Three years ago tonight my mom arrived in Arizona from San Diego where she had arrived 7 days earlier just in time to welcome my nephew Zachary into the world. The night she arrived, Derek and I headed to the hospital in the middle of the night and about mid-day on the 27th we welcomed Luke Dean. He was no little package (weighing in at 9lb 10oz), but he seemed so little to me in my arms with my Leah being nearly 2 already.
The little guy had to be monitored for a couple of days because of some breathing inconsistencies and then just when that cleared up his billirubin count went off the charts so he had to be put under special lights for a little while longer. It was pretty funny to go into the neo-natal special care area to see him those first few days because he was easily twice the size of most of the other babies in there (usually babies born early end up in nicu) and the other visitors/parents would 'oooh and ahhhh and owww' at him-- or his size at least! Finally, five days after he was born we were able to take him home.
It was long first week or two with him, even though he was my fourth and it should have been easier-- or so I thought. I stayed with him at the hospital for the whole time except for a couple of trips home for a shower. It was hard to get the staff to come get me when he needed to eat instead of giving him a pacifier or bottle instead so it was a constant battle to have him eat. After we got home he continued to refuse to eat and after all attempts and consultations, we transitioned the little brute to a bottle-- something new for me to learn with #4! But he took to it and grew and flourished and we are so thankful.
Another thing I think of when I remember his birth is how God timed the arrival of my mom (about 12 hours before we needed to go to the hospital) and my dad who came a few days later and were able to stay together with the other three and free me up to be at the hospital with Luke and Derek to be a helper to me and do some work. We came home with Luke the day before they were scheduled to go back to WI. What a blessing in a place where we had few back-ups for baby-care since we'd only been in AZ two months.
Tomorrow my baby becomes a big boy. The end of diapers, the end of all those baby cuddly days and so many new firsts. I'll miss it all, including the diapers, but I'll cherish all the days I have to come and each day God gives me with them.
And now I'll just have to settle for holding other friend's and family's newborns... and wait for grandkids! :)
The little guy had to be monitored for a couple of days because of some breathing inconsistencies and then just when that cleared up his billirubin count went off the charts so he had to be put under special lights for a little while longer. It was pretty funny to go into the neo-natal special care area to see him those first few days because he was easily twice the size of most of the other babies in there (usually babies born early end up in nicu) and the other visitors/parents would 'oooh and ahhhh and owww' at him-- or his size at least! Finally, five days after he was born we were able to take him home.
It was long first week or two with him, even though he was my fourth and it should have been easier-- or so I thought. I stayed with him at the hospital for the whole time except for a couple of trips home for a shower. It was hard to get the staff to come get me when he needed to eat instead of giving him a pacifier or bottle instead so it was a constant battle to have him eat. After we got home he continued to refuse to eat and after all attempts and consultations, we transitioned the little brute to a bottle-- something new for me to learn with #4! But he took to it and grew and flourished and we are so thankful.
Another thing I think of when I remember his birth is how God timed the arrival of my mom (about 12 hours before we needed to go to the hospital) and my dad who came a few days later and were able to stay together with the other three and free me up to be at the hospital with Luke and Derek to be a helper to me and do some work. We came home with Luke the day before they were scheduled to go back to WI. What a blessing in a place where we had few back-ups for baby-care since we'd only been in AZ two months.
Tomorrow my baby becomes a big boy. The end of diapers, the end of all those baby cuddly days and so many new firsts. I'll miss it all, including the diapers, but I'll cherish all the days I have to come and each day God gives me with them.
And now I'll just have to settle for holding other friend's and family's newborns... and wait for grandkids! :)
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