Lila Jane!!!

You guys... I totally had a baby. I'm not even kidding! So, kid...this post's for (and about) YOU!!

Lila Jane, you are 17 days old today! And...you're the bestest baby in the whole wide world! Here's what's been going on with you for the last 2 1/2 weeks.

Day 1: You were born on November 23. It was a big, exciting, and scary day for mom and dad! We went to the hospital at 5:30 in the morning and got all checked in and ready. I was nervous about having a c-section, but I knew I was in good hands at Baptist East. The procedure started at 7:30, and you were born at 8:11! It all went super-fast! Daddy was nervous, but he did a great job of keeping us both calm. When you were born, I was so excited to see and hear you! You really didn't look anything like I expected, but you were absolutely gorgeous! Dad went with you and the nurses to take pictures as they cleaned you up and measured you, then he brought you over so that I could see and kiss you. I was so excited and emotional, but I kept telling myself NOT to cry because then you would be all blurry, and I wanted to savor every moment of meeting you. I certainly did, too! While Dr. Price finished up her work on me, Daddy took you out to meet Mim and Pop. They were also SO excited to meet you!!

Once Mommy was all patched up, they took us to the recovery room and I got to snuggle you for a little while. Our wonderful nurse, Gretchen, gave Mommy some really great drugs, and took good care of us both until our room was ready. We were all excited to get to our nice room and be able to have a bit of calm together time. Did I say calm? Ha!! Hospitals are never calm. Between nurses and visitors and lactation consultants, the whole day was a whirlwind! I was still very very groggy from all of the drugs, and I was just trying to keep up with all that was going on. We survived your Birthday quite well, overall, but when bedtime came, we were very nervous to go to sleep with you in our room. We were so tired that we were scared we might fall asleep and not hear you if you needed us, so we decided to let you have a night in the nursery. When the nurses brought you to us in the middle of the night to eat, they told us you had jaundice. Mommy and Daddy were sad to hear that you were sick, but very pleased that the nurses noticed so quickly so that they could help you get better. They gave you a special bed with bright blue lights on your back and tummy. You had to wear special little soft sunglasses so that the bright lights wouldn't hurt your eyes. We called you our little glo-worm because off all those blue lights! What an exciting first day you had!!!

Day 2: The doctor came to see you and check on you today. They said your jaundice was pretty bad, so they decided you should stay in the nursery all the time. Mommy was still really sore, but I went down to the nursery to see you and feed you a couple times. It was really hard for me to be away from you so much, but I knew they were taking good care of you. Lots of friends came to see us, but we were so busy learning to eat and getting well that we didn't even get to see all of them. You started making lots of good poops, though, so we knew the blue lights were working and you were getting better!

Day 3: Since you were starting to get well, the doctor decided you were allowed to come back to Mommy's room just to eat, but you had to keep your special glowing blue blanket on you even in our room. It was really hard to change your diapers and snuggle you up to nurse with that big bulky blanket and the big cord that was attached to it, but we managed just fine. Breastfeeding was still really challenging while we both learned what we were doing, but you were starting to catch on just fine. We were feeding you little bottles, too, just to make sure you were getting plenty to eat so that your jaundice would go away.

Day 4: Happy 1st Thanksgiving, Lila Jane! Today we have a lot to be thankful for because your jaundice is getting better, and we all get to go home from the hospital!! We were worried that you would have to bring your blue glo-blanket home with you, but we ended up not needing it. We came home a bit after lunch time, and started unpacking all of your things. For a little bitty baby, you sure had a lot of stuff! Mim and Pop came over and brought us a big pot of taco chili. We had a great afternoon and evening just playing with you and loving all over you!! That night, we had no idea what to do with you! Every time we tried to put you in bed, you would cry and we would get all nervous. We finally tried putting you in your bouncy seat, and you were able to get settled and sleep for a little while. We were all very tired!

Day 5: Today was a busy day! We took you to the doctor's office today to check your billirubin (jaundice) levels. The doctors wanted to make sure you were still on the right track. We found out that you had lost over a pound since you'd been born, but apparently that's pretty normal. Your billirubin was still high, but the doctors weren't very worried. You also got to take your first shopping trip today! We had to go to Babyology to get some new bras for Mommy. When my milk came in, it REALLY came in!

