Family of 4 Update

I can't believe it's already been over a month since we brought Lydia home and became a family of 4!  Overall we are doing great.  Lydia is good at all the things she is supposed to be, eating, growing and making dirty diapers.  I am thankful she has been a very good nurser right from the start, and she is putting on the weight to prove it!  She is not quite as skilled in the sleeping department, but it's coming. Ordinary baby stuff, right?  We'll take it. :)

Obviously things are very different this time around.  And obviously most of those things are very good!  But there are a couple things that are actually harder.  For one, Noah was like a three month old in some ways when he came home, meaning he was sleeping flat in his crib and could take a bottle.  Oh, and sleeping at night.  It took Lydia a few days to get that whole night and day thing figured out.  She seems to have a little reflux and doesn't like being flat.  And there has just been a bigger adjustment period overall.  When Noah came home, I already knew him super well, his habits and likes/dislikes and little quirks.  And I learned them and how to handle them with the most qualified staff possible by my side.  We have had to do that "getting to know" Lydia at home by ourselves, and if feels very different.  But I'd say we are doing a pretty good job. :)  (Oh, and the whole sleep deprivation thing.  Getting almost no sleep plus recovering from a c-section is not the best combination.  I would gladly have taken a few night nurses. :)

Recovery has gone very well except for one thing--it turns out I am very allergic to steri-strips (little strips of medical tape that are put all along the incision).  We're talking blistered and swollen and so painful and itchy I thought I might lose my mind.  But the incision itself has healed up just fine.  It was very hard to not be able to take care of Noah and things around the house.  But Corey got to take a couple weeks off work and was awesome.  And my mom came over a lot.  Noah was very fond of this part of having a new baby!  And so was I; even though I am a mom, I still like having MY mom around. :) Thanks, Mom!

Noah has done very well so far.  Yes, there have been a few times where he has asked if she can go back to the hospital, but he usually is pretty positive. :)  He still calls her "GirlBaby" most of the time. His cutest brother moment so far is when he laid down next to her and said, "GirlBaby and me are friends!  And God loves GirlBaby and God loves me!"  I know he is kind of bored with this little person that only sleeps and eats and gets changed.  He will often ask "Can she walk/talk/etc yet?"  The other day he told her, "Lydia, this is how you hold a toy.  You put it in your hand and hold it!"  I am excited for when they can actually play together. :)  But for now I will enjoy all the cuteness and baby snuggles.

 
Here are some similarities I have already seen between them:
-Breech, small for their age, and very skilled at hiding from monitoring equipment
-Super long eyelashes
-Does NOT like to be swaddled (Yes, yes, I know; "all babies love to be swaddled."  Have you ever seen a baby fight for 20 minutes to get their arms out of a swaddle and then fall asleep?  We have.  Twice.)
-Likes her paci and has even found her thumb a few times already
-Has already started grabbing my hair
-Overall content, happy, and alert

And what kind of person would I be if I didn't put a few more pictures... ;)


























     


     So, so blessed.
     We love you, Lydia!!