Home With Our Baby Girl

Walking through the door at home that Saturday was the best feeling — the smell of our house, the comfort of our living room, our bed, our shower... I could go on and on. All of these things made us happy — happy to share all these things with our new baby girl.

As soon as we walked through the door, we had to make a big introduction. This video tells it all... MB and AC, love at first sight? Maybe.

We did send home a blanket and one of her hats from the hospital with my parents so she could get used to her smell. Mom said she slept on the blanket the night they brought it home. So meeting her for the first time went pretty good. Of course, we still catch her looking at her sister and then us and it's like she's asking us, why did y'all bring this home!

After the Mr unpacked the vehicle, it was time to start adjusting to having a baby in the house. Of course we were prepared thanks to all the sweet people who showered us with gifts for her, but we had to get mentally prepared knowing there was a baby in the house. I remember putting her in her bouncer for the first time and just staring at her. The Mr had to make a run get my meds and lunch, and I told my mom... I can't believe she was inside of me. I mean, you know there is a baby in your belly because you can feel her movements, hiccups, and you see the belly growing... but then you have her outside of you and you are in awe of the gift God gave you. He made her, and he made us parents to a perfect baby girl.

Not long after we were home, we had our first visitor. Abby came to meet our sweet girl.

And later that evening, one of the Mr's co-workers wife brought us dinner and another casserole to have at a later time. It was nice not having to think about dinner that night. Mom was here with us, but since AC came early, I didn't have time to make that last run to the grocery store so mom went for us that afternoon.

Our first night at home was a dream come true. Not only did we have our little one here, she did great during the night. The Mr got up with me for feedings, and we were pleasantly surprised how wonderful the night actually was.

Sunday, my dad came back over to see his granddaughter. He had to leave the morning after she was born, so he was ready to get his hands on her again.

We had a quiet Sunday at home, and then it was time for bed. But we didn't have the same night as we did the night before. The Mr and I kept asking who swapped our child? Poor thing was not wanting to sleep, so we all took turns rocking and walking around the house with her.

The next morning we had to get ready for her first pediatrician appt. Yes, her appt was at two in the afternoon, but we knew it would take us a long time to get ready. And yet somehow we were still ten minutes late!

We really weren't sure what to expect with this appt. I mean, I've never been to a baby's Dr appt before. The nurse came in and told us to strip her down to be weighed. And she did not like that. The nurse told us she weighed 6 lbs 14 ozs. The Mr and I both started to worry. We knew she would drop some of the weight after birth, but she left the hospital on Saturday weighing 7 lbs 1 oz. The Dr came in and asked how the feedings were going. She mentioned I might want to pump to see exactly how much milk I was getting, and that we would probably want to up her supplement of formula to let her get 2.5 to 3 ozs each feeding. And then the dreaded heel stick for blood work. I'm not sure who cried more, me or her. I know she screamed though and it broke my heart. And her bili count had risen, mainly because of the weight loss, so we would have to come back again tomorrow for another recheck. =(

We got home from her appt and I pumped and realized I was only getting about an ounce to an ounce and a half with each pumping. And who knows if she was really getting that much when she nursed. So we upped the formula amount after I fed her my milk so she was getting a total of 3 ozs. Y'all the poor thing was starving. She ate, and ate and ate. And she slept so much better than the night before.

At her next appt, her bili count was down and she had gained 4 ozs overnight!! The Dr told us whatever we did after the appt until then, to keep it up. And they would see us at her two week old appt.

 
The next day we had another visitor, Stephanie. This was her first time to meet both of my girls!! We enjoyed her visit and can't wait for her to come back and bring Tadd!

One of my dad's co-workers gave AC a blanket about two weeks before she was born. I thought it was a good size blanket for us to take to the hospital, and never would I realize how much that blanket would be used. I'm talking this is her favorite blanket, and it's basically become her security blanket. We've since purchased another one in a light blue color just like it so we can have one at all times, especially when the other one is being washed. Her favorite thing is to have it wrapped around her and covering the back of her head. I think she looks like a little eskimo when it's on her head. =)

On Wednesday, I had my Dr's appt for a week check up from surgery. I was so emotional that day. I basically cried from the moment I woke up until I went to bed. Before we were called back to see my Dr, we went back to ultrasound to see Pam. As soon as she walked out to see AC, I started bawling. Everyone kept asking me why I was crying and I couldn't explain it. I just couldn't stop. I realized afterwards that Pam was the one who showed us her first heartbeat, told us she was a girl, and then she was finally getting to meet our little one. My Dr checked out my incision and said everything looked great. Of course, she said most c-section patients come for their first week appt in pajamas and I was some what dressed up. And she was happy I was getting around so well. But, she informed me that she thought I was trying to overdo it. And to take it easy because there is a reason c-sections have a longer recovery time.

And just like that, our baby girl was a week old!!! Nothing would ever compare to that first week of so many firsts. I remember texting the Mr at 9:35 that Thursday morning that she turned a week old. I told him I couldn't believe our baby was a week old, and he wrote back, it's been the best week of my life. He also said he teared up when he was talking to a co-worker that week and said "my daughter" for the first time, ever. So many firsts that week, but we realized we will have many many firsts for many years to come!