My First Halloween!

The day of many events started off with my bath so that I would be clean when mommy showed me off at her work. Hopefully, everyone appreciated that... ;)! Yep, our first stop was a visit to Danmar Products. We didn't even really make it in the door before there were many people crowding around me peeking over the side of my car seat. Mommy's boss told dad that he could scoot in past the foyer. I think he just wanted daddy to get me in closer to him so that he could see me better... right Dan? Hidie was the first to hold me. Actually, she might have been the only one to hold me because she wouldn't let anyone else touch me. Of course, I then got hungry and mom and dad got me back. Everyone was a very nice to me and my mommy and daddy. They had doughnuts, cookies and cider for everyone there and for us. Thank you to the people of Danmar for making my first visit a welcomed one. Sorry if I don't remember everyone's names yet. Maybe on my next visit, my daddy can take pictures of everyone with me!!

After our visit with everyone at Danmar, we ventured down the road to grandma's house. I decided that I would be good at grandma's house at least today because it is her birthday. Grandma decided that she wanted to hog me a bit (I don't mind...) and she sent mommy and daddy upstairs to take a little nap. Grandma and I just hung out and chatted. Then we ate dinner and had some Boston Creme Pie that Grandpa Randy had made from scratch and were "On The Road Again..."
Another little jaunt down the backroads and we arrived at my cousin's house so that we could go trick or treating. I basically just hung out in my stroller as we all walked around while Sydney and Colton filled their bags with goodies. They did pretty well. I can't wait 'til I can get some teeth and bite into some of that stuff... Mom did take me to my first house to trick or treat. Of course, mommy had to say "trick or treat" for me, but I got my first candy. Mom ate the sucker and gave the licorice away to Coltman. The guy took his mask off so I wasn't scared, but mom said it was okay to put it on because I am getting bigger! and am going to be a real "tough guy".

While we were walking around, I got to meet my Great Uncle Larry! I think he was surprised we stopped by to see him. We didn't get to chat too long because Syd and Coltman were starting to get a little tired out from all of the walking. It was still nice to at least stop by and meet him.

Back to Aunt Ab and Uncle Jer's house to help grandpa and grandma finish passing out candy to the trick or treaters. Grandma was passing so much out that she even had to raid Aunt Abby's stash so that she could make a few more kids happy. After we ran out of candy, it was time for birthday cake for Uncle Jerry, Grandma and Daddy's birthdays. After a round of "Happy Birthday", cake and ice cream, we loaded up and headed back home. I slept quite a bit so that everyone was able to have a good night. Now it is time for me to make up for it and keep mommy and daddy up all night... hee hee hee!!!! My "devil's night" a night late....

Halloween Party At Grandma's House

Jacob got a bath and dressed and was all spiffied up and ready for the trek to grandma's house. Heck, he was even in his car seat ready to be stowed away... When all of a sudden he spit up! Fortunately, mom had actually put a bib on him because it saved the outfit until we at least made it to grandma's.

Jacob was able to see his cousins, aunt, uncle, etc. and meet more cousins and a great aunt. Along with family, he met his newest and closest friends, the twins (Zack and Hannah). They are the newest as they are only 4-1/2 months old and closest because they are closest in age and there mom's have known each other for many years... They are still amazed that they are both "wiser" and were still pregnant at the same time. With at least one of the babies feeding all of the time, we weren't able to get any pictures of the 3 musketeers like we thought we would... Plenty of years to get those!!

With all of the commotion, Jacob didn't get a chance to carve a pumpkin or decorate any cookies, but he did sneak a peak at the jack o' lanterns with grandma. Maybe next year he will be able to jump right in a little more.

Good Morning Everyone!

