Eli's First Week Home

So, you think when you come home with a baby that first week is going to be spent at home getting to know each other and developing a routine. Nope! Monday we got home and spent the day organizing the house and getting things put away from our weekend away from home. Tuesday, Chris and Dylan went to the lake and had a blast. Tuesday night was the first of our birthday parties for the week. Samantha Rae turned 2 and we had a great time fellowshipping with family and friends. Wednesday we had Eli's first doctor's visit and several errands to run in town. We got home about an hour before Dylan's nap. As soon as he got up from his nap we headed to Great Grandma's house for our Wednesday night dinner. She has cooked dinner for Chris and I every Wednesday night before church since Chris and I first married. It's been a tradition and I wouldn't miss it for anything. Then, of course, we went to church. I actually think I was home all day Thursday and Friday but I couldn't tell you what I did. It's all a blur! Saturday, we had a birthday party from noon to two at the Battlefield Park. Dylan had a blast. We took a nap at Great Grandma's house and headed to our 3rd birthday party of the week at 5:00. Our little "Hope" turned 1. We celebrated in traditional Korean / American style. You'd have to be there to know what that is. We had a great time and ate lots of yummy food. Sunday was church, nap, church, and that brings us to today.

Last week Chris was here every day for the majority of the day. He had to go in a couple times to teach a class at the Mission Office and then on Friday he had a side job to do so he was gone for the afternoon. Other than those few times he was at my beckon call. He was super helpful! He got up with Dylan in the mornings and got his chocolate milk, he fixed breakfast a couple times, he helped with baths for both boys, changed diapers (not Eli's, yet), escorted me all over town, listened to me cry, listened to me talk, listened to me when I couldn't say anything at all. I can't imagine not having him hear last week. He made life so easy. Not only that, I enjoyed his company and seeing his smiling face when I got up from a nap in the middle of the afternoon only to hear him say "Are you sure you got enough sleep? Is there anything I can do for you?" Too great, that's what he is. I'm going to miss him terribly this first week home alone.

Today, was my first day home alone with "the boys". It's weird to say "the boys" but that's what we have. We have two beautiful boys who I can't wait to see grow up. I'm trying to enjoy every moment. I will have to say other than at 2:00 in the morning Eli's crying doesn't bother me as much as Dylan's did. I guess I just know he's going to cry sometimes and sometimes he's going to do it for no reason at all. I also know that I can't be at his beckon call because Dylan needs me too. So, it's an adjustment from the first baby but so far so great! We're working toward a schedule Mommy and Eli can both be happy about and something that will work for the whole family. However, I don't think there is a schedule out there that would work for Sundays so we're just going to have to figure it out. Eli is already eating 3.5 oz. per feeding about 8 times per day. Just in case you are wondering, that's a lot. I haven't had a chance to get Dylan's schedule out but I did early on keep track of how much he was eating and I'm quite sure Dylan was a couple months old before he started eating that much each feeding. I could be wrong! We'll see.

I have now spent part of my nap time messing around on the computer so I better go catch the few z's I can before the youngest hungry mouth awakes! Have a great week!

Eli Hunter

Eli Hunter was born 7/7/07 in Delivery Room 7 at St. John’s Hospital at 10:31 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. He’s doing great! We’re working through some breastfeeding issues but it is going much better than with Dylan. I just don’t have my milk, yet so we are having to supplement a little and it’s hard for him to switch back and forth b/c the supplement comes so much easier and he doesn’t have to really work for it. You know what I mean?!

My doctor asked me if I wanted to induce two or three weeks ago and I was convinced Eli would come early so I did not consent right away. On July 3rd at my doctor’s appointment I was dilated to a 4 and had been dilated for the last 4 weeks. I was 70-80% effaced and just down-right uncomfortable. He asked again and suggested July 4th. It really didn’t work well with Chris’s schedule and so we discussed it and later decided to induce on Saturday. My doctor’s family was out of town and he had 2 others scheduled for that day.

We woke up Saturday morning at 4:45 a.m. and headed to the hospital shortly thereafter. I got paperwork started and IV hooked up and all that good stuff. At 7:15 they came to put in the Pitossin. I don’t remember the exact sequence of events but I know I started having contractions within about 45 minutes and they started getting stronger. Some time shortly after that the doctor came in and broke my water and then the contractions got even stronger and much closer together. I had asked to be hooked up for an epidural first thing that morning but I guess they were running a skeleton crew since it was Saturday and there wasn’t anyone available. I think they got to our area around 9:30 but then the doctor told them the lady next door was much more uncomfortable and was going to go quickly so they gave her the epidural first. They got in my room around 9:45 and I was already fully dilated to a 9 and going into hard labor. I was in the middle of a contraction as he stuck me with the first needle but didn’t much care b/c I was looking for some relief. He said it would take about 10 minutes for the first dose to kick in. It took at least that long. By 10:00 they were telling each other to get ready he was coming. Just a little pushing and a whole lot of pain we got Eli out at 10:31a.m. I was much more aware this delivery because I did not have any Statol. I had that with Dylan and it made me loopy and I honestly don’t remember much of what went on and it didn’t help the pain much at all. That’s pretty much the jist of the delivery.

We spent Saturday and Sunday all day in the hospital. No weird things happened. I recovered and felt a lot better much faster than after Dylan’s delivery. I think I was in better shape because I had been keeping up with Dylan rather than doing a desk job the previous 9 months. I know the next year is going to be difficult but it gets rewarding every stage we go through.

We came home yesterday at about 11:00 a.m. Chris is off work all week so he can help out and he has done an awesome job of being supportive and allowing my emotions to, well, just be emotional. That goes with having a baby, I guess. Chris was always so wonderful and helpful with Dylan at this age and he's twice that this round helping with both.

I love you, Chris!