Jonah's 1st Visit to Dr. Raley

On Friday morning, the day after we came home, we took Jonah back to St. Francis South to have his blood drawn to check his billirubin levels, and then went to see Dr. Raley. He was 4 days old. He had maintained a weight of 7 lbs 2 oz, which was good. That was about an 8.5% weight loss since birth, and we didn't want him to lose any more. We were a little surprised when Dr. Raley said, "His coloring looks great!" (Really? He's orange!) He wasn't worried about the jaundice, and said it would work itself out as long as he was eating and having wet & dirty diapers, which he was. As I am blogging this & looking at the picture of Jonah stretched out on the scales, I'm thinking, "Wow! That kid was inside of me just a few days ago."...he seems so little until I think of it in that way! Dr. Raley said we have a healthy baby boy, praise God!

Trying to get him settled down...

All tucked back in the carseat and ready to go home! (You would think it was like 50* outside, instead of in the 90's, as bundled up as I had him! He was probably burning up.)

Bringing Home Baby!

We went home from the hospital on Thursday evening around 8:00. We would have gone home earlier, but we were waiting to check Jonah's billirubin levels to see if he would need to spend a night under the lights. Thankfully, they cleared him to go home as long as we took him back the next morning to check his levels again. Thursday, the third day after my surgery, was the day I felt the worst I think. I was pretty miserable, and very ready to go home. 

I found this little outfit from Gymboree with this whale on it, and knew it was perfect for bringing Jonah home from the hospital! Then, in the craziness of packing and leaving, I didn't get a very good picture of him in it. A few days later, I got some really good ones though.

I love this picture below of our cart loaded up with stuff...as always, we had a LOT of stuff! I called and told G-Ma we were on our way home, and she rushed to get the girls cleaned up and ready to greet us. We stopped at Walgreens for my prescriptions and then headed home. When we pulled in, G-Ma and the girls were sitting on a blanket in the front yard with the "It's a Boy!" flag I bought the week before. They started jumping up and down and were so excited to see us! They gave baby brother a very good "welcome home!"

I ordered this carseat cover very last minute, and was so excited that it came the day before Jonah was born! I really wanted to bring him home with it on his seat.

Off we go! I was very glad to be going home.

All loaded up... (I love it that Brian buckled my flowers into the booster seat!)

I was so happy to be at home with my girls again! I missed them while I was in the hospital.

There's Mackenzie, with the video camera again!

Showing baby brother his new room!

He wasn't too excited...but I know he will love it one of these days.

My Three Treasures

I can't even express how much I love my three children. I am blessed beyond words! We took these pictures when the girls came to visit in the hospital on Wednesday. They spent most of the day at home playing with G-Ma. We felt like they needed a sense of "normal" and they just didn't have the attention span to stay at the hospital for more than about an hour at a time. Grandma Baldwin brought them presents the day Jonah was born...these cute matching outfits were part of their present, along with clothes for their ponies, and new books. It is amazing how your love just multiplies when you add another child to your family.

I really don't know what we would do without G-Ma. She would say the same about her three grandbabies...they bring her so much happiness and joy!

She was saying, "I like his little cheeks!"

They were really checking him out!

Touching his nose...again!

I love this sweet video of the girls singing to their baby brother...

Our Hospital Stay

We were in the hospital from Tuesday to Thursday evening. Beware: there are a LOT of pictures on this post. Once again, we had a great experience at St. Francis South. Recovering from a c-section is very difficult...I will spare you the details, but just say that it is very painful and not at all fun. The joy of holding your newborn baby overrides the pain and sickness, but it is still very hard. This third one seemed especially difficult for me...maybe because I am getting old, or maybe because it is a rotten little boy! I am more convinced than ever that our family is complete. I'm not sure I could go through this whole process again.

Brian did the sweetest thing for me...he had ordered a "Jonah" charm for my necklace from Vintage Pearl. He gave it to me on Tuesday morning, after Jonah was born and things settled down. I love it so much!

We had a lot of visitors while we were in the hospital: Carol Sue, Kari & the Romoser clan, Connie & her girls, Carol Sommer, Aunt Barbara, Debbie, Chad & Ammy & Pam, Aunt Amy & the kids, Regina Kring, Jennifer Perona, Ana, Abby & Drew French, Tomi, Jason & Jareck...I know I am probably forgetting someone, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. So, here is the story of our hospital stay...

