Thankful

I am sitting here on my bed with my new little man, Caleb, laying next to me.  He is moving all around and looking and being oh so sweet and good.

I just wanted to update you all on what we have been doing the last few days (as if you didn’t know).  Yesterday was actually our first day home all together.  My son had jaundice (as did all of my children) so this time we were proactive and decided to stay in the hospital and keep the baby under the bili lights.  Fortunately the hospital we stayed at has an Inn that we were able to stay in one night for free.  Since I am breastfeeding this worked out well because I got released and Caleb had to stay.

I came downstairs every 3 hours to breastfeed.  This is another reason to be thankful because I think doing this actually has kind of put Caleb on a schedule.  He is eating really, really well.  The third is definitely easier.  I am guessing it (breastfeeding) gets easier with each child.

Anyway, Caleb had to stay in the hospital a total of four days, but he is doing wonderful now.  So last night was my first night at home since last Thursday.

I did write a very LONG birth story, but my husband prefers that I do not publish it so I said I wouldn’t (unless he changes his mind), but I will tell you just a few things.  First of all, I couldn’t have done it without my “team” which included my husband and my sister who is a nurse.  Neither one of them agreed with my decision.  They often were whispering to each other during my labor, but they both encourged me and were still supportive and they did not let me know how nuts they thought I was.

My Team!

I have to say that I have kind of long labors – 22 hours with my first, 12 with my second and 7 with my last one.  This time the pain did not get too bad until towards the end like the last two hours.  I won’t give too many details except to say I did it without anything – no IV no epidural or anything.  It wasn’t horrible although I did call my friend Heidi and kind of yell at her pretty soon after I gave birth because she has went natural with all of her kids (3 so far) and she was one of my few friends who kind of inspired me to try it.  Lindsey was another one of my friends who also went natural and also my friend Nicole.  But, if they hadn’t encouraged me I might not have ever tried it and I am glad I did.  I can say that now that it is over.

Also, it was kind of funny, but two of my friends from church also delivered their babies the same weekend that I did.  One delivered on Friday.  I delivered on Saturday and the other friend delivered on Sunday (she also went natural, but it was her first so she had an 18 hour labor).

This is turning into  a long post.  So I will try to wrap it up.  I am so thankful for so many things.  I am thankful that everything went well and that we are all healthy.  I am thankful that my other children seem to love the new baby and are not jealous.  In fact my older son sang songs to the new baby and gave him his favorite blanket and put one of his batman figures into his bassinet.  It was so cute.

My daughter just keeps wanting to steal Caleb’s pacifier.  She loves to look at him.   She is also trying to climb into everything that is the baby’s.  She climbs in his car seat, his pumpkin seat, and she also tried to climb into his bassinet (not while he was in it).  So, we are watching her closely.

I am just so thankful for the family that God has blessed me with.