1st week home - with pics

Yay, brother is home to play! Dolly can do back time while brother does tummy time!

Patting his back. She is so sweet and gentle...for now.

Darren and Corrie brought not only dinner, but a book for Clara, cute tiger bibs for Everett along with an adorable tiger stuffed animal that Clara is kindly breaking in. Clara wouldn't let Corrie read to her until it was bedtime and then she knew it would prolong sleep. Thank you uncle Darren and aunt Corrie!

Dada asleep with his little man. Why is it that the dads are always the ones sleeping on the couch with the baby...hmmm.

Merrissa and Ajae dropped off goodies for us. Clara loves her cup and bracelets. Thank you my loves. Can't wait to have the "go" to play!

I love my outfit from the Crews.

Clara was reading to her brother. This is the dress Andre picked out for her the night we found out we were having a girl. He couldn't find anything he liked that was small so she now fits into her 2T dress.

"Mama, hode hands, hode hands..."

Katie my teammate came to watch Clara for me so I could take Everett to his first doctors appointment. THANK YOU! It would have been a useless attempt to discuss Everett's history with her there, it was hard enough with him there, Pah! Katie sent me this picture, she asked Clara to smile for mommy. I think it's her biggest smile to date. Love it!

Dada continues to defy my pool rules. Just kidding. I don't have any, I got my fence, I'll shut up there. However, I can't say I'd have gone this far. She was bare buns which made it extra fun! It reminds me of my childhood with my girlfriends at Rebecca's house going "bare buns" aka giving yourself the biggest wedgie, soaping up the slide and flying into Cuba Lake. I can't believe how brave Clara is, way to go little lady. I got a great video but she's too nakie to post. I'll get another one with her suit.

When she hesitates Andre starts to pull her leg. She gets silly and then goes on her own when he takes her hand.

Then she comes up and claps for herself...as she should.

Aunt Juliane came for a visit.

Clara "hoding" her baby. Sorry about the head support Everett.

Awe.

Fun fish from Nancy. We've had it forever in the living room since she would sit on it and watch TV and not stand in front of it. We finally got it into the pool. Her ADORABLE suit is from the Cotilla family. She has a cover up too! I love the colors.

Innocent little face...wait for it...

koo-koo!

Pj's and kisses.Uncle Jeff stopped by with fun gifts I'll highlight after I get pictures. Thanks Jeff!

Monday morning hanging by the pool. Bubbles in the water table since it needed a cleaning anyway. Clara loves bubbles.

Cooling off inside. One of my many cute outfits from Doe and Kate.

Tummy time on sister's old tummy time pillow. Sorry for all the pink buddy.

These cheeks are heavy.

Too heavy. He tolerates tummy time well. He goes strong for the first five to ten minutes depending on the time of day and then just relaxes when he tuckers. Such a sweet boy.

Baby Einstein 

Who doesn't want to play with play-doh with shades on in the house. They are so dark, I don't know how she can see anything. They were on for a good hour. Silly lady.

We were making patterns and then counting how many stepping stones the gingerbread man hopped across. We then made two gingerbread men and raced. "Again, again!"

First family walk. We kept it short. Everett hates the heat for sure. Good call Dada. Dang. Thank you for the double stroller Cotilla family!

Happy boy, for a bit!

Kristin is doing some "spring cleaning" and she hung onto this beauty. Memories!

Good morning Tuesday. His precious little face...

Nakie baby painting. Aunt "Seesah" got for Clara a while back. Busting out as much as I can, I need to make a trip to Michael's to keep things rolling this summer! She was painting a picture for Aunt Tiffy's birthday but then spilled her water on it. Another one soon Aunt Tiffy!

After she did one on her own we got a, "TA DA!"

Opening a "present" from brother so I can feed him in peace for five minutes.

It was the magnets I got her a while back that I tucked away because we have so many toys with so many pieces...bring it on, my house will never be the same...in a good way. I busted out one of my dry erase magnet boards that I had for summer tutoring I don't do anymore. I like this much better!

When Clara napped we "slept & ate" on our cozy rocker Grandpa got us. We use it day and night and it's SOOO comfortable. Thanks Dad! It has contributed to Everett's eating success for sure. We have had two very good eating days. Keep it up little big man.

Tummy time again Mama?!

Nancy brought over a Dora juice bottle and oatmeal, banana, chia seed cookies...YUMMY! Thank you for making our day!

I wrote a post on my phone days ago and forgot to save. Torture.

Anyway, to sum it up...our first week at home was everything I expected, and more! It's had its ups and downs. At first Everett wasn't eating as much as I'd like. There was a lot for him to adjust to, and although I thought I had him figured out in the hospital, putting him in a new setting means starting over. We're getting things figured out. He ate great today and I'm figuring out when and how he should nap. If he gets over tired, watch out. There will be a lot of crying and it's very hard to soothe him. He hates his car seat, and being hot. Andre figured out when he gets too hot, he gets more and more upset, which in turn makes him more hot. Quite a vicious cycle in FL in the summer. He has a heat rash that won't go away due to the excessive crying. This poor little big guy has been thrown into this big world when he was stuck in the same four walls for WAY too long. It's a lot on him. All in all he is doing well. We're slowly working all the kinks out.

