Lifelines

I actually opened a post category with that title because, really, so much is happening up in this nest and I’ll be completely honest and say that I have no intention of coming out until after the weekend!
Even then, this is Our Spot.

I’m trying to allow Luxe a chance to acclimate to her new environment as smoothly as possible. Creux was left in the middle of the family room as a newborn, with me napping on the couch, and his three siblings whirling around him at all times, slamming doors, dog barking, phone ringing, etc.

You see how well THAT worked out for me :)

So this time, I’ve decided to keep my newborn in a palace and to regulate even little home visitors a bit. We try to give them one on one time here and there throughout the day for everyone’s benefit but mostly so that she doesn’t have a nervous breakdown by Monday.
And mama stays by her side constantly–I’ve been really lucky to have Emily this time around.
And so have the kids!!

Anyway, here’s a bit from today’s smattering of lovers.

Home from soccer camp for like 15 seconds this morning and big brother made an appearance at my door looking for this little lady:

Greer snuck up around 4:00 for some girl time:

Her first post-REAL-milk nursing nap–she crashed for hours!

(And I wish, oh WISH, I could have documented the moment that she realized she actually had something to eat when she latched on! Her eyes sprung open wide and stayed like that while she tried to keep up with the flow. I could hear it hitting her very empty tummy and it was the happiest part of my day–I was so happy to give her that food.)

After dinner, my first one out-of-nest, Greer followed me up looking for more of that precious baby sister and found her AWAKE! (Already Luxe is losing that super newborny look and every day, is a bit more aware. Sniff. This stuff is so short-lived!)

Getting acquainted, all three, while Daddy prepares Luxe’s second little sponge-bath:

9:00ish tonight–bedtime goodnights:

Some things I will tire of.
The 4am nursing, diaper changing, breasts leaking episodes?
Will tire.

But this?

Never.

OH:

MY:

GOODNESS!!

(He did it! He did it! Wasn’t me!)

I still have all of Day Two photos to share and I don’t want to skip them because we had a flurry of sweet visitors, all excited to meet our new girl.
But I’ll constantly be behind if I don’t add some new stuff so these photos coming were all taken this afternoon and evening.

My midwife, Abby, came to check on us girls yesterday and after examining Luxe, said she had a slight case of jaundice. Normal in newborns, especially before mama’s milk arrives (and mine did today!! a day earlier than expected!), usually those in the hospital are placed under UV light trays.
But the sun works just as well!
So we took her out today for just a few minutes and let the sunlight help her regulate herself a bit.

She, uhhh, wasn’t a huge fan.
It was hot, we kept her hat down over her eyes as much as possible, all four other kids plus Em were in the pool splashing and playing–it was chaos at its best and she was in the thick of it!

My personal favorites are the last two photos.

The second to last, the one with Charlie, she’s just so damn sweet with that hat yanked down over her eyes and her little scrawny chicken legs hanging out all over the place.

The last one is self-explanatory :)

Her thoughts on the five minute round of sunbathing:

Hahahahaaaaa…

2:00 today–in front of me:

Beside me:

(And did you just hear a massive sigh of new mommy contentment?)

This looks like her:

This doesn’t–which is why I kept it.
She looks like a fat little Chinese baby!

(And that’s not a slight. I happen to love fat little Chinese babies. I just don’t remember giving birth to one is all :))

It’s hard being 24 hours old:

Night One, post super-fun bath:

Zzzzzz…

(Luxe has been a WONDEROUS sleeper, pulling five to six hour stretches, but the milk train has just pulled into the station and gone are those days of snoozing for her! I need her DESPERATELY!! :))

We’ve made some really great family decisions in the past.
We’ve also made some really bad ones but that’s not what this post is about :)
But this one, THIS one–the Home Bath–ranks right there at the top.

THIS is the way a first bath should be, in my opinion.

The last one I witnessed with Creux (he was the first I’d seen because normally Charlie is with them in the nursery–he was our first babe to be bathed in-room with mama), nearly tore me to pieces.
The scrubbing and the screaming.
The mindless chatter of the nurse.
My baby hating what was happening and me watching from my bed, unable to offer even a comforting word or touch.

Never. Again.
I swore it.
Never again.

Baths do not need to be done immediately–it’s purely just a procedural thing and it’s actually quite good to let a bit of that vernix sink into their skin for a bit.

(It all sort of melts away, really. Not to say she doesn’t need a bath at some point but it doesn’t need to be within the first two hours of life and it doesn’t need to be so…brutal.)

I never knew you could refuse something like a bath.
It never occurred to me to do anything different, honestly.
I just thought that’s the way it was done.
But I had a friend who enjoyed a “family bath” in the hospital with their newborn and that was it for me!
My plan was in place…waaaaaay before I was pregnant again.

And so, we made our change.

Our little baby was bathed in our bedroom, on our bed, surrounded by her family.
We closed the air conditioning vents, warmed the nest, stripped her down and gave her a gentle, loving, sponge-bath.

I watched from my perch in the bed, watched Charlie sweetly and so tenderly wash her down, watched the boys smile and giggle at her complaints, watched her quiet curiosity, watched my family experience something new and beautiful together.

Most importantly, there were no tears, no howls of outrage and misunderstanding.

Just peace.

I will always cherish this memory.

I just had a thought and wanted to share it with you all:

Anyone that tells you that tooth pain hurts worse than natural childbirth is a bold-faced LIAR!

(And if I EVER hear that statement coming from a man again, I will not be responsible for my reaction.
It will be swift and it will be severe and will likely land my @$$ in jail for assault and battery.)

Clearly still working on first day photos :)
Newborns are not totally understanding of blog obsession, let me tell you.
But she’s snoozing right now.
And I am hustling through cute baby pictures…

We took these just after all of the greetings were over and we (Mama and Luxe) settled into bed for the night.
(At 7:00! A record for this girl–but one so yummy, I can’t stop repeating it!)
Right after this, Charlie began assembling the things we’d need for her first bath.

WARNING: Deliciously sweet moments up ahead…

My mom came over as soon as she heard we were home!
And to her credit, she did not blow a gasket when she learned that we just walked right out of there, baby in tow :)
(She’s getting better these days–or perhaps I just am truly unable to surprise her anymore?)

Love this pic of my ma and my girls…