Addie Cakes

Cute dress complements of the Valentine Family and Cozy blanket complements of the Locke family

Family Updates And Counting Ones Blessings

Today was the first time post-baby, beautiful Summer day, that I was able to drive, roll down the windows, and listen to the new Dave Matthews CD and feel like I rejoined society again. Sure it was only a quick trip to Starbucks, and McDonalds with the 3 year old in the back, but the point is I felt human. I still wish that I could get Starbucks in a IV as I get used to sleepless nights, but beggars can't be choosers. I am so happy to drive again, and I actually wished I could work out too.

I have been trying to remind myself at 3 a.m. that although this time in infancy completely sucks, I am so lucky. Where I have been to get where I am at is amazing. Every time I look at her I think about the months of depression, the miscarriage, the many many months I watched go by with negative pregnancy tests, and I think... my have we come along way. I may be looking at the world through tired eyes right now, but my greatest wish was granted, so how can I complain? Many of you reading this have been where I have been, or are going through your own painful process, the one thing I can say that I whole heartily learned was the life of a child is one thing we have absolutely no control over, and you must turn to faith that it will happen when it is supposed to. 

The good news along with counting my blessing is I have yet to feel the post baby depression, or the massive weepy's. I have been weepy every now and then when I have an overwhelming moment, or something like Rylan brushing Addie's head and telling her he loves her, moves me. I am sure more weepy's come when I am 100% on my own to try and find a grove, but for now I am lucky to have help in town. I also feel really good about myself post baby. Last time I sunk into a deep depression silently with a mixture of "holy crap what did I do to my life" overwhelming feeling, and "holy crap what happened to my body". I suffered alone, while wearing extra large clothes, looking and feeling sorry for myself. This time I am mindful of keeping this is check, and knowing if I find that path I need to say something and call it what it is. 

The update on Addison is we are waiting for the GI specialist to give us a call back and schedule her in. She continues to have signs of reflux and sensitivity to her formula. The good news is it has gotten a bit better, and she is an AMAZING baby. She barely cries (only for food, discomfort, or diaper change), and loves love. I love watching her face with excitement when she smells me, and rubs her little baby face against my cheek, as if to tell me in her own way how much she loves me. 

The update on Rylan is he is still adjusting. He continues to hate it when the baby isn't being held by me, and torments the heck out of her if she is in the cradle or bouncy seat sleeping. He has had ALOT of time outs, and has been quick to be a bit mouthy to Mom and Dad. We are not sure if this is 3 or adjusting to big brother mode, or a combo, either way it stinks. The good news is he continues to ask to hold Addison, and she continues to be the first and last person of the day he speaks of. Next week is the "BIG WEEK" for him, as he is starting preschool.

The update on Pete is he is back to work. This is sad since we loved having him home. Thankfully it is a holiday weekend and we will enjoy him for any extra day then expected. My sister is in town with my niece which has been a awesome. It makes it alot easier to have an extra set of hands around this place, and another preschooler to play with my feisty little man.

Rylan's Birthday Party

Rylan had a weekend of fun. Saturday included his big birthday bash with family and friends. It was a hit! Sunday was a small gathering to celebrate his big day. 

Here are some pictures: 

Addison dressed for Summer and her first party
Rylan is happy to find airplanes amongst his gifts
Penelope and Rylan enjoy cupcakes and a chair 
Rylan makes a wish
Checking out his cake with his picture on it
My Sister and her family (along with Addison)

Grab the toys from the Pinata
Pinata time
Family of four
Trampoline was a HIT
Lucas
Lillian
Ava
Aj and Wally
Kelly and Addison
Julia and Rylan bounce

Momma's Drinking Again!

and I will give you one guess the reason why...

(kidding) Addison is a wonderful baby. Now that she is out of my belly however, I can indulge in some adult beverages again!

Happy Birthday Rylan!!!

