six weeks

Six weeks, and we've had some big changes.  Or maybe just one big change that has affected every aspect of our lives. Six weeks ago (today, actually) we became a family of five.  Here are some of the highlights: 

Nightly bedtime stories where they all pile in together and read.  Love that this is their thing.

A big thanks to everyone who helped before baby C was born.  A & B basically moved in with my parents the week before he was born because I was good for absolutely nothing.  

And here we are at the hospital.  Yes, I went natural.  Yep, it was hard.  (I feel like I knew what I was getting into since with A & B my epidurals never kicked in, but still had a third kid anyway.) This time was MUCH better however, because we were a lot more proactive about labor instead of crossing our fingers and hoping the medicine would kick in.  And it was really, really fast.  Was induced at 11:30 a.m. (after being in labor for 2 weeks already on and off, was really frustrated about needing pitocin, but became game for it after being 4 days over due).  My doctor broke my water at 1:00 and as you know, that when things always get moving.  Baby C was born by 2:30p.m.  It flew by so fast my Doula didn't even have time to unzip the bag of things she brought to help labor along.  I kept telling everyone we still had a few more hours to go because that's how the other two have gone.  But my doctor barely made it back to catch the baby.  And I am just happy not to be super pregnant.  (Have I mentioned he was a ginormous baby? 9 lbs 14 oz? The pediatrician said that's like giving birth to a 2 month old)

Couldn't have done it without Bug.

 Here's a picture of my Doula for everyone who is interested: and yes I would highly recommend hiring one.

 Bug was SO proud of me I think that he got a high off of the natural delivery as well.  Which, let it be known here: I am a fraud.  If I knew that epidurals worked for me the way they are supposed to, going natural wouldn't even be a consideration for me.  But now that its all said and done, SO glad I did it this way.

The siblings meeting for the first time.

my dad is a bit of a scout fanatic...as hinted at here

getting ready to leave the hospital

 The big sister has been obsessed with her baby brother, and hasn't seemed to wane interest so far.  In fact she really wanted to bring my breast pump to preschool show and tell, but mean mom that I am we had her choose something else.

 And Miss A graduated from preschool.  Can't stand how old she is getting.  And that she starts KINDERGARTEN this next year.  Seriously where does the time go?

 Miss A also had a big dance recital, which I love that she has no hesitations about getting up and preforming.  But that also meant around our house that preschool and dance were over for the summer leaving me with 3 kids.  (still haven't taken them to the grocery store with me...pretty sure I'd have a nervous breakdown)

 Taking good care of the little one.  This baby gets a fourth as much sleep as the other two since he is constantly woken up by kisses and other good intentions by his siblings.

one month old

 And big brother B has some interest in this new baby brother, but has other things on his mind for the most part.  Like playing outside all day long.  I had Bug install a full-on hotel room lock on the front door before he had to go back to work so that this little escape artist wouldn't run out the front door while I was nursing his brother.  (To my friends who just had their first baby: please take a nap when your baby is napping for my sake.)

We sure love our little guy.  He is a great baby.  He's already given us a scare earlier in the week when Bug found a lump when changing his diaper one night.  I was a nervous wreck about it, and hated every moment in the doctors office when they had to cut it open.  Knives and needles...and only sugar water to calm him down.  These are my least favorite moments as a mom.  But he is doing better much.  Just crossing our fingers that the abscess doesn't come back.  But little baby C was nothing but a doll about it all.

Other moments of note:

• Already lost B on one of our initial outings.  Traumatized me so much that I have sworn off going to parks without Bug for a year. 
• Felt like a rock star the first time our family of FIVE attended church (which we have 9:00 a.m. church)...never mind we only were there 2ish out of 3 hours.  And that when I heard Baby C crying in the corner, I wondered who's baby it was before cluing in.
• Getting okay amounts of sleep...having a newborn is hard on that no matter what.
• Spending the entire morning getting everyone ready to go to my  mom's house, loading up the car with projects and kids to find out at the last minute the car was dead.  (Glad that after I piled everyone out my sister came and picked us up so we could still make it out for the day)
• Completely obsessed with getting this little guy to smile at us.  I think it's all our favorite thing at the moment.  And super happy that it confirmed he has a dimple too.

Six weeks have already flown by.  Six weeks! I keep thinking of the quote "The days are long but the years are short."  Couldn't believe in it more.  So, just trying to store up all the precious moments of cuddling up with my little guy.