Baby Girl is 3 Weeks Old

With Frazer flying out of town for a conference it was wonderful to have Nana come stay with us! I'm so grateful for the extra helping hands especially when it comes to helping get the boys settled down for the night.  With three kiddos there's never a dull moment around here.

Monday, Rebecca ate at 11:00 pm, 12:30 am and again at 1:30 am but then it took forever to get her back down and even then I was only successful by putting her beside me.  I love laying with her and clearly she was happy since she didn't wake until 7 am!  However, when she's in my bed I don't sleep but I was happy to have her comfortable and resting.  It's so hard to believe she's 3 weeks old already!!

It's Not a Banana

As my journey of motherhood continues to unfold I'm learning to go with the flow as much as possible.  I'm also learning that I'm lacking in super powers to keep my littles secluded in their own little bubbles protected from the outer world.  While I was in our bedroom with Rebecca, Isaac joined me and was talking away.  Out of the blue however I found myself having an unexpected conversation.  I immediately flashed back to the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kindergarten Cop as soon as the words out of Isaac's mouth hit my ears; "boys have a penis, girls have a banana".

I couldn't help but laugh out loud and then with all the restraint I could muster with a straight face and calm voice I clarified his statement using the appropriate terms.  Yes, dear, you and your brother are boys and have a penis.  Your sister is a girl and it's called a vagina.

Heaven help me!  I'm gonna need it!

On The Right Track

Rebecca had another weight check on the 8th of October and I was so happy to hear the doctor say she was back to her birth weight of 8 pounds and 6 ounces! This little girl's appetite is kicking in and we're moving in the right direction.  It's such a relief to know we're on the right track now. 

Since Isaac was in school and Julian was with a sitter for Rebecca's appointment I took advantage of the time to get some groceries with baby girl.  It was so nice to get out and Publix is amazing with all the coupons they send as part of their baby club.  I became "that person" who held up the line with all my coupons and was super excited to have saved over $25!  The one thing about having a family and little kiddos is the lowering of expectations.  Who would have thought there would be a time in my life when a trip to the store would feel like a vacation or saving $25 in coupons would feel like winning the lottery!?  Ha!

Even though our evenings have still been a little rough this little girl has stolen my heart.  She's a little angel during the day and little fussy at night.  She's been very gassy and hard to burp which is making it hard for her to go back down to bed.   However, I'm managing to get some naps during the kiddos morning naps while Isaac is at school.  The irregular sleep results in a fair amount of headaches which is no picnic and our weather hasn't been helping with the storms and tornado warnings.

This little girl loves to soak up all the cuddles!  Frazer discovered a fun fact today too.  He's been doing some genealogy research on his side of the family and learned he had a Great-Grand Aunt called Rebecca who was born in 1872!  

While Julian is adjusting to no longer being the baby he made sure to get the focus back on him for a bit resulting in the need for a basement door solution.  This little guy managed to open the door and he feel down the steps.  It's a good thing he's a tough little guy. He busted his mouth up a bit and got a bruise on his head but seemed fine otherwise and it certainly didn't slow him down!

Rebecca - 2 Weeks Old

My sweet baby girl is 2 weeks old!

While the boys are continuing to adjust to their little sister they have loved spending time with nana while she's visiting and helping out.  I certainly don't know what I would do without nana!  Two little boys and a two week old baby equals one sleep deprived mama.  I was able to sleep until noon after our 8 am feeding but I still feel like I've been hit by a truck.  It's going to take some time before our days and nights are worked out and until that happens the night shifts will continue to be rough.   Despite the exhaustion it's so much better than being pregnant. :)

Rebecca has been doing well even though she hasn't gained any weight as of last Friday.  I've been monitoring her intake and look forward to her weight check tomorrow.  This little girl needs to get back to her birth weight soon!

Time for Baby Girl to Gain Weight

Despite being a walking zombie from sleep deprivation I actually managed to leave the house Friday.  Balancing the needs of all my babies is proving to be a challenge.  It's been hard to spend time with the boys in-between Rebecca's feeding schedule.  Rebecca had another check up and she still hasn't gained any weight since she left the hospital in Atlanta.  I've stopped breast feeding and switched to pumping along with bottles of formula.  She's now getting 16-20 oz per day so hopefully she'll start gaining soon!

Mama's Outnumbered

Julian has discovered a new game and I'm sure he's very amused with himself.  As soon as it's time to feed Rebecca he waits patiently until I'm all settled and then he attacks.  He runs off on a mission to explore everything he knows that is supposed to be off limits and stays just out of my reach.  It's like watching the Tasmanian devil spin out of control while he's in the nursery with me.  I will say he's very curious about his little sister and can be very loving.  It's quite the challenge to juggle the needs of both little ones!

Rebecca had a weight check on the 3rd of October and she's at 7.14 pounds.  She hasn't gained anything since her last check up.  The doctor says she's okay and there are no real issues unless she continues to not gain any weight.  I'm going to have to focus more supplementing her with formula so I can measure her intake.  I'll bring her back next week for another check up.  

As much as I wish Rebecca was gaining more weight mama on the other hand has already lost 20 lbs which is very encouraging!  I think my rapid weight lost can be attributed to chasing the boys.  This mama is outnumbered and the kiddos know it.  I'm going to have to come up with a new game plan to stay ahead of them.