Tonight we went to Aunt Carrie and Uncle Andy's house for Thanksgiving dinner!! Aunt Carrie did an awesome job of cooking the whole dinner for us. We sure had a LOT to be thankful for as we all took turns snuggling you and loving on you. Even Cooper and Collin were SO excited to get to play with you and kiss all over you!

Day 6: We took another trip to the Doctor today for another check on your billirubin. It had gone WAY down! Even the doctors were surprised at how great you were doing! We also met with the nice lactation nurse. Who knew it was so difficult to feed babies?!?!

Day 7: Mommy was sick today! I've had a cough for a couple weeks, but it just kept getting worse. Every time I cough, it feels like my belly is going to rip back open?! I finally went to the doctor because I really want to get well and keep you from getting my yucky germs. The nice doctor at the Immediate Care Center said that I had a virus, and gave me some medicine for my cough. He laughed when he told me to try not to breathe on you, and to try and get plenty of rest!

Days 8-11: We've been really busy! We've visited Mim and Pop's house, the doctor's office, and the pharmacy. You're doing better and better with breastfeeding, and I'm so proud of you! We spent Thursday (day 11) visiting with all of Mommy's friends at work while Daddy and our friend Scott did some work at home. All of the ladies at work just LOVE you, and they can't wait for you to start to school.

Day 12: (Friday, Dec. 4) You scared us today! When I bathed you in the morning, your belly button was kind of loose and bloody. I made Daddy call the doctor's office to see if it was ok. They told us that you were fine, but to watch it and make sure it didn't get bloodier. Well, later today, your umbilical cord stump fell off. I was very excited that it was gone, but it was really sticky and gooey with blood. We called the doctor again, and they weren't worried. They said just to let it dry out and it would be fine. They were right! By the next day, it was all clean and looked great!

Day 13 and 14: This is the last weekend we get to spend with Daddy at home with us. We spent the time going out to eat and really trying to relax a bit. It's hard to relax when you're having so much fun being busy! We're really excited that we're starting figure out a schedule for you, and you're sleeping really well at night! You only wake up when you're hungry, then go right back to sleep after I feed you!

Day 14: Daddy went back to work today, and we missed him SO much! We stayed home and got lots of cleaning and work done. It's hard to keep up with laundry and dishes when there's a certain little baby who keeps pooping on everything and a Mommy who keeps using up lots of dishes to pump and feed her baby!

Day 15: After alllll day at home yesterday, Mommy was already starting to go a little stir-crazy! We decided to have a girls' day out today, and we headed to Wal-Mart and Target! You were a perfect angel, and slept the whole time!!

Day 16: (Wednesday, Dec. 9) Mim and Pop had been out of town, but they came back last night! Mim came to our house today and helped us get LOTS of jobs done! We even went shopping again and ran lots of errands. It's starting to get really cold out, so we were glad to get a lot done. We don't want to have to drag you out in the cold any more than we have to!

Day 17: (Thursday, Dec. 10) You had another check up at the doctor today, and it went really well! You've gained 2 ounces a day for the last 5 days!! The goal was for you to gain just one ounce a day, so we were really excited! The doctor is really worried about your bottom, though. (So is Mommy!!!) You've had a pretty bad diaper rash that started in the hospital. We've been treating it with a prescription, but it's just not getting better very fast. The doctor has more tricks up his sleeve, though! We're going to try a new cream (Barbasol shave cream!), and Mommy is going to try a dairy free diet for a couple weeks to see if that might be what's giving you so many poops. I'm pretty sure you don't realize yet how important CHEESE is to Mommy's diet, but I'm going to just say that I must love you a VERY VERY AWFULLY LOT to give up cheese for you, Cupcake!! A Christmas without cream cheese might be more traumatic than a Christmas without a Christmas tree!!


I really can't believe you're already 2 1/2 weeks old! While I'm SO very proud of you for eating and growing and thriving as you are, I really do wish time would slow down just a bit. At night when I get up to feed you, I do miss the sleep, but I really just try to remember that this phase is only going to last a very short while. In a blink, I'll be up in the middle of the night waiting for you to come home from dates and parties. I'll look back and cherish even more these sweet baby times I have with you.

I love you Baby-cakes!!