1 week old

It's hard to believe that one week ago, we were at the hospital welcoming our baby girl into this world. Our lives have been turned upside down for the better and I couldn't imagine a day without her. It's been a whirlwind of a week, even if it has mostly included feeding her, changing her, and watching her sleep.



We arrived home from the hospital Wednesday afternoon and immediately went down for a nap. I didn't get much sleep in the hospital, with all the excitement of having a baby and the contractions. Mason woke up from his nap and was anxious to see his little sister. He still wasn't sure what to think of everything. He went along with his normal routine and would walk over to her every once in awhile and then go about playing again.



All of our friends have been so great at helping out and bringing us dinner all week long. That night, as we sat down to eat, Taylor started to cry. I didn't know how Mason would react, but my heart melted as I witnessed the sweetest thing. His lip started to stick out and tears began streaming down his cheeks. He couldn't bare to see his sister cry. It was so sweet and so sad at the same time. It breaks his little heart to see his sister upset. I shouldn't be to surprised, because he is such a loving little boy and has a huge heart.



The first night, I was so exhausted and all I wanted to do was get some sleep. She has been a very good eater and sleeper from the start, but already is particular. The girl loves to be swaddled, like most babies, only she knows how to get her little arms loose. If she isn't swaddled, she will still sleep, as long as it is on you. I have heard about Miracle Blankets for awhile and was curious as to what made it different from the other Swaddle Me Blankets. After checking it out on their website, I was hooked. I knew immediately that it would be perfect for Taylor. After looking up to see if they sold any in our city, there happened to be one boutique here in Bakersfield that carries them. However, when we went to JM's on Friday, they didn't have any and weren't sure when they would be getting the next shipment in. I was disappointed, but at least I could still order one online. It should be here tomorrow.



She also will not feed unless she has a clean diaper on and has been burped beforehand. With Mason, we would feed on one side, burp, change his diaper, and then feed on the other side. With Taylor, she prefers a diaper change, burp, feed on one side, burp, and feed on the other. Occasionally, we have had to change her diaper again between feedings, because she will have a blow out. Oh, how I forgot about those days.



Friday morning, we had her 2 day checkup bright and early. That meant getting everyone in the house ready, fed, and out the door by 9am. It was a bit of a challenge, but we made it. Dr. Shah was very pleased with how well Taylor was doing. She weighed 6lbs 13oz, which confirmed that she definitely is a good eater. He did mention she is a little tongue tied, but it hasn't been hurting me at all and since she is eating well, he wasn't concerned. After her appointment we ran some errands. It was nice to get out of the house, but it wasn't long before I was tired and needed to go home to relax.



Saturday, we celebrated Adam's 29th birthday. Unfortunately, we couldn't do too much because of the weeks events. Our friends came over and brought Jake's for dinner and then we just hung out. I felt bad, because neither of us really got to do too much this year for our birthdays, but it has all been worth it. It's going to be crazy with all the birthdays our family has in March, but if anything it makes it a very exciting month.



Monday was our last day home with Adam. It has been so nice having him home with us. We were both spoiled to have him home everyday for the first 6 months of Mason's life, since he worked from home. It's going to be very different this time around. I'm a little nervous about being home alone with a toddler and a newborn, but I know I can do it. I keep reminding myself that if my friend Rachel can do it with twins that are Mason's age and a newborn, then I can do it too.



My recovery is faster this time around and I'm not complaining. I'm able to do a lot more, and I'm not sure if that is because I have a 20 month old to chase around or if it's because I knew what to expect this time. The only thing that caught me off guard were the contractions of the uterus after you have the baby. No one told me that it gets worse each time you have a child. Someone could have warned a sister. The first few days, I was in a lot of pain, but now I'm off of my pain medicines and can enjoy feeding my daughter without having horrendous cramps.



Mason is adjusting really well with all of the changes. He loves his little sister and gives her kisses and then starts laughing. It's so cute! Anytime she is in the swing, he tries to push it and doesn't really understand what gentle means. But he knows now, that he can only play with the swing, when she isn't in it. The real test will be when he has to share his Mommy this week.