Settling In

Hi, friends!  Long time no talk.  Things have been a little busy around here, you know, just hanging out and birthing a baby.  :-)   It's hard to believe that I would have been 40 weeks today (and that Craft is almost a whole week old!) - although at 9.5 lbs thank the Lord he didn't cook another week, no telling how enormous he could have gotten, ha.  I meant to be super prepared and ask some of my newfound blogging friends to guest post for me, but I didn't get it together in time for that, hence the week-ish hiatus.  Oh well!

We've spent the past week just settling into our new normal.  Some things have been easier than I anticipated, and some things have been more difficult.  One thing is for sure, I did not anticipate the amount of love I would feel all over again - for Craft, for Lilly, for my sweet, sweet husband and the wonderful life we've built together and our sweet family of four.  I am a mushy mess of love, y'all.  I am one of those crazy people that misses my baby belly and all of Craft's sweet little "Get me outta here, I'm out of room!" movements, but I have definitely enjoyed stomach sleeping again.  :-)

Craft seems to be settling in just fine.  He is so alert to not be quite a week old.  He is nursing well and sleeping well, I almost hate to put that out there and jinx it but I have no complaints so far.  Big sister Lilly both ignores him and loves him to pieces.  There have been more tantrums from her than we're used to, but that was to be expected - she is definitely testing the boundaries of our new dynamic.  We have been fortunate to have a lot of help from family and friends and L is getting a lot of extra attention to make sure she's still feeling special and included, and I've been trying really hard to give her my full attention when Craft isn't eating (which seems like a rare occasion - he eats all the time during the day! -  although I guess that's to be expected since so far he's sleeping pretty well at night).

Anyway I'm just popping in on a brief nursing break to say "hello."  I have a lot to write about, including Craft's birth story, as well as some exciting things coming up for my little blog, so stick around for sure.

My BFF Stephanie of Stephanie Aldridge Photography swung by the hospital with her camera and got some absolutely incredible and beautiful photos (per the usual!).  She was there to capture the moments when Lilly met Craft, and I am not sure she will ever know how grateful I am and how much I will treasure these photos forever.  

We did some special things at the hospital to make Lilly feel included and to introduce her to her baby brother.  I had another quick labor so she was able to meet Craft on the day he was born - I was excited to see her and excited for them to meet!  We sent Craft to the nursery right before Lilly arrived, and our original plan (actually this was a suggestion from one of my nurses which we really liked) was for Lilly to go with Dan to the nursery to get the baby.  She was so excited to see me that we ended up just visiting for a few minutes and then letting Dan go get Craft, but we felt like it was important that I not be holding him when she came in the room.  We introduced them and she was immediately enamored, and of course it helped matters that he got her a gift (for anyone who cares, he got her a puzzle, a big sister book and a snap doll).  We had a picnic dinner, watched a little Elmo together and played with her new toys before L headed home with Grandma Susie and Daddy to go to bed.  Luckily, she didn't have a meltdown over me staying at the hospital - I was dreading that and how much it would break my heart.  She actually seemed more upset that she had to leave the baby!  Sweet girl.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a few of the photos from Stephanie...I can't stop looking at them!  All photos below courtesy Stephanie Aldridge Photography (If you're local, call her - seriously!  DO IT.).

My favorite.  It shall be framed in both nurseries at some point, for sure.

My sweet family of four!

Another favorite.

I'll be back soon...stay tuned!

Sarah

Welcome to the word, BB2.0!

Craft Robinson Baum was born on Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 1:38pm.  Our sweet, big, chunky boy tipped the scales weighing 9 lbs 5 oz and 22 inches long.  He is perfect, and we are so in love!

Go Time Round 2

It's that time, friends!  I feel so much more nervous this time around, for some reason. 

The hospital was supposed to call between 5-8a. I got up at 5 and was ready to go by 5:30. I laid back down for some more snoozing and the hospital called at 6:30 asking us to be here around 7:30. My husband got up, went to the bathroom....and got back in bed. Seriously?!?!  Anyway we're here now and checked in. Eeeek!

More details to come!  Still no name. Seriously. We're hoping something will jump out at us when we see him...

AND...big sister is having a fun morning with grandma Susie!

Dear Lilly

Dear Lilly:

I have been trying to sit down and write to you all day, but things just kept getting in the way - emotions, contractions, life.  Tonight was our last night as a little family of three, because bright and early tomorrow morning (if we make it that long!) Daddy and I are heading to the hospital to meet your baby brother.  We can't wait for you to meet him, too.

Our last photo as a family of three!  

i had such grand plans for your last night as an only child, but instead we spent the evening doing what we always do: we played, ate dinner as a family, had a bath, watched Elmo's world, read books and went to bed.  

Doing a puzzle together!

I know it must have worried you that Mommy was so emotional tonight!  I cried during books, during songs, while putting you down to go to sleep.  I may have hugged you a little too tight and given you a few too many kisses.  I just love you so much, sweet girl, and it's hard to believe that you'll be a big sister soon.  I hope you'll take it easy on Mommy.  I know it will be an adjustment for you - it will be an adjustment for all of us - but I think you will be the best big sister in the whole wide world.  I know that you'll be the best "Mommy's helper," and I know your baby brother will love you to the moon and back, just like Daddy and I do.

I guess I mainly just wanted to tell you that you'll always be my baby, no matter what.  You have changed my life completely in the past two years, and it's hard for me to remember what life was like before you came along.  It seems like you've always been here, teaching me, loving me, making me strive to be a better person.  You are sweet, funny, mischievous, and smart among other things, and I know you will teach baby brother to be all of those things and more (but less on the mischievous would be easier on Mommy's nerves, for sure!).  You two are going to have the best time together, I just know it.

I am so honored to be your Mommy, Lilly, and I love you so much more than you will ever know.  I can't wait to watch you and your baby brother grow up together.

Love,

Mommy