4 Week Celebration

Yep, that's right!! Jacob is 4 weeks old today. Dad got home and mom basically hadn't eaten all day again. So it seemed to dad like the timing was good for a venture out to Red Robin for dinner. Jacob had just gotten fed and seemed like he was going to take a good nap, so we loaded up the truck and we were off. Jacob was content the whole time (sleeping) with only a peek now and then. Dinner was very nice and mom was just a talkin' dad's ears off, but it was good to converse and not necessarily about Jacob. We all went home and we actually had to wake Jacob up to feed him. Nope, no birthday candles or anything silly like that, at least not yet. We may think about the milestones as we cross them, but aren't going overboard. Dinner and being 4 weeks old are just a coincidence... ;)! This isn't the first restaurant that we have been to with him, but the first that food doesn't come in a box... LOL!!!

Jacob was 8 pounds, 9 ounces yesterday at the doctor and the doctors were happy with that.

Today was also a big day because he not only went out for dinner, mom and Jacob went shopping at the mall. Mom picked up her rings after they were sent out a for a grand cleaning. So, between the mall and dinner, we think there may be some good rest in the good 'ol crib and bed...

Jacob Goes To The Pediatrician

Jacob's eyes have continued to be gunky pretty regularly even with putting dropping in them three times a day since his two week appointment. Some days, they have been a lot worse than others. So, mom called the pediatrician today to see if she should take him in. The person that answered the phone basically said that based on the symptoms that the nurse/doctor would tell us to bring him in, so the appointment was made. Mom also had some breastfeeding questions and said when she came in they could discuss what has been going on...

So, off to the pediatrician mom and Jacob went. Basically, Jacob has clogged tear ducts and now instead of using the drops three times a day, he needs to get them four. It was also noted that we should only clean his eyes with a wet warm wash cloth and not to use any wipes or anything else to clean his eyes. This is somewhat common, but not as common as just putting the drops in three times a day. So, as long as it doesn't get worse, we won't need to take him back until his 2 month appoinment later next month. There was some discussion between mom and the doctor and how she has been coddling Jacoob and not taking care of herself. Dad can now say I told you so to mom as mom learned that dad's thoughts were right. Mom was doing what she thought was right for everyone, but dad started with some tough love and was getting prepared for even tougher love. I will let her type about that part of the appointment. Let's just say that there will be some changes in the next few days and mom will be taking better care of herself and dad will be even more persistent about it...

Here's a video of what has been happening for basically the last almost four weeks with the exception of a couple of nights...

Update On The Tadpoles

I wrote a post recently about my fraternity brother, Tadd in California and his wife being pregnant with twins. The outlook was "cautiously optimistic" about being able to keep the pregnancy going for basically 39 days so that the babies could reach 28 weeks. Hava has been having contractions on and off, but was able to receive medication which caused the contractions to subside. I don't know if they started again or not, but the twins were born earlier today and were still away from 28 weeks by about 27 days:

Derby Jackson (the boy) - 8:46 a.m. - 1 lb, 6.5 oz
Loen Rose (the girl) - 8:44 a.m. - 1 lb, 7 oz

Please keep the four of them in your thoughts and prayers, or as Tadd put it, anything you do to support them through this obviously difficult time.

There is hope as one of our older alumni from the fraternity responded back to Tadd's message with "If it will make you feel any better, and make you more hopeful, I was born about 16 weeks premature as well. This was back in 1944 when medical techniques weren't as sophisticated as they are today."

Hungry Or Tired?

We're going with tired since he wouldn't stay feeding. He is now VERY fussy and we are trying to calm him down. The video makes him look like an angel compared to now... ;)! Oh well, I guess it is just that time of the night.

Technology And Stuff...

Sometimes technology can be a little frustrating, but won't stop getting the job done. It just might mean taking a detour... I have been trying to upload a video of Jacob's mommy trying to wake up Jacob. He was making all sorts of faces and stretches. Unfortuantely, it seemed to have gotten too long for adding it directly to the blog. After 3-1/4 to 4 hours or more the last two nights, the system errored out. I am assuming it was due to the length. So, I guess it is time to shoot some shorter excerpts of Jacob making faces. He can be quite animated at times.

Mom, dad, Jacob and Frankie have been attempting to go on a walk at least once a day while we can. On Sunday evening, we went a little over a mile and mom was fine. I think she might have gotten a little tired, but held up very well. Frankie, for being 13-1/2, didn't slow us down as much as the first few... She has regained her scents of the area and is not stopping to ponder as often. Hopefully, we can get a few more in before winter really kicks in, but that could be asking for a little too much.

