New Family

I wanted to share some more pictures from when we were at the hospital. If you're a facebook friend, you've already seen these but I wanted them here too so they'd be part of our scrapbook. They're not all in order but - we'll live. =)

Our hospital stay was painful and exhausting but for the most part we received great care. Trying to nurse Reid was also painful and exhausting. It got to where it hurt to even hold him but oh how I loved to cuddle him. Dac was pretty amazing (after that first zombie night - haha) and did everything while I couldn't get up. Reid was a sleepy newborn of course and did well at night too. Even when he did cry, I didn't mind. Oddly enough I kind of liked that sound for a while. I can't remember if it was our second or third night in there, but Reid stayed in the nursery that night because he was choking a lot (c-section babies have more junk in their lungs). The nurse suggested it and we felt more comfortable with that... we were afraid we may not wake up to help him and plus I couldn't get to him very fast anyway in my condition. 

Oh that sweet, chunky face. He looks so different now. I was certain he was the most beautiful thing to have ever lived... still am. =)

He was born Friday night and Saturday was a BUSY day. Lots of visits from doctors, etc..., family, friends...

Auntie Heather and Daniel

Oy. love this one.

With Auntie Cori!

This was one of my first real times out of bed I think.

Pastor Ben

Sweet boy

Big guy! =)

Great Grandma Jo.

He had super dark blue/grey eyes.

Dad snuggles.

Grumplestilkson. =)

Our beloved nurse Jackie insisted on taking this. I'm glad she did. And of course it was while Iooked my best. =)

Great Grandma Millie

Aunt Debbie

Cousin Darci

With Auntie Kayla

Aunt Darla

I'm so happy to have pictures like this.

On our last day, I was an emotional wreck. The hormones were definitely in overdrive. At one point the nurse came in and looked at me like "oh no, we probably shouldn't send a baby home with you..." but I assured her they were happy tears. And they were... mostly. Happy tears and crazy tears but no tears of sadness (other than all the nursing trouble). It was all just overwhelming. I was overwhelmed with happy, and love, and my heart may have just burst if I didn't cry a little. =)

Attempting his first going home outfit (tooooo big).

There, that's better! =)

His socks didn't fit. =) You'll notice he had his neck problem from the beginning. I'm certain it was from the way he was positioned inside (super low and cramped) for so long. He looked so teeny tiny in his seat.

We drove the slowest we'd ever driven with me crammed in the backseat alongside little man. I couldn't have been more uncomfortable but there was no stopping me from being right there with him. =) When we got home, I sat in the chair... barely able to do a thing while Dac ran to get me more pain meds. I just soaked in the quiet of the house and watched Reid sleep. Oh... and cried. =) A lot. Again - mostly happy tears! =) We had him and he was home with us. It doesn't get much more perfect than that!

We had set up a nice pack-n-play and of course Reid wanted NOTHING to do with it. He refused to lay on his back for more than 5 minutes. Dac spent much of the night holding him on the couch. The second night was even worse - we eventually just put him in his carseat and let him sleep there for a couple hours. I'm not proud of that but I don't regret it either. He was in a safe spot and all three of us needed that sleep. The next day, Dac's cousin Erica brought down a bassinet with an incline (Fisher Price Rock-n-Play) and suddenly life was better. Reid spent his nights (and plenty of days too) there for the next six weeks. It saved us! 

The next few days were full of appointments, cuddles, visitors, trying to figure it all out, and find our new normal. =) Oh - and more cuddles.

**I also want to add that Reid passed his newborn tests/screenings like a champ! He was a little jaundiced but he never needed the bili lights. 

Entitlement

"Gratitude starts where my sense of entitlement ends." - Steven Furtick

Our (society in general, as I've been perceiving it) tendency is to feel entitled to what we have... and often more. We are not entitled to any of it, really. Not our pay, not more pay, or respect, or time, or good health, or love, or happiness, or anything else for that matter. Still, God blesses us with so much of that. I certainly don't deserve most of what I've been blessed with nor do I deserve anything more than anybody else. 

Alisha, for today, be grateful. Be thankful for what you have and enjoy it. Don't think you deserve more... don't even wish for more. 

The Birthday: Part 2

Note: many of these photos were taken with a phone. =( In the rush of getting me to surgery we forgot the big camera. 

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As with most of my surgeries, the staff was incredible. They chatted with me, made bets on whether it would be a boy or a girl, and eased my nerves as much as possible.

Aside from having a healthy baby, I was worried about 1) bleeding out (due to some previous issues) and 2) feeling the whole thing like I'd been feeling everything else. There wasn't much I could do about the first one but I asked them over and over again to make sure the spinal would function appropriately. They assured me it was working just fine (even though I could still feel that dang catheter) and it was. =) 

It was the weirdest feeling though!

A little while later (7:17 p.m. to be exact) I heard "look at all that hair!!" "and that head... gasp... no wonder!!!" Then a couple minutes after that, I finally heard that it was a boy. A completely perfect baby boy! He had Dac's face and biiiig hands and feet!

He weighed in at 8lbs 14oz and measured 20.5 inches long.

I barely had the strength to hold him, which is why that nice lady's hand is on him. =) I was worried about him falling.

Our new family.

Dac was so proud.

He texted everyone in the waiting room plus a few others to let them know it was a boy. We had shared our name ideas with anyone that asked but we had not made a final decision until that morning on the way to the hospital. =) He didn't text them that part though - we decided to wait until they met him in person to formally introduce him. ha! I'll go ahead and tell you now (since you already know...duh). We named him Reid David. Reid - just because we liked it and David because that's Dac's dad's name AND Dac's real first name. 

Being wheeled back to the room... both of us looking stellar! =)

When we got back, I was exhausted but on cloud nine! I wasn't feeling the surgery pain yet and was so dang happy to have that sweet baby boy in my arms! Even though the day didn't go as planned (it sucked, ok?) it ended just like I'd hoped... with Reid and I both doing well. What else matters really? Nothing I tell you. Nothing. To say we are thankful is an understatement!

We did about an hour of skin-to-skin and I tried nursing (more on this topic later) and we just loved the heck out of our little guy and enjoyed it just being us for a bit before our family came in.

One thing I was surprised about was being able to soothe him right away. It was like I naturally knew exactly what he needed right when he needed it. I didn't even need to think about it. Weird but cool! I was his mama! And Lord have mercy, somebody wash mama's hair!

And get her a nap...

After a while, they gave him his first bath. 

He was all cleaned up and ready for visitors. There could only be four people in the room at a time so we told them to decide how they wanted to come in. Grandmas came first. Anyone surprised by this? =)

Grandma Terese

Grandma Terri

Then Grandpa Lon

and Grandpa David

Side note - the Grandpas hands down won the sap of the day awards! =) They are still ate up with the little dude.

Aunt Val

Uncle Austin

I think everyone approved. =) 

After they all met him, we got wheeled up to what would be our room for the next few days. It was pretty late by that point and I was starting to hurt. I took some meds, we watched a safe sleep video, and slept. (Except I didn't really sleep. Dac, however, was a zombie. It was unreal. Nurses and doctors came in a zillion times and he never once woke up. Poor guy was tired I guess. Meanwhile, I was getting poked and prodded, belly "massages" - ouch - and was hearing all of Reid's little sounds.) 

More tales from the hospital stay, etc... to come!