He loves his swing. He sleeps in it due to his acid reflux, just like Clara. We just got medicine for him that I'll start tomorrow. He doesn't spit up like Clara, she never stopped throwing up. He gets stuffy in his nose and gags after he eats, trying to keep his milk down. Once in a while he'll spit up if he doesn't burp well enough. He enjoys tummy time a few times a day for quite a while, much longer than Clara ever tolerated it. He loves to be on his back and watch her race around the house talking nonsense. He does well with his schedule, we're all creatures of habit and thrive off of routine. He likes to sleep after being awake for 30 minutes or so, and he likes to take an hour nap or more. Some days he will sleep lots more than others. The more he sleeps, the more he sleeps, just like Clara. He needs great conditions in order to fall asleep. :/ Just like Clara...ugh, my kids sleep like me, light and picky. We have to have the perfect setting for sleep and are VERY light sleepers. He can get into a deep sleep, and he does, but until he is sound asleep, a quiet peep or Clara's loud ones will keep him up. Today he was on a perfect sleeping and eating schedule, I know not all days will be like this, but hopefully the majority...and I'm still beat!

Clara has adapted well, for the most part. She's had her moments but she's getting used to him. She was THRILLED to have him come home, but then she realized he was staying and that he took a lot of mommy's attention. Most of the time she is great with playing independently until I can play with her. Thankfully he's been sleeping a lot, when he's not, it's a zoo here trying to meet both their needs and trying to keep up with pumping every three hours. It's not easy finding time to pump on top of taking care of them. I got good at pumping in the car when going to the hospital, while holding conversations with doctors and nurses, whenever, however, I had the hands to get it done. Not so much now. They called me the pumping ninja since I would pump anytime, with anyone around and they were in awe with the quantity. Hopefully I can keep that up at home, it's been much harder. Lisa helped me with an idea one of my nurses gave me to occupy Clara. She wrapped up some of her toys I had set aside in the closet and when I need to feed Everett and she wants my attention, I give her the present from Everett. It gives her something to do while I feed him, and hopefully she doesn't start to resent him for taking my time and attention. So far she's loved it. She is very sweet to her brother. She gives him hugs, kisses, wants to feed him, hold him...and if not doing that, she just forgets he's here. She has started to include him in all her conversations. When she says, "Mama eat, dada eat, nunu eat..."she also says brother eat. That's one silly example of all the things we take turns at throughout the day. She does watch Bubble Guppies or Dora when I need to take care of Everett at times. I try and limit it, but until we get into the swing of things, I'll accept it. I give her ALL of my attention when he sleeps, therefore my house has gone to shit. I remember on my mom's death bed she said, "I wish I would have played more." I try to keep that in mind when I feel the deep desire to clean the house instead of play. It'll always be a struggle, but I'm trying hard. I too, want to play more.

I want to go to the park, or anywhere to entertain her and get out of the house, but I can't help Clara, "Climb, climb, climb" when I have Everett screaming in his sling because he's too hot. I can't be around friends and their kids yet, doctors orders say to avoid other kids for a few weeks especially those that go to day care or camps that are around other potentially sick kids. If anyone has had anyone sick in the home I've had to ask them to wait an entire week before coming to see us. Of course washing hands and no kissing Everett's hands or face. I'm already board. I want to be around others, cousins, kids, friends...anyone, Bueller. Ha. Thankfully Brandi, Elsa, Linda, Ana, Theresa, Jonny, and Betsy are going to come for a weekend at the end of the month. Jonny and Betsy aren't staying with us, but I hope they come by to meet our little guy. SOOO excited. Christmas kind of excited!

He had his first visit to the pediatrician. We considered it his "one month" well visit and he got one shot. He screamed the entire way there in the car, the entire time I had to fill out paperwork, and then after the shot of course. Oh, don't forget the entire way home. It kills me. I can't stand to hear him get so upset. It takes me back to the days where he was going through such hell with being poked and bothered in his insulet in the hospital when I couldn't hear his voice but I knew that's how sad he was, and after, when I could hear his sad voice...there are certain things I can't get out of my head when I hear him cry. I hope they fade in time.

I am so thrilled to be home with my babies. Although I'm already going stir crazy, I am so glad to be home with my loves and it's so worth keeping him healthy if I can't see anyone even until I go back to work...it's a-okay with me. I can't go back to hospital life. Not only do I need him to stay healthy, I need him to keep eating well. I take him back for his two month check-up a week from today. More shots. :( Hopefully his weight is up and the g-tube conversation can be closed.

Everett was up three times last night, ate well, but up a lot...so time for bed. More soon, pictures too!