Newest Michigan Fan Roots Them Onto Victory!!!

Jacob D., Michigan football's newest fan, rooted them onto victory (27 - 17). He was sporting his new Michigan outfit for the game. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to hold off getting it dirty (spit up) until the game started, but what can you do... At least he didn't need to be changed out of it until after the 1st quarter was over.

Jacob was a little fussy before the game started, but a quick hummation (okay, so I might of made up that word...) of the Victors (Michigan's fight song) and he was quickly quieted and content. Good thing mom didn't have the video camera out because I'm sure it was way out of tune... ;)! During the game he did get a little restless when Michigan wasn't scoring, but was quickly relieved and relaxed once Michigan started scoring. A big Michigan football thank you goes out to Rob and Julie for coming over with pizza to enjoy Jacob's first mini football taligate.

After doing some laundry to get ready for Michigan's next game against Minnestoa, we will be sure to get a picture of Michigan's newest fan for all to see!!

Jacob Hangin' Out In His Bouncer

Jacob just hanging out in his bouncer on a Saturday morning (3 weeks, 1 day old).

Counting Our Blessings!!

You just never know what and when something can happen. I remember eating breakfast at the Kaleva with a number of fraternity brothers during our reunion this past Labor Day Weekend. One conversation I remember is the excitement that one spoke of about his wife's pregnancy and just finding out that he was going to be a proud father of twin's (a boy and a girl). With Amy only a month away from her due date and his wife at around 16 weeks (assumption on my part since I don't remember exactly), we shared our thoughts and experiences of becoming parents. After sharing Jacob's arrival with the fraternity e-mail list, Tadd responded noting his congrats and that he had also developed a blog for his growing family. I have been checking his blog from time to time to see how things have been going and things have been going fine...

At lunch a couple of days ago, I took the opportunity to view The Tad Poles (pretty cute, eh? given dad's name, Tadd) to check in and see how the pregnancy and their lives were changing. I was baffled at what I was reading. It started off just not making sense to me and I quickly knew there was something big that I had missed... What happened in the week since I viewed last? What is this hospital talk all about? Did I really miss 19 weeks? After going back a few of their entries, I found that Hava (Tadd's wife) has been in the hospital since Friday (the 12th) and that the water broke for one of the twins, Loen at only 22 weeks pregnant. Needless to say, this is pretty serious and has Hava has been put on strict bedrest. The doctors are hoping Hava is able to keep the twins in the womb for at least another 31 days which will get them to 28 weeks, still 12 weeks early!! The outlook from the medical staff is "cautiously optimistic".

Amy, Jacob and I are counting our blessings that we did not need to endure any event(s) such as this. We also want convey our sincerest wishes of health and safety for Tadd, Hava and the twins for their success in being a cozy, happy and healthy family in the near future.

Please join us in keeping Tadd, Hava and the twins (Loen and Derby) in your thoughts and prayers through this delicate time so that we can keep them and the pregnancy healthy!!

Officially 3 Weeks Old!!

Jacob has made it to 3 weeks now. He is definitely a growing boy and not wanting to miss a thing. Those eyelids grow heavy and red as he fights the heaviness and eventually has no choice but to give up. He is starting to follow us with his eyes and is a lot more alert. We were taking photos last night and while on his stomach he rolled onto his back so that he was more comfortable. Of course, we had to put him on his stomach again and then flatten him out so it wasn't necessarily just his balance that did it, but he did it again! It appeared it shocked him too!! Now the big trick will be to see when he can go from his back to his belly...

Stay tuned for the re-entry of mom's creative writing as she is feeling much better and more comfortable about doing things away from Jacob.

Before I was a Mom...

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
I had never been puked on, pooped on, chewed on, peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put them down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

A Peek Into Jacob's Room - Tired Of Waiting!!