Born June 28, 2006

ONE!
TWO! (a sad two since he got stiches the day before his birthday)
THREE!
Happy 3rd Birthday Rylan! We love you!

2 Weeks Rears It's Ugly Head

UPDATE: Tonight my poor little daughter nearly chocked just as Rylan did. She literally was gagging and I had to pound her back to help her clear her throat. The same cause for Rylan stopping to breathe was the the culprit: Mucus. This lovely formula with the mix of reflux, has turned into thick, nasty mucus puke, that makes little throats be troublesome. I am worried. Now I can't leave her alone.

I remember 10 days old was the clincher for us with Rylan. Up until then we thought he was the perfect, easiest baby ever made. Then suddenly he was in pain, puking all over, and trying to breathe. Yikes.

10 Days hit us this week with full force this week. My poor Addie cakes is suffering from reflux too. Last night was the final determination that this is indeed what she is dealing with, when she made the same noise that Rylan did when he was little, while trying to catch a breath. I wanted to curl up and cry. My poor baby in pain. I obviously can not birth babies that are reflux free. She also is struggling with formula issues like he had too. Luckily we are taking aggressive steps for relief, and she has started Zantac today, and will be visiting the GI specialist soon.

I also had my doctor follow-up today too. I am healing well, can finally drive, but was advised not to carry anything more then the baby (including the baby IN her car seat for the next month--this is impossible since Pete is back to work and I can not afford a nanny to do such things). It is also impossible to believe that I won't pick Rylan up for the next month either. The fantastic news is I am now 4 pounds away from my baseline weight they had on file--now that is something to celebrate with ice cream! 

What Not To Wear Dos Santos Style: PLEASE VOTE

Please take a look at this pattern:
This is what Pete got for Father's day (NOT from me) AND he actually ASKED for it:
Now there is a debate in my house. Pete thinks this is totally ok for a young 38 yr old to wear on vacation. I think this shirt should be worn by a 60 yr old man on HGTV looking for a retirement home in Mexico or Costa Rica. 

Please. Before What Not To Wear rolls up to the front of our house...comment and tell us what YOU think HONESTLY! No sugar coating! And if you have never commented before.... please just this once. Help my husband.

I'm Shrinking AND Engaged!

What a beautiful thing...not only have I dropped 20 pounds...

MY ENGAGEMENT RING FITS! (not the wedding band)

New Pics Of Addison

Awake and ready to rock
Sleepy baby with pursed lips
Wild hair
A nap for the first time in her crib

Busy Day Out And About

We finally made it out of the house in public as a family. I know...it only took us 11 days!

There is something to be said about returning to old routines after everything turns new at home. We brought Rylan to Gymboree since we have a ton of make up's to do. I thought it would be something just to do for the sake of doing since he hasn't liked it all that much lately, but he seemed to actually miss it. He was even more excited to have both parents in the Gymbo house, and that his baby sister wasn't gaining the main source of our attention. I am always a little nervous bringing Pete to such places as he tends to act like one of the kids. He tried a little balancing act on one piece of equipment and I held my breath worried he might have to get kicked out. When it was time for bubbles and stamps on the kids belly, I kiddingly asked Pete if he wanted to lift up his shirt and join them. He plastered a sneaky smile, and I knew I better not dare him or he would do it. Can you imagine my husband with a Mickey Mouse and Swiper stamp on his tummy? Yikes. I could never return to that place.

Addison slept the entire time through Gymboree, and then through a trip to the mall. Old ladies ogled at her, and I kept thinking in my head "you touch her I will bite your hand off". Random women walked by me and blessed me, and I kept getting the question "how old is she". It is funny because Mom's that only have one child, or older folks that don't remember what it is like to have two or more, think I am nuts to be out. Frankly, there are many things you would never have done with the first but do the good ol' "eh she'll be fine" with the second. The Dos Santos clan, especially the three yr old, could no longer handle being stuck in a house. Addison happily slept in her stroller the entire time, and nobody touched her, except for my awesome OBGYN. Yep, I caught her at Starbucks. I was so happy she got to meet my baby girl, and she praised me for being out and about, and seemingly well put together. She wouldn't had said such things if she was a fly on the wall at 4 am at our house. Nor did she see us feed Rylan McDonalds for like the 7th day in a row. This is what you call survival my friends: Starbucks for Mom, McDonalds for child.

