Uncle Joe comes to Dallas

Uncle Joe came by to see Stephen last night.

3 weeks...things learned

I'll post more pictures here soon. Stephen is three weeks old today, and I feel like reflecting on that time a little to record what we've learned.

What I've learned:
-I will do things I've said that I will never do (co-sleeping)
-Breastfeeding can be very hard, but when you get it right, it is a relief.
-You have to demand service from the nurses in a hospital
-A good night sleep is golden
-I have a pretty good kid who sleeps very well
-I don't react well to narcotics
-Meconium is gross
-I can still read a book while feeding
-I can be a pretty good mom
-Now in the third week, I'm finally becoming myself again
-I have a very loving family and family of in-laws who will help and support me, and put up with me through a lot
-I have a wonderful husband who cares a lot for both Stephen and I and who swaddles better than I do

What Stephen has learned
-He can smile
-He can pick his head up from your chest
-He doesn't like his diper being changed
-He is learning how to breastfeed without crying
-He likes being close to people
-He does not mind loud noises
-He can open his eyes more
-He does not mind dog kisses

see mom, that's a smile, not gas

Playing around with the camera

I was playing around with my camera today, while having Stephen in the sling that I have for him. I thought this picture turned out pretty well and was the best of the lot.

Second week at home

Every week tends to be a little easier than the last, but also brings some challenges. Stephen is a little more alert each day; we've caught a smile or two, and we are trying out some bedtime routines. He continues to get up only once during the night which is nice for us. I'm now allowed to drive again and Sean and I were able to take advantage of his parents here to go to an alumni watching party of UVA football. Even though they lost, it was good to get out of the house a little. Cousin Patti and Aunt Kaitlyn came to visit along with Sean's parents.

Kudos to my friend Amy who ran the Marine Corps Marathon with her husband for the second year in a row. :)

More Pictures...Visit with Aunt Lilli

My sister Lilli came to visit this weekend and we had so much fun with her and Little Stephen. As always, she's much better at documenting things with a camera than I am, so there are lots of pictures here. I'm learning from her, so we will have a lot of pictures of him on here in the future. We had such a nice visit...We spent a beautiful day having a picnic at the Dallas Arboretum and then Lilli cooked enchiladas that Sean loved while watching both UVA and Boston win their respective games on TV.

Precious Sleep

So, how has the first week been? Once some breastfeeding issues were resolved, or at least on the road to resolution, it became a lot easier. He sleeps, eats, and poops, while we try to sleep, eat, read, and relax and catch up some on what's happening in the real world. We are beginning to catch up on sleep and that makes things a lot easier to deal with. I'm beginning to go on walks with the dogs and Stephen, although we are taking it easy with this, just going around the block basically, while I still heal from my c-section.

Stephen Arthur Eidson has arrived

Stephen Arthur Eidson finally arrived to Shelby and Sean October 10, 2007 at 5:30pm, exactly to the minute that we were married, three years prior. He arrived via c-section to be a very healthy and strong 8 pound, 1 ounce baby boy. We came home from the hospital on Saturday and are adjusting well. I'm very tired, but very happy.

Sean went to Atlanta to be the best man in one of his best friend's wedding on Friday and Saturday, while I had plenty of help from my mom, a wonderful mother, my father in-law, sister and brother in law. It took four people to replace Sean, but we are very happy to have him back home where he's sleeping on the couch with his son.

Lola and Raven have been wonderful with little Stephen. Lola is his protector and guardian and does not leave his side. Raven has been allowed by Lola sometimes to smell and lick his head, but Lola will not allow Raven to lick little Stephen very much. They are with me through breastfeeding trials and tribulations, down by my feet during nursing.

Headed to the Hospital Finally

Well, the estimated due date of October 6th is past and no baby boy in my arms. Dad has come and gone with no baby in sight and both mom and mother in law are here waiting with us. I'm headed to the hospital tonight to be induced in the morning. Hopefully Stephen Arthur Eidson will be here tomorrow, October 10th, also our third wedding anniversary. In the mean time, we took the opportunity this weekend to relax with family and check on our house project, which has the first floor of the framing finished.

WAITING

I'm feeling a little bit more uncomfortable, less able to sleep, and contracting every five minutes, although not painfully, so I thought that I would have made progress from last week, but apparently not. I'm pretty discouraged. I'm setting up my expectations now to be induced next week on Wednesday, and if the baby comes between now and then, that's great, if not, then I'll be induced and it will be fine. Now, if we can just get some sleep between now and then, it would be fine. I'd rather be sleepless with baby instead of sleepless without, but I can't really do anything about it except just wait.

I finished one book this weekend, so maybe I'll just try to finish another one before the baby comes.