Bringing home baby

The first days of bringing home baby are both exhausting and exciting at the same time!

Kaitlyn has her day mixed up with night, and quite the pair of lungs. In the otherwise still darkness, her eyes are wide open. By the crack of dawn, I'm hunched over and panda-eyed from all that nursing and poopy diaper changing, and carrying and patting, trying to soothe the fussing babe.

In their enthusiasm, Jon and Ben fight over who'll get to carry Kaitlyn. And it's not a pretty sight whenever this ends up in crying bouts and tantrums.

Neither do their blatant disobedience, and their roughhousing (when more than once, they fall "splat" on the wood floor, and land one on top of the other... OUCH!!!) go down well with me. Especially in my sleep-deprived state, once the adrenaline's worn off, and I, too, have my crazy moments =(.

Vern has been really wonderful, and bears with it all. Balancing his schoolwork alongside his fatherly duties, being there for the boys and spending time with his little princess, of course!

No, it's not easy to juggle every one's needs. Our hands have never been so full! But while boys will be boys, and they won't stop their boisterous ways because there's a baby girl in the home, Kaitlyn does have a way of bringing out the gentle side of our three guys...

I like how Vern speaks to Kaitlyn in a gentle voice, and the best moments for me this first week must be watching Jon and Ben begin to bond with Kaitlyn in their own ways...



Praise God, we've made it through the first week!
There is much to be grateful for, and you've all been oh so sweet with your well-wishes and kind words, and thank you for keeping us in prayer! Your reminder for me to take care of myself, was also what my sister said to me when she arrived and saw me indulging the guys. And now, I have one more new love to dote on!

My sis leaves tomorrow, she's been such a blessing, being there for us more than we can ask for.

And there, we finally got Aunty G to carry baby Kaitlyn also, not just bond with Ben and Jon...

Yesterday, Kaitlyn had to make a return trip to the doctor's for a second bilirubin test. Thankfully, the jaundice (typical in breastfed babies) is within reasonable levels.

I hope this has been a fruitful visit for my sis. And I don't mean the hands-on experience of "days in the life of this at-home mom" for her. Or the good buys she snagged in the pockets of shopping time here and there, though we all know retail therapy helps! But most of all, warm memories to take home with her, of this time of bonding with us =).

P.S. Sorry I'm not able to respond to your comments individually. But if you're still curious...
- This is my elder sis. It's OK if you think I'm the more (ahem!) senior one ;p
- I did get to enjoy the epidural for 20 minutes, even though the contractions were already 2 mins apart by then, and pretty unbearable!
- Glasses can work wonders to hide dark circles and eye bags! =)

Have a wonderful weekend coming up! God bless!