Our busy day out ended with an unexpected trip to the pediatricians office! Addison has been super gassy, fussy, puking, not pooping, and just "off" lately. I talked to some nurse on the phone at first that seemed to have two brain cells, and lackadaisically said, "eh give it a few days and see what happens"(did she not hear me that my child was only 11 days old!). I wanted to respond, "beauchhh come over and  see for yourself". Instead I calmly hung up, and called back to make an appointment. Luckily my in laws took Rylan for the night, because we were not seen by the doctor until 9:15pm! Thankfully it was her main doctor. It has been concluded that she is either A. allergic to the formula, B. has reflux, or C. both A and B (which Rylan had). So she started out with A. by switching her to Alimentum and seeing if she digests that properly and if the symptoms die down. If they don't in a week, they we are headed to the reflux specialist ASAP, since the doctor said after what we went through with our first she will be much more aggressive about treating it with our second. I just want a happy baby that isn't suffering. So the night finished out with making new formula at 10:30 pm, and hoping for the best. She seems to be feeling much better then she did, but it is to soon to really tell.

FIXED

Ok. So not only am I a virgin to i-movie, I am also a virgin to you tube! I apologize for all of you out there who tried to view the Rylan video and were unable to do so. I was wondering why nobody commented on it! So please go back and check out THIS post and tell me what you think!

It makes me want to cry, but heck it is my baby turning three this weekend, so naturally I would.

A Bunch Of Mumbo And Exciting Stuff For The Blog

GODZILLA

Rylan is starting to show just how much a little sister is cramping his style. Although she is the first thing he asks for in the morning, and the last person to kiss/give loves too goodnight, he seems to want to make sure that she knows he is boss around here. When she is in her cradle he makes a point to slam it against the wall, when she is in her bouncy seat, he attempts his own way of giggling her that could easily give her whiplash, when she is in her swing he is stopping it, and then making it swing higher...you see the pattern? Imagine what he looks like from her point of few..Godzilla! He also seems to be doing alot of hitting and kicking of his parents when he doesn't get his way. We struggle with trying to understand what he is going through, while trying to make sure that he knows this is not the appropriate way with handling things. It is all new to us, and certainly an adjustment to the family. We also know it could be alot worse, and we are lucky that Rylan shows so much positive affection towards his baby sister.

Keeping You A Breast

I apologize to my male readers but I must write about this. Text books say milk supply should most likely vanish within 24-48 hours of non-usage. Apparently I am not the typical situation, as it has now been a week and I am still in high demand of tight bras, and panty liners to keep leakage at bay. Mr. Righty thinks it is fun to leak every friggen time Addie cries. It is great when I answer the door with ring around the nipple--much more attractive then ring around the collar. Funny how I tried to breastfeed with Rylan and had barely any milk, and now that I am not with Addison, I have enough to feed a small village in Africa. Every way I awake hoping not only the rain will go away, but also the milk!

Second Kid On The Block

Not only do I  have my 10 day old baby sleeping in her crib for a nap right now, I'm also using BOTH Dr. Browns and Born Free bottles, and to top it off I dropped her paci on the floor and blew on it and stuck it back in her mouth (it wasn't nipple down so I think it was ok!)! Ahh the things I would have never done with the first child, but this time round I am winging it. I am also actually using all that stupid stuff that I thought was such a scam the first time round. You know, the swaddlers (which she can escape from), the white noise (she especially loves the womb sounds), and the sling (I didn't have one before, but thought they would be useless, this time I borrowed one from a friend and the lil'girl thinks she is back in Mom's belly). I have also read "The Happiest Baby On The Block", because clearly at 10 days old she should be sleeping through the night (if only a girl could dream). It is my hopes that these methods will get her back to sleep quicker after a midnight feeding, instead of her staring up at me wanting to have a girl chat at 3 am. It hasn't even been two weeks and I am SO OVER the lack of sleep/getting up with a toddler thing. I feel hung over everyday, except there was NO party last night, and the only one that was drinking heavily, was that cute baby downing her Similac. 

