made this morning less lonely as we both waited for discharge home.

You would be able to have your husband sleep over at the hospital for the first night of your daughter's life knowing that your son was tucked into his own bed and would wake to have his friend Nora and her mommy there to play with and to teach him how to eat big boy cereal. (You know cereal with milk in it. Something his mom, and his Uncle Mikey, would never teach him.)

You would know that you are loved and cared for beyond belief. As Ryan and I repeatedly said to each other over the past few days, "We have the best family in Rochester." Thanks to all of my wonderful friends who continue to shower me with their love.

Addy, Day 3

Deborah here, again. These are my last pics as Amy and Addy should be home tomorrow.
Just so you know, she has whispered in my ear, "I love my Aunt Deborah."

Addy's First Day

Deborah here. Amy asked me to post my pictures of Addy. Jack and I went to meet Addy Monday morning once things had settled down a bit.This is my favorite picture of the ones I took.
Fresh from a bath and under the heating lamp. She was only under it long enough to be good and dry.
Jack just happy to be with Mom and Dad and see what all the excitement is all about.
Addy brought gifts for Jack.

Amy and Ryan said she is already sucking her fingers. She has a tiny bruise on her upper lip probably from her finger.
Another gift from Addy. She needs to make a good impression on her big brother.
Jack wanted to drive his new car from Addy all over Amy's stomach. Amy said this was the same nurse she had with Jack.

In my completely unbiased opinion, I think she is an absolutely beautiful baby. In my memory, she looks less like Ryan than Jack did (and therefore more like Amy), but with Ryan's darker hair and coloring. I think she might have curly hair, because immediately after her bath, her dry hair was fluffy and not flat on her head.

Before . . .

Here is our last pre-Addy family picture. (but as our friend, Scott, pointed out, it is obvious that there is a 4th person waiting to arrive.)


Jack is now all tucked in at the Holmes' house for the night and Ryan and I are almost done with the last minute nesting. Well, Ryan isn't the nester but the nester is really good at delegating.

Big Belly

Big side view.

Check back tomorrow for the after pictures. We're hoping to get some pictures up tomorrow evening of the little girl and her family.

I'm off to finish the last of the ice cream before I am no longer allowed to eat anything.

We have success

After months of refusing to eat with anything but his hands even though he was more than able to use silverware, Jack has finally decided that "civilized" eating is the way to go.

He still enjoys a big fist full of food but at least he is using a fork and spoon most of the time.
Grandpa Parry will be happy to see that he is using his right hand to eat.

Final Preparations

Ryan is working the late schedule this week so he is home in the mornings. Today we finished all of the last minute preparations for Adeline's arrival next week.
Except the never ending mountain of laundry . . .



When I got the car seat out Jack immediately yelled, "Baby."

He was really "helpful" setting up the car seat.

Here he is practicing his big brother responsibility of keeping his little sister safe.

What I was unable to capture with the camera was Jack picking the stuffed lamb out of the car seat by it's ears. That seems to be more like the kind of help he will try to be with his little sister.

Happy Valentine's Day

Sending love from Jack to you!

The neglected child

While I was on the phone, I noticed that Jack was accumulating quite a pile of Cheerios.

I hung up the phone, snuck up on him and captured this shot.
Busted!

He had dumped part of the bag of Cheerios on the floor and was moving them from his pile into his transportation flash card box and then dumping them out again. Grandma Peggy will be so proud of her Montessori ready grandchild.

He had quite the organized system of piles and a full box.

Here he seems to be saying, "Don't mind the mess, Mom. I'm having fun and learning too!"

The aftermath.

And because the idea of getting down on the floor with the possibility of not being able to stand up again; the Cheerios remain as they lay. They await Jack's return when he wakes up. (and for Ryan to help clean up when he gets home. He is really good about that these days as he sees me struggle to move so ungracefully about our house.)

2 weeks to a thinner me!

Birthing a child may be the fastest way to lose 10+ lbs in a day.
However, it is not my preferred method.
Thank heavens for scheduled c-sections and not having to spend 4 days on pitocin waiting for NOTHING to happen.

I plan to enjoy the next 2 weeks in blissful denial of the changes about to take place at my house.

Fever Delirium?

Last night my good husband offered to stay with the patient so I could run to the store and have a break from all the snot. While I was out, he called to tell me that Jack may be delirious. His reasoning for thinking this is evidenced in the pictures below.

Notice his off-the-shoulder coat, unbuttoned onesie, and argyle socks with his Sunday shoes.

Ryan tells me that after I left, Jack found his dress shoes and wanted to wear them so Ryan put on his socks and shoes. Then, Jack wanted his coat. He happily marched around like this for about 15 minutes. I really think he was trying to send us the message that he wants to leave the house. 3 days without any excursions is just too long for Jack. His people need him!

Day 3 of THE PLAGUE

So, I thought we turned the corner but it seems that today is the worst of it. Jack spent the entire morning curled up in my bed cat napping and letting me watch adult TV. (meaning not PBS kids). Poor kid. He finally let me give him some medicine which seemed to help because he asked for nummies and milk.

He is now sleeping in his own bed and may be there awhile. I've wanted a down day like this for myself but I would much rather have a chipper Jack than a sad, whiny, pitiful, sick Jack.




Editor's Note: I only took these pictures because it documents the pure opposite side of Jack. He is never one to sit still and even when sick he likes to play. (just ask the Talbots who spent Christmas Eve with us. Jack would play, play, play, throw up, play some more, tell a funny story in Jackese and then throw up again.)