Please Don't Sit On Your Sister

The boys are still adjusting to our smallest family member.  Julian has been very challenging since he won't leave Rebecca alone.  I left the room for a split second and heard a strange noise that quickly caught my attention. I immediately ran back in the room and had a moment of panic!.  Julian had climbed in the rock-and-play and was sitting on his baby sister!  I'm not sure if he was trying to reclaim the rock-and-play which used to be his or if he was being creative in his attempt to snuggle with Rebecca.  Let's just say subtle and gentle is not his strong suit!

It's a good thing she's fairly laid back but she didn't hesitate to let me know she needed some help.  She's also learning quickly how to tune the boys out when they're being a bit rambunctious. 

Rebecca 1 Week Old

How is she a week old already?!

She's my little angel.  A true gift and I'm so very blessed to have her as my daughter and to be her mama. 

Rebecca's First Bath

All things considered Rebecca handled her first bath like a champ!

Prepping for Rebecca's First Bath

Well the first day of having all three kids was.....let's just be honest.....it was hard.  Trying to feed Rebecca with Julian's assistance is next to impossible.  Isaac has been going to school everyday which has been a huge help.

I'm riding the postpartum hormone train full of migraines and night sweats.  I've felt fairly awful but I have lost four pounds of water weight which is good.  Another bonus to our new family dynamic is Isaac has managed to sleep ins room for two consecutive nights!!  That's a huge win in my book.

Once papa was home from work it was time to get Rebecca ready for her first bath!  And I love that Frazer took such a precious picture of all of our hospital bracelets together.

She's so precious!  I'm absolutely in love!

I can't get enough of her tiny hand wrapped around my finger!

My laid back little babe tossed up the peace sign!

Love.  Love. Love

Mama's First Day with All 3 Kiddos

Today has been interesting.  This is my first morning having all three kiddos to myself without any assistance.  Julian isn't sure what to think of Rebecca and Isaac has been acting up since all the attention isn't falling to him.

Rebecca has been awesome with the exception of breast feeding.  In the beginning her latch was poor and caused a bit of damage.  This is the part of motherhood that no one bothers to share so for the sake of posterity I feel as thought I need to be candid.  My nipples were cracked, bleeding and hurt like hell.  Each time I look at the clock and notice Rebecca's feeding time is approaching I cringe at the thought of the sharp shooting pains down my spine as a result of her latching.  The thought makes my spine wiggle.

However, I was able to find a lactation consultant who surprisingly lives in our neighborhood and was kind enough to stop by on such short notice last night.  I optimistic the new game plan will be successful!

Rebecca spent a good part of the day napping and I tried to nap along with her when I could.  Once papa came home from work we ventured out for our first time as a family of five!

Thank goodness for minivans!! We made a successful trip to Target for some essentials and each of the boys got to pick out a new toy.  I think it's safe to say we were all worn out by the time we made it home!

The Boys Meet Baby Sister

The boys came home today!!  I was so excited to see my boys and give them big hugs.  I was also very excited for them to meet their new baby sister.

Isaac did a great job holding his baby sister and Julian was very curious.

Isaac kept a close eye and kept peeking at Rebecca.  It was so cute. 

Missing my Boys

As much as I've loved spending time with Rebecca I've certainly missed my boys!  I know they've been having a great time with Nana and Grandpa.

I also can't believe how much bigger they seem to be now that Rebecca is here!  My goodness it's as if they've grown several feet in comparison to their baby sister.  I'm certainly curious to see how Julian interacts with his baby sister. 

Rebecca's First Checkup

Frazer and I started our day taking baby girl to her first check up.

Baby girl is healthy in all regards however she's still losing weight.  She's down to 7 lbs 15 ounces compared to her birth weight of 8 lbs 6 oz.  I'm having the same problem with Rebecca as I did with the boys.  Even though I've been attempting to breast feed Rebecca my supply is limited.  I was surprised her weight was down since I've been supplementing her with formula too. 

After her appointment Rebecca and I went home to enjoy some bonding time while papa was busy running errands to rent a breast pump for me.  While he was gone I got to enjoy one of my favorite moments of motherhood.  Skin contact with my baby girl.  There's just nothing better!

First Outing with Rebecca

Rebecca was all bundled up and ready for his first car ride.

Before heading back to Tennessee we made a quick stop for a late lunch and a quick visit with a few friends who couldn't make it the hospital to meet our sweet bundle. Michele, Lori and Lucy came by to meet Rebecca.  Eliza was not happy about hanging out with Ms. Michele while her mama held Rebecca.

Once we were finished at Cue in Alpharetta it was time to head home and we were Tennessee bound. 

Getting Ready to Go Home

It's a bitter sweet day.  I'm so excited to be going home but at the same time I know this is my last baby so I'm savoring every last moment of this process. I feel like I've blinked and it's already time to go home.  I've truly cherished the alone time with Rebecca.

 

The pediatrician came and gave Rebecca a clean bill of health.  We were scheduled to be discharged early afternoon so it was time to get packed up and get little Rebecca ready for the outside world.