Biggest Loser

I know I can not take credit for the rapid post baby weight loss but HOLY CRAP! I remember when I left the hospital with Rylan I couldn't understand why I still could fit in my maternity clothes, and why my body didn't snap back like an elastic band to my 20-something pre-baby body weight. Nobody told me this shocker: that my body had changed forever, and the hips don't lie. Except instead of gyrating hips to Shakira because I was looking so sexy, I was trying to hide the big mothers with everything I could find. Somehow when you suddenly turn fat after being skinny you wear clothes 5 times too big and think it "hides you", when really you just look bigger. This time when I was exiting the hospital with Addison I knew what to expect. I full on thought I would cry in the mirror when I saw what was left, but ironically I looked at my birthday suit and thought "I can work with this". Sure I gained some extra upper ass fat, and some love handles on the hips, but I also only gained 30 pounds in total vs. with Ry I gained over 50! Now here is the kicker. With Rylan I lost 15 pounds at best when I got to my 6 week appointment and was told the rest was up to me to lose. This time I have lost over 20 in a WEEK! (and folks may I remind you that is without breastfeeding!) I only have 10 to go and I will be back to my Sporty Spice Summer weight, hopefully by my 6 week appointment so when I begin to diet and work out, I will own hips like Shakira. The other night I ate a snickers bar, and woke up and lost 6 pounds. If only this was the way of life.

Practicing For College

As noted above my girl knows how to toss one back old school style. She is a champ at chugging. So was Rylan at this age, however I am sure I don't have to remind most of you who have been reading this blog from the early stages, or have known me since becoming a Mom, that it came with nasty consequences. Sure he was a great eater but he rocked puking better then any child ever has. The nurse that used to run our hospital group reminds me every time we see her that his reflux is unforgettable. When we noticed Addison spitting up in the hospital we asked the dreaded question to the pediatrician. He said that it is sadly hereditary, but soothed us by saying if any parent could deal with it, it would be us, since apparently Rylan's case was unforgettable to him too! Recently, in the past few days Addison has been spitting up alot more. It doesn't seem much, since Rylan literally used to puke up entire bottles, but it still has us anxious. Yesterday and today she was really fussy when awake, and hard to soothe. I keep saying a silent prayer in my head, "please God NOT another reflux baby. Just bless me with easy relaxed baby, I deserve it after Rylan". Regardless if my prayer is answered the good news is the pediatrician is right, and I didn't get the name "queen of reflux" from some fellow Mom's for nothing.

What's For Dinner Tonight?

That would be StoveTop Stuffing my friend! Something new for the Momma's June Bugs blog--we are taking up a challenge! StoveTop Stuffing has asked me to take their dinner challenge which includes five meals for $50 and under! Did they have the right person to ask or what? First I love to cook, and secondly I don't need to be double dogged dared to take on a challenge. The entire month of July I will not only be featuring my own creative meals for $10 and under each, but I will also being giving away FREE StoveTop to lucky readers who are also up for the challenge! Worried you don't have a blog but want to give it a whirl--not a prob! You can still enter, and if you find a creation you really love, you can be a guest on my blog and feature it for others! During a recession this is what we need to be doing! Plus who doesn't love StoveTop! Stay tuned for July is StoveTop month! (plus I am sure you would love something else to read on here other than leaky boobs, and crying babies)

Happy Fathers Day To The Daddy Up In This Crib

I can't imagine that the first time Pete lay eyes on me that he envisioned me giving him two children someday. Mainly because we met at an 80's party and I had Aquanet teased hair with lots of bejeweled wear, while he was wearing a white suit and a baby pink shirt with loafers minus the socks, but regardless do you ever know what the future holds when you meet the person you marry? I certainly didn't. Heck I didn't even know I would marry him at the time, I was just pleased some boy fetched me a drink. 

