Sweet Days

I can't believe how much time has passed and I haven't posted about sweet Lorelai! Things have been pretty hectic between the hospital, her being sick and my being sick, but I think (knock on wood) we are finally on the road to our new normal. Here's my attempt to catch up with pictures and thoughts on the whole experience.

P.S. If you don't want to read all of this novella, just read the first and last parts - they're my favorite!

THE HOSPITAL

One of the things I love the most about our God is how he always surprises me. I cried so many times in the hospital (and since!) at his goodness. I think I was so focused on the practical aspects of having Lorelai, bringing her home, preparing myself for increased work and decreased sleep that I kind of forgot about all the sweetness that comes with all of it. The days we spent in the hospital were so precious - so filled with His peace and joy it was tangible to me. We were so blessed with a perfect combination of our room being filled with people we loved celebrating our precious daughter with us and some quiet time for Kyle and I to love on her and revel in the miracle that she is. I truly thought that nothing could ever compare to the birth of Maelie - everything new, everything a first - that I was overwhelmed by all the blessing that come with the second child. The peace, the fun, the confidence and laid-backness that was present in a new way. I remember looking at Kyle at one point and saying "Isn't it fun to feel like we kind of know what we're doing?" I also know this time around how precious time is. Things that were important to me with Maelie as an infant - not "spoiling" her to being held or sleeping with her, were non-existant. I held her all night everynight knowing that it won't be this way forever and one day she'll be to big to lay on my chest and doze off with.

Truly love at first sight - first sound really...















My sweet girls







THE BIG SISTER
I was so nervous about how Maelie would handle her new role, but it seems that many prayers have been answered on this front, too. She has done better than I ever expected - she loves Lorelai so much and has been so sweet to her. She always wants to see her and give her hugs and kisses. So far, she has yet to get upset when her needs have to wait a minute to feed sister, etc. She loves to help burp her, change her, anything she can do. Her behavior has been pretty consistant other than that, too - just the normal everyday ups and downs, maybe even a little more up than usual. I am just praying that it stays this way and these girls grow up to be good friends.






































THE JAUNDICE
Okay, we have the very best doctor in the world. I do not know many doctors as thorough and as truly concerned with children's health than her. I do not know many doctors who will call you at home at 9:00 to check on your baby and make sure home health brought the right equipment to your house that day. And then, she called back 30 minutes later to see if she had pottied and tell me the things that we should be looking for in case we needed to go to the ER that night. She also called me into the office when the lab results came back for the better to do another type of test just to verify that it wasn't lab error and make sure our baby was safe. I think she was just as relieved as I was when the tests were all good. I got choked up when I left and told her thank you for always taking such good care of my babies. This may sound melodramatic, but I truly don't ever remember being so scared (when someone tells you that the result of too much bilirubin is a break in the blood-brain barrier i.e. brain damage, it's truly chilling) but I knew that we were in good hands and that if anyone could make Lorelai better it was Dr. Saksena.


Our little Gloworm - the picture doesn't do the glow that the biliblanket gave her justice. I had to wrap her up at night so that the light didn't keep her awake.












THE ICK
Right about the time we got over the jaundice, I started feeling pretty pitiful. Very weak and shaky, no appetite and nausiated. I dropped a little over 3o pounds in slightly over a week and was at the doctor's office every morning by 9 the first 3 days at home, so I'm sure that all of that had something to do with it, but Friday night in the middle of the night I felt too shaky to pick up the baby and just felt like something was considerably not right. I talked to the oncall doctor and he said it sounded like anemia and to take it easy for a few days. Luckily we have an amazing family who stepped in to help with the girls and the house. Thankfully, today I have gotten a little bit of energy back and have been able to eat a little bit and feel like we might just be on the upswing.


NO pictures here - they would not have been pretty :)





THE GREATEST FAMILY EVER
Wow! We could not have survived these past few crazy weeks without an overwhelmingly loving and helpful family. Of course, my mom came over and loved on both girls and got the house in shape - she is the world's best Grammy. She also kept Maelie each time I had to take Lorelai to the doctor and kept her little world normal during the days in the hospital. Aunt Melisa came over Saturday night to help me with Lorelai and used her magical organizational skills on my kitchen, fridge and pantry. Aunt Kasey has gone above and beyond - you name it, she's done it. Helped with Maelie, helped with Lore, brought us dinner, she even made us steaks (my favorite!) last night which I credit to the turn around in my appetite :) Everyone has been so helpful - I truly don't know what we'd do without our family.


















































THE GREATEST HUSBAND EVER
I have never been more impressed or blessed by my husband. Kyle has been amazing. I can't even put into words how much it has meant to me to have him by my side. On top of just being a precious Daddy and loving on my girls, he walked in the door working - working on keeping the house up, working on spending extra time with Maelie, working on making me feel like a good Mommy and a good wife. It almost makes me feel a little guilty that even since he has had to go back to work, he works all day and then comes home to help with dinner, mow the lawn, clean the kitchen, get Maelie ready for bed, etc. You name it, he has done it. Not just in acts of service, but in words of affirmation, a well-timed hug, a sweet smile as he rocks my sweet baby, a precious prayer over our family, a million other ways. I knew from the moment I met him that he would be a great Daddy, and it seems like he has really come into his own. I wouldn't be the same without him.