After 3-1/2 months or longer of waiting for a shelf to match the "Dream Teddy" collection, we have officially cancelled our order. You saw about a week ago that we ran some errands with Jacob and now pretty much have the room complete as it is going to be for now. The hutch for the changer/combo is still on back order as we have not heard anything about it. Ordering the furniture when Amy was only 13 weeks pregnant or so doesn't look so crazy now, does it? Here is a peek at Jacob's room while he is downstairs grabbing a bite to eat...

Grandma Gets Connected!!

Looks like it just takes a first grandchild to motivate grandma (dad's mom) to get connected!! Yep, grandma went out and bought a new snazzy computer, monitor etc. and has even now had internet cable installed!! There is a still a large learning curve for her as she only knows how to turn the computer on, off and play solitaire ;)! After a phone conversation (kinda long...), she was able to read her first article on the blog. You could just feel her excitement over the phone as she ignored me and was reading... "Oh, Jacob already grew and inch!!" and so on...

It has been some time coming, but now grandma is connected like the rest and can get information and see pictures with a click of a button. Well, okay, for most of us it is just a click of a button and we are there. However, grandma is also signed up for a class at the library to gain some more skill(s) at the internet and the computer in general. Beware!! Grandma could be taking the next big step shortly and beginning e-mailing you...

Congratulations on your new endeavour grandma!! You are doing a nice job!!!

P.S. As a follow-up, a quick trip to grandma's and a crash course on the internet, she has been able to get to the blog without a hitch. She can even search for dill pickle soup now!!!

2 Weeks Old!

Weight: 7 pounds, 11 ounces -- Length: 21-1/4"

A Pinch To Grow An Inch

No need for any pinching of our little guy!! Jacob has grown an inch since he was born. He is now at 21-1/4" long and is in the 50th percentile based on his length. Mom has also been doing a great job feeding as Jacob has gained a pound since he has left the hospital and is ranked in the 25th percentile. The doctor and nurse both said that Jacob is doing great and is looking great as well. The jaundice is gone. The only concern that we had was the fact that Jacob's right eye keeps getting "goopy" and sometimes "crusty". We knew that this was a possibility as many know, infants tear ducts are functioning as well as they will and some help may be needed. So, we will be putting drops in at least one of his eyes for a few days. Hopefully, we can avoid the need for a washcloth, etc. to moisten the goo so that he can open his eyes (only happened once).

Jacob was getting pretty fussy from the ordeal at the doctors, but settled down immediately as we walked out the door to the stairs. Not a peep once we were in the car, so we took a longer route home just so mom could savor a few more moments of quiet before dad dropped them off and headed for work. A lunchtime report is that Jacob is really pooped and has been sleeping most of the morning and has somewhat forgotten about eating... The 1/2 hour visit must have been enough to wear him out for a while. Let's hope mom can and does take advantage of it while she can...

Yeah!!

Yeah!! Jacob has graduated to the next step. He, after 24 hours, can now be given a "real" bath (submersed in water). Yep, no longer need to only give sponge baths!! There is still some minor healing that needs to take place for his belly button, but should be fine in no time... Tomorrow morning is Jacob's two week appointment with his pediatrician. Let's hope that we don't have to go to the hospital to get some more blood work done. We don't see any jaundice and Jacob seems to be pretty healthy, so I think we should be able to avoid that part of the day...

Oh, by the way, Jacob is an inny!!!

Bath Time - A Day Of Clean

Today was big time bath/shower day!! It all started this morning when mommy mentioned int the morning that she really needed to take a shower since she didn't have one since Sunday.

Well, we have been running the air conditioning lately, but it cooled off last night so mommy turned the A/C off during the night. It was getting cooler in the house, but it was thought that the heat would stay in enough until it warmed up outside. It did work for a while, but mom was getting cool. So, daddy came home at lunch and lit the pilot light. While he was home, he told mom to go up and get a shower in while dad ate. So, one down and two to go (dad doesn't count because he showers so he doesn't stink when he goes to work...)