I could say I always knew I would marry someone who would make a great Father, but many people in my past would protest in disagreement because Pete was the first and last of the "nice guys" I dated. I always knew he would be good to me, and take care of me when I needed to be cared for, but never did I imagine the amazing Father he would turn out to be. 

I am lucky. He is a stand up guy. A loving husband. A Father that goes above and beyond. 

I know that no matter what the future holds that as long as he is around, Rylan, Addison, and I, are well taken care of and could not ask for more.

Happy Father's Day Pete!! We love you!

Pete and his kids:
Pete and Rylan the day after he was born:
Pete and Addison the day after she was born:

Ode To Rylan When He Ruled Our World

In honor of two major things happening in Rylan's life this June (becomes a big brother AND turns 3 next week), I took it upon myself to make my first i-Movie. Pete and I kiddingly said this was "Rylan's song" during the duration of my pregnancy since it would be soon enough that he would have to share his throne. (click on video frame for forward to Youtube for Full view of the movie)



Be prepared for many new i-Movie's to come!

1 Week Old

Sleepy Baby on her Dad
Dreaming about something good in her car seat
Rylan holding her and checking out her birthmark on her head

First Week Of Life

One week ago today, I was strapped to a surgical bed waiting to hear the first cry. Little did I know it would come faint while still inside me. With a great deal of pressure, and a large push like somene was playing giddy up on my belly, she became louder, and our life as one had ended. 

I cried. I cried because she was healthy. I cried because of all those months prior to making her, how much I wanted her. I cried for all the fear I carried during this pregnancy, that now it was over. I cried because yet again my body was able to bring life into this world. I cried because she was now part of the outside world, and I had to share her.

A birth is much like a wedding. A well anticipated event that we have hopes in remembering every ounce of it, when really we live it like a dream. We hold onto pieces of that day in hopes of not forgetting the moment, the feeling, the importance of it. Sadly we never get to remember all of it, as it is like an outer body experience. 

Looking at the picture from the operating room of the three of us, I can't even remember her little yellow hat, or what it felt like moments before she came into the world with a cry. How many other things will I forget as time goes on? I think I ponder this because when looking back over Rylan's birth much of it is blocked out. It seems like decades since that day happened, and I can no longer look at Rylan and picture him as the baby that once lay inside my body. It has only been a week since Addison arrived and I have already forgotten pieces of her birth, and can not even try to recreate in my mind how it felt when she moved inside me! Her little stump of the cord is a constant reminder that any day it will fall off and be the last reminder that her and I were once connected as one person. How less then a year ago I sat crying over a pregnancy test unable to believe the two lines it had shown. Or how about 9 months ago I saw her little beating heart on an ultrasound fighting hard to grow as she was just a mere dot on the screen. 

I keep thinking about what someone told me a few weeks ago. That as kids we can never love our parents the same way they love us, especially the Mom's. It is so true. As a kid you never think about the fact your Mom had gone through being one with you for 9 months, or the impact of a birth. These are mere facts about our existence since everyone gets here this way. To a Mom it is not so factual and more emotional and personal. A moment in life that a Mom never forgets, and the child never pretends to remember except on their birthday when they ask for the most popular toy for their age. A moment I hope Addison gets to experience someday and that she can live what I have lived and know how much her Mom loved her.

