Saturday, December 31, 2011

Christmas Eve 2011

I know everyone else is doing their end of the year wrap-ups on their blogs today, but I am still playing catch up and have barely made it to Christmas Eve.

Michael and I were talking about Christmas plans after the amniocentesis on the 15th when it was looking more and more like I would be having Elliott on the 16th.  All of a sudden we were facing me not being in the hospital on the 24th and 25th.  We were talking to each other about how my mom thought we'd be able to come to Tucson as long as Elliott was healthy, but we didn't think that was a good idea.  The perinatologist overheard us talking and told us it was a horrible idea to take the baby anywhere and begged us to stay home.  It was also part of the pediatrician's orders upon discharge.  

The morning of Christmas Eve we debated for about 2 minutes loading everything and everyone up in the car and just going.  I think I would have been more tempted if it wouldn't have involved so much packing.  Then we re-agreed it was a really bad idea.  
So, this was the first Christmas Eve/Christmas Day ever that I have not spent with my parents and one or both of my brothers. It was the first Christmas of our marriage that Michael and I weren't in Tucson with our families. Spencer has never experienced a Christmas in our own house. We were actually responsible for the whole thing. It was weird.

Michael and Spencer went out to do some shopping on the morning of Christmas Eve.  We needed groceries and I wanted Spencer to buy Elliott a present.  Elliott had really started nursing the previous day and was nursing around the clock so we stayed home.  Spencer found this Thomas drum while they were out and convinced Michael to buy it for him.  What a delightful gift for me.

Once they were home we took a random picture of Elliott in a bucket just so we could tell him he did indeed fit in there once upon a time.
Then Spencer and I made cookies for Santa.
Elliott supervised.
I thought we'd give this basset hound to Santa.
Spencer had other ideas and picked it as the one he wanted for dessert.
Michael and Elliott lounged while I made dinner.

I was actually pretty proud of what I accomplished with an 8 day old- steak, loaded baked potatoes and creamed spinach.
After dinner we took pictures by the tree.
We don't know how to use the timer on the camera and without anyone to take a picture of us there is no family picture.
Then it was time to prepare for Santa.

Just in case you wanted a close up of the action.
Carrots for the reindeer.


Michael and I were up every 2-3 hours with Elliott, so we actually got an early preview of Santa's loot.

The chair was from us to Spencer.  I've wanted to buy it for 4 years and decided it was my "reward" for my extended hospital stay.
We missed the actual arrival of Santa, but obviously he was hungry.
Part of me had really convinced myself that I would still be in the hospital for Christmas so I was so, so, so grateful to be home with my family, including a healthy baby.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Trying to catch up

I'd like to catch up a bit before Elliott gets too old and I get too far behind.  This is mostly just pictures.

Saturday, December 17th

3:00 am- chilling with daddy after nursing
In the morning
Elliott's poor feet after many heel sticks

Having his hearing screened.  He never did pass in the left ear so we have a date with the audiologist coming up next week.
I was nursing the first time my parents came to see him so they didn't get their pictures taken until the next day.


Sunday, December 18th

Elliott's going home outfit.  I bought it the day we found out he was a he.

Going home as a family of 4 
Taking the first block pictures.

Some were OK 
Some were less than OK 
Then we broke out the swaddle and had success 
Uncle Nick came for a very short visit that night 

Monday, December 19th

Elliott had been doing a great job nursing the 2 days we were in the hospital.  Then, at 9:30 on Sunday night he just quit.  He just turned into a comatose baby and nothing we did could wake him up.  We were literally putting a syringe down his throat and force feeding him because he was too knocked out to even suck from a syringe.

The pediatrician at our hospital told us to follow up with our pediatrician in 2-3 days, but I called at 8:00 on Monday and made an appointment for that same day.

We basically spent the day Monday sleeping, me pumping, force feeding and waiting.




Our pediatrician took one look at Elliott and said- he's got major jaundice.  We went to the lab for a blood draw.  We left the lab at 4:30 in the afternoon.  By 7:30 that night we had a bilirubin belt delivered to us at our house.  Elliott wore it continuously for the next 3 days, except when we went to the lab and pediatrician (which we did every day).

Tuesday, December 20th

Getting some light therapy.
Can you see the glow under his clothes?
We were (and still are) spending lots of time in jammies. 

Wednesday, December 21st

A christmas outfit
My beautiful boys.  This may be my most favorite picture ever.
And more light therapy 


Thursday, December 22nd

Guess what?  More light therapy.
I'm so mean for loving the look on Elliott's face. 
And for posting this and being amused by it. 

First time in the moby wrap.  Just chilling. 

Friday, December 23rd

In true 2nd child form Elliott got his first sponge bath on day 7.  Spencer got his on day 3.  In our defense we didn't want Elliott to spend any extra time out of the light belt and Friday was his first day not wearing it.



The good news is that his umbilical cord stump fell off right after the bath.  Spencer was so glad.  He thought it was really gross. 
Then he chilled out with daddy. 

OK.  I feel a little better about getting up to this point.  I'll do another post with Christmas Eve and Day and then another one for this past week and then we can just be all nice and in the present day.