Frankie was in need of a bath, but wasn't too bad. It has been a couple days since Jacob had one so, dad took Frankie to the tub while mom took Jacob to the portable tub. Mom was done in a flash while dad continued to work. Dad had a much easier time as Frankie was very quiet. Mom, on the other hand, had Jacob SCREAMING the whole time. It was the worst that mom had seen Jacob. He was really red in the face and straining. Mom had a good cry with Jacob as he was getting cleaned up. Mom has recovered fine and is really enjoying the small of our child!!

So, everyone is clean now and ready for bed. Of course, shortly after Jacob got down into the living room, he spit up a bit and will be changed shortly. The big event has put at least mom and Jacob to sleep on the couch...

Jacob Gets First Monogram!

Jacob has received many packages throughout the weekend and week that he and we are very grateful for. There has been a definite outpouring of love for us and Jacob that has overwhelmed us. The packages we have been receiving have had at least mom and cards/or dad's name on them along with Jacob's. Then along came a package last Thursday (sorry, I didn't get this up sooner) with only Jacob D. as the recipient. Jacob was sleeping when the package arrived for him and Mom and Dad wanted to wait for him to wake up. Well, we did wait for a while, but curiosity killed the cat and mom took the honor of opening his package with Jacob at her side. Pardon the pun, but we received the most awesome receiving blanket with Jacob Daniel monogrammed on it. There won't be any doubt about who the blanket belongs to once he is old/big enough for daycare!!

Thank you to Jim, Jill, Michael, Ellie and Jenna for being the first to have something with Jacob on it. You even beat mom and dad to the punch with getting his letters on the wall!!

Instructions Not Included

Enough said?!?!

A Day Of Firsts

Yes, it was a day of firsts for Jacob. No, nothing monumental, but firsts nonetheless... Mom and Jacob were out for the first time on Saturday with the exception of a trip to the pediatrician and hospital for bloodwork on Monday. The need for getting a few finishing touches in Jacob's room became greatly elevated. We have been waiting for a special order shelf for over 3-1/2 months and we were told that it would still be two weeks before the place we ordered it from would get it. We heard this over a month ago and are tired of waiting. So, we were off to Michaels to look for a shelf and a frame. We were able get both there and were exactly what we were looking for.

Next stop, Target for some mommy things and a looksie for a stroller net. Fortunately, mom was successful in finding her hair spray that I/we have been looking for for a while and which Meijer has always been out of. No luck for dad, so off to Toys R Us. A mad dash in and out of the store and we were on the way home. We're not sure if Jacob enjoyed his trip out or not as he didn't make a peep the whole time...

Another first was a visit by his Aunt Abby and cousins Sydney and Colton (they already met in the hospital), but his first time meeting Uncle Jerry!!

Okay, so we know these firsts don't seem like much, but they are firsts and thought we would share them with you. Last, but not least, Daddy, Mommy, Frankie and Jacob took their first walk around the block and also used the stroller for the first time :)! It was such a nice day out that we had to get out even if it was only for a few moments...

Kevin Wins Baby Pool

It was a close race between 1st and 3rd with Kevin from Auburn Hills winning the bragging rights for Jacob's birth statistics. Dad was a very close 2nd with only one ounce in weight or 40 minutes closer to the arrival (or the 1/4 inch that the game didn't keep track of...). Julie from Troy placed 2nd, but was closest to the date and time by over an hour. The closest to the weight and the only one to be exact was mom at 7 lbs, 2 oz. She was shooting for a smaller baby and looks like she got her wishes!! There were many with the approximate length correct. The reason I note approximate is because the 1/4 inch would have also allowed dad to win. Partial? You bet!!

We hope that everyone enjoyed taking a stab at when Jacob would be born, etc. He really had us fooled as many of us thought he would be a much bigger baby considering the size of his dad and his mom's birth weight. I tried my best to slow things down during delivery so that I could win, but I was too anxious to see the little guy... No, not really, but I had you and mommy going... ;)! right?!

Jacob Can Be Tough To Wake Up

Jacob has a little trouble waking up. We tried for a while and then decided to get the video camera out just to see if he wanted to be a movie star... Guess not yet!!