Today was her 1 week appointment. She has gained much of her birth weight back, she is only an ounce under (7.2). Everyone ooo'd and ahh'd over her in the waiting room remembering when their kids were that tiny. Although I am lacking sleep, it makes me want to freeze her in time. I don't want her to be two in a blink of an eye, and being the women oohing and ahhing at someone elses baby in the waiting room.

We also brought her out to Babies R Us which would never be even heard of with my first baby. Along with the fact we are using two different brands of bottles (since we got one as a freebie) and I am already contemplating switching formulas in the near future for something more recession friendly. My my how second baby syndrome makes us more relaxed parents. I even already put her in her crib to watch the mobile (which at 1 week she already See's and loves!) while I take shower. When I had Rylan all of these things would have been forbidden in my mind.

The only thing I do have that is a little crazy new Momish is I can not stand being without her. I think it is the fact I carried her around with me for the past months, and now being without her feels odd. I worry about her even if she is a few rooms away from me in perfectly wonderful hands like her Fathers. I can not stop being Momma bear to her, not yet anyway. 

Pics From The Past Few Days

Already happy in the swing
Rylan has been enjoying his Daddy time
Grandma and her two grandkids
My Addie-cakes
Addison already admiring her Papa
Clearly NOT a fan of the bath
Proud Big Brother

What About Boob

I am guessing you cross the line of inappropriate when you are reaching in your freezer for your son's "boo boo bear" to insert in your bra for some milk making relief. What can I say besides: desperation. Luckily it did help with some of the pressure. Right now I am really feeling like a porn star since they are bigger then my head! They don't even look like mine! It is as if in between midnight feedings I ran off to Dr. 90210 for some implants. I am sure they would like great in a bikini, if only the rest of me would. 

Can I just outwardly say that I am so sick of every ones "breast is best" talks. I get that it was rewarding for you, and that you felt it was best to do with your child, but for me it wasn't. I kiddingly on this blog started to write about how I was going to bottle feed as if it was no big thing from the start of this pregnancy. When in all actuality it was a very hard choice for me, especially in the end.

When I was told by the neonatologist that my baby was made to breast feed because of her amazing mouth, and then I watched my newborn root at everyone that held her, I second guessed this bottle only choice. Luckily it was the day of my c-section, and I just could not bare to move, never mind position myself for breastfeeding. One of my fondest memories was the first time I breastfed Rylan, of course I would love to feel that bond with Addison too. I will just in other ways.

Here is the deal. I am not doing it because of the following reasons: I don't want to pump and spend all of my free time doing so when I could be doing other things like play with Rylan and do laundry, I want Pete to relieve me by taking on some feedings and last time I checked he is not lactating, and most importantly, if not THEE reason for not wanting to go there again is the emotional stress. Last time I battled some pretty heavy post pardum depression that I choose to ignore and suck up as "baby blues". The start might have been baby blues, but as my hormones started to fluctuate, my baby became sick, and breast feeding to a quick turn for the worst, I was a hot hot mess. I will never forget feeling personally rejected when Rylan no longer wanted to latch on. I remember the feeling when my milk supply dwindled, I was spending all day and night pumping, and was told Rylan was allergic to my milk. I felt like a failure. A new Mom failure. I do not, will not, return to that place. 

As the weepy hormonal stage sets in, people seem to forget about how sensitive a new Mom is. From all angles of my life I am getting "your NOT breastfeeding" slack everywhere, and I start to feel the Mom guilt. When I discussed my Olympic rooter to Addison's pediatrician and how I felt bad because I felt like she wanted to breastfeed and I was in fact denying her, the Dr. calmly told me that in fact she is rooting for anything NOT a breast, and that I would not get any slack from her for strictly bottle feeding. Yet every time, every stinking time, someone new meets her and sees her root the same words come storming out, "she wants to breastfeed". This may not be implied to hurt my feelings, but my sensitive self feels horrible. What I hear is "you are denying her". 