Daddy gave Jonah his first bath a few hours after he was born. He didn't like it at all! We were still in the recovery room at this point and I wasn't feeling very well so I missed out on most of this. I'm glad Grandma Baldwin grabbed my camera and took a few pictures for me. 

Daddy let G-Ma help get his clothes on!

Once they moved us to the room we would be staying in, I started to feel better and was able to rest a little bit. I'm so glad I had this little hat made with Jonah's name on it. He wore it a lot in the hospital. Right after they moved me into my room, the lady showed up to take his newborn picture...it took her forever and I really just wanted her to leave. The pictures were okay, but I didn't order them. As crazy as I am about pictures, I didn't order the hospital pictures of any of our babies. Surprising, I know. I just knew that I would take a thousand pictures that I liked better than those, and they were too expensive.

Everyone loved the wreath I made for the door. Nearly every person that came into my room commented on how cute it was. I'm so glad I took the time to make it! Now it is hanging on Jonah's bedroom door and it matches his room perfectly.

Later on in the day, the girls came back to visit again...for just a short little while!

Still loving his nose!

I bought them several presents to open during our hospital stay...Jonah sticker books, Dream Light pillows, puzzles, and DVD's. Over the top, I know...but it made me feel better and it gave them something to be excited about!

Mackenzie & her posing... (I'm thinking this will be the last time she wears that skirt...way too short!)

Little bright eyes!

Look at all this dark hair!!!

"Hello, world!"

Tuesday Visitors: (I didn't take pictures of everyone that came.)

It was so sweet of Carol Sue to drive all the way to Tulsa to see us! She brought us some cute little burp cloths & socks and some lotion for me. 

The whole Romoser clan came to visit Tuesday evening. Kari climbed right in bed with me...she also reminded me that she picked a booger out of my nose earlier that morning, right after Jonah was born. (which I barely remembered!) Now that's a true friend! =0) My face was so red because it itched all day because of the morphine...it was driving me completely crazy. 

On Wednesday morning I was able to get up and take a shower. It was painful and I was moving very, very slowly, but it felt so good to be clean. The night before had been very looonnggg...they wanted me to get up and use the bathroom, and it just really hurt for me to move around. I was pretty much begging for pain medicine every chance I got! 

Jonah was fussing and Brian started rocking and singing to him, and he instantly stopped crying. He loves music already!

I have two men in my life now! (And no, Brian wasn't really sleeping...I told him to close his eyes!)

I found this little sleeper that said, "I love Mommy" with little birds on it and just had to have it. Brian said it looked kind of girly, but I didn't care. I thought it was sweet!

I love my baby boy!

Now that's a scowl! I wonder what he was thinking...

Jonah was starting to look a little orange at this point...he had jaundice, just like his big sisters. Thankfully it didn't require use of the billi lights.

Look at those big ol' feet!

The girls came up Wednesday afternoon to visit. Once again, Madison was very interested in Jonah, but Mackenzie was more into doing other things. I was so surprised that she wasn't all about holding him and kissing on him. Maybe later...?!

Oh, how cute are they! (I took several pictures of them together...so many that I put them in their own blog post!)

He has his Daddy's nose...

Wednesday afternoon, Amy brought the kids up to meet their new cousin. While they were there, Dr. Nilson came in and got Jonah for his circumcision. Oh, how I hated it when they took him for that...I didn't want my baby to hurt, but I knew it had to be done. They brought him back about 30 minutes later and said that he did fine. I was just very relieved it was over for him!

One of my very favorite hospital pictures! Grandma & Grandpa Baldwin came back up on Thursday to visit us, and brought this sweet flower arrangement. The special thing about it is that when Brian was born, his dad brought flowers to his mom in this same train holder. She kept it all this time, and now was able to give it to us when our baby boy was born. How very sweet and special! I love it that Jonah is in the background like this...such a cool picture.

Here is an up close picture of the flower arrangement from Grandma & Grandpa Baldwin.

G-Ma brought us this super cute flower arrangement in this little wagon that said, "It's a Boy!" I loved it!

Jennifer Perona also brought beautiful flowers when she came to visit. I have such wonderful friends and family in my life.