Jacob Meets Grandpa and Grandma Kathy!!

Jacob met his Grandpa and Grandma Kathy last night as they came for a few hours from Ohio. They were very excited to see him and Jacob actually stayed awake a little bit so that they could see his eyes. I'm sure they felt their stay wasn't long enough as it was tough for them to really get out the door because Kathy had to work in the morning. I'm sure Jacob will be glad to have their company in the very near future once again.

A Peaceful Day

With work just around the corner (tomorrow) for dad, The day is setting out to be nice and relaxing for the family. The girls are trying to catch up on a few zzz's while Jacob rocks away in his swing and dad is working a tad from home to make up for an extra day that was taken because of the day we were sent home last week.

It was a peaceful night, or as much as it can be with a 5-day old. Now that Jacob is beginning to come out of his "newborn funk" a bit, we are thinking that we may need to be working on watching / flipping his days and nights or at least be aware of the potential need.

Mom is definitely stealing a few moments for a few extra zzz's while Jacob doesn't seem to mind. Although, it may be somewhat short lived as dad will probably intervene so we can be sure to get Jacob the nutrients he needs.

So today should be a peaceful and relaxing day. The sun is shining while it is getting warmer, especially for an October day in Michigan... Did I just type that? Ocotober? ...and it is supposed to be 80 degerees? We may actually get out and enjoy a quick walk to the corner or something to enjoy the fresh air, but only time will tell with what the days events will have for us as we take life an hour at a time these days...

A Rought Night

Grandma was nice enough to bring some food yesterday for us. She knew that Amy has enjoyed this entree in the past and something we generally don't make... Stuffed green peppers. This was a great food to eat in theory, but maybe not in reality...

Something we didn't think about until 4 am (3 hours after Jacob was a "little" uncosoleable) was the fact that green peppers make Amy and most people a little more "gassy". Not thinking about this, of course, Jacob would be a little/a lot gassy too!! ...and boy was he!! Fortunately, after trying to calm him down for a number of hours, Amy remembered getting some "gas relief drops" at a shower from Sam. Sam is our "A++++++" friend!!! and is a true sleep saver!!! Unfortunately, this is one bit of advice that we forgot about until the wee hours of the morning.

We have been trying not to give Jacob a pacifier too much if at all so that there isn't any possibility of "nipple confusion". This is one topic that has many different opinions that are widely varied, even amongst the professionals. However, we did feel it was okay to give him one on as needed. We had been using the hospital pacifier, but it has lost some affect so Amy decided to open a new one and sterilize it in the middle of our "tour". What an ordeal... Who would have thought that boiling water for 5 minutes would cause such drama... The smoke alarm was going off for some reason. We think it was because of the plastic smell or something...

Frankie is hanging in there like her parents. Fortunately, I think we look better than she does... The picture of Frankie is actually before our "tour of duty", but she has been able to get a little sleep since...

First Bath At Home

Mom did a great job with only a little bit of dad's help for Jacob's first bath (dad had to take pictures of course...). It was done in no time, but if you ask Jacob, it took hours. Jacob was wide awake through the whole big ordeal. His reward is "latching on" for a job well done!

A Big Day Out!

The first full day at home started out as a pretty easy one. Dad worked out in the yard getting the leaves picked up and the lawn mowed because he heard that rain was going to be here by noon. The lawn had needed to be done before all of the weekend's events, but there were other priorities... So now was the time! Then it was time to rustle up the crew and get them ready for a trip to the pediatrician.

While mom was in the shower getting ready, dad quickly sprang into action to get Jacob ready for the big day. Oh what to wear?!?!... After digging through many different size clothes in his drawer, some newborn clothes were found. Okay, so I grabbed the first pair of pants that were newborn and threw them on! They are really big on him as he did lose some weight after he was born. He dropped down to 6 lbs, 11 oz at discharge. So, we loaded up the truck and we moved to the pediatrician...

Upon our arrival and knowing we had a 3-day old, we were quickly swept away to a cubby hole called vision. Then the doctor's entourage came in one by one to check out how cute their newest patient is. The oohs and aahs were just a flowin'! making mom and dad pround parents. We waited for a little bit before heading to the "bug room".


