Week One with Baby Jack

Wow--life with three under 4 is a little crazy.  I don't know if I will ever have any free time again.  I am sneaking in a couple of minutes here and there to get a little blogging done, but it isn't easy.  First of all--HOLY EXHAUSTION!!! Just getting Max and Sam fed, bathed and in bed at night has even become more complicated.  For starters, those two are sleeping horribly--not a night has passed in the last month and a half that at least one of them hasn't awakened at least once in the middle of the night, screaming and crying or running into our room.  This started before we brought Jack home, but now that we do have a newborn he actually sleeps better than his big brothers--how ironic...  Anyway, we haven't quite figured it all out yet--bedtime, feeding time, outings--pretty much our whole new life.  Every little thing is very difficult now.  When I first got home from the hospital and the postpartum hormone surge kicked in, I was the most sad about not being pregnant anymore.  I would literally bawl over the fact that I may never feel a baby move and kick inside me ever again (I know that sounds crazy given how much I complained about my miserable pregnancy).  I was also sad that I would never go through labor ever again and that this was the last time I would ever take care of a newborn.  Then, the reality of life with three kids set in and my hormonal depression and longing subsided.  I am pretty sure we couldn't handle another--most of the time I am not even sure we can handle three...

While I don't have a lot of time to blog, the camera has been very busy, and while baby Jack is now 3 1/2 weeks old, this particular post will only chronicle his birth thru the first week (don't want to bombard anyone--including myself--with too many pictures and too much to write about).  I know that people are anxious to see current photos of JR--you will just have to wait!

We had a lot of amazing help in the days leading up to Jack's birth.  In fact, I was starting to get worried that the little guy wouldn't arrive before my mom and Maggie had to go home.  I had an induction scheduled for Friday the 9th (a week before my actual due date) so that I wouldn't have another accidental delivery at home, but since it was elective and not medically necessary it got cancelled.  So, we were told to call the hospital again on Monday, but that there were no guarantees they could fit us in for an elective induction.  I was convinced that they would cancel us again, so when we were told to be there around 8:00 am on the 12th of September, we were all very excited (and I was a little nervous).

On the way to the hospital I admitted to Paul that although I knew the induction was a great idea for a lot of reasons, I was a little sad that the delivery of my third and last baby wasn't going to unfold on its own.  I told Paul that I felt like we were kicking the little guy out and that I felt bad my last labor wasn't going to unfold naturally--on its own.  Paul didn't understand my feelings at all--he was just super glad that he definitely wouldn't have to deliver this baby at home on the floor.

The first two pictures were taken the night before Jack's birth--two brother's who love each other so much (and fight together so well)!  To them it seemed I had been pregnant forever, with all this talk about a supposed baby growing in mommy's enormous belly; they couldn't comprehend that in less than 24 hours we would be adding another little brother to the mix--another brother to love, tease and torment!

After we got to the hospital, the nurse started an IV and immediately tethered me to a moniter.  Stuck in a hospital bed--not the way Mother Nature intended a baby to be born.  A little later my doctor came in to say he had office hours that morning but would be back shortly after noon to take over for his partner, Dr. Anthopolous, who would be getting things started for me.  And boy did he ever.  Dr A came in around 9:30 am, told the nurse to start the Pitocin drip, and immediately broke my water.  It took about an hour to feel anything, and I was beginning to wonder how long this labor would take--I should have brought a deck of cards or Phase 10 or something.  At 10:30 my contractions were very mild, and it felt like I was a long way from  the pushing stage.

But, only an hour and a half later--12:03 pm--we had a baby!!  A big baby for me--7 lbs 14 ounces, more than a pound heavier than Max was, and 10 ounces bigger than Sam.   And he came out just screaming.  I think he was quite upset that we kicked him out of the womb early.

The proud daddy--more relaxed the third time around since he actually slept the night before (unlike Max's arrival), and he didn't have to do any of the work (unlike Sammy's arrival). 

The proud big brothers and grandmothers

Paul and I made the totally crazy decision to only stay in the hospital (aka Hotel Paoli) one night.  This was for two reasons:  1)  We got absolutely no sleep during the one night we were there and were certain that a lot more shut-eye would come in our amazingly comfortable king-sized bed; and 2)  My dear, sweet and wonderful mother was leaving in only two more days.  If I stayed in the hospital that was one less day I could spend with her.  So, we ventured home the day after I gave birth to Jack, and oh my, the chaos of two rambunctious boys that awaited us was almost enough for me to turn around and check back into Hotel Paoli.  It would have been nice to spend one more quiet night at the hospital with nurses checking on me and the baby and taking care of us.  But, hanging out with my awesome mom made suffering through the chaos entirely worth it! 

Jack Richard Blane on his second night home from hospital (two days old)--such a sweet baby!

JR at 3 days old

First sponge bath at home (given by Gramma Jill)

JR at 4 days old

JR at 5 days old.  Everyone is so tired because 1) We have a newborn, a three-yr-old, and a just-turned 2-yr-old;  2)Gramma Jill is gone and we have lost our most beloved and experienced help; and 3) Max had his first soccer game really early this morning (mom and baby Jack stayed home).

Here are some pictures of Max's soccer game.  His team is called the Bumble Bees.  Since he has a fall birthday he is one of the oldest--and therefore best--on the team (even though he has never played soccer before).  He scored two or three goals on the first day.  This first picture is so cute--he is the one with the yellow striped pants, crouched and ready for action!

And here he is dribbling the ball down the field--way ahead of the pack.

The following are pictures taken at the hospital when Jack was one day old.  He was so alert and sweet when the photographer was working with him--the pics all turned out super cute.