At Home

 So we came home Thursday. And we did another round of photo shoots with the kids. Linc thought it was so cool that Oliver had a Batman shirt, so Linc put his on too. Most of these pictures I've already posted on Facebook and Instagram, but it turns out that it's extremely easy to take and share pictures with an iphone one-handed while holding a cuddly baby. :)

Ivan wanted to be in a picture with the baby all by himself, not with anyone else. He adores his baby brother and often comes up next to me to pat Oliver's head, or sing him a soft little song. I'd say of the three older kids, Ivan has been the most attentive to the baby. It's really sweet.

Adelia is doing better than I expected. She likes to hold Oliver for a few seconds and then tells me, "You can hold him now Mom." I don't think she quite grasps the concept of Oliver as a real person yet. If he is out of site, she thinks just about anything else (my knees under a blanket, her empty hands cupped into a bowl  shape like she's holding something imaginary, etc.) is him. She hasn't been as snugly and lovey as she usually is with me though, and has started preferring Aaron instead. But that's probably for the best at the moment anyway. At least she's still giving me the time of day and not throwing huge tantrums. 

This always happens with a new baby, but suddenly Adelia looks huge, and really filled out. Especially her feet. They are little girl feet, and not baby feet.

My mom stayed with us from Wednesday night to Saturday night. And we were very grateful to have her! She made dinners, cleaned up, and played about a zillion games of Trouble with the kids. I think she deserves a gold medal, just for that. (Trouble is a board game similar to, but more simple than Sorry.)

 On Saturday, Kyle and Kelsey and Papa Kerry came down to visit and meet Ollie. Kyle and Kels brought bubble wands for the older kids, and they were in heaven. Especially since the sun was out and it was warm enough for them to go out in the back yard and use them. We've actually had a couple of sunny days this week, and it's been nice to send the kids out in the yard. I still have to keep a close eye on them until we get a fence put in, but they loved being out there, and I loved watching them through the screen door.

 Papa Kerry and Gramma Tam with Oliver, Ivan, Adelia, and Lincoln.

On Sunday Aaron took the three older kids to church, and Oliver and I got to have some peaceful one on one time. I feel like I just want to stop the clock right now, and enjoy every single second with this tiny little guy. I know it won't be like this for long. And I feel no rush to "get back to ordinary life", like I sometimes have with my other babies. I just want to drink this in and remember it forever. The laundry and the dishes have been waiting for practically nine months, they can wait a little while longer, while I hold my baby and try to memorize his precious face, and how his hair stands up on end without any promptings, and his little grunts that turn into a piglet squeal if I don't wrussle up the grub fast enough.

Sunday night Aaron's mom and dad came over to have dinner with us. Debbie had just gotten back from a trip to St. George, and wanted to meet Oliver. I don't blame her, he's pretty much the most adorable thing ever.

So far he is a really calm baby. Right now I believe it's because he's still in the sleepy newborn phase, but I'll cross my fingers that maybe it'll hold out and be apart of his personality. He's been my sleepiest baby ever so far. He's day/night confused, but even at night he wakes up, eats, and pretty much goes right back to sleep. I'll take it. We even had a five hour stretch the other night.

He's a really good nurser so far, and hasn't been spitting up. Cross my fingers and knock on wood. What would I do with a baby that didn't spit up?

 On Tuesday, my mom came back down to help out for the day, and to my great surprise brought my brother Jackson and his daughter Emree with her. Jackson has not come down to see me in probably 2 years. We see him when we go up to Hooper sometimes, but he doesn't choose to venture down this direction. But today he did! Wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles. And we were very glad to have him. Doesn't Emree look like she could be the sibling of my children? I think so.

 Emree, Oliver, and Jackson

And so we've just been hanging out at home. I'm still pretty sore, and doing all that fun "after birth" lovelyness. Because of my stitches, I'm not supposed to lift anything over 15 pounds until they heal. Ya, and Adelia weighs about 35 lbs. Don't worry about it. Every day though, I feel a little bit more energy, and a little bit less sore, and more and more like a normal human who isn't getting quite as much sleep. But I will take it over being pregnant any day. I feel great compared to how I felt when I was pregnant. I'm on the up-and-up. I even let my kids play out back in the dirt/mud because it was sunny outside and they wanted to. For months I've been avoiding anything that created unnecessary mess. So this is a sign that I'm getting back to my old ways...hooray!