Now for the "bug room". The assistant came in and got Jacob naked, well, I jumped in and got him naked. Some discussion began and events were noted. It wasn't too long before the question came out... "Is this your first?", I replied with yes and she said, "You get the Good Dad Award, how do you know so much already?" I simply shrugged my shoulders and said I don't know, I just pay attention and listen to things I guess... We weighed Jacob and he was 6 lbs, 13-1/2 oz which was good news for us. He had lost almost too much weight in the hospital and was/is a concern we are watching. Losing weight in the first week is normal, but this was almost too much. It was thought to also be a contributor to the jaundice.


Next was the doctor. She came in and did her examinations and Jacob passed with flying colors, except for the persistent jaundice that had developed. We were then told that they wanted to do some blood work and needed to go to the hospital for it. She wanted us to get it done pretty much right away so that we could get the results back before the end of the day. She noted that she would not be concerned if his billirubin level was less than 15 for his age. So, we loaded up once again, fed Jacob in the car and then were off to the hospital for some blood work.

The hospital visit went well. We were taken back in a relatively quick motion to get the prick. It was noted that it might be a little slower because they just took back another newborn. We went back and they put a warm compress on Jacob's heel to warm it up to make the draw go better. Jacob was a real trooper and didn't mind it at all. However, I did step between mom and Jacob so that she couldn't see what was going on. There was barely a peep from Jacob, but definite tears from mom. She blamed it on hormones and all was good.
The doctor called us at about dinner time to say that Jacob's level was 9.1 and is fine. She was not concerned with this level for his age and doesn't see a need to recheck him or see a need for a visit before his two week appointment.

So, it was a big first full day at home!! After getting home late afternoon, we were greeted with food from Grandma. It was very nice and much appreciated. She also took care of Jacob for a little bit so that I/we were able to do a few more things around the house that I hadn't been able to get to yet.

Stay tuned for more drama in the newborn household... :-D!! It's all good!!

First Night At Home!

We made it through the first night without too many battle scars. Actually, it was pretty uneventful for the most part. I forced mom to give up Jacob for a while and lay down to rest in the early evening. She really didn't want to, but she needed to get some much needed sleep. It wasn't long before she was bringing down the house with her "breathing" ;)! I was on the loveseat with Jacob when she went to sleep. She woke up abruptly for some reason and noticed that we weren't where we were when she went to sleep. I was waving to her from the dining room to let her know where I was at. She was still frantic wanting to know where Jacob was. I told her everything is alright as he is here with me. It took her a few moments to settle down, but she did...

We went to bed around 11 pm. This was a little stresful for mom because she knew she needed to leave her comfort zone. Mom was pretty much only in the living, except to go to the bathroom all day. The next big was a big step as there was no comfort zone like at the hospital because Jacob was in the nursery as "feed on demand" which gave her 5 hours one night and 6 the next for Jacob to be in the nursery. Now, she/we were on our own. It was a little struggle to get her to go, but "Brothers And Sisters" was almost over, so she gave in. I went upstairs to do a few things to prepare and her mom sniffling at the bottom of the stairs with Jacob. I told her not to worry, everything was alright and that I would come down and get Jacob so that she could focus on herself. This was the first time she had to go up the stairs since she had been home. I got Jacob ready for bed and had him in the basinette/play pen all ready for the night before mom even got to the bedroom. Mom checked around looking for something to do, but everything was already taken care of. So, there was nothing else to do, but to get into bed.

There was only one little glitch in the night. We were both sleeping pretty soundly. Frankie started making a little noise which I didn't think was a big deal. However, mom thought it was Jacob and bolted to the end of the bed to check on our son. Of course, this really startled me and I did the same only to find that everything was okay and that we could go back to bed.

Mom was up much of the night just holding Jacob and cuddling with him. She was able to get about 3-4 hours of sleep and that's about what I was able to get too. So, for the most part our first night was probably about as easy as it could go and we weren't too paranoid...