Mr. Wonderful

We're all in love.

What's NOT to love??!

  

We're still fighting with bilirubin levels (jaundice), but they're heading the right direction.  Praying they'll stay down so we can get back to lots of snuggling.  He has a "Bilibed" phototherapy bed here at home, a little platform with lights in it.  He needs to spend ALL of his time on the lights with the exception of nursing, so for now cuddling has to be kept to a minimum.

Bj has been able to spend a lot of time with us here at home, I'm so thankful for all of his help.  Abby is also a wonderful "little mommy"... I can put her "in charge" while I shower and she'll pop in to the bathroom with regular updates like: "He spit up a little, but I have it UNDER CONTROL." and "He's just resting now mom, I have it UNDER CONTROL." or "I sang him a song mom, it's UNDER CONTROL!"  

Whew.  All is right with the world--Abby has it UNDER CONTROL.

Pleased to Meet You!

Elijah Matthew

8 lbs, 7 oz

20 in long

5:12 pm, 11/7/08

After an easy labor and delivery, we're all home, and glad to be here. We couldn't have asked for a more fun birth, a better eater, or a prouder big brother and sister.

Alex's reaction to meeting his brother sums it all up...we're all feeling delighted and a little giddy...

The name: Elijah--my God is the Lord, Matthew--gift from God. True. All of it. And now, we're going to go snuggle.

Thank God.

I spoke with Dr. Olson a short while ago, and he said to come on in this morning for an induction! We're heading up to the hospital now!

Nope.

Still waiting. I called the doctor's office this morning per his request, but he and his nurse are out today...guess I'll call in the morning. My friend Toni was kind enough to suffer along with me for an hour of walking laps at the community center last night, but all that really came of it was sore hips and calves.

There is definitely an increase in discomfort and contractions. But they still have yet to develop into any sort of pattern. We're all restless...just waiting, feeling a little aimless, waiting...I feel like we're holding our breath, life and routine are paused while we wait...meanwhile, baby grows bigger and bigger.

Sigh...

Tomorrow we enter our 41st week of pregnancy. I did NOT see this coming...I don't know why I was so certain this baby would be here by week 39, but I was. After holding onto that idea for the entire pregnancy, I feel like I'm already weeks overdue. Dr. Olson asked that we call him to schedule an induction if baby doesn't appear by Thursday. I'm not totally thrilled with the idea--I keep remembering the scary moments of Alex's heartrate dipping tremendously low during his induction...

I'm still contracting on and off every day, feeling like I have one foot in and one foot out of active labor.

Yesterday was our 6th anniversary!! We didn't do much...Grandma took the kids for the afternoon (thanks, Mom!) and we caught a movie. But it was fun...probably the last movie we'll see in the theater for quite a while.

If you're wondering where all the pictures are, the camera is packed up in the hospital bag, lol!