This is all I have to say to the critics out there. Don't judge me for what I think is best for me and my child. You have not walked in my shoes. What might have come easy to you, could very well be hard for me. Next time you want to give me your two cents please think about my feelings. I might seem like an ice queen on the outside, but on the in I am melting.

Boobs. The never ending battle to use or not to use. Regardless they are all made to do the same thing...leak, engorge, and make our inner porn star come out. At the end of the day, even if I can't wear a bikini, I know I have made the right choices for me and my family. I also know these hard massive lumps will soon subside.

Running On Empty

Ah remember the days when you were young and could party all night, get up for class the next day at 8 a.m., and still completely function as a regular human. I should have had babies then. Except I am pretty sure it would have been frowned upon to be wearing a baby Bjorn while dancing in the corner at a hip bar in Boston or NYC  and drinking a Malibu pineapple. Regardless, sadly I am no longer that spring chicken, and man am I feeling it today.

I am not sure if it is the lack of sleep, my flabby post baby tummy, or my leaky breasts that are making me feel less then attractive today. I think it maybe is my ghetto answer to "I am not buying breast pads since I am not breast feeding" that is the reason, which is some lovely panty liners stuck to the inside of my bra. If that isn't hot I am not sure what is. 

Last night was rough. You forget how hard this is. I mean I remembered feeling like complete crap when Rylan was first born, but I also forgot in a lot of ways. Addison likes to eat every two hours!!!!! She eats for a half hour, stirs for another half hour, so in the end that gives she and I an entire hour between feedings to power sleep! 

I tried to be a hero last night. The first time I got up I thought "this is easy--I got this. Let me give Pete a break and he can deal with Rylan in the morning". Soon after feeding number one I heard her stirring in her cradle like nuts. I realized an hour later she took a big ol' poop that ran through the layers she was in. I cleaned her up just in time for feeding number two. This time she was crying for a bottle and I realized my shirt was all wet! You got it, as if being up in the middle of the night was enough, my milk came in at that very moment too! Milk I won't even being using, but drips out every time she is need of a feeding. By feeding number three I asked Pete to take over, and feeding number four I felt like a zombie with golf balls in her boobs, trying to feed the kid, and change her 15th poop diaper for the night, so we both could get back to bed for rest. I also learned she will only tolerate the cradle for a max time of an hour. She then loudly becomes restless and needs to be placed on my heart for some "used to be in the womb of that women" soothing. She then has to be placed in our co-sleeper in our bed for some heavy sleeping. Needless to say she and I didn't roll out of bed until 9:30 today, and if Pete had to work, I would have been screwed.

Tonight we shall try shifts, and do what we can not to wing it like we did last night, or for me to try to be super Mom. Today of course she is sleeping long bouts of time in the swing, and going close to three hours between feedings. Needless to say the swing might have a future in our bedroom with plenty of back up batteries!

Home Is Where Four Hearts Live

We made it home! (thankfully with some good drugs for Mom since I am still feeling pain, and luckily I can have them since I am not breastfeeding)

Everything is going well. Addison has slept through most of the day, and Rylan came home late this afternoon to greet her. He came in and said "baby sister (clap hands) yey Mommy". If hormones weren't going to make me well up, this kid would. As I type, Rylan is watching his night time video and holding her on his lap, whenever Pete or I ask to hold her he says, "no Mommy or Daddy hold". He wants her all to himself. She is wide awake and staring at him. It is amazing to see my two kids look at each other. She started to cry a bit and Pete grabbed her, and Rylan said "Ry Ry help Ry Ry help" and "Ry Ry hold her". I cried.

It will be interesting to see what the night will bring. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing but one can never be to confident. I have a feeling I will awake with every grunt, and movement. You sorta become a freak about such things as sleeping when your first kid stopped breathing on you and you had to resuscitate at 3 months. 

Here is some pics of the day:

Ready to go home in her cute outfit
Waiting for the word that we can go
Cozy at home in her cradle
Rylan makes sure she is ok
Happy to go home
One last shot before we leave the hospital